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Hi, all! So, I'm a newly-married military wife, and I know that TriCare covers weight loss surgeries. I've read from a few topics on here (http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/175096-tricare-now-covers-vsg/ for one, but there were some others) that mention that they cover gastric sleeve. I've already read the TriCare site, where it mentions the prerec of BMI/co-morbidities, but I want to know more about the process. I'm just curious what kind of experiences you've had with the whole shebang - what sort of tests and appointments did y'all have to go through before the surgery, was TriCare easy to work with, how much it cost, etc. I'm new to this whole dealing with insurance thing, and since there's a lot of back and forth on the whole whether or not the sleeve is covered bit, I just thought I'd ask and see what the community reaction was. Also, any info on gastric sleeve surgeries in/near the southern Illinois area would be extra cool. Thanks in advance!

Hello lovelies! I haven't gotten my surgery yet, or even a date for it, but I was thinking... you know how they say that if you CAN give something up voluntarily before surgery (like smoking, etc.) you SHOULD, so it feels like your decision, and not just "because you were forced to"? Well, I'm thinking of the flipside of that - I want to start taking vitamins/supplements/what-have-yous that will be my daily routine after surgery so I can get into the swing of things early. I don't take any Vitamins currently (so bad, I know) just my prescribed birth control pill, anti-depressant, and Fiber supplements, buuut that's not like a multi-Vitamin or Calcium or Biotin or any of the things I know I'll need to take or at least ask my surgeon about taking post-op. Do you have suggestions for vitamins/supplements that I could start getting used to taking now? Or perhaps ones you wish you had started taking before surgery?

Anyone?

Alright, good to know! Hopefully the same will hold true for me one day.

It's been almost a year now, and (as a fellow IBS-er) I'm curious - how did it all end up working out? Did the IBS go away post-op?

I know this is an old topic, but I'd like to know how you both fared after surgery! IBS-D really sucks, and I manage it pretty well as of now, but after surgery (I'm pre-everything right now, lol) I worry about it all being worse.

@@ProjectMe I guess I'm lucky then... not even 25 but I've already had a colonoscopy so I have a general idea of what's going on. =P Not something I'm looking forward to doing again anytime soon, lol. @@Lindsey Skinner Abbott You're stationed where my husband is! I'd rather not mention his name, but just know that one of the nerdy looking dudes you see on base is my husband, haha. I've heard a lot of nice things about that base, though, so I'm jealous that he's leaving in, like, less than a month, so I didn't get to join him there.

@@BitterSweet* I 100% agree! While I know underexperienced surgeons need to practice... I don't want them doing it on me.

Very good things to think about. Haven't gotten the orders yet - and we all know that it could change - but we're looking at heading to Scott AFB in Illinois, and the on-base hospital doesn't mention anything online about doing gastric sleeve, but they do have a bariatric program, so I hope to find out more when I get there. Thanks mucly for the well wishes, @@laurenella82. @@BitterSweet* I've heard good things about the programs in MX! If it makes you more comfortable, then I say go for it. Gotta trust your gut about these bariatric surgeons, lol. Best wishes with whatever you choose!

Wow, that was really helpful! It's also nice to know that I'm one step ahead by not being a smoker, lol. Thank you so much! So all in all, would you say that you had a good experiece with the whole process?