*barbara*

Actually, I switched teams and decided get RNY Gastric Bypass. I had surgery on 12/21/09 and am down 60 lbs so far. Let me know if you have any questions.

just a quick update on this thread - I have been approved for WLS! actually, i just changed my mind and decided to move forward with RNY instead of the lapband. But i just wanted to let you all know that I was approved through Tricare's 200% policy so if you don't understand it, I am pretty sure someone else explained it in this thread. Good luck to all!

If you are consuming the correct amount of Protein, then that may not be the issue. I heard that hair loss also result from the trauma of the surgery to your body and it healing. My hair stylist also told me that the anesthesia can result in hair loss. I haven't had WLS yet but I did have my thyroid removed 7 months ago and I am still experiencing hair loss.

great, thanks! I got the list of allowed liquids but wasn't really sure how to apply them. thanks again!

Curious - what did you eat (well actually I mean 'drink') during your pre-op liquid diet?

Hello, Is anyone willing to share what was written is their letter of medical neccessity. The one my doctor wrote was really, really weak and definitely needs to be beefed up. So I was go to re-write it and ask them to sign it. I want to get this done right the first time! Thanks!

Sorry - I should have said that it is not that I think the lap band won't work...I think it will work. I am really just concerned about the life span of the band. I am worried about all the things that could possiblly go wrong. And I wouldn't want to have it taken away from me and have to go through this whole process again. Thanks!

Ok - so I have completed all my pre-requisites and now all I need to do is send in my completed packet to the surgeon’s office and then wait for them to call me with a appointment. But before I even get to that, there is a section on their questionnaire that asks which procedure I would prefer: lap band or gastric bypass? When I started this journey I went into it thinking I absolutely wanted the lap band. I liked it for all of the obvious reasons (simple surgery,quick recovery time, adjustable, not permanent). But now as I have had time to think about and learn about everyone else's experiences...I am not so sure I want the lap band any more. I understand that both procedures come with risks but I feel like the lap band has more of a potential to have something go wrong down the road. I have a hard time believing that something I have installed in me at the age of 30 is going to last for the rest of my life with out any complications. I think about the lap band as a car...it needs maintenance (fills)...might need some repairs...what if it a lemon?!?!? So my other option is gastric bypass...and I know I am posting this on a pro-lapband message board so I am not sure I will get much support with this option. But I think my body chemistry might work better with the RNY. I am hypothyroid and although I am on medication for it...i still think my body suffers as a result of a synthetic metabolism. So I think the malabsorbtion of the RNY would actually help me lose the weight. Ugh, this is such a difficult decision...I have been obsessing over it for days!

bump again...i love real ghost stories!!!

good post...bump!

Oh my god, thank YOU so much for letting me know this!!!!! This is the best news ! I decided to explore the possibility of getting surgery back in January and having been dragging my heals through the whole process because I have been in fear that I could be denied since I don't have any co-morbidities. I have read of Tricare's 200% policy before but never understood it and thought it was for people who were severely over weight. Finally the gray clouds have cleared and can almost see the sun!!! Thanks again!

Hello tkee99156 - can you explain the 200% route? I am curious if I could do the same although i don't know the criteria. You see, I don't have any co-morbities. My weight started at 250 lbs and I am 5' 4"...and according to a frame calculator i do have a small frame (some where under all this weight) and i do sometimes wear petite pants. According to the Met Life table a small frame should be 116-130 lbs (although I will be thrilled with 160).

Now that I think about it, I really like that pose too. I think it may be the most flattering (make my thighs look skinny and give me some clevage). Ugh, now I am so excited!

I am in the early phase of this whole process and my paperwork has not yet been submitted. I am really curious if I will be approved by tricare. My starting weight is 250 (5'4") and I don't have any co-morbities...but I have a history of diabeties in my family so I do run the risk if I continue on this path. I also had my thyroid removed a few months...and although that isn't a co-morbity, I am hoping that my lack luster metabolism will give them enough reason to approve. *fingers crossed*

Yes, I would love to see the letter you wrote. Right now I really don't have any other documented medical issues. The funny thing is that since I decided to explore the LB in January, I have found my knees hurting me. So I might mention that, however I don't have it documented any where. I don't want it to seem as though I am making reasons to have this done. As for the trouble I am having with getting some answers from my insurance company, I will try to talk to someone at the next informational session I attend on May 8th. I also did some looking around and think i found another surgeon. They have a informational session on May 7th so I was thinking about attending that to see what their program is like.

You know…I must admit that I really frustrated with process I need to go through to get this done. The surgeon's office I chose to do the surgery requires me to jump through all of these hoops before I can event meet with the surgeon. So of coarse I need to attend the 1st intro session followed by 3 informational sessions (which are only offered once a month). I have completed the 1st intro session and 1 informational session…2 more to go. I need to get member services at my insurance company to tell me what is required on their end in order to qualify for the surgery (pysch eval, nutrition consult, etc)…anyone I spoke to says that they can't answer these questions and that my primary care physician or surgeon can only get that info. For the surgeon's office, I need to get a pysch evaluation and nutrional consult…but I don't know if I can go ahead and make these appointments without my insurance company's approval of surgery. My primary care physician did my physical and I went and got my lab work done today. I need them to write a letter of recommendation for me. I don't know if I made that clear to them so I was thinking of drafting my own letter explaining why I need this and giving it to them so they have something to start with. I need to lose 10 lbs on my own…I am working on it. Being more aware of what I eat and easing my self into exercise. So after I attend all of the informational sessions, lose 10 lbs, and then hand in a packet which documents everything I have done along with a questionnaire…they I will be able to finally meet with the surgeon. To make this all even more frustrating….per the terms of my insurance company's policy for surgery, I don't believe I technically qualify. Yes, I have a BMI over 40% but I do not have any co morbities. My only other medical issue is that I have had a long history of thyroid problems and have had it recently removed. I gain weight easily. My family does have history of weight issues and my mother has diabetes. So I certainly am at risk. I don't want to rush into this. I will wait a year if I need to. All I want right now is a yes or no answer so I can move forward with knowing whether or not this a real possibility for me.

My hubby just got me a Wii Fit as a early Mother's Day gift! I have always loved video games so he thought that a Wii along with the Wii Fit board would be fun for me. I have experimented with it for the last 2 days and I do like it. Just wondering if there is anyone else out that has tried it and if you have any game recomendations. Right now we have some Jillian Michaels game and the some other Wii fit game.

Thanks for the reply! I am happy to hear that the LB has the potential to help me. I have been hypo since I was 16 years old and I am now 30 years old. I definitely have always felt that I am doomed to be fat forever because of my thyroid ( well, now lack there of since I have it entirely removed last month ).

Hello, I was just wondering if there was anyone out there who is hypothyroid and has the band? How are you doing?

I appreciate the replies. I was just curious since I have not seen any address this question before. Thanks!

Hello everyone! I just started this process. I live in new england and have insurance with Martins Point, which is part of US Family Healthcare, and then that is through Tricare...so confusing. Well according to the Met Life table I should be 124-138 lbs, but life has played a cruel joke on me and I am 250lbs! I found Tricare's policy manual about WLS and am kinda confused. My question is...Do I absolutely need to have associated medical condition (diabetes, arthritis, sleep disorder, etc.) in order to qualify? I really don't have any other issues other than just being fat. I have had issues with my thryoid since I was 16 years old and just last month I had the darn thing removed because I had a cancerous nodule. So I am hypothyroid...and my mom is diabetic...so I have the risk of becoming diabetic. All I know is if I continue on the track that I am I will continue to gain weight and in the end develope a co-morbity.

Does anyone know how long the LB is intended to last? I am 30 years old and if I get the LB today, will it have to be swapped out for a new one in, lets say, 15 years? I know that the LB is relatively new in comparison to gastric bypass, so I wanted to know what the lifespan on the LB actually is. I've read that some people do have issues with the LB (leakage, etc) which requires them to have it replaced. But if I never have any issues with the LB, can it remain inside me for the next 40 years if I live until I am 70 years old? This question has me wondering if I should start to consider bypass instead.

So I FINALLY attended my 1st informational session. My foot is in the door. The way my surgeon's office works is that I have a list of things I must accomplish before I can even schedule a appointment with the surgeon. Once I have completed them all, then I will need to send in a completed packet to the office and wait for them to call me. The process seems kinda crazy, but the good thing is that I certainly can't rush into this without giving it plenty of thought. I honestly believe that this decision has got to be the hardest decision i have ever made. Getting married, buying a home, having a baby, even choosing to have my entire thyroid removed...they were major decisions but I think they were obvious. I just know that I need to lose this weight...and I need to do something now before it multiplies. I am just not comfortable in my own skin anymore. I hate how I can feel folds of fat touching other parts of skin...i hate the friction between my thighs and that they ruin every single pair of pants I own. I don't think I have co-morbities that coincide with my weight right now. But I know that if I keep going on as I am right now, I will get one. I have chosen right now to only tell my husband, my mom, and a friend that I want to get the LB. I really don't want anyone else to know. While I do sometimes talk openly about being a fat chick to people, my weight issue is very personal for me. I am sensitive about it. It really sucks to have my flaw be so exposed to everyone. I don't like that people immediately know that I am lazy, weak, and obviously have food/body issues by just seeing that I am fat. I just don't think that alcoholics have to deal with that type of criticism since they don't have to wear every drink they ever had. Well, anyways...I decided to tell my manager that I was exploring WLS. I only wanted to tell him because I knew that I would have to occasionally need to ask to leave work a little early for all of the doctor appointments and meetings I will need to attend. So I wanted him to know why. It was so incredibly hard for me to tell him...to the point where I had tears swell to my eyes. They weren't sad tears...I think it was my nerves. Well let me just say that I don't have a friendship relationship with my manager. He has no personality...i think he is part robot. So I told him that I wanted him to keep it confidential...even after I have it done. I was entirely embrassed after I spoke to him...I felt like a idiot. I just wish I hadn't cried. BUt I think that this is just such a personal thing to me...that I kinda got scared talking to someone outside of my circle about it. Makes it real. My husband says that is going to support my decesion but he isn't too thrilled with it. He tells me that he loves me as I am...but I think he is just comfortable with who I am. However, I am sure he would love a hotter version of myself. He has been feeling insecure about it and thinks I am going to change the person I am when I lose some weight. I have told him that I am not doing this to change my life into something completely different. I love my husband, my son, my home , my life....I just want to improve it.

So I FINALLY attended my 1st informational session. My foot is in the door. The way my surgeon's office works is that I have a list of things I must accomplish before I can even schedule a appointment with the surgeon. Once I have completed them all, then I will need to send in a completed packet to the office and wait for them to call me. The process seems kinda crazy, but the good thing is that I certainly can't rush into this without giving it plenty of thought. I honestly believe that this decision has got to be the hardest decision i have ever made. Getting married, buying a home, having a baby, even choosing to have my entire thyroid removed...they were major decisions but I think they were obvious. I just know that I need to lose this weight...and I need to do something now before it multiplies. I am just not comfortable in my own skin anymore. I hate how I can feel folds of fat touching other parts of skin...i hate the friction between my thighs and that they ruin every single pair of pants I own. I don't think I have co-morbities that coincide with my weight right now. But I know that if I keep going on as I am right now, I will get one. I have chosen right now to only tell my husband, my mom, and a friend that I want to get the LB. I really don't want anyone else to know. While I do sometimes talk openly about being a fat chick to people, my weight issue is very personal for me. I am sensitive about it. It really sucks to have my flaw be so exposed to everyone. I don't like that people immediately know that I am lazy, weak, and obviously have food/body issues by just seeing that I am fat. I just don't think that alcoholics have to deal with that type of criticism since they don't have to wear every drink they ever had. Well, anyways...I decided to tell my manager that I was exploring WLS. I only wanted to tell him because I knew that I would have to occasionally need to ask to leave work a little early for all of the doctor appointments and meetings I will need to attend. So I wanted him to know why. It was so incredibly hard for me to tell him...to the point where I had tears swell to my eyes. They weren't sad tears...I think it was my nerves. Well let me just say that I don't have a friendship relationship with my manager. He has no personality...i think he is part robot. So I told him that I wanted him to keep it confidential...even after I have it done. I was entirely embrassed after I spoke to him...I felt like a idiot. I just wish I hadn't cried. BUt I think that this is just such a personal thing to me...that I kinda got scared talking to someone outside of my circle about it. Makes it real. My husband says that is going to support my decesion but he isn't too thrilled with it. He tells me that he loves me as I am...but I think he is just comfortable with who I am. However, I am sure he would love a hotter version of myself. He has been feeling insecure about it and thinks I am going to change the person I am when I lose some weight. I have told him that I am not doing this to change my life into something completely different. I love my husband, my son, my home , my life....I just want to improve it.

Oh, I want to have pin-up pictures done too!!! I googled it sometime back and found a ton of photographers out there. I can't wait till that becomes a real possibility for me (just getting this process started). Good luck!