JamieNP

My surgeons office said that Tricare is approving everyone. Perhaps your doc had the wrong codes, maybe they didn't have everything in?? Call Tricare and find out exactly why you were denied.

I can't find my pin! My address is jrwade67@vzw.blackberry.net

Ok I sent you all a message

I can't figure it out

Oops, I guess I missed that! As far as the Easton Press, I am getting "The 100 Greatest Books Ever Written" and the Horror Set. They come about every 6 weeks. For every trashy romance novel I read, I make myself read a classic too. One of these days my goal is to finish my novel (I have started it...just have writer's block:cursing:) I will go out and buy "One for the Money" this week.

Zeama, WTG!! I met with Dr. Steely yesterday and I really like him...he is very personable and answered my 200 questions very patiently:blush:. I go for the Nutrition counseling Wed and Gallbladder US/EGD on Sunday....Psy next week and I am done!! Hopefully I can get scheduled soon!

I know what you mean about avoiding the cameras. I don't have any pics of me recently. I am going to have some taken this weekend for my "pre op". I want to wear the same thing each time I take photos.

Let me share something I have in my booklet from the surgeon. It is from the Obesity Action Coalition. Find out exactly why they denied you. It may be as simple as a wrong code or something missing from the file. This should be a detailed reason why. Do this asap because there are some time restraints on filing an appeal. In your appeal letter, write down any and all weight loss programs you have tried. This includes Richard simmons tapes/books, any gyms, the cabbage soup diet, any diet pills, slim fast, etc etc. If you are like me, I could fill a whole page of diets that I have tried over the year. I still have my Cher and Cindy Crawford...heck I still have Jane Fonda's Work out tape!! AND...most of all....they say "don't get discouraged". Most people will eventually get the decision reversed. Good luck!!

It has been awhile since I read "Water for elephants". If you have compassion for animals, you will still love it (yes, there is some abuse of elephants...it is set back in the circus haydays of the 20's). The "Other Bolyen girl" was great...the movie did not do it justice (like most movies). Let's make a decision soon so that we can start August 1st. Maybe if we throw a couple of titles around someone can do a poll. We could even read a classic novel too if you are interested (I am wanting to read the leather bound Easton Press novels I pay dearly for!!)

I think the issue of tricare denying is the doctor's offices. My doctor has quite a few tricare patients and deals with that insurance all of the time. I have been worried about getting approved, but today they said "oh, you will have no problem". Now I am just waiting on my psy test and my other tests and the submit to tricare.

Put me down for August! I don't have the date yet. My surgeon said that once my classes are over next week, he will schedule me asap! woo hoo..

Ok, I went to my surgeon today and they said that Tricare pays for almost everyone. She said she was sure they would cover mine. Make sure you have everything into Tricare that they need and anything that will support your need for surgery. Get a sleep study done...chances are you have some degree of sleep apnea. I am soooo excited!! I will be an "August...what ever we are calling ourselves"!:crying:

I am addicted to this site! I have a blackberry, so everytime I get an email message (or a new post from one of my threads) I vibrate!! So I feel like I am on my blackberrry all the time checking out the threads while I am at work.:biggrin2:

Hi Dianah! Good luck...perhaps at the end of this week we will know if we are good to go!!:thumbup:

Ready, I have heard good things about the surgeons there. As far as the hospital, it is great (I used to work there). I will ask around for more details and let you know what I find out. Go ahead and go to an informational meeting. You will likely get to hear the surgeon talk and get a feel for what kind of person he/she is. I am having mine done in Clarksville.

Get a sleep study done. Chances are you have sleep apnea. Tricare should still pay for it.

I would appeal!!! You are 200% overweight. Did you get a sleep study done? Do you have ANY comorbidities???? Appeal!!

Well, I am figuring I won't ever be eating any of this crap ever again once I get my band. I just had my cholesterol check and it was good (shocking!!).

ML, how much over weight are you according to the metlife wt scale? What is your bmi?

You just need the clearance that you will be ok for surgery. I don't know what the EF requirements are for lap band, but with it being a laproscopic procedure, you may be ok. It will improve with weight loss. If you talk with him again, make sure you make it clear to him that you know this is not the easy way out. That it is a tool and you are trying to get healthier...you want the lapband so that you can exercise more to get healthier. You may want to do some research on weight loss and CHF and lapband and improved cardiac function and hand it to him. Doctors like to know that you are educated on the pros and cons of the surgery. Good luck!

I have 3 books that I just got from Amazon: Weight loss surgery for Dummies Laproscopic adjustable banding:Achieving permanent weight loss with minimally invasive surgery Exodus from obesity: The guide to long term success after weight loss surgery

Browneyes, I am in the same boat. My surgeon's visit is Monday. Since that time I have been eating everything in site to gain that extra weight to qualify (at first I started LOOSING weight!!!). I am now just at the low end of the chart. Weight-222 lbs (I will gain weight by Monday!!) Ht 5'5 Sleep Apnea -on cpap High Blood pressure Had PCOS- But I had a hysterectomy because of endometriosis Knee and joint pain Family history of Diabetes, Coronary artery Disease, Obesity, Myocardial Infarction (heart attack), Rheumatoid Arthritis My PCP has given me the referral, my Pulmonologist said he will write up anything I need, I have gone to numerous "diet doctors" so I have the diet history. While you are waiting to get the referral, type up your medical history, your family history, all of the meds you are on, all of the diet programs you have been on, your weight history, the work out programs you have been on, type and paste Tricare's requirements from the handbook, and type and paste the metlife weight chart. Put anything and everything in there that you may think is important. Hand it to your pcp when you go, and give a copy to your surgeon, and psy doc. They will be quite impressed that you are so organized . If you need a copy for an example, pm me. I will let you know Monday how it goes ( I have a different primary insurance that will have to deny it first before Tricare gets it so it may take a few days to find out) Good luck and just go for it.

I love my cpap! Yes, it took some getting use to. There have been a few times that I have fallen asleep without it and I felt like crap afterwards. The mask can be uncomfortable, but it is worth it to me to get a good night's sleep and not wake up 28 times a min (according to my sleep study) and snore so loud that I wake up the whole house!

Once again, I think Yaya's heart was in the right place and meant no harm to anyone. It is just a story that does not need to be going around the internet and needed some clarification. Just like the nice informative emails my dear little aunt sends me...the ones warning me about people spraying perfume in my face, the poisoning of pets with swifter wet jets, and elevators decapitating doctors (the last one is true according to snopes). Let's not start rumors here unless we know it to be true. I found NOTHING on the internet about the stolen pancreas. I would think it would be big news if just part of the "facts" were true.