Approved!! With a snag :(

[smurphette 35]

I submitted my stuff to Tricare on Monday and today I find out I have been approved!!

*does a happy dance*

So now I have to go in for some more pre-surgery appointments and tests. The only thing is that my surgeon puts in an IVC filter as standard procedure, and I don't want it. The nurse acted really funny when I suggested that I'd be willing to do an alternative blood clot treatment, and said the surgeon may not do my surgery at all. Crazy! And disappointing. Anyone switch surgeons after going through all the testing and approval? I won't have to redo all that, will I?

[2muchfun 8,927]

Do you have clotting issues or why would you object to a procedure that could possibly save your life?

[kazjim98 618]

Congrats on your approval!!, I have Tricare too. I think that Tricare would be the ones who could answer your questions, I know from experience that it can be difficult getting a straight answer from them but they would be the ones that would know if you can switch to another surgeon in your network...I really hope it will be easy for you to switch. Best wishes

[Ducky0708 0]

I submitted my stuff to Tricare on Monday and today I find out I have been approved!!

*does a happy dance*

So now I have to go in for some more pre-surgery appointments and tests. The only thing is that my surgeon puts in an IVC filter as standard procedure' date=' and I don't want it. The nurse acted really funny when I suggested that I'd be willing to do an alternative blood clot treatment, and said the surgeon may not do my surgery at all. Crazy! And disappointing. Anyone switch surgeons after going through all the testing and approval? I won't have to redo all that, will I?[/quote']

I also have Tricare and they are good about working with you so give them a call but make sure you have all the information about the new doctor you want to see this will help the approval process move faster. Good luck:)

[smurphette 35]

Do you have clotting issues or why would you object to a procedure that could possibly save your life?

I have no clotting issues at all, am active, and have had three prior surgeries with no issue. I object because not many surgeons seem to do this, and all the literature I've pulled up have cautioned against an IVC filter because they can become dislodged.

[smurphette 35]

Do you have clotting issues or why would you object to a procedure that could possibly save your life?

I have no clotting issues at all, am active, and have had three prior surgeries with no issue. I object because not many surgeons seem to do this, and all the literature I've pulled up have cautioned against an IVC filter because they can become dislodged.

[2muchfun 8,927]

Your surgeon must have had one or more patients go south due to clotting issues and is erring on the side of caution. I wouldn't trust the opinion of his nurse, go directly to him and if he's rational he should grant your request.

Find out if it's temporary or can it be removed. I too wouldn't want a surgeon leaving a filter behind "just in case".

And I was on blood thinners myself.

tmf

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Originally I was supposed to have Gastric Bypass surgery and my surgeon had the same requirement. Everyone had to have an IVC filter put in place ahead of time.

I ended up canceling my surgery and going with a different surgeon to get the Lap Band instead, however I do still have the IVC filter in place from back then.

It's not a big a deal, in fact they don't even have to put you under for it. I talked to the nurse and doctor during the procedure. I just figure at least now I'll never have to worry about throwing a pulmonary embolism.

[Kristina J. 581]

Missy,

I know it kinda sucks and if you're like me at ALL, part of the frustration is just being forced to! lol But, when we're fat and especially fat girls, we are at risk for blood clots and I had heard that a ton but was super annoyed when they wanted me to go through that before my original banding even though I was a relatively healthy, active, albiet morbidly obese, freaking EIGHTEEN year old (it was based on one barely increased blood clotting factor and a family history) ... mine was a retrievable one that I only had until I was no longer "obese."

Anyway, I thought it was ridiculous, until some 8 years later when I had my second daughter. Leaving out the long story, I was a big fatty again and I was having horrible post-partum headaches. After a couple of doctors visits and an MRI, I found out I had a blood clot... in my BRAIN!! So maybe, they weren't so crazy to demand I protect myself from blood clots back then after all!! lol

For my upcoming surgery, my doctor is only requiring injection blood thinners based on consult with my hematologist. But trust me, not having to worry about a PE anymore is a GREAT thing to not have to worry about!!

Congratulations on your PHENOMENAL success!!!

[smurphette 35]

So I met with the surgeon and my BMI is no longer in a place where he requires this. He still wanted to do it but I took in all of my research from scholarly journals and he actually read the studies and we cancelled the filter. Now let's hope I made the right decision... this was a tough one for me.

[Kristina J. 581]

That's great news!! I'm happy for you. I know you really didn't want it and you stood up for yourself. That's something to be proud of!

And just because you don't have the filter doesn't mean you have to be susceptible to clots. They can still use injectable blood thinners. That's what I'm doing for my revision, even with a clot history. They aren't bad at all. Just a very very thin tiny needle injection in the tummy once a day for a couple days after surgery.

I've done that for quite a few surgeries now (gallbladder, band removal, band replacement, 2 c-sections and hysterectomy) and the only problem I had was after my 2nd pregnancy, but the clot was pregnancy related (and I have now, 3 elevated clotting blood factors) and could have been avoided if I stayed on injection thinners when I got home, had we retested my clotting factors like we should have!

I have faith that you'll be just fine. This is the beginning of a wonderful journey for you and it says a lot about how seriously you're taking your health that you stood up for yourself and even presented the doc with studies to back it up. With that attitude and determination, I just know you'll have soaring success!!!

Good luck!! I'm not on lap band talk much since I'm revising to the sleeve and spend most of my time on the sleeve talk site, but I would love to hear how you do!! If you update this thread as you go, I'll be notified and can keep up with your journey, if you don't mind!

[kazjim98 618]

Great news!! I was given Heparin before and after my surgery...Best Wishes

[CHEZNOEL 4,061]

Good news... wishing you well in surgery!