ArmyWife

I was banded on April 15th 2009 with no saline in the port b/c the doctor (and Allergan) said that when you first get the Realize band, they don't put saline in it. Well...this band has been an absolute NIGHTMARE for me. I haven't been able to eat any solid foods since the 5th week after my surgery and that was only for about 2 weeks. I did exactly as they told me to do, chewed slowly, ate small and no snacking, but still I was upchucking, dry heaving, had really bad stomach pains and developed acid reflux. I am telling you I was miserable, I was spitting up this thick muscousy substance, and sometimes liquids wouldn't even go down. My hair was falling out REALLY bad b/c a protein shae was sometimes too thick for me to drink. I've been so weak sometimes I couldn't even stand up. I have been in and out of the doctor's office, he tried to take saline out, but then realized that there was none in there and finally after all of my symptoms and dramatic weight loss (About 20 pounds per month) the surgeon decided to take the band out which was really my ONLY option to stop this misery I've been living in. It's been hellacious, I am telling you. My surgery for the band removal was set for 9/16...I find out the day before that I am pregnant. So AT FIRST the surgeon says he will not do the surgery, b/c he doesn't want to hurt the embryo (I am 7 weeks), then he calls me back and says that b/c I am a "special case" he wants the opinion from the OB first and will decide then. So now I am still unable to eat food, with all the same symptoms listed above, and am pregnant and really worried about the health of my child (this is my 1st pregnancy). If I am not getting nourishment, how can it? So that's where I am now. I can only drink about 2-3oz of water (or liquid) and it lasts me virtually all day. I don't really get hungry again until maybe late at night then I drink again. I am surviving off of vitamins right now. It hurts for the liquid to move down and I am just always crying and now depressed b/c of this band. I have successfully lost over 100 pounds, but in about 6 months... you can tell it's due to starvation--not how I wanted to lose weight at all. So weight loss wise, it's been a success, but I wouldn't recommend this surgery to my worse enemy, truth be told. If I could go back again, I'd rather just be 300+ pounds again b/c this is ridiculous. I know that sounds crazy to some, but it's true for me, I felt a lot healthier at that weight than I do now...and I could eat! :smile2:

huh?? Who's your Primary care doctor? My primary care doc submitted my info to TriCare and they approved it through her and then she sent me to a Dr. in Austin and then I realized that would be too far, I asked her to change it to Dr. Symmonds, which she did and TriCare approved for him to band me as well. Actually it was the same approval, just with a different doctor--Dr. Symmonds. What is it that Dr, Symmonds has to send? Maybe I am not able to answer your questions since I am in the pre op stages and am not yet banded. But I haven't come across your situation. But it doesn't mean anythings wrong, just means it's not the way it happened to me nor to what I've been exposed to so far. What I would do is the next time you go to Scott and White for an app't OR you can just call them up, I would just ask them what part of the process in all of this are you in. I have heard really great things about Scott and White, which is why I changed over to them. They were also a lot closer than traveling to Austin. My insurance has approved the lap band procedure, and has approved Dr. Symmonds to do it. I would think that's all you would need from this point, but again...maybe I am not far along enough to know the full picture. Hopefully someone who knows the process from start to finish will see this post and help us with this...b/c you've stumped me...lol.

Your insurance should have either called you or sent you a letter in the mail verifying that this procedure was being handled by them and that they approved the payment (by them) for it. What I would do is call them up and simply ask. I have TriCare b/c my hubby is in the military and I am ALWAYS on the phone with them. As a matter of fact they approved me within 3 days, which is normal for Tricare if you meet all the requirements for surgery, but may be quick compared to other insurance companies. It just depends. But your first step is to find out if they have approved it. But in my surmise, if you are talking to nutritionists, and psychs and all of that at this point, you are pretty far along to say that your insurance is NOT approved yet...so if it isn't, when it is...you'll be set up really well and things will go quickly for you. But like I said before, just call the insurace place up, it's your right to know...you pay for the bill every month, so it's your RIGHT! Hope that helps!

Hey Kittie, has your insurance approved the procedure yet? You won't be able to get the surgery until that's done. The whole process from start to finish (seminar to being banded) usually takes most people about 3-6 months. But being approved is VITAL, where are you in that part?

I went on their website and got the number as well as the next seminar date...all ready alerted my PCP too, just in case. Then I called S&W directly and got Dr. Symmonds' direct office line for my doc as well. So I SHOULD be set...I hope. Thanks for looking out for me Gina, I appreciate it!! If I have any other questions, I know who to come too (I know you're saying..."oh No!" lol).

