pappyny

Does anyone have any experience with tricare or triwest and plastic surgery? I'm still a ways from my goal, but I want to get the ball rolling now if I can. I'm wondering if anyone has gotten any kind of plastic surgery approved through tricare and if so, what kind. I'm thinking that I will need a lower body lift and breast lift with implants. I'm almost 100% positive they won't cover the implants, but not sure about the rest. I did a search, but didn't really find anything. Thanks for any help you can give.

I lost 4 lbs. this week. I'm down to 212. I am so happy that I lost this week!

scale Whore! I love it! I am a scale whore too. I weigh myself every morning and every night and sometimes 2 times through out the day. I feel that this keeps me on track. When I see the numbers, I still find it hard to believe that I have lost so much weight. I guess I just need the constant reminder from seeing the numbers Karyn

I am down 0 this week. I had lost 1lb as of Wednesday, but then all this bloating hit me and I gained 3lbs. (The joys of being a woman!) I managed to lose them again though and get back to where I started. Hopefully next week will be better.

I am a military wife with tricare as well. I started my process at the beginning of January of 2009. MY PCM put in the referral for me, it was approved within 3 days. I contacted the surgeon, then had to wait 3 weeks for the next seminar. Then I had to wait again for the surgeon's office to call me to make an appt. I got all my pre-op testing done, more waiting on the surgeon to get everything to Tricare. Once they sent it in, it only took 2 days to get approved. i had my surgery on March 27, 2009. So, all together the process to about 3 1/2 months. Tricare paid for everything except the $250 required by my surgeon for a pysch consult. Tricare has paid for all of aftercare. I do need to get a referral every 3 months from my PCM, but she likes to check in on things anyway so it works out okay. Overall I am very happy with Tricare and their coverage of the LAP-BAND® and aftercare. I am hoping they will be just as willing to cover the removal of some excess skin. From what I've heard it all depends on your PCM and if they want to fight for you. Hopefully I get to find out soon!

I have been a pretty slow loser. I lost about 33 pounds in the first 4-5 months. I had problems with reflux and had to get unfilled, then we visited with family for a month befre moving to another state. I went 3 months without being able to see a doctor to get adjustments. Once I found a doctor up here in MT and was able to get to a good place, I have been losing weight at a pretty good pace. I seem to lose it in spurts, but I think that is my bodies way of dealing with the lose. In Novemeber I lost 14lbs. in 3 weeks, but then I stayed the same for 2 weeks, then went through another spurt and lost 10 in 2 weeks. Oh, it took me about 5 fills (2 unfills in there too), to get to what I believe is my sweet spot. I, personally, believe that our bodies need time to adjust to everything that is going on with it. Surgery is a big thing and so is weight loss. Hope you get the restriction you need soon! Karyn :tt1:

I actually just got stuck yesterday on scrambled eggs of all things (I think it was just a tight day for me though). I stopped eating and about an hour later I decided to have a slimfast shake, not necessarily because I was hungry, but because I knew I needed that protein that I would have gotten from eating the eggs. If I had gotten stuck at dinner, I probably wouldn't have had anything else only because I would have already had my minimum amount of protein for the day.

I have read that in their manual, but I have also heard about other people getting approved with sufficient proof from their PCM and a surgeon. Sometimes it is for a panniculectomy as opposed to a tummy tuck or full blown body lift. I was just wondering if anyone on this site has dealt with tricare on this issue. Do you have tricare? Thanks. Karyn

Just found this thread and thought I would give my doctor's name. I don't think he has been mentioned, but I did skip a few pages to get to the last :thumbup: I am in Great Falls and I see Dr. Mortenson for my adjustments. I also have Triwest insurance. I had my surgery done in Las Vegas, NV when we were stationed there. Dr. Mortenson had no problem with doing my after care.

I was banded on March 27th of this year. I have lost 59lbs. I had issues with acid reflux early on that led to my band being emptied so as soon as I started solids, my loss stopped. After getting filled back up I was able to lose again. Then due to a vacation and a move to another state, I was unable to gets fills and I plateaued again. I found a dr. here got a nice fill, lost 10lbs, then stopped again. Stayed about 245 for about a month, then lost 14lbs. within 3 weeks. Now I seem to be at a stand still again. I don't change the way I eat during those times, I exercise the same. The weight just seems to be coming of in spurts? Is anyone else the same? Is this just my body's way of dealing with the loss and excess skin?

Hi bevanfranks - One thing that I've recently discovered is that you need to make sure you are getting enough Protein and enough calories in per day. I was actually eating too little per day. Also, when you're weight changes you may have to change things up a bit as far as calories go. You may want to eat a couple hundred more to see if that gets your weight loss going again. Seems strange, but it works. Good luck moving past this plateau! Karyn :thumbup:

Congratulations on your success! My one year bandiversary is coming up at the end of March. I'm hoping to hit the 100lbs. lost mark by that point, but if not, I'm closer than I was a year ago. Congrats again! Enjoy your "new" life! Karyn :thumbup:

I have found that I need around 1100 calories to be able to lose weight. I, too, don't deprive myself of somthing sweet every now and again. I know that if I try to stay away from all sweets for too long that I over indulge when I just can't take it anymore. Not a good thing :smile2:

Here's my Monday weigh in: I started on 1/1 at 221. I am now 216. I've lost 5lbs. so far. I am changing my goal to 22 by Valentine's day which means I have 17 to go. I so want to be under 200 by then and I think I just might have a shot! Keep up good work everyone! Karyn :blushing:

I was on the original thread then found this one. I vote for "Walking with Warriors" too. Great suggestion onetosucceed!

