To be free

Oh my, that sounds sooooo good how do you make it? I never thought I would hate the taste of chocolate :scared2:

Congradulations on making it this far!!! I can't wait to be on day 13, I am on day two and the only thing that is saving me is I can have a small piece of meat and a low carb vegetable for dinner..... My thoughts and prayers will be with you on Friday......Great Job!!!!!

Congradulations on getting the band, I get it on June 10th. Are you sure you meant to say the left side? I always thought that the gall bladder was on the right side under the liver. I can't imagine what you are going through but I would suggest a call to the doctor would be in order. I hope you get better!!!!!

I have Tricare and will be banded on June 10th. There were no requirements other than the 100 lbs., comorbities or 200%. I had a problem with my PCM at the Naval Hospital she was not a supporter of the lap band or weight loss surgery, she did however refer me to the bariatric clinic at the Naval Hospital they don't do the lap band there so they referred me out. Any tests or diets are from the surgeon not Tricare. Tricare is requiring me to have an overnight stay which is ok because I am 1 1/2 hours away. In conclusion Tricare has been great, surgeons office submitted paperwork on a Friday by Tuesday it was on line approved.

I regret telling my Bunco "friends", a few told me I didn't need it, I just needed diet and willpower. One so called friend really gave me a new one and berated me in front of everyone so to speak.....on and on she has not stopped. There was only one that had known someone who has had the band and knows that it is only a tool and is really harder in many ways than regular dieting. But still I wish that I never said anything. Now my family is very supportive, they have seen how all my life I have battled and suffered with my weight. Actually I have an easier time now days because its seems there are more overweight people and children than when I grew up.....I was the only fat kid in my class....... So all in all I would if I could do it again is just tell family and very close friends.

I have my surgery date and in my excitment didn't realize till today that there is a good posibility that it will be that time of the month around my surgery date. Does anyone know if they will cancel or reschedual the surgery? Everyone is gone for the weekend at the doctors office and it is driving me crazy to know. Thanks, you all are the best!

Wow, thank you all so much!!!!! I feel so much better now, I don't know what I would do without you all and I hope I don't have to find out. Thanks again!

I will be banded on June 10th and will have to stay overnight, I was told that Tricare requires it. I am happy about it, I tend to worry alot and will feel more comfortable knowing that if something should happen I will already be at the hospital since I live almost two hours from it. I have heard about after effects from anesthesia in some people. Good luck!

Yeah! So happy to be here, thanks Jules K for telling me about our own thread! I am also being banded on June 10th! I still can't believe it! Now, I am not a teacher but I am married to one.

Thank you to all who responded, I will check out our thread for the June brides ( I will feel like I am on a honeymoon :-) I mean bandsters......gosh I love saying that..... I will keep everyone in my thoughts and prayers!

Hello! I just received a packet from the Surgeon's office (consult date 21st) in the packet there was a list of 7 required tests one of which is a Esophageal Manometry. Has anyone had to have one done, I don't like tubes or anything put down my throat. Now before I was trying to go through Tricare and was going self pay that was not a requirement of the other Surgeon I had planned on going to. Has anyone else had thier doctor order one of these as a requirement? Thanks

Well, I had the test done last Thursday at the LB surgeon's office by his ARNP. It was nasty, that gel stuff...... I have a deviated septum and enlarged turbinates so he tried to get the tube up one side of my nose but it wouldn't go through so he had to try the other side. I also had a problem with the swallowing part (swallowing at the wrong time, not holding my breath ect...) but the ARNP was awesome, he answered all my questions, explained to me why this surgeon does it and I must say I was glad I had it done. It makes sense really, if I have complications from the band then at least they know my esophogus was functioning normally before the band. It also helps the doctor with his insurance, I'm sure........

Wow, I am so jealous, but in a good way! I went for my last test, a monometry test (not very pleasant) last Thursday with the surgeon's nurse he said I did ok and that he would give my file to the surgery schedualer and I thought I would have a surgery date by now. I sent a email asking what is my date and no response. I do know though that my surgeon requires a two week pre-op diet so it won't be before two weeks, but I just want a date!!! Enough about me......Congratulations, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Still jealous though LOL

I come from Middleburg and have been approved for Dr. Jawad in Ocala....by (tricare) he has very good credentials.....

I went for my appointment with the Surgeons office on Friday the 21st, I checked today on line just for the heck of it and there it was a big A!!!!! The surgeons office has not called me yet ( so I don't know if I am reading it wrong) and I don't have an surgery date but I think the hardest part is over. So far Tricare has been great! Hoping to be banded in April!