How was your experience with them? This is who my pcp placed me with, dr. stephen clark to be exact. I am working with deby rodriguez @ st. david's now. I'm in killeen 2. How are the drives for the fills for you? Did you have to do any copays for the exercise and nutrition exams? Alot of ???'s, I know...lol.

WOW! That IS a blessing! I have TriCare Prime and I am thankful for them paying for the sugery alone, but from the hositpal I was going through before, I would have been required to pay all these horrible copays. I have since switched surgeons (Praise God for this discussion board or else I would have never known that anyone in my area even DID banding!). So I am looking forward to not having all these copays anymore. But you have been really fortnuate. If I had all those reimbursements like that I would have stayed with my original surgeon. Wintobethin I always thought the comorbid clause was if you had a BMI less than 40 like you do. See my BMI was over 50, so I didn't need any comorbs...I was fat enough on my own...lol. But the odd thing is, is that that's my ONLY health issue. I don't have HBP, sleep apnea, or anything else. The surgeon told me I am completely healthy to be so big. But he also said that it's good that I am getting this under control NOW. If not...I could be diabetic by the time I am 35. I am feeling it on my joints anyway, so I am starting to "feel fat," which I've never felt before. So it's time. I am glad I am taking care of this now, while I'm younger. I am having mine done at a civilian hospital...I don't mess with base doctors...lol. But don't want to scare you, I am sure the one you are going to is very competent! Congrats to you!!

Hey Tabby, congrats on your surgery date! I was approved a month ago by Tricare for my surgery, but for a doc in Austin. I didn't realize that there WAS a surgeon in our area (Killeen) that banded until I joined here. I talked with TriCare today and they said all I had to do was change my surgeon to Dr. Symmonds and didn't have to be reapproved. Sounds good to me since we'd have to get filled every 2 weeks. So since I'm good with Tricare, I'll have to start the process all over with the new hospital so...how do you get in with a seminar with Scott and White? Should I just call the hospital and ask? What would you suggest? I was only at the preop eval stage with SouthWest Bariatrics in Austin when I realized that this would be too cumbersome for me...these gas prices are no joke!! Thanks for the input, in advance!

OK Ladies, so I talked to TriCare today and they told me that I could use the same referral that my PCP gave me for the lapband that's approved by them to CHANGE my surgeon to get one closer to where I am. I was actually shocked. So now here's my question for all of you who went through Scott and White...how did you start? Was there a seminar you went to? If so can someone let me know a number or something I could call? I'd appreciate it a lot!

So I talked to TriCare and they told me that I could use the same referral (for the surgeon in Austin)that my PCP gave me for the Lap Band that's approved by them to CHANGE my surgeon to get one closer to where I am (Temple). They said I wouldn't have to go through a second approval process, it would be the same one, they would just change the surgeon who'd be doing the surgery on it. I was actually shocked. So now here's my question for you since you went through Scott and White...how did you start? Was there a seminar you went to? If so can you let me know a number or something I could call? I'd appreciate it a lot! (I also left this message in the "Killeen" thread as well). Thanks!!

Who is your PCP with? Mine is with Kings Daughters Clinic. Are you with Scott and White? Maybe that's why she didn't suggest Scott and White for a "conflict of interest" ? I am going to ask if this can be changed, b/c going to get fills every 2 weeks and having to drive an hour to do them, doesn't that seem a bit excessive? I mean, do y'all think I am being overly concerned about the drive and the copays too much? I just don't want to be hoodwinked is all. I know the surgery is probably worth it in the long run, but driving an hour every 2 weeks, with the way gas is...that seems like a lot to me. I am still going forth with the surgery, but I am almost favored to starting the process all over again JUST to go through Scott and White if it means that I will be closer to home and won't have to pay all these copays.

Yeah it sounds like Scott and White is the place to go...I am having mine done in Austin at SW Bariatrics, maybe I should change it to Scott and White...things for me were pretty easy too...well, no that's a lie...the easiest part for me was TriCare approving me, to be honest. Dealing with SW Bariatrics has been a lot of work. It's like I have to follow behind them to make sure that I get my surgery done and they don't forget about me, which I think is utterly ridiculous! And like I said in another post, I had no clue that being in Killeen, we had an option to have the LapBand done in Temple, which is WAAAY closer. My doctor automatically referred me to Austin--an hour away. How often will we be getting fills? Won't that be hard on me with gas?? I feel so shafted in this whole process I just want to shut it down and start all over again...maybe these are all signs from God...LOL!!