monica91355

Good point!

My surgery was originally scheduled for 8/1 but I asked to be on cancellations list. Then they had me tentative for 6/26. Then the 6/26 date turned into 6/22!

Each Kaiser has a different process. Here's a rough timeline of the process I had to go through

- early Jan. referral from PCP
- mid-Jan orientation to Options program
- early Feb meet with program director
- first week of February start 12 week Options program
- mid-March (6 weeks into Options) meet with program director and complete all required tests
- last week of April finish Options
- mid-May final appointment with program director
- May 30 meet surgeon
- June 20 pre-op appointments
- June 22 surgery

Hope that helps! Although, the requirements at your Kaiser may be totally different than the Kaiser I go to in SoCal.

For those of you having surgery in Los Angeles, are you going through Kaiser? I finish my Options classes in a couple weeks and wondering how long it takes to see then surgeon and then get a date for surgery.

Hello!

I'm out in Santa Clarita. Had my vsg on 6/22 at West LA Kaiser with Dr Um.

I had my surgery at Kaiser West LA on June 22. Took my Options classes at Panorama City. Let me know if you have any questions!

I had my surgery at Kaiser West LA on June 22. Took my Options classes at Panorama City. Let me know if you have any questions!

Today I am 198lbs down from 270, surgery was april 5th 2017! I am almost at my 4 month mark. Tomorrow is my 25th birthday and my major goal was to reach wonderland by my birthday and I reached that goal 2 days before. i am so happy... i still have long ways to go but i never ever thought this day would come. thank you guys for all your support <3

This is a dangerous thread because its not particularly productive to measure yourself against others- our own journey is a highly individualized experience.

Men do better than women normally. Fatties like me do better than the "lightweights" who started at a more reasonable weight.

Sometimes people get frustrated that they're not losing as much as "everyone else" when in reality, they are doing GREAT by their own standards.

Proceed with caution!

I'm a day after you on the 22nd!

Well, it's a start alright... the finish has yet to come. But I'll document my sleeve story here in the hopes that it'll help others.
Surgery to lose weight? Peh!! That's for weaklings... I would never mutilate my body.... why take the easy way out... in short, wls was a remote concept to me. Honestly, it just never was on my radar, that's all.
But like many here I struggled.. and it was a constant battle in the back of my head. I've been everywhere on the spectrum from "a real woman has curves, damn it" to " this is a social construct; it's todays world that makes me feel bad about who I am... I mean look at norms from 50-60 years ago" to "I don't have to be thin/normal/etc, I have brains to prove myself... I will never be one to rely on how I look to get ahead".... you name it, I've probably been there.
I'm going on 40... years of this... and dieting... and gaining... and dieting... and checking out the newest fad... and shopping based on what fits... not what I like.... years of focusing on the 'content' vs the 'packaging', coupled with a very low idea of self-worth rooted in childhood... well, for one reason or the other we all end up in the same spot.
Last summer my family and I were at the beach; There I am, sitting at the beach and I just can't stop judging people. Nevermind the fact that I lost 20 pounds and gained 19,5 back... So technically I have still lost weight compared to same time last year; I am just sitting here, in the shade and I can't stop myself from passing judgment on everybody... Bad posture, wrong choice of bathing suit... Omg!! What was she thinking?!?!? I would kill to have the body of most of the women who unknowingly are subject to my internal rantings but there you have it. And then I caught myself... sort of saw myself from a different perspective. Is this really who I want to be? This constantly bitter, unhappy person who blames everyone and everything but neglects to take responsibility? And it was there the first seeds of change had been sewn. Althought wls was still a long ways off from being even an idea.
I came to the US 20 years ago... It's not easy being the 'outsider', less so when you're a parent. At times it feels like everybody knows each other; even worse everybody likes each other... everybody but you. And this even though we all started being soccer moms and dads at the same time. Granted, sometimes you'll have your neighbors who know each other and naturally gravitate toward each other... or those parents whose kids are besties in school and who automatically click.
Some days a parent will say hi... good morning... how're ya doing? And those days are good days because for the next 60 minutes of a game you re-live that moment when you were part of the in-crowd. On other days your good morning will be ignored.. sometimes on purpose. And those days you put on a brave face for your kids because no kid likes their parents to be the outsider. Some days it gets so bad, so lonely, that I feel like exploding... i feel like asking "guys... what is it? Is it because i'm fat? Wear glasses? Have an accent? All of the above? I see these posts for parents with tips on how to deal with socially awkward teenagers... or how to boost their kids' confidence and I gulp them up looking for a glimpse on what it could be I'm doing wrong. It is a sad state of affairs when you're diving into teen advise columns but you're almost 40.
I have two amazing kids... and I know how easily effected kids are by how they view their parents. All parents are an embarassment to their kids in one way or another but what all of this led to, what I realized was that unless I accept myself, unless I am OK with myself and unless I respect and love myself I couldn't possibly expect others to show me the same. And this sense of personal responsibility was the second seed toward change. You see, as much as it seems from the above that I am doing this so that others will love me, I have come to realize that I am doing this for me... and only me.
Then, in January my husband's friend comes to visit.. and I don't recognize him... seriously, different human being. I felt like on candid camera where they do a switcheroo, you know? And he tells me about how he got sleeved... and he is patient with me and talks to me, explains, shows, guides me and before I know it I know that this is what I want. I just do, it makes sense, it all clicks, falls into place... damn in, I want it and I want it now!!!
I talk to 3 different surgeons even though I have to pay for consults... one can't even be bothered to look me in the eyes... he's Mr super busy and important... you know, like a factory assembly line, you're just a number, not a human being. The second is nice...patient, knowledgeable but his staff is not well organized. Then I went to see my friend's surgeon. Staff and surgeon... good call; I clicked and knew I had found my surgeon. Of course I did my research, I read reviews, reached out to people but first impressions are so important.
My insurance requires 6 months of documented visits. I was ready to have the surgery; I was excited; I didn't want to wait.. I even considered doing this out of pocket but thankfully cooler heads prevailed. I still think 6 months is too long but I'm halfway there.
I am hopeful to have a surgery date in september for my sleeve.
I still do my homework, I day-dream and I make lists, I fantasize about shopping sprees (which will be fun now, not torture... right guys?) but I'm not in laland in terms of expectation. I think I have a pretty solid grasp on the difficulties ahead. I'm going to therapy to prepare mentally.

