Ineedalapband

I was approved Friday and they called today to schedule my surgery for August 20th! I'm happy and scared. Anyway, I have to begin my preop surgery on Wed so I don't have time to order the Optifast. The person who called to schedule the surgery said I could replace with whey Protein. So, I'm assuming one serving on Whey P is the same as one serving of Optifast? Did anyone else do this? We went out tonight and bought a chocolate, vanilla and strawberry powder. DH is even being supportive enough to do the preop diet with me!

Good question. If I may be so bold, did you guys wear granny panties? I mean, they are going to be working on my stomach after all, won't they be in the way? Won't they see the "wings". Heavens, how embarrassing. I'm scheduled to have that "situation" right about the time of my surgery. Any info is appreciated.

Congratulations! Take care of yourself and keep us posted on your progress!

So its 9 pm, end of day one on preop diet. It wasn't too bad but I will admit I'm hungry! At least I should be greatful I get to mix my Whey protien with skim milk and I got to have dinner (4 oz lean meat (chicken) and 1/2 c cooked veggies (broccoli/califlower)) That was at 6 though and I don't get anything else today. I need to go to bed early so I can forget I'm so hungry. Luckily my DH is supporting me in this and following the diet with me. Now thats love. Oh, and I did get to have a sugarfree Jello. Wonder why others can't have dairy?

I don't know if you are a believer or not so I hope I don't offend you with this but every time I get dissapointed becuase I don't get something I wanted or something bad happens my mother always tells me to get excited. Why you ask? Because God has something even better for you. Maybe you'll find something even better than you had but you would have never found it had you still been at your old job. Think of it as an opportunity, not a tradegy. (I know, easy for me to say right!) Be encouraged. Be relaxed. Have a successful surgery. Just think how good you'll look in your new interview suit! :biggrin2:

Wonderful. Congratulations! I just started my 2 week preop diet today and boy am I hungry! Its ok, a small price to pay for a new life. Please keep us posted on how everything is going and what the rest of us should know! I like to know what I'm in for! :w00t:

Its a couple of shakes a day and in the evenings most days I get a few oz of lean meat and a 1/2 c of veggies. A few pieces of fruit here and there. My nurse said if I get hungry just have a piece of fruit. I can also have SF Jello. I don't think it will be that hard, especially with my DH's help. I think the only hard part will be a kids birthday party and Bunco this weekend! Those are so focused on eating!

Just wanted to let you guys know I'm approved too and have a surgery date scheduled for Aug 20th! Acck. I start my preop diet tomorrow. DH isn't thrilled but has said go ahead and even offered to do my whole preop diet with me. Thats definitely showing his suport as far as I'm concerned! He's going to be sick of Whey protien in about 2 weeks!

Wow! Thanks for sharing.

Fdiljn I was going to send you an email today and let you know! Good to see you saw it here. After I got approved I mentioned it to my DH and he still wasn't thrilled. He told me to go ahead though. I kind of feel like he felt like after jumping through all of the insurance hoops I left him no choice. Anyway, now that I have a surgery date and it has all sunk in for a day or two he seems to be doing better. He wants to go to the preop with me (hopefully that will help him deal with his fears) and he's even starting the preop diet with me tomorrow. He's going to do it the entire 2 weeks to help me out. Now, thats love! I hope your husband comes around too. Keep in touch.

I am not trying to scare you but you should DEFINITELY mention this to your Dr. ESPECIALLY if you aren't feeling well closer to your surgery. Bad things can happen if you asperate, etc. during surgery. Better to be safe than sorry! I wouldn't do any kind of surgery with even a tummy ache or a sniffel. Talk to your Dr. first.

Thank you for posting this. I really like it. I've been praying all along "Lord, if this be a good thing, then help me get approved". I was approved on Friday and now have a surgery date for August 20th. I do believe it is my life boat.

Maggies - I went to my PCP and got the referral to the Dr. After I got the referral from Tricare to go to the surgeron I made the appt and they told me what to do. I went back to my PCP and did everything I needed and got the preop letter, etc. Then they sent all that info to Tricare/surgeons office. Within 2 days of everything being submitted (correctly) I was approved by Tricare. Total about 30 days from first date of Surgeons visit. 1 1/2 months from first appt with PCP (since I had to wait for appts). HTH! My surgery is scheduled for the 20th! I start my 2 week diet on Wed!

I'm APPROVED. I've been checking the Tricare South website every few hours during the day since Wed when my "Cancelled" turned into a "Pending". I checked this morning and nothing. I told myself not to check again until after business hours. I just did and theres my A - APPROVED. I can't belive it. I cried. I haven't told anyone yet except you guys just now! Now, to broach the subject with my husband. Now lets just see if I can get the A from him. I'll do it tomorrow! Thank You Tricare!

