YngGram

I will be using Dr. Brengrman, and this was covered in the pre surgery class. Must be his thing to do. :frown:

Did anyone go home with a pain relief system in place? Something to deliver meds for 2-5 days attached to a catheter that had to be removed by you or the doctor?

I haven't done it yet so this is off the top of my head. See if you can have anything with zero calories like...popsciles, crystal light type drinks. They might help fill without adding anything, and of course MORE WATER!! I am just trying to cut out stuff as I go along so that when I start the pre op liquid diet I will have an easier time. I replaced really SWEET tea with the Great Value (WalMart) sugar free drinks. Raspberry drink and Iced Tea with Peach has enough flavor that I don't miss the sugar and lable is straight zeros:rolleyes: More Fluid might make you fill fuller, and help flush out the bad stuff.

CONGRATS!!!! Jumping with you on the same date! I don't have as much work as you, but I will be pulling for you as hard as for myslef.:frown:

I am making changes to make life easier with the band. My date is 3/9 but I had first seminar in Sept. I started the gym, not doing to well with that (old problem). I then gave up most of the really sweet tea I drank daily and switched to sugar free drinks. Great Value from Walmart works well for me. I then started to work on portion controll, this was really easier than I thought, use smller plates and just don't go back for more. Not doing to good with drinking more Water, but I am better than before. Now I am doing a version of the "liver shrink" diet. I have a carnation Breakfast dirnk, a slim fast and a meal. I have lost 12lbs. in the last 3 weeks and am really happy with myself. Now here is the thing I find surprising. I always thought I wasn't an emotional eater, but I am. I thought I couldn't do a liquid diet because I would always be hungry, but I'm not. Now I almost am more disappointed in myself for all my earlier failures with diets. I feel really good that I'm doing well with my self impossed changes and it gives me great hope for after the lap band. I was most worried that I wouldn't be able to just eat 3 small, small meals but now I think I will be okay. I am ready and happy to know that I have the strenght for this. The real liquid diet is not far off, it doesn't look to bad, not very differnt from what I'm doing now. The excitement hasn't set in yet, but happy feels real good right now.:biggrin:

Hello Bandsters,

Can you please comment on the following questions regarding insurance requirements.

1) Psychological Evaluation and clearance - What is the visit like? What kind of questions? What is a MMPI?

2) Cardiac clearance - What happens at this visit? Did your PCP do a referral? How do you go about getting this documentation?

3) Documentation of a normal Thyroid function - How do you go about getting this documentation?

4) Pulmonary clearance - How do you go about getting this documenation?

1) It took an hour to do the "test", then a short talk with the Doc. Checking to make sure you understand what is in front of you with the life changes.

2) My PCP had ordered test because I have HBP and he does stay on top of it anyway, I also had a Nuclar Stres Test. So in that area I was over tested by incident.

3) Simple blood work, mine was done when I went to get my colestoral check, nurse just worte it in on my lab sheet to check for it

4) I had the chest Xray for a recent bad cold, again just good timing thing.

Don't worry about the test, the surgeon I am seeing usually had all those done at the hospital where the surgery will be done. I happen to live a little over an hour away and had them done as part of my regular work. My surgeron had the cost for the test bulit into his fee for the surgery.

Hello, Welcome and Congrtas!!! I will use the same group, but Dr. Brengman. Had my nutritional class on Mon. and will be banned 3/9. I will add you to friends list. I don't live in Richmond but I was born there.:smile:

I haven't been banned yet but I see without doubt that my DH will be strung on the line and left to dry out often!!! I told him I will dump Water on him when he is a butt about what I need to do to make this work. He whines because he can't take his nap because of my appointments (dr is about an hour away), he states that he will not diet. Well I'm not asking him to diet with me I'm asking him to drop a few pounds because at 56 with blood pressure issues, high clolestoral, back problems and who knows what else he hasn't told me about the extra weight is hurting him. I am dealing with my own. His answere for every problem in the 33 years I have known him has been food or sex. Well the extra weight for both of us knocks out he second one. He don't get it that the world doesn't stop or go just for him. Great father, great husband (when head is attached), but often his mouth is running but his mind is not in gear with it. Loving em is easy, living with them and liking them is why we need God and someone else to talk to.

I haven't been banned yet but was told in my nutrition class yesterday that we are to never chew gum. The reaso given was that we might accidently swallow it and it can block the hole and then foods couldn't pass. I don't think it does damage to the band itself, only you when you get stuck. :smile:

:thumbup:My date is 3/9 and I am only telling my husband and kids. I am not ashamed of my decision, I am just not worried about other folks opinions. Not even the family, I'm doing this because at 51 and many medical issues to include feet that scream on the daily; I go forth on my own. I will not deny what I will do, but I don't want people to watch to see what is happening. I don't give up, and I'm not looking for easy, I want and need success.

Gave my gobber many chances to talk, he just kept saying he was OK with it but he wasn't going to diet. food is a big emeny to him that he thinks is his best friend. Well I have had a couple of opps with the processs. I made a nutrition eval appointment and it wasn't in the place I thought I was making it, (military) so we had to rush up the highway to try to get there in time. It turned out to be an even bigger mistake because the military require a 6 month supervised program first, and this check was Hitlers little sister. She almost scared me off. I got it worked out in a couple of days and got to a real person, but it caused him to have about 2 hrs. down time while he waited for me. Then my doc requires a nutrition class (4 hrs.) it was on Mon. but the office gave me the wrong time. It was about an hour from my home and we were on our way when they called and said they gave me the wrong time and it had started at 2 instead of 4. So we lost another 2 hrs & 45 min out of our day, he missed his NAP!!! It got ugly in the car real quick. So I will not be having any further discussions with him about this. He doesn't even know that I now have a date for surgery . I will drop kick him when needed or sic our girls (28 &25) on him, them he listens to.

I was just approved by TriCare Standard last week, first try. Welcome.

Hi Jade,

Welcome. I haven't been banned yet, just got a surgery date yesterday, March 9th. My husband is retired MC and we use TriCare Standard. The process for this has been simple because of it, and yes the guidelines changed last year. I think it is a little more involved if you are going to have service on base, there I think they require a 6 month supervised weight managemnt class first. Start getting together as much info on your weight history as possible, any diets you've tried and the results. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Be ready for life changes, give up stuff early. My weakness is sweet tea, I drank it by the gallon, I switched to a Crystal Lite type drink and dropped about 4lbs., use the treadmill or walk some (I know it's cold, I'm in VA). Just moving around the house more helps. I try to get up a couple of times an hour and tour the house. I've lost 10 lbs. since Nov. and that's with the holidays and not dieting but using some Slim Fast and small portions when I eat. Get the mind set and work your plans, good luck and again WELCOME.

NITERUN

I feel for you and you freighten me. I should be banned sometime in early March, and I dread facing what you are. So I don't have an answere for you just questions. Is it a mental thing for you at this point? I know most times if my heart/mind isn't into what I'm doing, I don't do it well. Maybe you just don't believe in the band enough. Evaluate how you are putting this tool to use. Maybe you are eating to fast and not chewing enough. I was told that would help from getting the heavy feeling in your chest. Also, a smaller plate helps with the portion controll and the picture of a full plate. I don't like to get up early and I don't like to exercise, I am often just plain tired! So I am now pushing myself to walk just a little to get me going. Have membership at the Y but seldom get there. The answere has been to do more housework, or at least move around more in the house. I know it is small but it does help. I just walk though the house every hour to just move. I spend a lot of time at the computer. The dietician told me to call and talk when I need to. The surgeons office is often to busy to take time and answere questions but she or her staff would be there should I need them. Also I read last night that one lady who wasn't loosing started to weigh and measure food more closely and found she was eating more than she thought. Look for the tips that others have made work. Don't give up on this, it can be done; at least that's what I think. Good Luck!!!

TriCare Standard doesn't require a referral for visits, so what is really needed is that the doctor will accept what TriCare pays for covered service. Prime does have this requirement, so I guess the docs submitt as a general rule of thumb for anyone who plans to use any type of insurance. I did call the office on Fri. just before (they said) they called me. I got the dummy date info, and that I will need to attend a nut. class next week (4 hours), then I can be put on the list to be scheduled for surgery. Joyce told me it takes about 2 weeks to get things scheduled and there will be more tests for me to take. So I am going with an estimate of early March, right around the dummy date . I checked online with mytricare.com, but an ID and password is needed.

Hi All,

TriCare(Standard) offically started processing my request on the 21st., I just checked the web site and it has been approved as medically necessary:party:. However the date of service listed is 3/5/09, hope I really don't have to wait that long.

