armywife4life

Well, i had been thinking about WLS for a long time. I started looking into different types about 8 mths ago. About 4 mths ago i stumbled onto this website and decided that yes the lapband was for me. I am overseas right now. My journey is a lil more complicated then most. I have tricare overseas, which my reps say is very hard to get approved for WLS. But i still needed to try. On March 28 2008 I went to my PCM to see about getting a referrel to see a WLS surgeon. My PCM was seriously not supportive but even though i was embarassed and nervous, i did not let him intimidate me and by the time the appt. was done he agreed to give me the referrel. I got my blood work done on the 7th of April. Much to my surprise my cholesterol is sky rocket high, along with a bunch of other things. I had a Psych eval done on the 22nd of April and much to my surprise, was deemed sane. I put my packet together and submitted it to tricare. I am 100lbs overweight and have several co-morbs like high cholesterol, chronic knee pain. Well the tricare lady said it could take about a week to see if they would approve me to see the surgeon, amazingly it took 2 hrs. And they said go ahead. Now they have not approved me for surgery. I go see my surgeon (Dr. Weiner) in Frankfurt, Ge on Memorial day. I know strange cause its a holiday but Germans do not celebrate all of the same ones we do, and this works out good because i do not have to take time off work. Frankfurt is about 2-2 1/2 hour drive from where we are stationed. Now i have only told a few people about my decision. My hubby is one, one friend here, and 2 friends back in the states and one family member.. I figure i should try to blog some, since i can openly put down everything here without fear of someone being negative to my choice. I am so glad i found this site. it is the best, the people i have met here are soo freakin inspiriational. So heres hopin i can get banded overseas.:thumbs_up:

Peter, you are in my prayers, i am so sorry for your loss

hey thanks this is exactly what i was looking for

Hi, im going for a consult on memorial day to a doctor in Frankfurt Germany. I have been told he does not give a food list. I have been looking on the boards, and have decided i should stay on clear liquids for 1 week. Then try "full liquids" for a week then move onto mushies. (pace all depends on how i feel) If your doctor gave you a food list/plan would you mind sharing with me? Oh and your own personal preferences..I will look at everything and decide what is best for me. I want to put together a list and get ready so after the consult if my insurance approves i will have what i need for surgery. Also i figured i should do a post op diet of 2 shakes a day and small meal for 2 weeks heading into surgery to make sure that my liver shrinks enough. Any suggestions are welcome, like i said i will take everything in consideration. Thank you

thanks much appreciated, im going to stick with the fri-mon and be back on tues... thankfully i work for great place and if i need tuesday to i can get it.

go girl go!! congrats on the weight loss. Im sorry you are not so happy with the new you. i have to go with the others and say get some counseling, and if you have the time volunteer. both things will help you. Your story is inspirational, share it with as many people as you can. rock on to you.

Wow, I had to do the Blood work, and pee in a cup. I go to consult on memorial day, maybe the surgeon will require more stuff. I had to have a psych eval, didn't need nutrition thing.

my consult to see dr. weiner in Frankfurt Germany as approved Monday. I go see him on memorial day since Germans do not celebrate memorial day. Works well for me since my office does close and i won't have to take any time from work to make the 2 hr. drive up to frankfurt. Now they still can deny my surgery, but im feeling pretty positive they won't. Im really really excited.:frown:

I got my consuld approved to see Dr. weiner in FrankFurt Germany. Now TRI Care can still deny the actual surgery, but im keeping my hopes up because they said it was almost impossible to get them to approve a consult. So im hoping im going to get approved. I go see Dr. Weiner on Memorial day because germans don't celebrate the holiday and are business as usual..Of course my company is closed so i won't have to take any time off work to make the 2 hr. drive(one way) up their. ohh geesh im soooo freakin excited.:frown:

I am also on the lookout for vitamins. Thanks for letting me know that i can take chewable ones of the kiddo's. Im looking for a adult liquid one that is complete, anyone know of one? Also were military and stationed in germany, so i don't have serious selections so i dont' mind ordering from online.

Hi, were in Schweinfurt. I love Germany, i was told its hard to get approved with tricare overseas with the lap band, but they approved the consult with in couple hours, so i figure i must seriously meet the criteria LOL.

good luck chicky!!!

congrats!!!!!

okay today was my psych eval it was like 15min long, i have completed everything else and about to turn in paperwork to tricare tomorrow. so keep your fingers crossed for me:thumbup:

hey thanks thats neat site

I am a Pre-bander but i would definitely buy one, keep me posted thanks

see i have tricare overseas, and the tri care lady says that at first it was easy to get the surgery but now not the case here. Im seriously worried. I got a referrel from my PCM to see the surgeon in Frankfurt Germany but first i have to have labs done and a psych test. geesh i wish i were stateside it seems like its alot less complicated to get the procedure done.

Hi, Tricare wants at least 1-2 Co-morbities before they will approve. Im wondering what everyone used?? I am really actually pretty healthy besides being fat, no high blood pressure, diabeties, etc. So im wondering what the heck i can use. Because without at least one NO way is tricare going to approve me even though my BMI is 40. thanks

My husband is Active Army, he has just returned from a 15mth tour in baghdad Iraq. Their is no question that he WILL serve another tour. His job constantly puts him at risk. We have a almost 3 year old boy together, and after about 2mths into the deployment i came to the realization that my husband could lose his life at any time. Soooo i quit smoking that day. I upped my exercise routine and of course started another diet. I want to be healthy for our son. My husband has to do what he does. Serving his country is what he was meant to do. So I thought well if i die because of a heartattack from being overweight, what a senseless way to go. And then i saw WL show on Oprah where the band was being shown and talked about and realized that was for me. I need to be healthy for my son, we never know what the future holds and i want to be around as long as possible to watch him grow into a fine man just like his dad. I hope this made sense LOL...

hey great i was wondering if i was gonna have to do a supervised diet, and it looks like thats a NOOOOOO whoohoooo...I have tricare overseas

i am not very graceful on an elliptical. soooo its a treadmill for me!!!

the hair loss i think happens sometimes when you go in to high ketosis, you have to make sure you are meeting your protein levels i believe and this will help that. Also i have heard about haletosis(bad breath)also because of the ketosis