Well, I finally broached the subject with my DH tonight in the car. I told him I was approved. He said "ok". Then he said, "well, you know after you did all this to get approved that I wouldn't really be able to say don't do it. But go ahead." I don't think he's thrilled but I told him if he told me with all sincerity that he didn't want me to do it I wouldn't. He said "Go ahead". So, I don't think he's in love with the idea but I'm going forward. This is for me. Not for him. Not for my children. Me. I never do anything for me. Not that me being healty isn't good for us all, just that its my decision and its ultimately my choice. This is something I've wanted for years. I've struggled with my weight my entire life. I feel RELIEVED that finally I'll have to tool to help me with this battle permanently. Its like finding out they finally have a cure for a illness you've had your whole life. I'm calling first thing Monday morning to get my surgery date.

Maggies - in my case a referral and approval to see the surgeon is certainly not an approval for the surgery. They are two differnt things. You go see the surgeon, they tell you what to do as far as paperwork is concerned, you do it, they submit to Tricare and then you wait for approval for the surgery. Two very different approvals. Go to your surgeons appt and they will point you in the right direction. Good Luck!

I just found out last night I'm approved. Once the paperwork was all submitted correctly it only took about 2 days to see my A. So, even with the referral needing to be resubmitted, etc. It took one month, almost to the day.

Since I didn't get my Approval (did I just say that - APPROVAL? :wink2:) until late Friday the office was closed. I'll call early Monday morning and see if I can get a date! One more question. On my referral for the surgery it just says 1. So do they cover the fills separately? Do I have to worry they won't cover the fills if they covered the band? Still havent spoken to my DH. I'll talk to him while the kids are napping. I'll let you guys know what he says!

Let me know what you tell him that "sells" him. If I get approved this week I'll also have to convince my DH. We have 2 small children. I think he's worried something will happen to me. I know he wants me to be happy and I know he loves me either way. I just think he's concerned about my safety. I may ask him to take the day off and come to the preop appt (if I'm approved). Hopefully that will put his mind at ease and answer all of his questions.

I went for my initial consult June 30. I quickly went and did the blood work and took the psych test in the Dr. office. I thought that was all I had to do until my "P" (Pending) turned into a "C" (cancelled) on Tricare's website. I called and they said I needed the preop letter before they would approve. So, I go and do the EKG, more blood work, urine test, etc. Urine comes back irregular. I go back again last Monday and do it again. Alls well. While I am at my PCM the surgeons office called and said I was "C" becuase my referral from my PCM only said "evaluate" and needed to say "evaluate and treat". So, I go over to the desk and put in a phone consult for my PCM to redo the referral. A week later its done. I wait 3 more days for Tricare to get it and as of today I am "P" again on the website. Hopefully, I will know something in the next few days. If I am approved I'll need my surgery date quick because I think the preop letter is only good for 30 days. All that to say, this has drug on about a month now.

Hmmm, when I got my referral and subsequent approval it was only for the visits to the Lap Band Surgeons Office for evaluation. Then they send in all the paperwork to Tricare. Now I wait for the surgery approval which is separate from the approval to go see the LB surgeon. They could still tell me no at this point, even though I've done all that is required by Tricare. Lets hope not!

From Tricares website: Is 100 pounds over ideal weight for height and bone structure and has one of these associated conditions: diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cholecystitis, narcolepsy, Pickwickian syndrome, hypothalamic disorders or severe arthritis of the weight-bearing joints Is 200 percent or more over ideal weight for height and bone structure Has had intestinal bypass or other surgery for obesity and because of complications, requires another surgery

CONGRATULATIONS! Thats wonderful! Keep us posted on your journey.

I'm STILL waiting for my paperwork to go to my insurance company but still am wondering about this. I'm comfortable with all the changes that will be necessary for my band to work. I know it will be hard work and I know its not an easy fix. What worries me most is something happening to me, either on the table or from complications afterwards. Its my husbands fear too (I think) since he's not completely on board with this yet. We have two small children and I just am scared something will happen to me. But at the same time, I really want to do this. I feel like I NEED to do this. For us all. Anyone else scared?

I think a lot of it stems from having a horrible delivery with DS (6 months ago). We both almost lost our lives. I've never seen my husband quite so torn up. I even remember half waking up and thinking "Lord, if I die my husband will have to raise our two kids all by himself". I think thats why I'm so afriad and why my husband is not quite on board with all of this. I don't think its the band, I think its the surgery. Thanks for all the encouragment. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. For what its worth I've just been praying "Lord, if it be a GOOD thing, then help me to get approved". Just a few minutes ago I thought he'd given me my answer when I logged on to Tricare and saw C - Cancelled. I was so dissapointed but that didn't say D - Denied so I called them. They said they needed more info (My PCM's surgery clearance). I go for that tomorrow. Hopefully by next week I'll know if I'm approved. Anyone else scared?