help?!?! US to UK band revision maybe?

Sorry Kate!  I thought your aftercare and information was the normal in the UK.  I also thought it was uniformly through the NHS.  Great after care is the only way to have success with the band IMHO!

You need to go back to the PCP and get a referral to a different surgeon.  You may or may not need to revise, I don't know.

There are other surgeons in the UK, although they could end up referring you to a surgeon elsewhere in Europe.  I don't know who is under TriCare contract in the UK.  While I'm not a TriCare referral (Federal employee working for DoD in Germany), my current surgeon IS a TriCare provider.  If they refer you to a surgeon who isn't within reasonable commuting distance, ask for travel orders.

What I can tell you for sure is that the surgeon to whom you were referred isn't band competent. BTW, I did use to be a bander.

Caramel_Blond- I have had 2 PCMs during our assignment here in England and every time I go in for a referral, the London doctor is who they send me too. I have even spoken to the ladies that work in the referral office and that's who pops up. Before we moved here I called Tricare to make sure I'd be able to get the care for my band that I needed and they told me then that I'd see someone closer in Cambridge. Since moving here, there is no longer a "relationship" with the Cambridge office so London it is. I have also looked into getting my travel expenses reimbursed and funny thing is, from the base to the London office is 98 miles so I don't qualify. 

I've been asking and getting information from the different boards and I plan on calling Tricare tomorrow, as well as some MTFs in the surrounding countries to see what I can do before self paying. I just got a price quote from the Cambridge office this morning and well, I about choked on my coffee :(

Hi -

I am not a military spouse, but I am an American living in Belgium - LapBand in 2006 revision to RNY this past August.  If you'd like to know some concrete information about the cost of WLS here in Brussels and anything else I might be able to share, please just send me a Personal Message and I'll get back to you.  It's not as expensive as you might fear and it's just a 90 minute train ride from London. 

Cheers - Ashley

Hi Ashley, 

I've just sent you a message 

I am an Active Duty self pay (Tricare will not pay for AD members...) and was successfully banded in Germany 9 years ago.  This doctor was very attentive and very helpful with all my questions and never made me feel different about what ever surgery I received.  He was one of the first Doctors to perform the banding in Europe.  You can read all about him at this link: http://www.ibcclub.org/bariatric-surgeons-educators-club/dr-rudolf-weiner/  and http://www.obesityhelp.com/profiles/bariatric-surgeon/dr-rudolf-weiner/reviews.  I have read in his profile he does accept Tricare as well.  It does not hurt to ask and see.  

Good luck and PM me if you have any questions.

Tracy