You may be right, I am in Middleburg out near Camp Blanding but my pcp is at the Naval Hospital. My referral showed on line in three days. At this point I just want to get banded, now that I have made up my mind I don't have any patience. I wish you luck..keep us posted.

Great news on your approval. Who is your Surgeon?

Thank you for the update, glad to hear that you were able to get in with Dr. Cywes....you got in fast!! I see his name mentioned alot on this site. They would only refer me to Dr. Jawad in Ocala.....see I guess it depends on who you speak with. The original surgeon I went to as self pay are the ones that told me about Tricare covering the band and that they take Tricare, however as you see that is not who I can go to. You seem to have a very helpful pcp, mine will get me the tests I need but that is about it, I can't even get a letter, wrote me a referral though..... Good luck next week, keep me posted! I have my consult the 21st.

Let us know what Tricare said, I am curious what providers they gave you. Thanks!

Amen to all the above!! I just want to be free, free from the hold that food has had on me all of my life. I have lost and gained, lost and gained so many times I can't even count. I exercised five days a week but in the end it was the food that did me in. At least with the lap band (not banded yet) I know that when I lose the weight this time I have a better chance of keeping it off. I just want to live, not to worry about food, not to think about lunch before I am done with breakfast, dinner before I'm done with lunch. I am excited but sad also, food has always been there for me.....I wonder what I will think about when my thoughts aren't on food. Right now I am going through the "last supper" stage.....didn't know what it was called till I came here. I think it will all become a reality once I get insurance approval. I cry when I think that for the first time since I can remember I may not have to live for food and use food just to live! Thanks to all the wonderful people on this site...for the first time in my life someone knows what I am going through.....you are all the bomb!!!

You are right I have seen Dr. Cywes mentioned here, that was the problem with Dr. Chappano, Tricare has him listed as a General Surgeon, they told me that he would have to be listed as a Bariatric Surgeon to be considered....now of course I hear if you hang up and call back you'd get another response so who knows......What I do know is that you are on the right track and congradulations for taking the first step!!!! Keep us posted!

I live in North Florida and are assigned to a pcm at NAS Jax Naval Hospital. My pcm didn't want to refer me (didn't even know it was a covered benefit) but did to the bariatric clinic at the hospital, they don't do the lap band so the bariatric clinic referred me out. Now Tricare did refer me to a Dr. Jawad who is out of Ocala who is in the network, I called and advised that them that it is too far, they said he has a office on St. Augustine Road (but with a ocala number) and therefore I had to go to him. Well I called and they do not do consults there or the surgery for that you have to go to Ocala the St. Augustine road is only for aftercare. I called again today because the referral I got in the mail said that you can only receive care at the address listed...all they did was change the address to the Ocala one. If I want to go out of network here in Jax my pcm would have to write a letter stating that it is too far to travel and that they would consider one in Jax. I had originally started out as self pay and had gone to a seminar and nutritionist appointment (paid 500.00) to Dr. Chappano at St. Vincents..they are ones that advised me that Tricare now covers it. I would prefer to go to Dr. Chappano and are going to my pcm Wed. Even if they approved it I was told that they wouldn't pay the entire thing. I have an appointment with at Dr. Jawad's in Ocala on March 21st... He has a great record and he and the center are "centers of excellence" so it is not that the care would be inadequate it is just the distance....but getting it paid for vice paying out of pocket as self pay.....well that is were I am at. If I had a choice it would be Dr. Chappano or Dr. herrera in Jax but the only par doctor that takes Tricare Prime is Dr. Jawad. I hope this helps......

My Psych visit was about an hour, She made an appointment for me to come back the next week. It was only to go over the report to make sure eveything was right in it and to get a copy of it. I was self pay at the time, my original surgeon requested it be done. I am glad I had it done because now I heard that Tricare covers the band and I can use it for them. I think it spoke to what a good surgeon he was to want to make sure that I was mentally ready to get the band.

Wow, It was meant to be lighhearted, see the smiley!! See the good luck! Laineyjeanne responded and knew what I meant and laughed about it too. The bottom line is we have all arrived at a place in our lives were we are gettting or wanting to get the lap band, and it doesn't matter when we began our journey or how long we have been suffering the point is we are doing something about it and supporting each other that's what counts........

I think it is the Universe getting back at your for your attitude towards people that have had to battle weight all of thier life. Good luck!