chantel03

If I were you I would to directly to the TriCare office. I would go in person rather than try to call. Explain to them what is going on and see if they will write something up for you to give to the Doctor. If that fails, I have the email address for the TriCare Overseas Headquarters here in Germany. She approved my surgery herself the same day she got the paperwork. Possibly if you contact her and explain the problems that your provider is giving you she might be able to do something about it.

Another thing that I noticed when I was trying to get my local clinic to give me a referral is that they seem not want to help people get this type of surgery approved. They told me 3 times that they would not put in a referral for me to see anyone. They went so far as to tell me that TriCare STOPPED even approving gastric bypass and LapBand. At that point I went to the Tricare office in my clinic and got the regional information and faxed them my medical records. Once that happend it was a piece of cake getting it all done.

thanks for the advice. and i might end up asking for that number sometime in the near future. i talked with my husbands first shirt today and shes taking the matter into her own hands. she's really upset that the doctor made me lose weight just to disqualify me for the tricare requirements.

she's calling the clinic tomorrow to get the ball rolling. my husbands deploying in august so she said shes gonna put a rush on it. hopefully shes telling the truth. we'll see.

thanks beltranklan.

i keep trying to tell my PCM that, but he refuses to do anything my way. he made me lose 13 pounds for nothing.its not even a requirement. and we dont mind extending our deros but how will we know the surgery date if my PCM wont let me see a surgeon first. i dont know what to do now. he cant even remember the type of surgery i want. he keeps telling me about the bypass.lol

i guess i'll go to the tricare office.

i just read a post on here about someone saying their doc recommended wine and it worked. i dont know if its true, but i would try it if it was me.good luck hun.

thanks heartfire. and wow! 55 pounds is huge! for those of us just starting this process,55 pounds seems sooooo far away. im sure once i get banded i'll feel the same as you and the original poster. im 5'8 and 238 so i know the weight is gonna come off slow. but i think im prepared for it.hopefully.lol

okay, so this is mainly for those who have tricare....(although all help is appreciated)

so i went in today to see my PCM. ive been going thru the process since march.ive seen the nutritionist and had a psych eval.a month ago he told me i had to lose between 10-15 pounds. well i lost 13!!! i was so happy. i went in to see him expecting to get a referral to a surgeon, but instead hes putting all the paperwork directly into tricare. the only thing stalliing him is that my husbands deros isnt a year from the surgical date. but how can it be when i have no clue when the surgical date is?

i guess my question is, has anyone else just skipped all the blood work and surgeon and went directly to tricare? im also worried because now im only 87 pounds over weight. i told him if i lost any weight i wouldnt meet the 100 pound requirement.and when i asked him if if he was going to use my before weight he said no "we'll take our chances" grrrr. he's got nothing to lose. im the one doing all the work. im not too worried about the weight issue. if i have to gain it back i will. but seriously, no blood test or anything?!?!?

i have tricare overseas if that makes a diffrence.

i think 40 pounds is amazing. not only the weight loss but im sure if you measured your inches you'd be amazed at the diffrence. dont get discouraged! its people like you that keep us newbies going!!

im really sorry for you kaitlyn. i have tricare overseas and my PCM is giving me the run around too. he thinks im young enough to lose it myself. fortunetly for me, its not his decision. just keep trying and saving up. if you want it bad enough, it'll happen.

good luck hun!

Originally Posted by BethFromVA

I'm glad I waited a second and saw your post below hers because I was gonna let fly with some very colorful language that would not be anywhere as delicate and proper as yours is... words pertaining to the stupidity and absurdity of youth today, for a start.

"choose that are choosing to be foolish and ignorant"

i say one thing about poor beths age and im the foolish one? according to her im stupid, absurd, foolish, and ignorant!

and i never said "old" you all said that! i simply made a referance to her age, just as she did to me.

also, last time i checked this wasnt a spelling contest. so i'll spell comming how ever i want. if you have a problem with my spelling take your own advice and press "next"

you told rodriguez that she always wants to be the center of attention, but i think thats what you truly want. my original post was to the one who started this thread.not beth. its obvious from her other posts that she wants drama and im sure in her real life shes full of it. i on the other hand am not. i said what i needed too and im done. i have better things to do than argue with a grown woman who should know better.

p.s. thanks april.

:thumbup:i do try!

and if you would read some of her post to rodriguez, you would know where im comming from.

And what would he do, say, "Crap, ya caught me! I did it"?? SERIOUSLY??

No, i got my information from the NEWS, not the tabloids. Being that you could probably not even form cohesive sentences (due to your age) at the time this was all going on, you really don't know what YOU'RE talking about.

Only in a court of law. The court of public opinion is a totally different animal.

Betcha think OJ was innocent too. :rolleyes2:

i knew you would go there. to auctually think you know more based soley on age is ludicrous.

and im not saying hes innocent of dangling a baby over the edge of the building.even if it was during my "goo goo gah gah" days as you say.

and guess what, the news isnt always reliable either. but who am i to know, i am only a "child"!

p.s. dont be pissed at me because your the same age as my mother!

and how do you know its true?

have any of you personaly asked him? no!

you get all your facts from tabloids and then make remakrs you know nothing about. innocent til proven guilty, remember?

i think youre an idiot and a royal ass. and to post untrue remarks about a person when they're dead shows the type of person you are. im 23, never bought his music and probally never would, but i'll be damned if i would ever talk ill of the dead.

by the way, we all make mistakes with our kids. to condemmend someone beacuse of their mistakes, shows just how little of a person you are.

you got your attention, i hope youre happy!

p.s this is intended to the original poster...

obvisiously, i havent been banded ..yet (hopefully soon).. but according to my nutritionist and some on here, if you dont start an exercise routine as soon as your able, you're more likely to get flabby skin. i know most get it anyways, but with exercise it reduces the amount and adds muscle mass which aids in the apperance as well. the longer you put it off, the greater the chance you'll regret it later..

again....what ive been told.not personal experience. you sound alot like me and i know i want to look toned as well as skinny. i would hate to be skinny and still have to cover up because im insecure of my loose skin.

good luck hun!

