Stay_Tuned

I got the approval today from Triwest! No surgery date yet..... My story.... While stationed in Italy I started the process however at that time only bypass was approved... I found out that I couldnt have it done at the base we were stationed at because there was no aftercare... DH and I talked about it and when we got to the USA I started Optifast at a weightloss clinic ALL OUT OF POCKET... I had a lot of success. I lost 100 lbs in 6 months.....had gallstones and had to have that removed...I spoke with my surgeon at the time and he said.. please do not do bypass... IF Tricare ever offers Lap Band then look into it....now a year later 60 lbs have crept back on... after doing research AGAIN...I found that Tricare now approves Lap Band YES so off to the base I went..... I scheduled an appt with my PCM.. he was very supportive and refferred me to a bariatric surgeon. I had to wait 3 weeks to attend the infomational seminar. I did that on Monday the 21st of April. I scheduled my psych. appt for the 30th of April and today Triwest received the paperwork from the surgeons office and I am approved! I am awaiting a call from the Surgeons office to schedule the appt. to see the Doctor. Appt is now scheduled for May 5th to meet with the surgeon I fall into the weight guidelines for Tricare and it was a quick process..... I hope those who have struggled with their PCM's can find one who believes in this as mine did... Stay tuned for more of my Journey!!

Your stomach is swollen still as it is healing... and you do have some restriction even after the healing.. there is something around your tummy.. filled or not....

I have the solar gel nails....I didnt have to remove them for surgery....I guess all places are different.. I would find out what the hospital you are going to says to do...

all piercings removed... and I was told if I had clear polish it was ok.....

Yes....just last week I got stuck and PB'd....I had angel hair pasta with chicken....

When I went for my first fill which my doctor does under fluroscopy... it was determined at that time....

I just had my revision yesterday......My port was detached and flipped.....DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU WANT A POSITIVE RESPONSE!! so it just started out bad bad to begin with.. instructions were to get there at 730... have blood work and then check in for surgery by 830 I was scheduled for the 10 oclock slot... I did all that was asked of me.. sat there for 3 hours and didnt go in for surgery till almost 11. ugh! Ok so they stuck me like 5 times looking to get an IV... I am terrible at getting IV's my veins just do not cooperate well... The best place is deep inside my arm between my wrist and elbow... hard to visually see the vein but if the person knows the anatomy then they can get it easy.... Last two surgeries that is where it has been....OK.. they wouldnt even look there... so I end up with a 22 guage needle in my finger...like a 2 year old would have... and they said once you are under we will get another IV in.... I say ok.. as long as I am asleep cause I cant take much more of the poking and searching..... Ok so fast foward to waking up... they didnt time it right and I woke up BEFORE the tube was out... so instantly the NEED to fight to breath happens and I cant because there is a tube in there.... thrashing and choking and cant breath... so they finally get the tube out and my throat is RIPPED up... sooo sore... raspy voice scratched throat... so not fun.... Had to go to short stay after surgery because my BP was 83/52 and it wasnt coming up... it was scary low... so they monitored that for a LONG time in recovery.... Ohhh and as I am waking up and trying to get my bearings after all that has been happening.. obviously weak from BP being so low... sore from surgery and everything else.. I realize I have an IV in my left shoulder... of all places... ugh! ok so back to short stay... she tries to give me some morphine for the pain...through the iv in my shoulder....it BURNS BURNS... she realizes that my shoulder is hard and swollen... the Fluid is collecting in my shoulder....OMG! what else can go wrong right?... Ok so finally I get home at 515pm....long ass day... Ohh and also... I was having my period on top of all of this... today is cycle day 3.... LOVELY!!! So the port is sutured back down... I am stitched up... and I have a small fill so I am on liquids till tomorrow... and then soft foods for 2 days...then I can eat normal after that... I am taking motrin and hydrocondone.... Pain is pretty intense..less then the actual lapband surgery ... but still intense...Hope to be off narcotics by tomorrow....Painful sleeping getting up and down...

done!! Good luck!

