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Welcome Ferret I am in Sac and going through Richmond Kaiser. I have had orientation and am waiting now for the next call for an appointment. I had to wait a month to get referred to Bariatrics. My doctor wanted to have me go to a class first for 56 weeks. Took me a month to convince her that I have already been there and done that. The orientation was informative. Hoping to get my next two appointments done by Jan 31, 2008 and the 10% lost by March. It is a long frustrating process for sure. Gotta keep plugging away and taking it a day at a time.

I am also in the process of trying to decide which way to go. One day I am fine with the lap band and than the next I am sure the RNY is better for me. I worry about the fills and continual appointments since i may be moving out of state this summer and having to change jobs, insurance and it could get complicated. I also like the longer term restrictions............ I am still researching both and see lots of pros and cons. It is such a complicated long term process that I want to be sure I get what is right for me. I tend to not have a huge amount of willpower and sweets are my downfall but other than that I eat healthy................. I am waiting to see which way the surgeon leads. I am guessing I have until the day of surgery to make a final decision. I am still waiting to hear from Kaiser. Will call tomorrow. Oh by the way the nutrition lady at my orientation also talked fast and seems rushed and irritated as well. She was the only one I felt was not excited to be there.

I am thinking about the Health Ways classes. Thanks for the great advice Aud on Protein. I thought I was getting enough but I underestimated. I made sure I got every last protein in today and that helps. Won't weight until after the Holidays. Which surgeon are you getting?

Wow Audsmom that is great!! Sounds like it went well than and your on a roll now? How was the traffic today? So are you having to do the Nutrition class or the case manager? I am kinda wondering if maybe lap band is not as strict with all the hoops. Heard that Kaiser was gonna loosen up the restrictions and process a bit after the first of the year. Maybe this is a sign of things to come. I hope. Still waiting for my next appointment. Won't worry to much until after the New Year than I will start to call them again if I haven't heard anything by than. I would love an appointment next week when I am off but well see how it goes.

Hey ShellBell did you hear anything from Kaiser yet on the next step? So far nothing here. I did call and they said to wait that the next appointment if for 1-3 months out and you will get something in the mail. So how is your 1200 diet going??? I am still debating between RNY and Lap band. I am starting to be in the middle and hope the surgeon can help me decide.

Swish did you find out from Dr. Fisher about not having to meet with a case manager or take the nutrition class? Let me know. I am thinking of requesting Dr. Fisher as well. So what was he looking for with lap band? Cause I am wondering if I can really be successful with that if I can't survive a week with on 1200 calories!! I am starving!!! LOL. :-)

Hello All. Still haven't heard a thing about my next appointment. Did the orientation last week. Funny how everyone has a different experience. Mine has been nothing but waiting and having to call in every once in awhile to make sure I haven't been forgotten. Last time my referral got put to the side for some reason so it was a good thing I called. If I don't hear anything back after the Holiday I will call again. I did call earlier today but they said they aren't making appointments right now and to expect an appointment 1-3 months out and I will get something in the mail. I can't sign up for cancellations they said until I get the initial appointment. I have been really nice on the phone still no luck so far. They are really firm that they don't want to be called they want to call you. So anyone else hear about a nutrition class? Was that part of orientation or another 5 hour class? I am confused since part of the original orientation is a nutrition class? So psych appointment, surgeon appointment, nutrition class for 5 hours?..............case consult, pre opt class, pre opt nutrition class, physical and blood work?? I have gone through the binder twice now and it is just not clear......... I would love to have an appointment soon. This 1200 calorie thing is sure a struggle over the HOlidays.........Makes me wonder if I should consider RNY instead. Where is my willpower?? Can't seem to get it down I am hungry all the time......................at least carbonation is just about done for me :-) One success so far.

*smile* I plan to try to slowly stop over the next couple of months. I think suddenly stopping the day after surgery would be hard for me. I like the every other day thing. So Mom3 after surgery were you able to drive home or did you stay in a motel for the night. I am debating but think I might spend the night in Richmond and come home the next day. My daughter will be going with me but she can't drive in Bay area traffic since she is new to driving. I would rather wait until I feel better and drive myself. So did you get your appointments at orientation or did you also do the call in and get cancelations?

Kaiser is an interesting insurance. It is all about referrals for sure. Everything goes through the PCP first and takes forever. That also means more co-pays in the long run. This 1200 thing is really hard. I am not used to that much Protein and the caffiene thing..........I caved it when the headache got to bad. I will have to do that slowly. Hopefully that won't put me to far off track since it was a diet coke!! LOL. I kinda want to revert back to Weight Watchers since I know that system so well and am comfortable with it but it seems like this one is created to be quick and WW is not. What is everyone else doing? 30 pounds in one month!! OMG you must have never gone over 1200. The slimfast does that have protein? How many calories? What does it count as? I really might try that for Breakfast since I hate eating in the morning. I could drink that on the way to work. Taste? What is the best flavor?

Same for me to many ups and downs in dieting!! In fact I moved to Europe after I got married and could not eat much and lost 50 pounds pretty quick. I was the thinnest I have ever been and unhealthy. I just couldn't eat European food I didn't like it and it didn't agree with me. Than I come back to the states and can eat again and gained it all back and more in a matter of weeks. Add a baby to the mix and it was over. I think that year of stavation and living off tea and bread really messed with my health.

I will keep calling. That is how I got my orientation Just seems like it is hit or miss who you get. Last time I called during the lunch hour and they scheduled me right away. I liked Liz I thought she was cool. We had some smokers in the room and she was pretty tough on them but I thought it was totally appropriate. I liked her. I really liked Dr. Fisher. I hope to get him too and I think things will go smoother once I get my first appointments. I wish you the best of luck and that is a totally doable goal for March. I am looking about the same timeline I hope. So how much have you lost now? Seems like this 1200 calorie thing goes pretty quick from what they said. I had Robin for the nutritionist. She had to rush through her stuff to get us out on time. So did they mention a nutrition class to you guys? Nothing with us. Maybe that is the final pre opt class they were talking about?? It is suppose to be five hours. WE did'nt get to stay after since another class was coming in right after us. I did stay and ask Robin a few questions about vegetarian Protein but we had to talk on the way out the door. I agree it is worth it. I am gonna stay the course. I will give it a couple of days than call again for an appointment. I think once I have an appointment than maybe I can start to call and try to trade it in for something closer. I didn't get to sit upfront and I didn't get time to talk to them. Just to crazy of a day. I think that might have helped. I really like Dr. Fisher you are lucky to have him and let me know if you make it without a case manager;-) Maybe I will get that lucky. Dr. F did seem a bit negetive on the lap band.............so I hope he lets me go that route. They had me debating if it was the best option all the way home. But I am pretty firm that is what I want!! Thanks for the update helps to know the process.

I am going to start the 1200 plan today so hopefully that goes well. Hard being a vegetarian. I did call today for cancelled appointments and was told we call you, you don't call us. They said I will get something in the mail stating when my appointment is that I don't have choices. I was told I can't call for cancellations until 4 weeks have gone by first. I think it really depends on who answers the phone to be honest. They told me to wait until I was called for orientation but I kept calling and finally got someone who signed me up the same day. Truthfully the orientation was disorganized and the presenters were really frazzled. We started 45 minutes late and they had to kick out another class to get us in the room and there was alot of chaos. They rushed to get us out by 12pm so I am guessing stuff was missed like scheduling appointments. We were not given any sheets to sign or even asked what would work for us. Just told we will get something in the mail and that they are really backlogged right now. Said they had 200+ referrals a month and they were really, really busy. so for some reason I seem to be in with a slower moving group....................things aren't coming together very smoothly and the process seems to be taking a long time. They didn't mention a nutrition class yesterday??? Just the psych and surgeons appoint than a pre-op class. I wonder if they are not doing it anymore or if they tell us later. But it was not brought up on the list of things to do. I am still hoping for Dr. Fisher. Liz did mention yesterday that no one gets a surgury without a case manager's approval. She said sometimes the doctors try to schedule without one but it won't go through without a signature!! LOL. Don't know what that is all about but she seemed pretty irratated that doctors would try to leave her out of the approval loop you might want to check on that since she seemed pretty adament that everyone had to get approval from her or her co workers first before surgery is scheduled. LOL. Good luck she is tough.

Wow that is a long way out!! But December 31 is exactly what I need I have the day off. I will call first thing in the morning. I didn't get my appointment today at orientation but they were behind and flustered today which is why we started late. So you got the appointment the same day?

Ok thanks!!! I will call as soon as they open. I would love to get in sooner!! Aud when did you go to orientation?

Well I went to orientation today at Richmond Kaiser. Alot of information in a short time. Have been processing it all day. Met Liz and as expected she was very upfront.........which myself I like. Being a social worker I tend to find that approach works best so I get that approach and appreciated it. But I can see how some might be offended. Also met Dr. Fisher who I really like. He too is very blunt and up front which I again loved. Overall just a bit overwhelmed with all the information. I am hoping to get Dr. Fisher. Does anyone know how long it takes from oreintation until you get the next appointment? I figure a month out but when do they let know you about the next one. Drive over was bad. Bad storm and accident on the freeway. I was on the freeway in Richmond for 1 hour before I got to the turnoff. Was 5 minutes late but they let me in since the class started 15 minutes late. Lucky. Very interesting too to see all the different people in the room. A variety of people some you could tell why they were there, others no so much. Made me feel more average and normal I guess to see the variety.

I think it all depends on how your feeling. For me at 254 I feel huge and swollen. At 205 I felt a world better and at 178 (my lowest weight since 13) I felt healthy for sure. But that is still alot bigger than any of my peers and social stima has been HUGE. I have missed out on so much because of them. I am just tired of missing and losing out because of my weight. My family thinks 254 is not big enough but I know how I FEEL and I feel like I am gonna pop if I don't do something .My body can't handle this.

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I have heard good things about Dr. Fisher. He is the head of the department and has the most experience. That is why I am hoping to get him. I am sure everyone else is also good but I like the experience factor

I hope they don't cancel the orientation :-) I got the feeling talking to them that they are short staffed for December. They thought the orientation was December 23, than December 30 than she talked to someone there and told me December 16, 2008. So from the looks of it estimating 10% is about right. Most peoples surgery weight is right about 10%. I feel like I might have gained weight the last week since I have this better eat it now attitude before Tuesday. Don't like it but I know that is what I am doing. Too bad because I was doing so well before and than they said don't lose until the orientation and it did me in. I really hope I can lose 10% that is my worry now that I have never been good a this before, why now. I am gonna take it a week at a time.............

So at orientation they give you specifics on the 1200 calorie diet? I am a vegetarian so I am a bit worried about the protein part. I plan to ask alot of questions!! Maybe have to do shakes I don't know yet. So how is everyone else doing? Anyone going to the December 16, 2008 orientation in Richmond? Oh is Kaiser in a bad neighborhood. I checked mapquest and it sure does look like this bad area I went through once.

Ah thats today how you doing?

My BMI is between 40 and 41 depending on the day. I have been at this weight for 2 years don't move up or down much. So frustrating. My PCP didn't want to refer me but she did. She knew I had done my research and that I was eligible. She kept asking me are you really sure this is the best way. She wrote on my referral patient has done alot of research and wants lap band surgery. I am going to orientation on December 16, 2008. I wish it was on December 14, 2008 so I didn't have to miss work but I am going to Richmond not Fremont. Fremont was to far for me. I only have high cholesteral and high blood pressure.

Got my orientation today. I have to go next week December 16, 2008. I wasn't sure I could do that with work but I volunteered to work Sunday instead and they agreed. So Yaa.............I will get that done on Tuesday. So excited. NOt about the drive and getting up at 4:30 am but glad to get it done. That has to be the worst appointment and I hope the rest will be at more reasonable times. I will be so glad to get weighed and started. I hope to lose alot of weight before the next appointment sometime in January. I would love to get 2 appointments in one day well see. They said they could try. But I am also going for the cancellations and I doubt I would get so lucky to 2 in a day. Thanks for all the encouragement. I am sorta hoping for Dr. Fisher.