Maggies

Tricare does not require the 6 month weight program, unless they changed in the last day or so. I was approved for surgery on Oct. 17, and I did not have to have it. Call Tricare and talk to them. Good luck on your journey. Maggies:shades_smile:

The sleep study was hard on me. I could'nt fall asleep until 2am, but they got enough info on me in that little bit of time. How long before you think it will be turned into Tricare? I would have had my surgery Oct. 1st. if it hap been approved the first time.:eek: Oh well, Nov. 5th. isn't to far off. Maggie:shades_smile:

Welcome back HelloPenny, Glad to hear you are on the mend. Tell us all about it when you are up to it. Maggie:shades_smile:

Have you had a sleep study yet? Hopefully you can get everything done and get it submitted soon. I am looking forward to being banded and finally winning at the losing game. Good luck. Maggies:shades_smile:

Karina, I don't know anything about Tricare Remote, but from what Tomatogirl said you can do it. All you will need is a letter from your doctor referring you for the gastric bypass. That is all Travis does. That is why I am going to an off base doctor because I decided I wanted the lapband. I see your from Mountain View, where is that located?? If Tricare denies you this time it sounds like you have other options. It will just take time and work. It was Sept. 07 that I first got my referral letter to Travis for gastric bypass. But then of course I changed my mind so had to start over with everything for the lapband. But a lot of the tests are the same so that was one good thing. Well good luck and keep trying. Maggie:shades_smile:

I say go for it. It's never to late to get in shape. There is an over 60 group on here. Check them out. I'm sure they will be more than willing to tell you about their experiences with the band. Good Luck, Maggies:shades_smile:

Kerry50, No you don't need a 6 month diet, thank goodness. The reason I got denied the first time is that my sleep study was not in the packet sent to Tricare, so it was resubmitted with it and approved. I have sleep apnea. Good luck on your approval. Has it already been submitted to Tricare. It took them 24 hours to deny me the first time, and 2 weeks to approve me after the denial. A lot of Tricare people will get approved in a day or two. Good luck again. Maggie:shades_smile:

Karina, Are you going to have the Gastric Bypass or Lapband? Is your husband active duty? I could have had the gastric bypass at Travis AFB, without going thru Tricare. Why don't you call some military hospitals and see what it would take to have it done at one of them. It would be another option for you if Tricare denies you again. Darn, I am not pregnant, o well maybe next time. I was ready to call the Guiness Book of World Records. Yep, HelloPenny is probably banded by now and on the losers bench. Maggies:shades_smile:

Hey 50+, I was finally approved after being denied and then appealing it. My surgery date is 11/05 and I'm super excited. So far no feeling scared, just anxious for it to get here. I have faith that it will all go great and I will lose all the weight I need to. Wow, it so unreal that after a year of working on this I am finally there. Maggies:shades_smile:

HelloPenny is being banded now. Yay for her. TomatoGirl, I'm right behind you on the banding. I had my preop test today. They did a pregnancy test and I had to laugh. I'm 54 years old and have had a complete hyster. (sorry don't know How to spell it).. So I told them to make sure they call me if I'm pregnant:lol:. Have a good day. Maggies:shades_smile:

TomatoGirl do you have your surgery date yet? You may have said in an earlier post but I'm to lasy to look back. Where is Restless? Hiding again, no doubt. Maggie:shades_smile:

Hello Penny, I will be thinking about you tomorrow. Good luck and let us know how your doing.:tongue2: Maggies:shades_smile:

Me, I'm November 5th. Just two weeks away and I will be in bandland. :tongue2: It took a long time to get to this point. But after a denial by ins. company, finally approved this past Friday. Yay Maggie:shades_smile:

Whoa, Im losing it. In my last post I meant Karina, Maybe they will surprise you with an approval. My brain is on overload. Maggie:shades_smile:

Ya, just two weeks, but it seems so long. But I guess after it took me this long to get to this point I should'nt complain. I have to go do an ekg, chest xray and blood work tomorrow for preop. sharmon, why did you have to pay the $700.00? I'm hoping I end up paying nothing??????? Howabout the rest of you, did you have to pay anything? Jwrn, hopefully they will surprise you with an approval. Just get you out of your misery and let you know. Fingers are crossed. Maggie:shades_smile:

