Portsmouth Naval Hospital

Has any went to Portsmouth for WLS and do you know how long the wait it after the referral has been submitted? I got my referral to Portsmouth yesterday and called today to make an appointment. Of course I had to leave a message and they will call back within 3 days. I was just looking through some posts and one said that the waiting time was 12 to 18 months. Is this a normal waiting period?

I had to wait 6 months just to get a consult with a surgeon I was told it was about a 12 month wait for surgery. I swiched to Tricare Standard and had a consult with Dr Moore. I attened a info seminar in oct '05 had my consult in dec and i am scheduled for surgery in march. Jenn

I have heard that the wait there is long too!!! Good luck, I think you are going to need it! Hugs, Kennie

It appears to be a typical LONG weight with ANY of the military hospitals. I had my surger in Washington State - at the time, the military hospital (Bremerton) had a 18 month weight which in reality was more like 2 years. I was NOT going to wait that long - patience is NOT one of my strong points. Not sure if things have "changed" with TriCarePrime - but 3 years ago, when I was facing the same delays -- I spoke to my PCP about "farming me out" to a civilian doctor that accepted TriCarePRIME. No problem, she asked me what doctor I was interested in seeing - I told her Dr. James Weber, she put in a referral and within a few months (after all the testing had been completed) I was scheduled for surgery. It was ALL handled with TriCarePRIME (I did NOT have to switch to Standard) and there was NO out of pocket expense. Good luck to you - Lei

Sheeeez, NOT enough coffee this morning for ME!!! Sorry, I just happened to glance at my reply as I was scrolling the boards and noticed my MAJOR typo and it really was not on purpose or done with the intent of being a PUN. lol - Im just not that clever! Anyway - the first line shoulda read "a typical long WAIT" not "weight" Im sure my entire response is laced with errors, but that's the most glaring!

M. I had my surgery through Portsmouth in August. When I got my referral, the wait time was around 24 months. Lately, things have sped up considerably, so I believe it's more like 12 months now. The first appt they set you up for is actually a 2 hr class that is mandatory to take. It'll be in like 3 to 6 months. Then you'll have what they call the "initial" consult with the surgeon, then your psych and nutrition evals. Then your pre-op appt, then your teach appt, and finally the surgery. In the civilian world, this wait can be as little as a month or so from referral to surgery. In the military world, as you know, everything is hurry up and wait. But they want to make sure you're truly committed to changing your life and that you'll follow the rules. They are great surgeons at Portsmouth. Also, there is another website specifically for Portsmouth military patients if you'd like me to get you an invite. Please send me your email address and I'll make sure you get it. Hugs, Tonya

Good Morning, I had my surgery in May 2005 at PNH. I had to wait for 21 months, from my first referral with my PCP to my actual surgery date. Like Tonya said, along the way, they will have you attend classes and have lots of tests done to make sure that you totally understand what huge life change you are about to go through. The wait was worth it, the surgeons are wonderful!! They have monthly support group meetings and if you have any problems or concerns afterwards, they are quick to get you back in and help you out. Good luck in your weight loss journey! Stacy 346/190

When I started researching all of this, I found that the wait at PNH was 2 years and thought "Do I wait the 2 years and let me body continue to deterioriate, or do I go outside of the military and have it done?" I really thought about the importance of me. SO, I decided to trade in my TriCare Prime for TriCare Standard and am SO happy that I did. I went to Dr. Clark's seminar in Aug 23, 2005 and had surgery on October 12, 2005 (about 6 weeks later). Dr. Clark has been WONDERFUL and provides a very comprehensive follow-up care plan that includes a support group that is taylored to Lab-Band and RNY (2 seperate meetings). Plus, he is just the nicest person I have ever met. Out of pocket? Well, because I choose a doc that was in the network, my out of pocket was under $275.00 (surgery) and $400.00 (for one of Dr. Clark's programs). For me? That was nothing compared to the deterioration my body was undergoing. So, good luck to ya! Jill 23/206/145

Hi, I initially started going through Portsmouth also. I was told at seminar, which was several months after the first appointment, that the waiting list, after seminar, was about two years total. I'd heard great things about Portsmouth but didn't want to wait so long. I switched to Tricare Standard and went to Moore and Spencer at Tidewater Surgical, who actually began the program at Portsmouth, according to their written bio's. I had surgery Jan 12 and am doing great! Either option has its good points. Absolutely no copay, vs some copay but faster. From my research both had good history and results. Its kind of a decision you have to make. But yes, they take a long time at Portsmouth. Best of luck in your journey! Debbie

I also looked into WLS while on Tricare Prime and was told that as long as we were close enough to PNH to have it done there, Tricare would not allow me to go to a civilian surgeon. So, I switched to Standard and had my WLS with Dr. Moore at Tidewater Surgical. 5 months from seminar to surgery date. Out of pocket expense was around $250 total. Connie- RNY 8/01/05 269/188/163 surgeon's goal/150 my goal