KarinaM

Girl you look GREAT. Some of the procedures you've got done I also want to get it. I am from Brasil and will try to get at least my tummy tuck approved by my insurance but if they dont approve I will be going to Brasil in April to get it done with a very well known and competent PS doc. My main requests are: tumy tuck and a butt lift (brasilian style, of course). I cant wait to find out how much it will cost me. LOL Did you get your TT and the butt lift at the same time??? Is that possible? I had a gastric bypass done Jan 26.09 and lost 97lbs so obviously I need some stuff done.

I will NEVER take Syntroid again. About 2 years ago my endo doctor gave me Syntroid to take and that medication made me gain over 50lbs and it was one of the reasons I had to get my Gastric Bypass. I would not take it unless you REALLY need it.

I was desaprovedby Triwest and they also took their time (55 days). I deceded to go my last appeal (to the Dept of Defense contractor). They were very nice. (you need to get your weight up, get some "extra weight if you know what I mean). It took 2 weeks for me to get approved. DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!

Hi, this is what will happened. You go to your PCM and she will request a referal for you to see a surgeon. When you see your surgeon (usually they gove you 5 visits) he will request a few things like pscy eval, nutricionist, sleep study and blood test. After this is all done the SURGEONS office will submt your paperwork to Tricare to have the pre authorization for your surgery approved. Let me know if you have more questions because I went thru this whole thing and had to fight Tricare for 6 months for approval. KEEP GOING and Good Luck.:mad2:

Let me tell you something: YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE SYSTEM. If this PCM will not helpyou got to another one and tell this new one you have HIGH blood pressure, back pain .... If you have to go for the 200% over the weight table DO IT, I did it. I "added" 30lbs under my clothes and appealed and it worked Got my RNY Jan 26 after 6 months fight with Tricare. Do whatever it takes and do not give up.:mad2:

It SUCKS TMA lady was rude with you. I was very lucky with my lady Erika. She called me gave me her number called me when I was approved. My main problem ws always TRIWEST people know NOTHING they are stupid and I had to tell them all the time what was going on.

The same happened to me and I was goin crazy because I had the letter from TMA saying I was approved, the lady at TMA told me to be patient and wait for 21 days so Triwest would give me my authorization so I got my surgery schedulle. Until one week before surgery would not show at Triwest and they would tell me I was not approved but the vary last day for the 21 bus days they had it got it posted online. YOU ARE FINE!!!!:biggrin:

It took 21 BUSINESS days to Triwest show the approval by TMA. It took a lot of horible time on the phone with Triwest and they kept telling it was under appeal and they could not do anything. Don't worry it will show on the very last day.

Sory for taking sooo long. So far I feel great I was at the hospital for 2 days (left on Wed) but I feel "head hunger" sometimes. I do not feel sick or nausea at all. Since I got the Gastric Bypass I'm still on stage 2 diet and sick of it. Missed you all. It took 21 bus days for Triwest to show on the website it was approved by TMA. I was going CRAZY with their delay and they kept telling me at Tricare I was not approved untill the very LAST day. TRIWEST SUCKS. Thank you guys so much for all the support.

I also got approved by TMA the Secretary of Defence contractor. They were very nice and I will tell you I got the surgeon to say I was small frame so I was approved under the 200% (by the way I had to "add" some 20lbs weight on me if you understand). It worked and I thing we have to do what we can to get approved since they do not understand this is no "cosmetic" liek they think it is. Good luck munger.

I'm so happy for you. We are in the same boat. I was denied and they took 54 days on my appeal. I gained more weight to qualify on the 200% and sent a secont appeal and this tima it was to TRICARE, not TriWest and it was appoved in 17 days. I'm still waiting on TriWest to release my authorization since they have 21 days to give it to me by the time they receive the decision from Tricare. My preop is next week and surgery on Jan 6th. Can't wait.It was VERY hard to fight Tricare but I WON.

THANK YOU!!!!! You are so sweet and please don~t worry about the jealousy because I understand. I~m sure things will work out for you just DO NOT GIVE UP and do WHATEVER it takes to get approved, I did. Please keep me updated and GOOD LUCK.

Sanchez is nice but I had TONES of problems with the surgeon coord because they do not care much about helping you on getting insurance approval. I was denied twice and I HAD TO DO MY OWN APPEAL with no help from the office. FIANLY it is over now.

Hi I am going to get my gastric Bypass with Sanchez. I think I will get my surgery at Mills since he only operates at El Camino once a month. I just got approved after 4 months of appeal with my insurance company and on monday I will schedulle my surgery. I've seing Sanchez a couple times and really liked him.

Hi I have GERD very bad and I also heard about the band and people with reflux. I am getting a gastric bypass instead because I always wanted. I finaly got approved after 2 appeals (since Aug). I should have surgery in 2009 maybe January????

Thank you so much. I got my letter from Tricare today and now I realy believe it will happen. Can't wait for monday to schedule the surgery. I ALWAYS wanted to get the Gastric Bypass but I was going to Mexico to pay for a LapBand if I as not approved. I was very tired of fighting with Tricare...

Can't wait fo rmonday to find out about my surgery date. I wonder how long I will have to diet. Good like on yours.

Hi guys after a long fight with Triwest I finaly got my APPROVAL. I sent my last chance appeal to TMA on Nov 26th and today I was told by the Appeal person at Tricare that my case was reversed and it was APPROVED. Now all I need to do is wait to Triwest issue my authorization and schedule my surgery. Thank you soo much for all the support.:laugh:

Who was your Doctor in Mexico and how much did you pay?I gave up on my insurance after an appeal denied again.I guess I will come up with the money and get my ass there.

Where did you get your surgery?

You guys are so kind with me thank you so much for all your support. I'm very discoraged but I will try Travis AFB, lets see what happens. Meggie, do you have Mrs Frasier phone number? What should I tell her? I went to my PCM and they told me they would get a letter ready for Travis AFB Surgeon's General and this was on tuesday so maybe tomorrow I will call to see if it was faxed the Travis.Who knows.... I'm very happy JWRN, Meggie and TOmatoegirl are doing OK. Can't wait to see you guys pictures later. Keep us posted.

:biggrin: Thank you Meggie. I'm so glad you and Tomatoegirl got the surgery over with and you guys are home and feeling OK. Keep us posted with the progress. :thumbup:

I have no questions it will be the same, they think it is cosmetic, not a medical necessity and since I do not have a comorbidity they gave me a big NO.

Tomatogirl and Meggie, GOOD LUCK TOMORROW. Let us know as soon as you guys can how you are feeling. So happy for you guys. I should be getting my letter tomorrow, but I already knew it would be a NO since Meggie and JWRN got their approval so fast. Well I went to my PCM and gave her a letter asking her to give me a letter of referral and pretty much telling her what I need her to say. I was trying to fax all the paperwork to Travis but my fax did not work, I don't know why. I did write a letter (almost the same I wrote to Tricare) but I don't know if it will help me since my main problem is not have any comorbidity (diabetes or high blood preassure). I do have the family history and a very bad acid reflux desease getting worse with the weight gain. Since I have a rod and six screws in my leg I am trying to play the joint pain card. Do you guys think this will work???? DO they only take the BMI? If they go thru Tricare I don't think I should go thru the trouble. Well, GOOD LUCK again Meggie and Tomatogirl.