lisawynita

I heard from the grape vine that as of Jan 1 2008 Lap bands will be covered. Has any one else heard that or have in other info on it?

Walter Reed in D.C. also does the lap bands as well as Fort Belvoir right out side of Alexandria Virginia. The only problem that I have ran into is that when you move form those areas you will have to pay for the fills your self. Plus you will have to search for a doctor that will take you if you did not have the band done with them. We are at Fort Sill and I can not find a doctor here so I might have to drive to KC to my old fill doctor.

I just moved to Fort Sill so Norman is about 45 min from here, How do you like Dr. Nelson? Do you know her prices? Any info on her or the clinic would be great. Thanks

You have to have your PCM refer you to either Walter Reed or Belvoir and then the doc will let you know if you are a candedate. If you are you have to go threw a bunch of things like see a nutristonist twice go to at least three GS meetings go see the counsiler and a bunch of blood work up. It all takes 6 months or more before you have a surgery date. We are at Fort Leavenworth and they do not have anyone here that does fills on any post in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma or nebraska. I was told the only ones that do fills are Belvoir and Walter Reed so you have to pay for them your self and the first time you see the doc it is $250.00 and for each fill it is $100.00. TRICARE will not pay for the fills or to even see a doc for the lapband. My pcm even refered me to see one and TRICARE gave me the name and I went to see him but as soon as he sent in his codes to get paid for the appointment and they found out it was for a lapband they refused to pay. According to them lapbands are not a founded procedure so they will not pay for anything to do with them at all. I hope this has helped and not confused you.

You are from Leavenworth. Are you all military? Do you have a dr. that does fills? We are at Fort Leavenworth until June 2007.

Does anyones ribs hurt where the port is? My ribs hurt where the port is and when I bend over it pinches or something.

I lost hair from about 4 month out until about 8 months. When I told my doctor he said he had never heard of it with the band. I started eating more protein and try to get in 60 to 80 grams a day. The hair loss has slowed way down. I still have some after I get out of the shower and comb my hair but I also have very long hair and it breaks off.

anyone know of a doctor around Lawton Oklahoma?

I do not know where you live but I know that Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir will do the lapband. Dr. Ryan at Fort Belvoir is great and very caring. The Dr that did mine at Walter Reed has left the Army. Does any one know if there is a doctor at Fort Sill that does the fills? They train these Docs at Walter Reed so you would think that the doc would be sent to other post and could do fills. Or am I just thinking outside the box. Thanks for the info.

I was told by Tricare that lap bands and the fills for them are not coverd because they are unproven. I am now paying for my fill myself. You would think that if the military does the surgery then Tricare woyuld have to provide the medical care and up keep of the band. But it seems we are caugt in a catch 22. Has anyone had the sugery or fills done by Tricare?

I know Dr. Malley will do fills for you even if he didn't do the banding. I had my band done at the Army hospital in D.C. and I have a appointment with him in April 11. The staff I talked to over the phone and who sent me the paperwork via the email was great and very helpful. Tricare my insurance will not pay for the adjustments even though I had the surgery threw the military. So Dr Malley said it would be $250.00 for the first visitplus the fill and $100.00 for each fill after that. Not bad.

If I was you I would call Tricare. I had a referal to see a dr to get my fills when I moved here to Kansas and I went to see him and then when it came to pay for my fills they told me it was a non-covered procedure because the lap band was not a proven weight loss method. So now I have to pay for my fills. If you are close to Walter Reed or Fort Belvoir I know they do the lap bands at those hospitals and the Dr. are great. If you want I can get the numbers for you if the Tricare thing doesn't work out.

Thanks for all of the support. I don not have a dr right now. We are in the Army and my dr is in D.C. I will be goinging to a dr. in the middle of April for a fill. I haven't had a fill in 9 months or so. And then we will move in June to Oklahoma so I will need to find a dr. there. I also know some of my eating is depresion. We lost our 20 year old son to a hit and run 2Aril 2006 right after my surgery. So that has been a big problem this last year. Oh well I am glad I found this web site it helps to know there is still someone out there that is dealing with the same issues.

I to have let the old demons in. My wieght loss ended 6 month after my surgery and I have gained 8 back. I know when I put it in my mouth I am doing something wrong but I can't seemed to stop. I was reading some of the threads and does it matter how much protien us bander get? May be if I eat more of the good stuff the bad stuff will not be such a demon.