Newbie!
Hey Everyone,
I'm new here and have a few questions...
On January 25th I visited with my Dr. to get a referral for RNY. She agreed that surgery would be a good option for me. So she has sent the request to Tricare Prime (North) to approve the referral with a Bariatric Surgeon. So here are just a few questions I have.
1. Has anyone else here gone through Tricare Prime (North) ?
2. How long did it take to get in to see the surgeon?
3. How many of you had to go on a preop diet, and how long was the preop diet?
4. How long did it take for you to get your surgery from first consultation with surgeon to surgery date?
5. How long was your stay in the hospital?
6. How did you feel after surgery?
7. Does anyone have any regrets about the surgery?
8. Who was your surgeon?
9. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you had surgery, what would it be/ Any words of wisdom?
Thank You! Courtney!!
I'm new here and have a few questions...
On January 25th I visited with my Dr. to get a referral for RNY. She agreed that surgery would be a good option for me. So she has sent the request to Tricare Prime (North) to approve the referral with a Bariatric Surgeon. So here are just a few questions I have.
1. Has anyone else here gone through Tricare Prime (North) ?
2. How long did it take to get in to see the surgeon?
3. How many of you had to go on a preop diet, and how long was the preop diet?
4. How long did it take for you to get your surgery from first consultation with surgeon to surgery date?
5. How long was your stay in the hospital?
6. How did you feel after surgery?
7. Does anyone have any regrets about the surgery?
8. Who was your surgeon?
9. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you had surgery, what would it be/ Any words of wisdom?
Thank You! Courtney!!
Hi Courtney,
Welcome to the IL board. Congrats on taking your first step toward surgery. I did not have Tricare, so I'm sorry I can't answer those questions for you. I had lapband and not RNY, so my answers to hospital stay and how I felt after surgery will prbly be different than with RNY. I do want to say, I would do it again. I originally lost 75 lbs and have "drifted" back up about 15, but I am ok with that and just keep working at it. I feel SO much better, health wise.
Going to assume the number behind your name is your zip code. My surgeon was in Joliet and is Dr. Joyce with BMI surgery. He does all kinds of bariatric surgeries, but looks like he is a ways from you!
I think my words of wisdom would be, surgery (whatver kind you choose) is a great tool, but you will always have to be careful and know that old eating habits are VERY hard to break!
Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress and stop by and say hi at our daily roll call.
Georgie
Welcome to the IL board. Congrats on taking your first step toward surgery. I did not have Tricare, so I'm sorry I can't answer those questions for you. I had lapband and not RNY, so my answers to hospital stay and how I felt after surgery will prbly be different than with RNY. I do want to say, I would do it again. I originally lost 75 lbs and have "drifted" back up about 15, but I am ok with that and just keep working at it. I feel SO much better, health wise.
Going to assume the number behind your name is your zip code. My surgeon was in Joliet and is Dr. Joyce with BMI surgery. He does all kinds of bariatric surgeries, but looks like he is a ways from you!
I think my words of wisdom would be, surgery (whatver kind you choose) is a great tool, but you will always have to be careful and know that old eating habits are VERY hard to break!
Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress and stop by and say hi at our daily roll call.
Georgie
Hi Courtney, I cannot answer any of the ?? about Tricare.
2. with my surgeon I got in within a couple of weeks
3. yes that was the requirements for the WISH Center at that time. 3 months of a practice diet. It was an invaluable tool to learn to eat properly, not drinking with meals, drinking a minimum of 64 oz of water, taking vitamins and getting my "groove" on to exercise.
4. about 5 months - my choice as I could have made the date for amonth earlier.
5. 4 days - open gastric for me
6. tired and sore but got through it. I had surgeries in the past and knew how to handle it.
7. no for both myself and my DH who had open RNY also.
8. Jeffrey Rosen now with his own practice in Downers Grove called Life Weigh Bariatrics.
9. done it sooner. Follow the rules, be your own advocate for your health, find out what the requirements are for your ins. co. so you can jump through the hoops, keep good paper records of your prior health history and who and when you talk to with the ins co. so if they give you the run around you have proof of the conversation.
2. with my surgeon I got in within a couple of weeks
3. yes that was the requirements for the WISH Center at that time. 3 months of a practice diet. It was an invaluable tool to learn to eat properly, not drinking with meals, drinking a minimum of 64 oz of water, taking vitamins and getting my "groove" on to exercise.
4. about 5 months - my choice as I could have made the date for amonth earlier.
5. 4 days - open gastric for me
6. tired and sore but got through it. I had surgeries in the past and knew how to handle it.
7. no for both myself and my DH who had open RNY also.