Walk walk walk... warm tea... Gas X strips... and stretch...bend side to side...have someone burp you... My hubby hit my back and that helped too... I would sit down he would burp me.. then when I stood up it would roll out... BUT gas x strips were definetly my friend..... Good luck!

My port is detached and my surgeon sent in for an approval to have the port revision done. Tricare DENIED the surgery..... They state it is because the FDA has not proven that the surgery is needed to make the initial surgery work... Hmmmmm so I have the lapband placed.. BUT it cant be accessed.... how is it NOT needed....??? :confused2: I have filed an appeal.....The process could take 60 days...I am in a bad place right now... this is TERRIBLE... band placed May 21st....can not use it.... I feel like I am in a bad dream and need to wake up..... Anyone else have this experience.....and can offer advice or outcome?

I am now approved for my revision... FINALLY!!! I am also going to have an upper GI as well.. due to getting reflux lately and also a incident of being stuck....Mind you I have no fill at all... So to be safe I am going to have that done on Wednesday.... Also I am going on shakes for a few days to get rid of any swelling that may or may not be there.... So that is the story so far..... Revision on the 17th of Sept....

after LOTS of moaning and complaining and trying to understand WHY they denied.... we found out there is a list of DO NOT PAY codes... and mine is one of them.. there is NO WAY to appeal it...so basically myself and my doctors office did all the walk they wanted us to walk.. and there was NEVER a way to get it covered with that code... Ok soo... we are submitting under another code.... Wish me luck

after being in the appeal process Tricare held up the denial of my surgery to repair the port!!!

PM'd you spealex

I would call your doctor and let them know what is going on..how you are feeling..and what they suggest you do.....If it doesnt get better INSIST on being seen..... As I sit here and type this my port is detached and I am awaiting a revision surgery if my insurance appeal goes through.....it was denied and is now in review... I had lots of pulling feelings when moving certain ways...and a burning sensation as well.. VERY early on.....

Like ANY of you need to be burdened with this.. but I found out at the doctors today that my port is detached... yes I typed detached:mad:..... So I went to the hospital today.. I am like 60 days post op so it was time for my first fill... I have lost 20 pounds since surgery and I am chomping at the bit to lose more more more.. So I lay down on the table and BANG there it is... I think.....hmm that doesnt look right but I try to talk myself down that maybe it is the way the xray turns it around or something.. trying to keep myself calm BUT knowing it is going to be bad news...sooo..they say it loos like the port is flipped... and then they touch it and low and behold it is COMPLETELY detached... just free floating....They PUSH PUSH PUSH on my tummy trying to get it to pop upright to put in a fill... Oh my it hurt bad... I actually didnt feel the needle that they stuck in only to realize it was the bottom side of the port... I am ticked ticked and even more ticked.. because since 3 weeks post op I have been telling them that something wasnt right.. that I was having very sharp pains in that area.. like a pulling burning... I called the on call surgeon and he assured me nothing was wrong and to just take it easy for a week.... so then I had the same kind of pain and called again...The surgeon told me to come in to the office the next morning... they pushed on my fat stomach and said everything is fine.. NOW if they had taken me to xray and figured it out sooner I would have been able to get a fill and REALLY get on the road to losing... As you can tell I am sooooo ANGRY!!! Sorry to rant about it.. I just wanted EVERYONE to know.. If something doenst feel right... You MUST MUST insist on having an xray to see the device..... Ok time to try and get my blood pressure back to a normal level.....

I am in the appeal process with my insurance... They denied my port revision... saying that the FDA does not have substantial information to support the need for this secondary surgery in order for the original surgery to work.. Can you BELIEVE that....?? Hello no way to get to the port NO way for the band to be adjusted and work... duh!!! Could take 60-90 days for a decision......

