Dualstarr

Although I have not had my surgery I don't plan on telling a soul. I will ask either my ex boyfirend or my aunt to pick me up. I plan on telling them that I had to have surgery to remove another cyst (happened last year). When I ge to the point of the liquid diet I will just tell everyone I am fasting to cleanse my system. As far as expaling small meals in the future when I eat out. I just plan on telling people that I ate something healthy at home before I came so i would not over eat...so ill just order a small appatizer...problem solved.

I can not wait to write a post like this. I am soooooo over Lane Bryant!

Oh No!!! i didn't think about that. I sure hope not. This is how I am rewarding myself for pre-op weight loss. For every 5 pounds I lose pre-op I buy a pair of shoes...I'm 1.2 pounds away from my first pair. My goal is to have 5 new pair by surgery....i will just DIE if they don't fit after surgery.

$100?? From where. I saw some today but they were like $150

So i spent my entire lunch break looking at blenders and am undecided. I am trying to decide between the MagicBullet, NutriBullet or the Hamilton Beach51101 personal blender. All of which have awesome reviews on Amazon. Which blender are you guys using. I want something that is going to last but I'm also not trying to spend $120+

So i searched high and low for as much info as I could find regarding the weight loss surgery options/process through Kaiser (Southern Ca) and always came up short so I promised myself I would update others with information as I went through the processes. Basics Location: Kaiser Downey/Bellflower Okay as many of you know (or may not know) Kaiser (Socal) requires you to complete a program called "Options" prior to being approved for surgery. Part of that process also includes attending a 3 hr orientation which I did today. Bellow are a few key points I learned today. Orientation is the first step (after you are referred by you PCP. 1. The "Options" program is 12 weeks HOWEVER they have recently changed it so that you only attend 6 sessions. Each session is 3 hours long (night class are from 5:30pm-8:30pm). They also offer morning classes (11am-2pm) and Saturday classes (11am-2pm) The class you get depends on what time you complete orientation. For example. I completed orientation today and the only tracks they had starting were Tuesday nights from 5:30pm-8:30 pm and Wednesday 5:30pm-8:30 pm. They offered a Saturday track however that one did not start until late August. There were no Morning tracks on schedule any time soon. Each class meets every other week. So instead of doing one class every week for 12 weeks you do 3 hours (equal to 2 classes) one week then skip a week and then do two more. So 6 meetings over 12 weeks. 2. For all you smokers (I am...or was) they require you to be 100% smoke free for 8 weeks before they will schedule your surgery. This includes NO Patches or GUM. They do test you and if you come back positive for nicotine they will make you wait 8 weeks. 3. You are requested to lose 5-10% of your body weight during the 12 weeks. If you don't lose it is up to the surgent if they will go forward with your surgery. If you gain...you are out! 4. They offer 3 surgical options. Bypass, Sleeve and lap-band. She said sleeve was the most popular and although they do offer the lap band, said they have not done one in over 2 years. They really try to talk you out of it. 5. If you are just at the BMI cut off (BMI 40) like I am, you will not get kicked out for dropping bellow 40 BMI. Once you are in you are in no matter how much weight you lose. 6. Options classes are good for 1 year. After that year you must either have surgery or re-take the Options program again. 7. She said over 90% of the class usually has surgery dates with in in 2-3 weeks after completing the Options program pending you don't have any other issues to take care of (i.e.. stop smoking, have gained weight etc.) She said it's not unlikely to complete the class and have surgery 2 weeks later. She said they are really speeding things up now. 9. The Downey location does not do surgery and most people have surgery done and Kaiser Harbor City. 10. You weigh in every meeting and must keep a food log, exercise log and Protein log. if you fail to do this you get booted. I start my first options class July 17th and End on September 24th! I will keep you guys posted every meeting so you can get a feel of what the process is like. Feel free to message me with any questions and I will do my best to answer them. If I don't know the answer i will ask at the next class meeting.

Hi gogogirl! I see you are also a Kaiser Socal Sleever. Can I ask you how long the process took you from inital meeting with PCP to surgery date. I have heard everything from 5 months to 18 months. I start my first class on Monday and am excited. Already did all my blood work.

Yes, more then likely dermabond. Some times it can take up to a month for it to wear off. Leave it on, don't pick at it. It will fal off on its own. Just give it time. They are using dermabond more and more nodays I think it's awesome

Yeah thats the one thing I don't have...a support system as I have decided to not tell a soul about my surgery. I do however plan on using this site as much as possible and join a support group. I'm even thinking of making a "meetup group" on meetup.com for the Long Beach/South Bay area. What have you learned so far in the class. Also how long did it take you to get enrolled in a class after your orientation?

Yeah the girl that did the clas was in AMAZING shap and had moves like you wouldn't believe. I felt it was kinda hard to keep up with but I guess you learn the moves the more you go. I know after about 30 min I was ready to search for the exit. lol Maybe I'll give it a go in thr future but for now i'm sticking to walking, yoga, swimming laps, elliptical and the stair climber...those are more my speed

I have not started my classes yet however the little book they gave me when I signed up said the same thing. 30 min every day or an hour 5 days a week. Where are you taking your calsses? I'm going to the Downey/Bellflower location. I start Monday.