I'm in on that walking challenge too. I need to get myself a pedometer. Can't really walk outside with the weather the way it is here in MT. I thought the only way to get enough protein was to drink those horrible shakes too, but I found it really isn't that hard while eating/drinking regular food. Sugar free carnation instant breakfast when mixed with 1 cup of 1% milk has 14g of protein, 1/2c. cottage cheese has 14g, special K protein snakc bars have 5g, special K protein water has 5g, 1 large egg has about 6g, 1 oz. of chicken has about 7g. of protein. You get the idea. There is protein in lots of foods.

I am a military wife also. I understand how hard it can be to have to do everything by yourself. My husband isn't deployed, but his job takes him away from us for 5 days then 4 off, but his days off he's usually doing things at work anyway, so not much help from him. I have 4 daughters, run a home daycare and take classes online as well. I know how tough it can be to find time to exercise. I used that as an excuse for quite awhile. Finally I remembered why I got the band and I kicked my butt into gear. I started using Jillian Michael's 30 day shred. It is hard at first, but it does get easier. I also use Wii Fit. I try to alternate days. Also, the junk food, like cheese curls, just keep them out of the house. We had a tremendous amount of pies, Cookies, and chocolate these past few weeks for the holidays. I was eating pie every night! I wasn't losing. Well duh! Of course I wouldn't eating like that! I finally just had to give away what I could and throw the rest away. I have also started to focus on making sure I get enough Protein in. And believe it or not, I wasn't getting in enough calories. That's important too. I found that I need around 1100 calories and at least 60g of protein to lose weight. Since I had this revelation, I have lost weight every day (yes, I weight myself everyday, it keeps me motivated)! You got the band to be healthier, you need to make it work for you. You need to work with it instead of against it. You still have 3-4 months before your husband comes home. You can choose to make those 3-4 months count. Don't give up! If you need to talk, you can pm me. Karyn :smile2:

Well said, zobee!!!

I, too, am accountable just to myself. I am so determined to do this right, that I don't need to be accountable to anyone else. I am making this work for ME.

I'm in! I am currently at 220. I would like to be under 200 by Valentine's day, but I have been stalling a bit lately so I'll go with 12lbs which would put me at 208. Karyn

I am one that chosen not to tell many people. My husband, mom and step dad and a few close friends are the only ones that know. I am not embarrassed by any means. I just know that some other family members would judge me for having WLS. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. My dad has always just ignored the fact that I was overweight. He was never supportive when I tried to lose. My brother has always picked on me for my weight up until about 2 years ago. Over 20 years of being teased by brother, I can just imagine what he would have to say about this. My husband is in the military so we don't live near family. When we go back to NY this summer, I'm hoping I will be close to goal. If anyone asks me how I did it, I will be more than happy to tell them I had lapband surgery. If anyone were to ask me now, I would tell them. I'm certainly not going to lie about it I guess the biggest reason I don't shout it from the roof top is that if I tell people, most people think all kinds of WLS are these magical thing that just make you lose all your excess weight within a couple of months. It's just not true, but a lot of people think that. I'm not willing to put myself out there to be judged by the rate at which I am losing. I personally lost slower at the beginning that some I've seen on here, but now I feel like I'm at my "sweet spot" and I'm losing at least 3lbs. most weeks. So, I guess for me it's the being judged by other people that I can't handle. Hope this all makes sense :biggrin: Karyn

I'm not fluffyJen, but I did find the link to another challenge. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f178/weightloss-challenge-106836/ There is another too, but I couldn't find it. I'm pretty sure there is a link to it through the one above though.

I was banded just 4 days after you and I completely understand what you're talking about. I have been going through the same thing lately. I have given in way too much though. With the holidays, having company and all the sweets in the house have definately not helped. My advice would be give in just once to your craving and then get rid of whatever it is so you won't be tempted to have it more than once. It's great to eat only good for you foods all the time, but that's not life. The band is our tool to not overeat, not so we won't eat sweets at all. Eat one scoop of ice cream, just not the whole container (or whatever food you are craving). Great job on your weight loss so far! Karyn

I agree, this is a good one. It's the one I have taped to my fridge to keep me on task :biggrin: It's a great feeling when you drop out of the morbidly obese category.

I missed last Monday, but would still like in on this challenge. My starting as of today is 222. I would like to be under 200 by Valentine's day, not sure if it will happen, but if I lose at least 10-15, I will still be happy. Happy Holidays everyone :thumbup: