Wanting Lap Band Surgery..help!

[Damander 11]

I am hoping that after I attend this seminar tomorrow, things start running smoothly. Today I hit a BMI of 40 and while I know that Tricare doesn't go off of BMI, I am hoping and praying that I get approved for this. I REALLY need this.

[Damander 11]

Ok, I know I said I was going to keep this up to date, so I went to my Bariatric surgery seminar tonight and got the information to go to my psych eval (which tricare WILL cover) and I also talked to the surgeon afterward which is actually the surgeon at the surgical center that I would be going to about whether or not it would be difficult in getting approval and he said his experience with tricare prime is that anyone with a BMI of 40 or over gets approved automatically. The patients with a BMI of 35-39.9 are the ones that have to have a co-morbidity. I do have reflux which is considered a co-morbidity, but not really to Tricare. So basically he says since my BMI is 40.4, I will get approved no problem..lets see if he is right! He said if I get my psych eval done and meet with him and the dietician, I can have my surgery by mid september, yay!!

Keep everyone informed!

[BaileyRose 13]

Do you have irregular periods? I know you have a baby soooo it's probably not difficult for you to get pregnant, but irregular periods is a co-morbidity. Goof luck on your approval journey!

[Damander 11]

Do you have irregular periods? I know you have a baby soooo it's probably not difficult for you to get pregnant, but irregular periods is a co-morbidity. Goof luck on your approval journey!

I do/did have very irregular and HEAVY periods. 6 weeks after I had my son, I got the Mirena and I don't have a period at all now, but I didn't tell the Dr that. He knows im on Mirena but doesn't know I don't have a period anymore. I just said "yes" when he asked if my periods were irregular..lol Thanks!!

[54Shirley 105]

I sent you a message.

Shirley.

[Damander 11]

I had my first appointment with my surgeon.. I have a stress test scheduled on the 21st to make sure everything is ok since I have some chest pain and I had my psych eval, which I'm sure i breezed by it.... the only thing I have left to do is have my seminar type thing with the nutritionist and I should be good to go! I am just waiting approval from Tricare and that should be pretty quick! Yay!

[MyBandAID 0]

I am glad you have been keeping us posted I am new here and have not yet met with my Brand New PCP. I will on Tuesday and will talk with her then after a complete physical. Have you found your surgeon yet? Good thoughts to you!

[Damander 11]

Yep, my surgeon is the same surgeon who gave the seminar that I went to. A really nice guy, and every question was answered the way it should have been. He didn't rush through anything or blow anyone off, I really liked him!

The appointment that I had with them last week just went over everything, and I got these really thick books about the lap band, which I will have to carry around everytime I see him or when I see the nutritionist because there are questions in there that I have to answer and turn in, as well as pages that I need to sign once things have been done. They are supposed to go ahead and send everything to my insurance for approval. The soonest I could see the nutritionist was Oct 6, but once insurance approves they can go ahead and give me a surgery date for after the nutritionist appointment. He said that it could even be the day after, as long as I go to that appointment. I am hoping that is what happens because I really wanted to have my surgery sometime this month so that I could have lost a tremendous amount of weight for my husbands military ball coming up..sigh..at least I'll be on the road to losing the weight and even if I have it next month I can still be better than I am now!

Be careful with your PCP, as mine was brand new also and I got stuck with the guy who was completely against weight loss surgery, but after I pressed on and on about it, he finally sent my referral. Remember that even though he/she is a doctor, they work for YOU, not the other way around!! Good luck and I hope everything works out for the best!!