Hello everyone! Currently I'm staying in Biloxi Mississippi and I'm having a hard time finding a doctor to get me started on the lap band. I am over 40 BMI so I'm guessing it shouldn't be as hard to get this done. My main concern is where do I start and does my insurance cover it? I have already tried gong to a nutritionist and other steps so what should I do?

I'm tricare west but I'm standard I didn't want to have to see a military dr. I wanted someone that specialized in only this. I got approved right away but had to do 6 month of physician diet. And now I'm getting band on the 24th. I still don't have to pay anything out of pocket. good luck

Anna How did your surgery go? First week?

Anna How did your surgery go? First week?

It was a breeze. My doctor is fantastic and the only one of the three bariatric surgeons at Ft. Campbell that is authorized to do lapband. I wonder if the process is different here. I never even heard a word about tricare authorization at all. They essentially told us in our first seminar that because we'd been referred by our PCM and met the "requirements" that we were set. The only thing that could have stopped it was the psych eval.

Anyhow...I had a rough first few weeks after surgery because of the Vitamins. My body went on strike against them...basically dryheaving for hours/day. It took some figuring out, but once we got it pinpointed to the vitamins and I stopped taking them I haven't had a single problem since.

I'm at about 6 weeks post op now and have dropped 25 pounds...just had my first fill on the 7th which also went great. So far I'm really glad I did this. I'm feeling optimistic about my "skinny" future.

Yours is coming right up Royalrags! Good luck!

Anna, I get all excited hearing things like that, I can imagine the vitamins I could not even take them when I was pregnant they made me sick! So I know to be careful! I think things are done very differently according to where you are, I would not mind if they did the surgery at MacDill they really only see the Military personnel, I just wanted a good surgeon and I have one and now the journey to get back to my thinner self, is on the horizon!!! Thanks for the information! I will keep you updated on my journey and Congrats on the weight loss thus far 20 something pounds off is Awesome heck right now 5 off would be heaven!

I have Tricare prime SW - I had to do multiple bloodtests for Vitamin levels/blood sugar' date=' etc. I didn't have to do the diet either. I started the process with a referral from my PCM at the beginning of March and was banded April 24th.

BTW...in the seminars that I went through there were people approved for lapband, sleeve, and gastric. At least at Fort Campbell there was no restriction on the type of surgery. I could have chosen any of the 3 that I wanted once my PCM referred me to bariatrics.[/quote']

I have always had all my surgeries done at a Medical Treatment Facility because my husband is Active Duty and we have always lived where they have had a hospital and not just a clinic but Dover is the exception and I'm the idiot who finally decided to do this! Yes if we were still at the US AFA in CO I could of had WLS at Ft Carson and had it done within two months and got the sleeve but TRIcare North will NOT let me have the sleeve. My surgeon even tried to write an appeal but no way. I could have driven to Norfolk and had it done there but this is not my first rodeo in regards to surgery and I didn't want to be hours away from my surgeon. Now looking back at all the hoops I've had to go through with TriCare I would have gone to Norfolk, Bethesda or anywhere but here!!! ... I hate that dependents do not have a standard of care it seems like with TriCare you are at the mercy of what region you are in as far as requirements go... As for the pre-op diet that has nothing to do with TriCare but your surgeons preference.

Please say a little prayer for me that I hear soon about my approval. TY

It was a breeze. My doctor is fantastic and the only one of the three bariatric surgeons at Ft. Campbell that is authorized to do lapband. I wonder if the process is different here. I never even heard a word about tricare authorization at all. They essentially told us in our first seminar that because we'd been referred by our PCM and met the "requirements" that we were set. The only thing that could have stopped it was the psych eval.

Anyhow...I had a rough first few weeks after surgery because of the Vitamins. My body went on strike against them...basically dryheaving for hours/day. It took some figuring out' date=' but once we got it pinpointed to the vitamins and I stopped taking them I haven't had a single problem since.

I'm at about 6 weeks post op now and have dropped 25 pounds...just had my first fill on the 7th which also went great. So far I'm really glad I did this. I'm feeling optimistic about my "skinny" future.

Yours is coming right up Royalrags! Good luck![/quote']

Yes you don't deal with TriCare when you are at a Medical Treatment Facility only when you are stationed somewhere that only has a clinic. My friends that have done their WLS at a MTF got it done within months and got to chose which one they wanted. TriCare will only pay for Gastric Bypass or LapBand. We are stationed at Dover AFB DE and we only have a clinic. I sooooooo wish I would have had the guts to do this last year when we were stationed at the AF academy I could of had my WLS started and completed I. Two months with no 6 months of monitored nutrition counseling!

