advana

It took me patiently waiting for 3 weeks before I called my PCM and it turns out they never sent my paper work in. Now I'm just waiting till the 15th of Oct. for my first class. My surgeon (who I haven't met yet) makes everyone do a four month program before surgery. I learned that even though TriCare approves you, you still have to meet whatever requirements your surgeon wants. So I have to go to a physc eval and see a nutritionalist, plus all these weight loss classes and go on supervised walks! Its CRAZY!!! Starting to consider flying to my home state and having it done there. I know it would only take about a month or two in Alabama. Instead of waiting 5 month here in Hawaii. But I think yours will go way smoother! Tricare has been pretty good from what I can see with approving people! SO goodluck!!

Hi Delores! My name is Brittany. My husband is in the Army and we are TriWest as well. I went to see my PCM to get my referral for a surgeon last week and still haven't heard anything. :thumbup: I log onto the TriWest website everyday hoping for some results. I've read on here and have been told that TriCare is very good at approving you as long as you meet their requirements. I meet the 200% over my ideal body weight. So my PCM said I was a good canidate. We will see! I hit my breaking point when I couldn't keep up with my 14month old. So we have something in common! Anyways I just wanted to say hi and congrats and goodluck on your journey!!

Hello all! My name is Brittany. I'm 22 and weigh 286. I just schedueled an appointment to see my PCM on the 26th of this month in hopes of getting a refferal to get the lap band. This is a big step for me. I come from a long line of obese family and almost al have had the Gastric Bypass done. My cousin was banded in November of last year and she is looking amazing! Which is why I have finally gotten up the courage to persue the band myself. She has nothing but good things to say about it! But here is my dilema, I am an army wife and very proud to be! But I did some researching and the only way I can have the surgery done without paying out of pocket is to have it done at Tripler Army Medical Center. My issue is I hate that place! I have yet to have a good experience there and I'm just afraid I'll have complications and so forth. I know there is always a risk with any surgery. I guess I'm just looking for peace of mind. So has anyone had they're surgery done there? And if so, how was it? Also what is the time frame for getting approved and so on with Tri Care Prime insurrance? I just want to be prepared for everything in advance. I just hope I get approved!! Any advice would be helpful!!!:biggrin:

I have a few questions; As we are currently stationed in Hawaii, and I have Tri Care Prime insurrance, I was wondering if anyone has had surgery in Hawaii using Tri Care or in any other state using Tri Care? (at this point I just want some feedback!) How long does it take to get a surgery date using Tri Care insurrance? I was told I would have to have the surgery done at TAMC. Has anyone had theirs done at an ARMY hospital? :wink2: If so how was it? And in general, how is the surgery? Whats it like post op? Will I be able to take care of my lil' girl afterwards or is there a certain amount of recovery time? Would it be a good idea for my husband to ask for some time off after the surgery? How is the weight loss process? Is there certain foods I wont be able to eat anymore, drinks, ect? I have actually posted a few times trying to get some answers. But noone has any. I've been doing my research as well, I'm just trying to get some answers from someone elses Point Of View. As of right now I'm 200% over my ideal body weight, which is a deciding factor in my insurrance approval process. I don't think there is any reason that I would be denied right now, just going off the statistics for Tri Care patients. Also I have yet to find out who my potential surgeon would be. Seeing how I will have to use an In-network surgeon. I know that I will have to have the surgery done at Tripler, and I have called several times trying to get info, but I always turn up empty handed. I was so hoping this forum would be helpful, but so far it really hasn't done me much good. I want to begin this journey informed and ready to go. Not scared and unsure. As of right now, I'm starting to feel discouraged about the whole thing. :cursing:

thanks for the help. I've looked up the doctor who does the surgery here, thats covered by my insurrance and he just started doing the surgery in 2008, so he's not as experienced as I was hoping he would be. I was told to find a doctor who has done at least 500. That his statistics would be way better. But my insurrance will only pay for him. And he requires a 6 month supervised diet. Which I think is dumb, I mean I've been dieting all my life! My insurrance doesn't require any of that stuff. But anyways its very hard having surgery in a place I'm not very comfortable in. I'm thinking i might fly home for the surgery. Its taken me a year to get up the courage to have this surgery, so I want to know I'm being well taken care of. You know? But thanks again for the hlep!

So what did her require you to do Pre-Op? I think its possible he will be my surgeon so any advice would be helpful!! So sorry you have had a bad time with your band! I wish you all the best!

how was the surgery? What does he require pre- op? I've been told I would have my surgery at TAMC and that Dr. Zagorski would be my surgeon. Any advise would be helpful!!

Yes I've looked. There was one lady who had a terrible experience there and then an older man who had it done there as well. I tried getting in touch with the woman to get some more info. But have yet to get a reply. Which is okay, I've pretty much given up on getting the info I'm looking for on here. No big deal.

Congrats on getting your surgery schedueld!!! I'm still in the begining process right now. I've thought about getting the surgery for a while now and finally go up the courage to do it. I've been looking for people on here in there 20's as well. Its nice to know ya'll are out there going through the same thing I am! endlessdreams_x how long did the whole process take for you? I go to my first appointment on the 26th of this month, and I've been trying to get some idea of how long it takes? anyways I wish you all the best with your journey!!

Hi everyone! My name is Brittany. I'm 22 and happily married to my soldier. I have a beautiful daughter, Ava, who just turned one. We live on Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. For the most part I have a very happy life, I deal with the normal trials of being an Army wife. Long deployments, ect. Everything is pretty good with my life, except I'm huge!!! I'm 5'4 and weigh 286. I weighed 230 when I got pregnant with Ava and I just haven't been able to lose this "baby weight'. But I've always been a big girl, I've never really been ashamed or embarrassed of it either, but now my weight is starting to effect my health. I have really bad back pain, my knees hurt all the time, ect. And running after a toddler all day isn't easy. Which is why I am here in this forum. I have decided to persue Lap Band surgery. I know this surgery wont cure me, but it will help me get healthier for my family. Which is the most important thing in the world to me. Almost all of my mom's side of the family is overweight and they have all had the Bypass done. I NEVER wanted to have that surgery. It was never an option for me, personally. But last year my cousin Christi said she was going to have Lap Band surgery. Up until that day I had never heard of it before. She started explaining it to me and it sounded very appealing. So I started researching it and discovered how great it would be for myself! But my husband was deployed to Iraq and I had just had Ava, so it wasn't really a good time then. And I was in denial that I had let myself get so big. So I have been putting this surgery off for quite some time now, and I have finally gotten up the courage to go through with it. I made an appointment with my PCM on the 26th of this month. And if all goes well, we will hopefully get the ball running. So now that I've introduced myself, I have a few questions; As we are currently stationed in Hawaii, and I have Tri Care Prime insurrance, I was wondering if anyone has had surgery in Hawaii using Tri Care? How long does it take to get a surgery date using Tri Care? I was told I would have to have the surgery done at TAMC. Has anyone had theirs done there? If so how was it? And in general, how is the surgery? Whats it like post op? Will I be able to take care of my lil' girl afterwards or is there a certain amount of recovery time? Would it be a good idea for my husband to ask for some time off after the surgery? How is the weight loss process? Is there certain foods I wont be able to eat anymore, drinks, ect? I think thats all teh questions I have right now. If I left something out, feel free to fill me in! Thanks!! Brittany:rolleyes: