katwmn63

christinaw- 254-282 is your new "range" for meeting te 200% for Tricare. At 275 you are considered within the 200% range (i spoke to Tricare about this because I was using their 100 lbs over w/2 comorbids requirements and fell in the middle of the range myself) They will also likely approve you without comorbids since you meet the 200% requirement. Also...just as an fyi - TRicare seems to approve it quickly if sleep apnea is present. have you ever had a sleep study? Many of us have it without even knowing it due to our weight. Tricare covers sleep studies. Good luck to you!!

i don't know if you feel comfortable with the idea, but perhaps sharing who your surgeon is on this site so that others might avoid this situation? i will just cry if my surgeon pulls this on me. my surgery is July 13th, and i have not been informed of a fee like this at all. i am assuming my insurance is covering it all (that is what my surgeon's coord stated anyway). i hope you have great success so that this fee becomes worth it for you..i'm sure that it will :eek:

good luck to you! come back and let us know how you make out :eek:

i have not had the shoulder pain but my surgeon warned me of it. he said that if it appens, to try to force myself to get up and walk around...kind of bounce that gas out of that pocket. of course talk to your doc,and for now also check your pulse and blood pressure just to rule out of course any heart issue. i do hope you feel better soon!

i know this is kind of off the subject of this thread, but Restless- do you use a kitchen scale pretty regularly?? does this help to figure out how much i can handle eating/preparing?

they approved me within a week.. and I am July 13th also! good luck to both of us.....ALL of us:) !!!!! Please let me know how you make out!!!

Thanks! This is just the kind of stuff that will help us all get through it. In just a few days i got good puree recipees, advice on reducing the surgical scars, treatment for post surgery gas discomfort, and now good protien shake recommendations. thanks to all of you for posting your advice :=) !!

i would say these symptoms will help you get approved...definately comorbidities. i am sorry things are not healthy for you right now, but am glad you are here and working toward lapband. keep us posted and good luck to you!!

good stuff catherine55. i'm gonna check out the epidermis. thank you!!!

keep a record for a day and ask your surgeon or nutritionist to reveiw it to make sure it is what you should be doing. It sounds like you are doing great, but if you are concerned... i would follow the doc's direction. you should be proud of yourself for sticking to it!! Way to go!!!

that sounds really good emmylou!!!

Congrats!!!!!!!!!! I am also a teacher and hope to be a bit smaller before going back in August!!! My surgery is July 13th. Good luck to all of us:=) You'll do great!!

my surgeon's nutritionist on staff will be giving me some puree recipees so perhaps you can do the same. i will log back on here if he gives me some good ones and share them with you. otherwise try posting this in the "post-op" forum. maybe you'll get more ideas there from those who are doing that diet now. good luck!!!

good luck!! i go 4 days after you, but will do a liquid diet a week before. we'll do it!!

20 carbs per day is the medicaly directed 2-week "induction phase" on virtually all low carb diets... many continue the induction phase for months to get rid of the pounds faster. i did it for 4 months and lost 35 pounds. it is hard AT FIRST, but very doable, and after the first week, carb cravings go away and it is actualy quite easy. my surgeon's clinic of 3 surgeons "officially" recommends a liquid diet for 10 days before surgery... but then my surgeon instructd me one on one that he really doesn't care HOW i diet before surgery...he just wants the liver smaller and said he would be happier with low carb induction than with just the liquids. the effect on the liver is quicker. there are many ways to lose weight for the short term and many will give you good advice. take the advice that you personaly think you can stick to for the 2 weeks. what works for one may not work for another. best of luck!!

go to your insurance company and get the prerequisites in writing that qualify you for the surgery. then go to the surgeon and get the same information. bring both back to your primary and tell her: "I qualify and meet the minimum requirements medicaly. Please give me the referral I need and qualify for. If you are someone that is against this for those who don't meet your own PERSONAL requirements, please refer me to a physician who will not put personal biases into it" I am sure you can get a 2nd opinion. Don't take no for an answer!!! Good luck!!

i would go so far as to issue a greivance to the military treatmet facility administration. "we'll take our chances" ??? I say BS! he has no right to take those chances on your behalf. Make sure inyour grievance (if you file one) you demand he use the weight prior to the 13 lb loss. going straight to tricare might help, but if you can somehow get them to approve even a consult with a surgeon then let the surgeon deal with tricare... that wold be a way to go as well. it's hard for an active duty member to cut out the pcm, but as a dependant..you might be able to swing it. good luck and keep us posted!

he wants you to lose the weight so your liver will shrink (makes surgery much easier/safer).... the first thing to do to accompishthat is getting rid of carbs. you don't need to starve but if you could do 15-20 carbs or less a day you will be shocked at, not only how much weight you will lose, but how much your liver will shrink. TELL your doc you are low carbing so that even if you don't lose all the weight he directed, he can expect a smaller liver for surgery:) good luck...you can do this!!!!

muscle mass or not, my personal opinion is you have too much weight for your height/frame and your joints will suffer...period (not to mention your diabetes & pos). they (surgeons and insurance) will go by yoiur bmi and height/weight... not a body analysis of muscle mass. i doubt that would even be questioned unless you are bulging with competitive level muscle defintion (which i doubt or else you would be far leaner/lighter with that level of muscle burning on your fat stores). i am curious as to where/how your analysis was done. good luck to you on your decision:)

Please appeal... and as the post above stated...try getting a consult at a military treatment facility (mtf) that does lap band surgery. i think a surgeon actually meeting you, seeing you and really listening to you in person, will go a long way (in addition to bypassing tricare). It may mean traveling to a large MTF..but do it if you can. don't give up darlin...you will get there!

Relax... you will be fine. Chances are since your appt is so long, you will be taking a 300 question personality test and will meet with the shrink afterwards. the test is a cake walk...just time consuming. questions like: did you like your parents?; Did you ever want to hurt animals? common sense answers and you will be fine. good luck and try not to worry too much. anti anxiety meds will not make you eneligible. -kat

can anyone tell me how long after surgery it will be before returning to full physical activity?? i am a karate instructor and run a karate school with my daughter. in fact this surgery is to help me (amongst other health reasons) continue my training ... the weight coming down on my joints has become a huge risk. i need to make arrangements for an instructor to cover me while i am out of commission....my surgery is july 13th. thanks!

my advice to you is to have the payment made at the hospital even if you have to take a taxi there before hand. request a witness be (preferably have someone you know with you) there for the receipt. i do not like the sound of this "consultation" and "payment" at your hotel room. i am sure that you can do it in a way where it is not insulting to the the doctor. do be careful... and the best of luck to you!!

I am July 13th...just found out today after my insurance (Tricare) approved it!!!!!!!!!!! Liquid diet starts July 3rd, preop tests June 29th :=)