Really? Do you have long hair? Do you keep it braided? You must have an amazing grade of hair that you can swim every day and not cause damage to your hair. I know washing my hair every day, let alone getting chlorine in it ever day would fry my hair...add blow drying and flat ironing it every day...girl i would be bald. What type of products do you use on your hair to keep it from drying out? I went swimming once without doing the pre-wash and conditioner and my hair was hard and brittle right after. I would love to hear what you do. I need all the help I can get. Went swimming again today and did the whole pre-wash, condition thing again and so far so good but it is a lot of work. It take me close to an hour just to blow dry. My hair is EXTREAMLY thick.

Felt like I was going to die lol. So not ready for that yet. I usually swim laps but wanted to try something new to mix things up a bit....yeah, zumba is not it lol. I'll stick to swimming laps and the elliptical.

Very powerful post! I too need to start doing this!

It's crazy hearing you guys talk like this. I work with girls every day that have eating disorders and to hear them talk about how "fat" they feel when they look int he mirror while I'm looking at them skin in bones is just sad. Hearing you guys talk about it too really puts things in perspective. It's funny how the mind can trick us into seeing ourselves one way when we really are another. It scares me to think that I have struggled with weight all my life and all I ever wished for was to be smaller then a size 18...then to finally get there (when I get there) and still not be able to enjoy because my mind is playing tricks on me is just scary. I cross my fingers that can use some of the tips I use for my girls at work on myself for when the time comes. It's just so scary to think that I might have too Hang in there

Well today marks day three of swimming. So far so good. What i do is wet it before I get in the Water and soak it with conditioner. I then put on a swim cap and swim. When I get out I wash it again, condition it then put in a leave in condiationer. I then use the wall blow dryer they have there and dry it until it is partially dry. I then wrap it and tie it down. When I wake up in the morning it is fully dry. I then oil my scalp and flat Iron it like I normally do. So far so good Now lets just hope that I'm not back here next mothing talking about how I'm bald lol

YES!!!! Ziplining! I have always wanted to try this....That is actually #1 on my list of skinny activites to try...followed by rock wall cimibling,

I have not had a perm in my hair in over 15 years and to be honest....I miss it. I hate pressing my hair. I go every two weeks...sit for 2 hours then freak out the rest of the week scared to get it wet. I hate that. I will really have to consider a perm and just really buckle down on co-washing after swimming, using the ion swimmers shampoo. Here is what I was thinking...what do you think? Wet hair before swimming and use a leave in conditioner like VO5. Where swimming cap with conditioner After swimming, rinse hair and co-wash again wtih VO5 then use the keratin as a leave in, wrap to dry. Once a week wash with the ion shampoo and deep condition This would be with a perm ofcourse...

I feel you When I was in high school I was on the swim team and played water polo but my hair was braided for nearly 4 years so it was never a problem. I considered getting a full head weave since I figured that might save my hair since my hair would be braided underneith. Hmmm did't really consider a perm. Have not had on in years. I wonder how a perm would work with swimming ever day. At least with a perm I could blow dry, wrap and go...that might actually work

Hi guys, So happy to have found this group. I am pretty new to the forum and have just started the process to get sleeved through Kaiser Downey/Bellflower. I go to orientation on Monday and hopeful start classes shortly after that. Anyone else going through the process now?

I'm still a little ways out from my surgery (just started the Kaiser options classes) but this morning I was laying in bed thinking of all the things I can't wait to do when I lose weight. 1. Be able to walk through those stupid little turnstyle things 2. Finally be able to stop lying about not liking rollercoasters. I love them..my fat ass just won't fit. Easier to lie 3. No longer have to buy gigantic pads with wings (yeah I know TMI) 4. Be able to buy something from Victorias Secret 5. Be able to shop with friends without having to make a detour to a "fat store". 6. Not be ashamed to walk though the mall with my bag of clothes...I always hate shopping and having to walk through the mall with a Lane Bryant shopping bag...just screams I'M FAT!!! 7. Be able to put the lap tray down on an airplane 8. Be able to tell people I used to run cross country in high school without them saying "What happened". and actually be able to run again. 9. Sky Dive!!!!! 10. Go out with my "skinny friends" and actually have guys want to talk to me too...and not just to ask me to ask my friend for her number

I'm still aways out from having my surgery but I have already decided I'm not telling a soul. In the begining of this year I had to have surgery due to a ruptured cyst on my ovary....well what do you know....it happened again

Yeah I have They don't work. I actually discovered your actually suppose to wet your hair before even putting it on. Swimming caps are more for keeping hair out of your face while you swin.

So I recently joined the Y and have my daughter enrolled in swimming classes. Watching her swim today reminded me of how much I LOVED to swim (was on the swim team and played Water polo in high school). The thing is I have hair issues. Anyone who is black and who has spent an hour in a chair getting a fresh press knows why water is a no go lol. In high school my hair was braided so swimming was no issue but now my hair is way too long for braids and I can't press/flat irion my hair every day or I will fry it. My goal post-op is to swim 3-4 days per week and then throw some yoga in the mix... Where are all my other black swimmers? What do you ladies do?

Do you have any more information on how this works? are pre-existing conditions only an issue with self-pay insurance? For example if I get insurance under a job do pre-existing conditions still matter?