APPROVED!!!! I'm so excited!! I have my physch eval tomorrow and hopefully will be scheduling my surgery then. I was really worried that I wouldn't get approved because I'm not 100 lbs over the metlife recommended weight scale. But I have a lot of comorbids. So I guess that was enough to put me in the approved category!! In my family there is a history of death from strokes, diabetes and heart disease. I'm 35 and mother of 4 kids that are under 6. I want to be there for my kids and husband.

I haven't told my husband yet, because he would never go for this surgery. So I still don't know what to do about that!?!?! Guess i need to get me a weightloss tracker on my name now!!

I hope that some of the "approval vibes" from this thread rub off on me. I have TriCare Prime and my Dr. submitted everything today. My pre-op appt. is scheduled for this Friday and surgery is scheduled for Aug 18th @ 7a.m....I am so keeping my fingers crossed!!!!!! Congrats to everyone!

Just wanted to let you guys know I'm approved too and have a surgery date scheduled for Aug 20th! Acck. I start my preop diet tomorrow. DH isn't thrilled but has said go ahead and even offered to do my whole preop diet with me. Thats definitely showing his suport as far as I'm concerned! He's going to be sick of Whey protien in about 2 weeks!

That is so great, what a wonderful guy! What do you have to do for your pre-op diet? I think my surgeon mentioned a week of clear liquids and up to 3 protein shakes a day for me, but I guess I will find out the specifics at my pre-op appt which I am yet to make. Please let me know how it goes, and any suggestions along the way. You got a really early surgery date, thats great! I think mine will be in Sept. Congrats!

One of my coworkers sells Shakelee and their Strawberry Cinch is pretty good. She gave me some other protein shake samples that I have yet to try.

I started a new poll for those of us that have Tricare. If you have time fill it out. It is under the insurance threads.

Hi ...my approval from Tricare only took 6 days after my inital seminar & surgeon consult . Now, I have lots of pre-op appointments. My wt was over the 100# with co-morbidities of sleep apnea, hypertension, hypercholesterol, osteoarthritis, knee replacement with a pulmonary embolis after surgery, kidney cancer with a radical nephrectomy in 2003 (primary cause of renal cancer in women is obesity). Needless to say I am more then ready for surgery...any side effects of obesity as one ages only get worse without intervention. Yes I am nervous about any surgery & the risks, but I am more concerned about my obesity! MarilynC

That is so great, what a wonderful guy! What do you have to do for your pre-op diet? I think my surgeon mentioned a week of Clear liquids and up to 3 Protein shakes a day for me, but I guess I will find out the specifics at my pre-op appt which I am yet to make. Please let me know how it goes, and any suggestions along the way. You got a really early surgery date, thats great! I think mine will be in Sept. Congrats!

Its a couple of shakes a day and in the evenings most days I get a few oz of lean meat and a 1/2 c of veggies. A few pieces of fruit here and there. My nurse said if I get hungry just have a piece of fruit. I can also have SF Jello. I don't think it will be that hard, especially with my DH's help. I think the only hard part will be a kids birthday party and Bunco this weekend! Those are so focused on eating!

Wal-mart has an excellent Chocolate protein shake powder. It's by Body Fortress. You use one scoop of powder per 8oz of liquid, preferably water or fat free skim milk. There are 46 grams of protein in every two scoops! I think they also have a Vanilla and Strawberry as well, but I haven't tried those.

I'm approved! I'm approved! Documents submitted Aug 5th approval Aug 6th. August 18th can't get here soon enough!

Hello and congrats to you!

I hope I am not being to forward by asking this question.

What is your BMI, weight and what co-morbitites do you have? I am starting the process on Thurs with my PCP. But I also do not meet the 100lb requirment. So I am fearful of the rejection.

Thanks in advance for any info or advice you can provide.

~Tink~

My BMI was 39, weight 220 (at the time of referral), co-morbid: joint pain, migraines, shortness of breath, HBP, also history of HBP and diabetes in family. Good luck with your referral!!

I, too, just went from "pending" to Approved!! Yay! I didnt think mine would make it either b/c I'm a little shy of the "magic" 100 lbs...but I too had alot of comorbidities, and I guess that helped. I was really getting worried b/c I've been seeing alot of denied's on here as well. I was actually getting all my appeal paperwork ready! But now I'm so relieved...and hopefully my surgery will be sometime in Sept (a great birthday present...a new ME!!) What will we Sept surgeries be calling ourselves?? Congrats to all the approvals and good luck to all the pendings!!

We call ourselves the September Samurai (see my signature). Also go to the September Bandster section for other Samurais...

September 2008 Bandsters - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum

We are warriors in this fight!!

I'm approved! I'm approved! Documents submitted Aug 5th approval Aug 6th. August 18th can't get here soon enough!

Congrats! Isnt it such a wonderful feeling??? And a really fast approval!

Yeah i was 235 at appt + weights i hid..lol abt 5 lbs extra and 5/6, co morbs joint pain and back pain. Thats it Blood pressure was elevated at PCM appt so that helped me out as well. IM REFERRED YAY! Now just about 20 million other steps to do. :wink_smile:

Thanks so much for replying...looks like I am definatley on the right path. I just hope to be able to follow in all of your footsteps...wish you the best. This process is so nerve racking. I am starting with my PCM tomorrow.

~Tink~

No over stepping, I know I need to talk to him, but he would NOT be supportive in the least bit. He's a Marine/Navy man and believes that if you want it to come off...you should work it off. He would think surgery is a shortcut and might see it as me being a slacker and lazy.

So...that's my dilema!

I understand. I had a friend also with Tricare, her husband is in the USCG with my husband and her husband was completly against the surgery but she did not care and did it anyway. Guess what he loves the results, she looks great and he is very happy now. Keep going do not get discourage.

Hi I just had all my paperwork submited:

PCP letter,

sleep study

pscy eval

nutricionist eval

blood test

surgeon letter

I called tricare today and they received and told me 3-5 business days and the wait is killing me I check the website every 5 min I think I will go crazy. I tryed to get my weight up but my BMI still 38, so I'm very worried about a deniel. I do have high blood sugar but not diabetic really, high cholesterol and accid reflux desease, so I'm hopping to get approved. At first I wanted the lapband but later I decided to go extreme and get the GPS. My husband supports me but he wants me to go and get the band not the GBS, I think he is worried about the surgery and thinks I'm not that fat for something so extreme.

Please pray for me.