Cherie I was actually shocked to have such a fast turn around my Surgical coordinator said I was lucky because the process does not normally move this fast' date=' I hope that all things work out! How are you doing on the liquids I am surviving but it gets harder at night![/quote']

I'm on liquid too because when they gave me my surgery date they never said it was pending... I'm on day 9 so it better go off on 6/20 or ill be in my surgeons office giving them a piece of my mind!!! You would have thought that between seeing a Nurse Coordinator and my surgeon someone would have started the approval process sooner than the day they scheduled me...I've been in this process since November!

I am in your same situation......I have done all pre-op, pre-admin, start the shakes on 25 June and a surgery date of 8 July. AND I found out yesterday that my pre approval for surgery hasn't been done yet but said it was being submitted yesterday and should by complete within 14 day! WEL....if my surgery day comes and I don't get approval...I am going to be one pissed off woman! lol. I don't understand why Tricare doesn't cover the sleeve....!! This is frustrating. Keep me posted on your situation...Lisa

I am in your same situation......I have done all pre-op' date=' pre-admin, start the shakes on 25 June and a surgery date of 8 July. AND I found out yesterday that my pre approval for surgery hasn't been done yet but said it was being submitted yesterday and should by complete within 14 day! WEL....if my surgery day comes and I don't get approval...I am going to be one pissed off woman! lol. I don't understand why Tricare doesn't cover the sleeve....!! This is frustrating. Keep me posted on your situation...Lisa[/quote']

Good luck! I talked to TriCare myself and they said if I haven't heard by Wednesday (surgery Thursday) they can a approve over the phone but it must be within 24 hours before your surgery!

I'm on day 10! Pr- op!

Ok just need to vent about HOW HUNGRY I AM!!!! I think my stomach is eating itself!!! LOL I have only been doing this since Monday Good gravy I have protein liquid coming out my eyeballs!!! I thought it was suppose to get easier as days go on! My first three days were a breeze Now NOT so much!

Ok just need to vent about HOW HUNGRY I AM!!!! <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> I think my stomach is eating itself!!! LOL I have only been doing this since Monday Good gravy I have Protein liquid coming out my eyeballs!!! I thought it was suppose to get easier as days go on! My first three days were a breeze Now NOT so much!

I'm there with you! I did buy these awesome Protein drinks on Amazon that have two shots of expresso in them! vanilla Latte. I eat (drink) that for Breakfast. I also bought protein Soups for lunch. Helps a LOT!

I lost 9 pounds in the three weeks leading up to my last appointment and have lost another 5 in 10 days! My liver better be the size of a pea when I'm done...lol! Ive lost a total of 19 pounds since I started this process in January!

I am in your same situation......I have done all pre-op' date=' pre-admin, start the shakes on 25 June and a surgery date of 8 July. AND I found out yesterday that my pre approval for surgery hasn't been done yet but said it was being submitted yesterday and should by complete within 14 day! WEL....if my surgery day comes and I don't get approval...I am going to be one pissed off woman! lol. I don't understand why Tricare doesn't cover the sleeve....!! This is frustrating. Keep me posted on your situation...Lisa[/quote']

I'm trying to think positive! Stressing out isn't good pre-surgery but it isn't easy and being hungry makes it worse! I hate that they don't cover the sleeve because if we were stationed at a military medical facility we could get one! My GF just went to Norfolk Naval Hospital which is about four hours from here and she is getting the sleeve and it will be done in two months...no friggin six months of nutrition! Ugh!

hey ladies

i saw the tricare prime thread and wanted to pop in and

and wish you all the best of luck. i also have tricare prime north and

its been an easy road for me and i wish you the same.

hang in there

Good luck! I talked to TriCare myself and they said if I haven't heard by Wednesday (surgery Thursday) they can a approve over the phone but it must be within 24 hours before your surgery!

I'm on day 10! Pr- op!

Good to lnow! How is the pre-op diet going? I find that the times I sub a meal for a shake OR drink one before a meal....I eat less cause I really feel full! Lisa

I am keeping it positive too! I feel pretty confident it will be approved. Looking forward to the pr-op diet......! I am, Tricare North too carolinagirl!

So ready to get this going! Have a great days! Lisa