Wow you really are motivated. You're doing great. Hopefully you'll be banded one day soon!

thanks libbyjane.im hoping i can get banded soon too.now all i ahev to do is keep it off for another week.lol

easier said then done.:tongue:

so i figured i should update everyone on my progress. so far i have went from 253 to 243. i still have 4 pounds to lose but i have 11 days to do it in. im not to worried about it though. i figure if i get to d day and im not 239, i'll take Water pills the day before. im so excited. finally i can stop dealing with my PCM and auctually start talking to a surgeon. im a little worried about my doc making me do a 6 month supervised diet. but i figure ill cross that bridge when it comes. thanks again for all the tips. ive taken parts of all of your diets and adjusted it for me. so far so good!!!

are you getting it done on base or at a MTF? ive read on here that if you get it done by a military doc then you dont need tricares approval.dont know if its true,but its an idea.enjoy the vacay. you are probaly approved and wasting a perfectly good time.dont stress

thats what im afaird of too. im worried that my body will hold on to the weight and ill just be starving. but so far so good.day 1 down, 13 more to go.lol

hey lauren, like you i am also on a liquid diet. ...only i put myself on it.lol. i have to lose 10-15 pounds by the 30th so that my ddoc will approve my surgery. todays day one and so far so good. only problem....even my sons baby food looks mouth watering.lol

we can do it! we have to...................

arent you starving? how long do you have to do this diet for?

so this is for those with tricare.... on my last visit to my PCM, he told me if i lost 10-15 pounds he would approve me for the lap band, but when i told him that my bmi was already low for tricare and if i lost another 10-15 pounds my bmi would be to low for tricare to approve the surgery, he said "dont worry, if you lose the weight i'll approve you since your bmi is way too high for your age"

so my question is, if i get the surgery done in a military hospital, do i still have to go thru tricare? i have tricare overseas(stationed in germany) and am soooo confused!!

i would rather get it off base, since ive heard of military docs putting you on a 6 month supervised diet, and i know the doc in frankfurt dosent. (german doc)

also, can i request an off base doc thats approved thru tricare if my PCM does refer me to the military hospital. i'll take the military hospital if i have to, but dr.weiner in frankfurt has rave reviews and has been doing this since 93'. i would hate to be a lab rat for some military doc.

please help!!!!!

:confused:okay, so in order to get the lap band i have to lose 10-15 pounds by june 30th. i have a hip disease and it really limits the amount of exercise i can do. and obviously i have no will power when it comes to food. but i really REALLY want the band so im confident i can stick to any weight loss plan for another 20 days. i did the cabbage Soup thing last week and i went form 253 to 247 but i need to get down to 239. so i was wondering, if anyone had any tips. or what your pre op diet consisted of.i'll just do it the two weeks prior and lose Water weight. i dont need long term tips i need quick fixes. my bmi will be a 37 when i get to 239. my doc only wants me to lost this weight as a sign of commitment, but my insurance will approve me if my bmi is around a 39 so whatever i lose i will most likely need to gain back. seriously, i just need quick fixes....please help me. i want this to be the last time i ever do a "quick fix"!!!!

i know it differs for alot on here, but for me, i had to take a test called "mmpi". some only have to take part of the test, but i took the whole test...it took 2 and a half hours!!! mostly questions like "do you hear voices?" "do you hurt small animals?" its all true/ false. and then afterwards the shrink calls you for a follow up to go over any red flags. i had 4 red flags. most have like 20+. so i guess i did really well. oh, and make sure you tell the truth on the questions, because they ask you over and over again, to make sure you tell the truth. good luck if you do end up taking it. ive read on here about some who have failed the test, because of their depression.

your boss dosent know what she's talking about. ive read plent of forums on here about tricare approving them. congrats on getting this far. my stupid PCM made me see a shrink twice, get a 3 hour psych test, see a nutritionist and now lose ten pounds before he'll put in my referral to the surgeon. and im border line the 100 pounds. but he seems to think ill still get approved. so we'll see.

let us know when you find out!:redface:

i completely understand what youre going thru. im 247 pounds and although i may not be morbidly obese, i am obese. im the one who has to look at myself naked everyday! im the one who would fight tooth and nail not to go to ANY venue that requires a bathing suit! and im the one who see's all the stares from the "skinny ones"!

we make this choice on our own and no one has the right to voice their opions! shes just mad because deep down inside she knows if she could afford it, she would be right there with you.

i cant wait to get banded! and proud of it!lol:tt2:

thanks everyone.

from the sound of it, it sounds like it wont be that bad.... and as for the not looking thing, i've tried that. but i always take a peek.lol. defeats the purpose i know.but i cant help it. oh well, im sure ill be just like everyone else and look forward to them.....hopefully:blush: