Lizbeth

I finally have an appointment for a surgery evaluation January 10th.....this is a huge step since I have been at this since eptember. I am excited. I feel like there may be a light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. Any advice as to anything I should call and ask or have done that would make this go faster would be awesome and thanks in advance. I am so thankful for this site it has given me so much encouragement and information. Thank you to those who have shared their journey it really is a blessing.

Thanks Cheri, good luck to you........This is such an exciting time for us both hope all goes well for you and will be waiting to hear updates on your journey.

Hello All, Any info will be helpful.......I am the spouse of an active duty soldier. I am trying to get a VSG at an MTF. The issue is I do not see an on post doctor and my MTF does not do bariatric surgery. I have found an MTF 4hrs away that does the surgery my civilian PCM is on board, I am having an issue getting approval for the MTF. My PCM sent a referral to Tricare and it was denied, she has sent it a second time and hasn't gotten an answer back yet. So my ? is has anyone else had this issue and how do I go about getting this done? Please Help.

Tricare says the MTF needs mor info before they can approve me for the VSG at the MTF. Any ideas of what I can give them that will help get this done? Tricare said Fort Gordon wants 6 months documented attempts of excercise, diets and meds. Doc has meds list so thats not a problem. Are they looking for food journal and excercise logs? I have a weight watchers thing with my wegh-ins on it from 2009, will that help? Any info would be helpful, just trying to get this done before my husband is unavailable due to military stuff at the end of this year. Thanks so much everyone!!!!!

Thank you so much

Thanks

Be encouraged, I am not sleeved yet and I am still trying to get approved. This is a journey and there are so many others that have gone through what you are dealing with now. Know that here you have support. I will pray for both of you. Stay positive!

So I talked to Tricare and the MTF is requesting 6months of documented attempts of meds, excercise and diets. Any ideas of exactly what they are looking for exactly with the excercise and diet? If they are looking for foodjournal and excercise journal that I can give them. My pcm knows my meds so thats no problem. Any help on this would be great!

So I called Tricare and they said Fort Gordon MTF needs more info to approve the VSG for me like 6 months of documented attempts at: diets, meds and excercise. So the doctor can take care of meds, I have my weight watchers receipts with weigh-ins and a reciept for a gym membership. Do you think the receipt and weigh-in from WW is enough or do I need to give them my food journals as well? Also before I joined the gym (only did 3 months there) found it to be a waste of money since I worked out at home and with friends. Would my workout journal be enough? Any help would be great as I have an appt. wed. oct 26th to go over these things with my pcm.

From what I understand you can have the sleeve done at an mtf. But tricare does not cover the vsg at civilian providers. I am not sure about revisions though.

Hey Columbus, Ga sleever I am from the area also and I am just starting the process. Tricare ins. is proving to be a challenge for this surgery. I am a military spouse and a mother of 2. How is your journey going?

Ok people if I have a civilian doc and have to get reffered to a mtf for the surgery 4hrs away does the refferal go to the mtf or tricare?

Want to find a good surgeon in Atlanta, Ga that will do my VSG.....Anyone have their surger in Atlanta and had a goo experience, please tell me about it.......thanks

Congrats so happy for you!!!!! Keep up the good work!!!!!

So my Dr. is going to submit my referral to Tricare to go to another MTF for surgery. I am praying this goes through. It is really frustrating that Tricare does not cover the VSG as it is less invasive and seems to have less side effects than a bypass. I really need to get this done. I really don't want a medical history like my parents and looking back I kinda wonder if my Mom had PCOS. With the health issues she had it kinda puts some things in perspective. I am hoping this goes right through and I can have this done before my husband deploys at the end of the year. So any prayers would be very much appreciated.....Hugs

So a small stall in my process. Tricare does not cover the surgery,however I can have it done at an MTF but the closest one is 4hrs away in Fort Gordon so my Dr. is getting things together to submit a referral for that hospital. Please keep me in your prayers everyone. I am hoping to get this approved and done before my husband deploys at the end of the year. Thanks....Hugs

O.k. so I have decided after years of dieting and working out with little success to go ahead and make an appt. so try and get a referral for VSG. After much research and coversations I have decided this is my best option. Its not for the fact of looking better but for my long term health. I was diagnosed with PCOS earlier this year and high cholesterol. My parents history of heart disease, stroke and diabetes is nothing I want to fool with. This has been a hard decision for me as I didn't struggle with weight until about my mid 20's. So this is the start to my journey. I am a military spouse in the Columbus, Ga area though we live just across the border in Phenix City, Al. Any help through this journey would be great. Thanks and wish me luck......prayers welcome!

Thanks so much, I would love to hear how your progress is going.

I have pcos and an iud. I have the paraguard iud, I wanted that one because there is no hormones in it. So far it has been fine (installed in 2008) and has caused no other issues or weight gain. I would ask your doctor though. And yes pcos sucks in the carb department and it so does make a difference when you lower your carb intake. Good luck!

Can anyone tell me what hoops I will have to jump through to have this done at an mtf. I kinda want a rough time table from start of process to finish. My bmi is 38.1....I have high cholesterol, pcos and hip and back pain. I am about 100 lbs overweight depending on what charts you look at. Was hoping that the process didnt take to long since the hubby will be deploying towards the end of the year, I would like to have it done before he goes.

Thanks, I called Fort Gordon and they said my pcm has to send a referral to tricare for fort gordon. This makes no sense to me!

So I don't have to change to a base pcm. I have a civilian pcm but my mtf doesnt offer the surgery. How do I get to be referred to another mtf for this? The closest one being Fort Gordon about 4hrs away. Is it even possible to do that? Help please....