8. Jeffrey Rosen now with his own practice in Downers Grove called Life Weigh Bariatrics.
9. done it sooner. Follow the rules, be your own advocate for your health, find out what the requirements are for your ins. co. so you can jump through the hoops, keep good paper records of your prior health history and who and when you talk to with the ins co. so if they give you the run around you have proof of the conversation.
Open RNY May 7
260/155/140
Hi Courtney and welcome to the Illinois Board.
I am sorry, but I also had lapband, so not sure about RNY.
I started my Journey in Feb. an had surgery in October. It would of been a lot faster, but I had other major medical issues, that took a few months.
My Dr.( Guskie, Kane Center) does not require a prediet, niether did my insurance co. From the time they sent in for thr approval, until I found out, was less then a week. Surgery was planned for 2 weeks later.
Please tell us more about yourself, and please come into the roll call. most of us have become friends and we really do care about each other.
LISA
No regrets, other then not doing it sooner.
I am sorry, but I also had lapband, so not sure about RNY.
I started my Journey in Feb. an had surgery in October. It would of been a lot faster, but I had other major medical issues, that took a few months.
My Dr.( Guskie, Kane Center) does not require a prediet, niether did my insurance co. From the time they sent in for thr approval, until I found out, was less then a week. Surgery was planned for 2 weeks later.
Please tell us more about yourself, and please come into the roll call. most of us have become friends and we really do care about each other.
LISA
No regrets, other then not doing it sooner.
Hello there and welcome
As Christine mentioned...join us on our daily roll call. We go on there rain or shine and talk about anything and everything (not just WLS and diets).
I didn't go through your doctor but I figure you can use all the info you can get.
1. Has anyone else here gone through Tricare Prime (North) ? I didn't. I went through BMI in Joliet. Same as Georgie.
2. How long did it take to get in to see the surgeon? 2 weeks..longest two weeks ever!!!!
3. How many of you had to go on a preop diet, and how long was the preop diet? I did and it was 2 weeks. The first 2-3 days are the worst after that it's smooth sailing.
4. How long did it take for you to get your surgery from first consultation with surgeon to surgery date? 6 1/2 months
5. How long was your stay in the hospital? One night. My surgeon requires at least one night for everyone. Because that's when most people have complications. I liked that.
6. How did you feel after surgery? Tired and just a little sore (like I pulled some muscles in my stomach)
7. Does anyone have any regrets about the surgery? I lost 150+ lbs no regrets here..maybe I would have chosen the sleeve.
8. Who was your surgeon? Dr Lahmann
9. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you had surgery, what would it be/ Any words of wisdom? It's never as easy as it seems but it's more wonderful than you can imagine when you lose the weight. The single best thing I ever did for myself.
As Christine mentioned...join us on our daily roll call. We go on there rain or shine and talk about anything and everything (not just WLS and diets).
I didn't go through your doctor but I figure you can use all the info you can get.
1. Has anyone else here gone through Tricare Prime (North) ? I didn't. I went through BMI in Joliet. Same as Georgie.
2. How long did it take to get in to see the surgeon? 2 weeks..longest two weeks ever!!!!
3. How many of you had to go on a preop diet, and how long was the preop diet? I did and it was 2 weeks. The first 2-3 days are the worst after that it's smooth sailing.
4. How long did it take for you to get your surgery from first consultation with surgeon to surgery date? 6 1/2 months
5. How long was your stay in the hospital? One night. My surgeon requires at least one night for everyone. Because that's when most people have complications. I liked that.
6. How did you feel after surgery? Tired and just a little sore (like I pulled some muscles in my stomach)
7. Does anyone have any regrets about the surgery? I lost 150+ lbs no regrets here..maybe I would have chosen the sleeve.
8. Who was your surgeon? Dr Lahmann
9. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you had surgery, what would it be/ Any words of wisdom? It's never as easy as it seems but it's more wonderful than you can imagine when you lose the weight. The single best thing I ever did for myself.
Hi Courtney! 
Welcome to the Illinois Forum! I will give you a quick rundown on my experience.
1. I did not use Tricare Prime. My insurance is with Cigna.
2. I interview several surgeons. I wanted to find one I was comfortable with and had good qualifications.
3. I had a 2 week preop diet. I also had to do a medically supervised 6 month diet that was required by my insurance company. I ended up having to do it twice due to a mix up in what I needed for medical records. My advice is to get your insurance requirements in writing and make sure YOU oversee that all areas are covered/completed that are required.
4. It took me over a year due to having to do the 6 month diet twice.
Please note, there are lots of medical tests and proceedures that have to be done before you have your surgery. This is not a fast track proceedure.