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f178/omg-my-port-detached-69987/ Here is my own post about my detached port.... Currently I am in an appeal with my insurance company because they denied the surgery to revise the port..... So I am in limbo right now... I have a device that I can not use....Aggravating as all get out!! I had sharp pains and pulling and burning... I was told it was normal....HA normal my fat chubby butt!! Anywho... this is my story so far.... As my name says... Stay tuned!

My port is flipped and detached right now.... What I felt was a pulling and burning sensation.... that was VERY intense and lasted for a few days.....it came and went after the first surge of pain.. If I did things that were strenuous I would feel it again.... I was told to take it easy... that everything was fine... Low and behold it wasnt...Howver I never heard the pop you described.... If you think something could be wrong... My suggestion is to call and speak with your doctors office.....Have them see you...It is best to know as soon as possible if there are complications

Yes nightmare is right.. I dreamed about being in court fighting all night !! I just want this whole process to be over... I have not asked the office for a quote for the revision.. I am still holding out hope that tricare will see the error in their ways and pay for the revision.... I believe I am one of the first few who have needed the revision since tricare started paying for the lap band in January....I am hoping my hard path will make it easier for those who come after me...I believe this is ALL just red tape..... As you can see... I am TRYING with all my strength to remain hopeful... I just havent had lots of happy times since my surgery and I am not able to use the device.... BUT I am still working out an hour a day 5 days a week and trying to maintain or lose... not gain!

What they are saying is that the FDA has not PROVEN that there is a need for port revision when it is detached for the actual lapband surgery to work correctly. So they approved the lapband and I had it.. but when I went in for my first fill the port was flipped AND detached.. there was no way to turn it over to put the saline in so I can actually use the lapband device... What tricare is stating is that the FDA has no factual information that the 2nd(revision tot he port surgery) is necessary to make the lapband work...

Hi everyone!! I am a fellow bandster... allthough not able to enjoy the full benefits at this point...:tt2: my port is detached...ugh! BUT anways... It looks like my hubby and our family will be relocating to the VA beach area. Hubby is going to be working at Little Creek....He is active duty.... Does anyone know a physician that accepts tricare and does fills with fluroscopy?? Ohh and while I am at it... If anyone has the time.... Care to give me the break down on the good bad and ugly schools(highschool and middle) AND neighborhoods.... We have been discouraged at the age of homes and the price....We need a safe area with good schools.... Any suggestions?? We are open to Chesapeake too..... THANKS so much!! Ohh and I hope to have my revision surgery sometime in August and at that point they will do my first fill..... I am very upset with my outcome at this point.... ummm upset is a mild term I am trying not to use swear words LOL!!! Anywho.... Thanks in advance....

Freedom- They pushed and rolled my belly around trying to get the port to flip over so that they could do a fill... but it just wouldnt flip back over... It was really painfull too while she was doing it.... So much so that when she did put a needle in to try and access it I didnt even feel it go in or come out!!! bgrand-I am going to try and try and try until they listen to me..... I figure this... while I am in their care my body is only rented to them... I have had this body for almost 35 years... I think I know what feels right and what feels wrong.....

My doc definetly attaches the port to your adominal wall with suctures..... I havent heard of surgeons letting it free float.... I guess IF they could have accessed it then I wouldnt have been soo ticked.... but with it free floating they were not able to turn it over stablize it and then stab a needle in..... Have you gone for a fill and seen it on the screen...?? If it is free floating you will be able to tell... I could see my just moving all over the place.... The tubing is OK as far as I know but they havent put any liquid in so who knows at this point....

thank you for replying... they are suppose to call me and let me know when.. OF COURSE the surgeon is going to be out.. and then I have plans the end of the month into the first week of August so.... Looks like mid August time frame.... I just have to be really mindfull of what I am eating... and portions and such... I want to lose and not gain while I am waiting for the fill.... I knew it was a possibility but I was and am still VERY upset....Felt good to vent though and for you to reply.... Thanks again