ANSWERE: The new interns were operating on themselves. When theygot caught Christina took the hit and none of the other residents spoke up and took responseibitly for their interns. One of them almost died. Because of this Christinia lost her chance to do the solo surgery and had to pick who would get it. She chose Kerfert instead of Merrideth. He had done several and was the best choice.

I don't have BCBS, however I got the same crazy runaround with the first two surgerons I talked with. After persistance with the "online chat" for my insurance company that led to me speaking with someone from the department that writes policy I discoverd the following:

The six month structrued weight loss program both were stating that was required by the insurance company was not. It was something the surgeon wanted me to do through them at about $350 out of pocket. When I told them I had spoken with the insurance company they tried to convience me that I was not talking to the same people they did. I had to forward the emails I had received and really stand my ground. I told them they lied to me and I didn't like it. One of them then said they would proceed without it if I would sign off on it. I am now working with someone else and the requirement never came up. Also this surgeon does not charge a program fee or for the nutrition classes that I must have.

O U T S T A N D I N G !!!! Congrats to you, keep it going strong.:tongue2:

Hi all,

I have my nutrition eval tomorrow and I believe at that time I will be informed on the food changes I should expect to make before and after surgery. However, I am afraid that there are things I should ask and I just won't remember on my own. Can you guys give me a list of things you wish you had asked, things you wish you had better understanding of ahead of time, and of course the things you think everyone should know. I don't want to waste what may be a golden opprotunity. Often I find if I had known something I would have made a better choice. Last week I made the mistake of having an eval by someone on a military base (to save money) and it was not a good experience. Hind thought made me call the nutritionist the surgeon recommended, that is who I will see tomorrow (the service is free BIG DUH). If you can help the needy one here, I just might be banned next month.

Thanks in advance

Several of the people who post here have used both stadard and prime. I am standard and found at military.com the guidelines listed. Do a TriCare search here and tons of posts will show. I did one in Oct. because of the info I was getting from a surgeons office that was tring to get me to pay for something they said TriCare required. I communicated with HealthNet (TriCare North) and found the surgeon to be blowing up my skirt.

Got to "TURN OUT THE LIGHTS" for Teddy and while you at it "PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH" for Barry:thumbup:

Feeling all of what yall say!! But I am 51 and got some limits. However the real big one is "Get the hell out of plus size" I am lucky that my weight is evenly spread out, but my flat butt makes it look wider than it is. I want to have some pants that the legs aren't wide enough to make a boat sail!:blushing: Everything in plus seems to be that way. I read that your shoe size can go down as well so I am hoping for some fly azz shoes. I love shoes and my feet are wide and the pointy toes and high heels just aint working with this weight.

I am Tricare Standard (north) and my life is a little easier but..each surgeron seems to want something different. I have been to three seminars and the first two got ditched because they required a 6 month structured weight loss program (which had to be paid for out of pocket) as well as a program fee also out of pocket. The thrid one does not and that is the one I have chosen. Below is what is listed as required by the first two:

1. a 6 month structured weight loss program

2. Lab results from: Hpylori, TSH level

3. Pulmonary clearance

4. Cardiac clearance

5. Psychological evaluation

6. Nutritional evaluation

I followed up with Tricare and found that only 2, 3, & 4 are what insurance requires. 2 is blood work, not sure for what, 3 and 4 are to make sure the lungs and heart are in good shape. Chest X-ray and an EKG should show this.

This office only required that I fill out a packet from the seminar(health history) and I had my first consult. Once I have my test 2-6 done, my file will be sent to insurance for approval; nutrional eval on 30th. My BMI is over 40 and I have high blood pressure.

This past week I caught a show about plastic surgery for people who had weight loss surgery. It featuered a mother and daughter, the daughter I believe had been almost 300 and had been heavy from childhood. Her arms were really bad, the "apron" as well as thighs , butt and hips were all worked on; they removed about 18lbs of excess skin. It is my impression that the need for surgery is dependent on more that just one thing. I think if you are lucky enough to be tall, the weight is better distibuted and the skin hasn't been streched out as much, some skin has more elasticty than others. I also hope that the better tone your muscles have the better your chances are. My last hope is that the more moisture in your skin the better. No fact in any of this, but I am upping my Water intake and getting in the gym. No hope of surgery for me until about Feb. so I got 2 months and I hope it helps.:cursing: