milwif

Uh yeah that sounds like a rip off. Plus your psych eval should be completely covered. I did have to pay out of pocket for the two nutritional appts I've had, but together they only cost $170. I agree that you should look somewhere else. I hate when places are only out to get money...

Hi! I have Tricare Reserve Select in the West region. I first went to the seminar at the end of March 2009, and had my surgery Sept. 24, 2009. The only reason it took so long was because my surgeons office had a waiting list, Tricare was great and quick with all of my referrels and approval. I received my approval just 3 days after my surgeon submitted it. I'm 5'2" and started at 235 lbs. and honestly I didn't really have any solid comorbs. I had joint and back pain, a slight form of sleep apnea called sleep hypopnea which most overweight people have anyways, and slightly elevated cholesterol. I didn't have a single comorb on Tricare's list of requirements....BUT...I did meet the criteria for 200% of my ideal weight range. And it looks like you do too, plus with your comorbs, I think you will have no issues at all getting approved. Good luck!:thumbup:

I had my postop appt. 12 days after surgery and at that point they started me on soft foods. I think it depends on your surgeon. I don't think mine would have moved me along if it was going to ruin or hurt my band. Everything has been fine since, no complications so far!

I feel your pain! I was banded 9/24 and started getting very hungry about a week out. Didn't help that my husband and everyone around me was eating pizza and burgers and all of the things I can't have. I saw my Dr. on 10/6 which was like 12 days postop, and they moved me on to mushies. I think as long as you can handle it, then its fine. Every surgeon has their preference, I've even heard of people going to mushies on the 3rd day. Since I've been on mushies/soft foods, I feel great!

I'm two weeks postop and just had my check up today. My Dr. put me on soft solid foods after being on liquids since surgery. I had some chicken today for lunch and it went down fine! I'm also a little afraid of gaining back a few pounds that I lost on the liquid diet, but I'm sure as the fills start coming all will settle into place.

Oh don't worry, you'll see a difference soon! Give it a few more days. Your body might be retaining some Water too. I was the same for about 5 days then all of a sudden on the 6th day BAM I'm down 5 pounds. Keep your spirits up.

I also got on the scale right away. Not the best or most accurate thing to do, but its like a kid on Christmas morning; you just can't wait. I also stepped on the scale at 7 days post op and was down 9 lbs.

Hey all, I am 7 days post op and took some of my bigger bandages off yesterday. In taking a closer look at my incisions, I realized I have 9 of them. Most people I've heard have 5, my surgeon said I would have 6, but 9! Really?? My surgeon didn't say anything about this in the brief time I saw him after surgery. I will be asking him about it at my Post op appointment next week, but I'm wondering if anyone else has this many incisions? My surgeon did say that I had one of the thickest muscle walls of anyone he's ever operated on (ha! covered by a nice layer of fat) so maybe that had something to do with it. Like maybe they couldn't get their instruments in properly?

I had a similar experience with my old doctor. He actually denied my request for a surgery referral because he wanted me to diet and exercise. Here's my thought process...obviously diet and exercise didn't get me to where I am today. Sure I have tried and tried to lose weight but in the end I am unsuccessful. I went along with my Dr.'s plan and started on a prescription appetite suppressant. After several months and no significant weight loss I decided enough was enough, change doctors, and here I am...waiting for my surgery time thats in exactly 8 hours. If you want to give a weight loss regime one more try, go for it. You always have Lap Band as a backup.

Wow I can't believe the time has finally come; I will be banded tomorrow! It has been such a long road to get to this point and I'm so thankful and excited. I have read some very usefull information on here, so now it's time to apply it! Wish me luck!:thumbdown:

I'm having surgery on 9/24 too! I'm so nervous and excited I have butterflies! Now its crunch time, getting things together for after surgery. Just filled my prescriptions today and will be going shopping for liquids to drink post-op! Good luck girl we'll do great!

I think you have a great chance at being approved. Maybe your PCM doesn't believe in WSL. I went to my PCM of 19 years and he refused to even put in a referel to a surgeon, so I dumped him and got myself a more open minded doctor who thought I was a great candidate:smile2:

You can be approved by either being 200% the ideal weight with no necessary comorbs OR 100 pounds over the ideal weight WITH comorbs. It's an either/or type thing. If you're shooting to meet the criteria for 200% over ideal weight, you can basically forget about the whole 100 lbs thing. Just take your healthy weight range and double it. Thats where you need to be.

Wow just one week? you got your date quick. I guess just prepare yourself mentally for surgery and for life after and how much it will change. Also some places do a preop diet or want you to lose weight. my surgery is in two weeks so you'll have to let me know how it goes for you

Congratulations Morgan!! Isn't it a great feeling? Now you have to start getting nervous again...only this time it's not for your approval, it's for surgery!

I'd say not longer than one week. Mine took 3 days I think.

Yeah my surgeon requires a class and several visits with a nutritionist, so I've been prepping for post op diet for a while now. I think I'll do a liquid/mushies type diet to get the weight off quick, I'm sure that will do the trick. Thanks!

Woops....minor detail that makes a big difference....my surgery is 2 1/2 weeks away, not 3 1/2!

So my surgery date is in 3 1/2 weeks and my surgeon tells me I need to lose 12 pounds before then. Of course he told me this a month ago so I should have been able to lose it by now but....I've only lost maybe 4 pounds. I suck at losing weight. I guess thats why I'm getting this surgery anyways, right? Anywho, so now It's crunch time and my surgeon basically said that if I don't lose this weight, they will postpone my surgery so I'm looking for some tips on what to do here. I hate quick diets, I'm sure we all do because they obviously failed us in the past, but I need some help! :thumbup:

Morgan- It seems to me like you have a good chance at getting approved, and if you don't, I'm sure you could appeal it and get approved. Dr's can be so frustrating can't they? My surgeons office took forever to collect all the information and send it out. The good news is, once it's submitted Tricare doesn't take long to respond!

Congratulations on your surgery date! I have surgery scheduled for Sept. 24th. We can be band buddies!

I would call Tricare and/or your Dr. and ask them. I got all of my tests and my Lap Band literature prior to actually getting approved.

Jade-thats correct. Your doctor faxes the referred request directly to Tricare and you are notified when it gets approved, online and by mail. Shannon-It depends on what your surgeon requires. My surgeon wanted a lot from me, I had almost a dozen "test" type appointments before they'd even send it to Tricare for approval. However, once it was sent I got my answer from Tricare in just 3 days.

Congratulatios on your great success! You look fantastic. You have accomplished almost exactly what I want to do, go from 230 to 130 in a year or less. I do have one question though, with the weight coming off so fast, do you have any loose skin at all? I'm pretty worried about this

how much do you weight and how tall are you? And are you basing this off the Metlife chart? From what I've heard, Tricare is pretty strict about the 100 pound weight requirement. I know some people on here who gained a few pounds or wore ankle weights when they weight in to secure that requirement, you might look into that.