I have an incredibly supportive husband who's been with me through thick (and will be with me through thin!!)

And with your support I know I can do this.

Updates will follow!

Today is my 4 month surgiversary and I am down 65 lbs. This is the best thing I have ever done for MYSELF!!

The hospital I was at was a good hour from our house. The hospital allowed 1 person to stay the night with you in your room. The nurses kept offering to bring my boyfriend a bed. He ended up leaving around 10pm or 11pm. I was in pretty bad shape after surgery and really out of it. I had someone in my room ever 1-2 hours throughout the night. I told him not to stay overnight because he would never get sleep with the various checks all night.

Hello Ladies,
I am in Southern California (Palm Springs area) and my surgery date is July 17th. I am so excited. This has been a long journey but I am glad to be final close to my date. I would have opted for an earlier date since my last options class was Oct. 7, 2016 but there were several holidays in between so I opted to wait for the summer when school is out.
I look forward to being encouraged by reading your journey's and learning things from you veteran sleevers.

I met with my surgeon last week. He's going to put me out for 4 weeks. I get fully disability pay so taking as much time as needed.

I'm a day after you on the 22nd!

If you wake up on day 1 or 2 and ask yourself "what did I do?", don't worry... many of us felt that way in the first couple of days... give it a chance, you will feel better and realize it was the best thing for you. You will then wonder why you didn't do it before. It gets better! Just stick to the plan and keep on walking!

Good Luck

Good Luck!! You won't regret it.

HW 330
SW 292
CW 228.6
GW below 200

You got this. Stay focused on the goal. Look forward to updates.

Each Kaiser has a different process. Here's a rough timeline of the process I had to go through

- early Jan. referral from PCP
- mid-Jan orientation to Options program
- early Feb meet with program director
- first week of February start 12 week Options program
- mid-March (6 weeks into Options) meet with program director and complete all required tests
- last week of April finish Options
- mid-May final appointment with program director
- May 30 meet surgeon
- June 20 pre-op appointments
- June 22 surgery

Hope that helps! Although, the requirements at your Kaiser may be totally different than the Kaiser I go to in SoCal.

Always ask to be put on the cancellation list. They had me scheduled for surgery for August 1 then I called back the next day and they were able to schedule my surgery for June 22nd, which is about 3 weeks after I saw the surgeon.

Hang in there! I'm with Kaiser too. I had my orientation in January and started Options at Panorama City in February. My Options classes ended the last week of April. For me, the orientation, Option classes, and tests during the 12 week program was all very efficient.

Everything post-Options has been very slow and frustrating. I just met with the surgeon this week! And, he told me his surgeries are being scheduled two months out!! I haven't heard from the surgery scheduler yet. Surgeon told me to call her next week and the nurse said I won't hear from her for a couple weeks.

I'm a day after you on the 22nd!

Quick update. I am now 14 months post VSG bariatric surgery and I am down 258 lbs. . My high weight was 560.lbs. the day i met the surgeon i was 509 lbs.. surgery day 424 lbs and this morning 249 lbs. Everything has been speeding up for me in the last 2 months . Physical barriers I had for years seem to be crumbling. 3 months ago I could not walk without using a walker. I exercised on a treadmill holding the handles in a death grip. Now I lift weights 5 days a week and I walk 45-60 minutes almost every day ( weather depending ) around my neighborhood, no walker, no problem doing it. I have started using the stairs as well. Something I couldnt do for over a decade. I still use my walker...as a rolling TV trable...I have 82 lbs left to reach my goal of 175 lbs but i probably carry 40 lbs of lose skin and lymphodema on my thighs. It is time to start the process to try and be approved for plastic reconstructive surgery. This is tough as I live in Canada and plastics are not covered by our healthcare system. To buy a plastic surgeon privately for the extent that I would require is around $45,000 . Not an option . I am still dropping around a pound every 24 hours at the moment With no stopping in sight. I am excited to begin this last leg of my losing phase and hopefully get some skin removal approved . Being a chef, having basketball sized Lymphoedema on my thighs make working impossible right now so I am working full time on myself. I am also working on a bariatric cookbook at the request of my surgeon for his future patients. I am on myfitnesspal with my journal open for all to see. I think the accountability is a great thing. Anyone who would like to add me is more than welcome the more the merrier my fitness pal tag is ShrinkingGordon. 

Good luck to you Monica I went through Kaiser Bakersfield for my classes and I had surgery on May 31, 2017 doing good it is a Learning process keep posting on here after surgery so we can follow