Nov.5th. at 10am is the date of my banding. I wanted it sooner but beggars cant be choosers. Maggie:shades_smile:

Well, 45 minutes and I can call the surgeons office. Please, please let my banding date be real soon.. Good luck tomorrow Penny, are you nervous yet??? My skin apron will be below the pelvic area without a doubt. It would be so good not to have it after this weightloss. I stuck to my preop diet yesterday without a problem, so today is number 2. Maggie:shades_smile:

Wow, that is a great weight loss since surgery. I can't wait to join you! Maggie:shades_smile:

JWRN, How is the weight loss going? I keep thinking I would be this far into it if they would not have denied me. Do you all watch the Biggest Loser? I Love that show, but wonder how they lose all the loose skin I'm sure I will have when I get to goal. You younger people will probably snap right back in shape, but I know I won't. Because I lost over 100lbs several years ago and had a lot of loose skin. Oh well, I would rather be skinny with loose skin than like I am now. Maggie:shades_smile:

JWRN, The pumpkin shake sounds great. I still haven't made it to Walmart to check out the magic bullet, so that is on my list for tomorrow. A few years ago I used the Eas Chocolate drinks and they were very good, so I need to get some of that also. Are you on normal food yet or still on drinks? Good luck on your surgery this week Penny, let us know how it goes. Maggie

Restless, I have Tricare Prime. I am going to call them tomorrow and ask how they handle the fills. JWRN, Do you have Prime or Standard? And if Prime, do they pay for the fills? Also, I went to the magic bullet site. Does it work as good as it says. I am going to run over to Walmart and look at them. We don't have a CVS here. I had an Isopure strawberry protein shake for breakfast so today is the start of a preop diet. My doctor only requires fasting the 24 hours leading up to surgery. But I was told I have a fatty liver and I don't want them to open me up and not be able to place the band. I'm going to check out the site for the Syntrax/nectar shakes and see if they can send me some free samples.Maggies:shades_smile:

Hi Restless, I think the way your doctor is doing it spells success for people like us who have had a long life of bad eating habits. I am a sweet-acholic, so that is something I have tried to curb in the last couple of months. I'm with you on th PBing, I don't ever want to do it. Does Tricare pay for the fills? My doctors office doesn't do fills so I would have to go to somewhere else to have them done. And since where I am having the surgery is 2 1/2 hours from home I might try to find something closer. How does that work with Tricare. I hope I'm not bugging you guys with so many questions. It just seems like now that it is really going to happen I don't feel prepared. I'm going shopping today to get a blender and check out protein drinks. Maggies:shades_smile:

Good Morning, Its TRUE, I'm APPROVED, I checked online this morning and instead of saying not approved it said APPROVED. Wow, what a great feeling. I know the week after getting banded I may not feel that way but I think I'm ready for it. JWRN & Restless, thanks for the info on the protein shakes. What is the magic bullet. Is it some kind of blender? Restless, have you had your first fill yet? That is another worry about not having any restriction for a while, but I guess that is when I need to really make the band work for myself. Thanks again. Maggie:wink_smile:

Hello Penny, Thanks, I'm still pinching myself. Have you been banded yet? Tomato Girl, Congrats on your approval. Was yours on appeal also? When is your surgery? I would love to be banded this month, so on Monday I am going to call the surgeons office as soon as they open. Wish me luck. Karina, We need you with us. So we are just waiting for your appproval so we can all celebrate in bandland. My daughter is taking me to the Outback Steakhouse tomorrow and that will be it for me. I hope.:smile2: Wow, I eat when I'm happy, sad, mad, you name it, and it is a reason for me to eat. That is why I need the band. Restless & JWRN, Please help me decide on protein drinks, which is best tasting & most protein, etc. And any other tips would be greatly appreciated. We all need to start a thread and post at least once a day to give/receive support from each other. I'm just so happy about this. My little grandson is with me until about 11:00 so I am still up and on the computer which is very rare this time of day. Good nite, Maggie:sleep:

JWRN, updated status, yay. Karina, Thank you, but I wish you would have gotten your approval by now. Why in the world do they need that long to make up their mind. I talked to two different people this morning, and got the same info from both of them. I am looking forward to you coming on and telling us you have been approved. Hang in there. Maggie