Tricare and Lapband Removal

I thought I'd note my experience with Tricare Standard (West) and removal of the Lap Band. I've had it since 2007 and lost a fair bit of weight (75#). The past month though I went mostly vegetarian(fish one night a week and meat on one other) and dropped another 15#. Then my port flipped on me. The doc said it was most likely due to weight loss. Had some lower GI pain and blood in the stool same day as it shifted which freaked me out initially.

Anyway, I'm pretty dialed in now on portion sizes and just wanted it out. The surgeon had a xray taken for my visit. Tricare did approve the removal in two business days and had it out the day after approval. I had read on various forums before that they won't take it out but with complications it seems to not be a problem. They don't last forever. Good news is it was intact and "hadn't come apart" although I did have some scarring. He said he's taking more of them out now than he's putting in.