5. My stay in the hospital was 3 days. I had a lapriscopic RNY on Monday morning and came home on Wednesday.
6. After surgery, when I first woke up I thought "holy moly, what did I just do to myself?" Basically I was very sore in the stomach and filled with gas. For 3 days I wanted to do nothing more than burp. After I got rid of the gas I was just left with a tender tummy that hurt to bend over and I was very tired. Other than that, I felt great!
7. I would have my surgery again in a heartbeat. IT is the best thing I ever did. I only regret waiting so long to decide to have it. It was the most amazing change in my life and WELL worth it!
8. My surgeon was Leslie McClellan in Harvard IL. I feel she is an excellent surgeon. I highly recommend her and she has excellent qualifications.
9. Hmmm I wish I had taken longer to throughly look at all surgeries. AT the time, the DS was still considered experimental and I think it may have been a better option for me. I do not regret having my RNY. It is deemed successful as I lost 150 lbs. but I am still overweight.
Welcome to the Illinois Forum! I will give you a quick rundown on my experience.
1. I did not use Tricare Prime. My insurance is with Cigna.
2. I interview several surgeons. I wanted to find one I was comfortable with and had good qualifications.
3. I had a 2 week preop diet. I also had to do a medically supervised 6 month diet that was required by my insurance company. I ended up having to do it twice due to a mix up in what I needed for medical records. My advice is to get your insurance requirements in writing and make sure YOU oversee that all areas are covered/completed that are required.
4. It took me over a year due to having to do the 6 month diet twice.
Please note, there are lots of medical tests and proceedures that have to be done before you have your surgery. This is not a fast track proceedure. 5. My stay in the hospital was 3 days. I had a lapriscopic RNY on Monday morning and came home on Wednesday.
6. After surgery, when I first woke up I thought "holy moly, what did I just do to myself?" Basically I was very sore in the stomach and filled with gas. For 3 days I wanted to do nothing more than burp. After I got rid of the gas I was just left with a tender tummy that hurt to bend over and I was very tired. Other than that, I felt great!
7. I would have my surgery again in a heartbeat. IT is the best thing I ever did. I only regret waiting so long to decide to have it. It was the most amazing change in my life and WELL worth it!
8. My surgeon was Leslie McClellan in Harvard IL. I feel she is an excellent surgeon. I highly recommend her and she has excellent qualifications.
9. Hmmm I wish I had taken longer to throughly look at all surgeries. AT the time, the DS was still considered experimental and I think it may have been a better option for me. I do not regret having my RNY. It is deemed successful as I lost 150 lbs. but I am still overweight.
Cat Lady
Wow, Thank you all for replying! I greatly appreciate it!
So, I got a call from Dr. James R. Wallace's Office today and I have an appointment on March 5th from 8:15am to 11:30am for Orientation and then another appointment to meet with Dr. Wallace the same day at 2:30pm! I'm very excited. I was told by his office that Tricare requires that I participate in a 6 month physician supervised diet which I can start now, as well as getting some tests done... etc. However, prior to moving to the USA in September, I was seeing my Dr. in Canada every 2 - 3 months because I was on the waiting list there for lapband since 2009 (lapband was the only thing that was covered for me in Canada). I don't know if Tricare will count that as my 6 month supervised diet or not.... I hope so because I've been waiting for WLS since 2009. I'm fine with them not accepting it though, because I've waited 2 years... what's another 6 months right?
Anyway... Here's a little background about me
I'm 28 years old, born and raised in New Brunswick Canada! Moved to Illinois in September to marry my wonderful husband who is in the Navy! I'm 5'4" and 303lbs (I've been told I carry my weight well because I don't look like I weigh that much
) That's about it...
Thanks again for all of your replies!
So, I got a call from Dr. James R. Wallace's Office today and I have an appointment on March 5th from 8:15am to 11:30am for Orientation and then another appointment to meet with Dr. Wallace the same day at 2:30pm! I'm very excited. I was told by his office that Tricare requires that I participate in a 6 month physician supervised diet which I can start now, as well as getting some tests done... etc. However, prior to moving to the USA in September, I was seeing my Dr. in Canada every 2 - 3 months because I was on the waiting list there for lapband since 2009 (lapband was the only thing that was covered for me in Canada). I don't know if Tricare will count that as my 6 month supervised diet or not.... I hope so because I've been waiting for WLS since 2009. I'm fine with them not accepting it though, because I've waited 2 years... what's another 6 months right?
Anyway... Here's a little background about me
I'm 28 years old, born and raised in New Brunswick Canada! Moved to Illinois in September to marry my wonderful husband who is in the Navy! I'm 5'4" and 303lbs (I've been told I carry my weight well because I don't look like I weigh that much
) That's about it...Thanks again for all of your replies!
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