MamaAsh

lee, I am so happy for you! I'm replying on my Black berry so I will talk to you latter!

Lee- I am so excited for you!!!! you will be in my thoughts all day so please post when you get back. I posted on the LapBand board yesterday, but I have been so busy lately! I have been doing my best with my diet, I just haven't been able to stay under 1200 cal. consistently. But I am doing good with avoiding bad carbs. My scale says that I am down 9lbs. but I think it's a liar lol! I am going to the Fremont Kaiser WLS support group meeting tonight, so I know they might have a scale and we will see! Hopefully I will get some more questions answered! Keep me updated

Hi everyone... I've been busy and have only had time to read your post but no replies lol! Everyone seems to be doing great :eek: Good luck Lee on your apt in the AM!!!! I have my fingers crossed for you! I don't know if my scale is a liar but it says I am down 9 lbs since orientation. I guess I will see tomorrow night since I am going to the Fremont WLS meeting @ 6....Maybe they will have a scale. Fremont is an hr away from me but I need to go to meetings and see what they are all about!

Push for what you want Lee! I was told by the receptionist at the Fremont Kaiser that they don't just give the sleeve to anyone either, but if you know it's the best for you then I say go for it-Put up a good fight! Hey check out this link, it's letting me know that I am consuming way more carbs then I need to lol!!! Free Calorie Counter, Diet & Exercise Journal | MyFitnessPal.com ...It's helping me keep a log, I have to bring one on the 16th.

Hi Lee! Glad to hear you are back and safely at that! I hear you about the weight gain!!!!! But I suppose who on this site doesn't. I'm excited that your appointment is coming so soon. I have been doing well on my diet during the day but I get caught up at night!!!! I really want to go into my appointment with a 5lb. weight loss...I can do that right? Hehehe!! I think that I am sold on the sleeve too. I just can't see getting the band and expecting problems within 5 years or less you know? And I can't have RYN so that leaves the sleeve huh! Well we can do this! Lets keep each other posted and accountable for our pre-op weight loss ok! Talk to you soon

Hi my Kaiser Buddies!!!! I have my Consult apt. for my Surgen, Nutritionist, and Psych. on the 16th. for Fremont Kaiser. I called and asked the receptionist which surgen has done the most VSG. She said that it was Dr. Christine Chu. Then she told me that they don't just give the VSG to anyone. So I told her that since I can not have the RYN because of my alergy to Tylenol and how I'm not fond of the band anyways that this is what I'm looking for. She said I could get my apt. schedualed if I wanted to so I said yes! She said it would be 3 hrs. long and I needed to bring a 3 day food log, all my viatamines, and my meds. So today I have started my diet, mostly low carbs since it is hard for me to follow the low 1200 cal. one. I also took my boys for a walk (650 steps/.25 mile) and I will do 45 min on my Wii EA Sporst active today as well. For Breakfast I ate 3.5 hard boiled eggs, 1 low fat string cheese and 1/4 bannana. So far so good right? I'm thinking that they will say I need to lose 25 lbs which is 10% of my weight. How is everyone doing?

Hi my fellow Kaiser budies! I hope that you all are having a great Thanksgiving!!!!!! Here are some links that I wanted to share for you all and any new comers: Richmond Medical Center, Bariatric Surgery http://www.permanente.net/homepage/kaiser/pdf/39806.pdf The Permanente Medical Group Ok I also did a blog too! I have lost to talk about but I'm gona wait untill latter, for now-Good Night!

My name is Ashley and like many others I have been over-weight for most of my life. I have lost count on the amount of diets that I have been on. I have been think and researching weight loss surgery with Kaiser for over 3.5 years now. Initial Kaiser only offered RYN. Right now they offer RYN, Lap Band and the Sleeve. I wanted the band at first, but I started to get hesitant once I trully researched all the complications and Band to Sleeve revision stories. Since I am so extreemly worried about leaving my 2 baby boys with out a mother, I was leaning towards RYN because it has been arround for so long and Kaiser has done so many of them successfully. But after my required orrientation, I realized that I can not do the RYN. You see I am alergic to acetometiphine. After a patient has an RYN, they can no longer take NASQIDS for pain relife and must use acetometophin because of ulcers. Kaiser, my insurance, has sent me to their Fremont facility (one of the 4 Northern California facilities other then Richmond, S, SF, and Fresno.) At the orrientation the surgen stated that he has only done 7 VSG but with NO leaks. He also said that they preform all surgeries with 2 surgens present. They have 3 surgens on staff in the WLS department. I know that each surgery has it's complications and posses a risk, but I am concerned that I will either put my family through too much or die. These thoughts overwhelem me daily and I don't think that I would be a good mother if I wasn't concerned. I know there is alot more to the depth of these issues and I am sure that I will get to them in my own tim. Right now I plan on working on my 10% and reaching that goal as best I can. I also want to continue to reasearch VSG as it may be my only WLS option. I also will look into the all the surgens statistics at the Fremont facility so that I can make the most educated decision I can. These are my goals that I will start working on by Monday! PS. I am the worst speller ever and I don't want to donload the spell checker!!! LOL

What are the warning signs of leakage? How far along after your surgery dose the posibility of leakage subside? 　 What are these & what are warning signs of these if any: Stricture's Hematoma? Stent? UTI? TPN? JP drains? Fluid pockets/abscesses? Also, do the issues that happen after the VSG seem to be higher with those who have had prior Lap Bands?

Thanks Tiff & Lee, I really appriciate the help on this subject! I just found out today (sorry Lee if I'm repeating myself , LOL) that I can not have the RYN beacuse I am alergic to Tylenol which is the only pain meds you can take with the RYN. I think now my only concern with the sleeve is that the surgen in the Fremont Kaiser said that they have only done 7. And I don't want to be the one they mess up on! Ashley

Ok Ladies! I started this whole experience wanting the Lap Band. Then after I read the complications, and heard the statistics today at orientation I was sure that I would do RYN. But then it happened, the information that I dreaded: You can no longer take NSAIDS after RYN. You see I am alergic to Acetaminophen which is the only acceptable pain meds after RYN! So now my choice is what I originaly wanted, Lap Band, and the Sleeve. I am real afraid of the Sleeve after today's orrientation! I am so scared that I will be that 1/100 that have problems with leaking. The surgen who was there today said that the Fremont Kaiser has only preformed 7 of them! And while non of the ones that they have preformed have had issues, the average leakage happens 1/100 in the US. Now what is stopping me from the Lap Band is the statistic that Kaiser preforms surgeries on 1/5 (ONE OUT OF FIVE!!!!!) patients within 5 years for complications like slipage, port infections, ports turning, and errosions (sp?). And most of those are with large holes in the stomach from the band. Im so stressed about this :thumbup: I want to make the right decission. I need to lose weight because I'm unhappy and unhealthy. But I don't want to leave my babies with out a mom. I'm not trying to be over dramatic just sharring my thoughts. What do you all think?

Thanks Riley! Questions: What does it mean when people talk about "bougie"? What is PBing?

Lee, The most information that I have been able to find on it was that it has only been used for like 10 years and there is no long term information on it. But the same can be said for the band too. I know that I do not want to do RYN. I like the idea of the band, but I too and afaid of slipage, errosion, slow to no weight loss after the first 40% (which is what I have read), the slimmy mucass issue along with acid reflux at night, port issues, and my body rejecting it. But with the sleeve I am affaid of it hindering the posiblity that I can not get pregnant in the future (like 5 years), the pouch streaching slowly over time and having to go to RYN, and leakage. It is much more invasive then the band. I am young and I don't want to have problems all my life. I am thinking on doing the band, and then if all else fails to do the sleeve. But I am still researching. I wish this was an easy decission!!!!!! Here is a link that I want to share with you that I found: VSGGuide - FAQs I might be able to make it to the Richmond meeting too, but Im not sure if Im going to switch yet.

Hi Lee- Thanks for giving me the info on this sight, but now I'm torn as to what I want! Nayna- I'm going to Kaiser Fremont too! My fears are the same that this procedure is sooo new, but yet I keep seeing the sleeve conversions as well so that is scarry too!

Ok question of the day... Why did you NOT chose Vertical Sleeve, and if you have been banded, how long have you had it it?

Riley- Great dress, cool on the eyelift and thanks for the info.! Candra-Girl, try Wii EA Sports Active... MUCH better then Wii Fit! Lee- Thanks I will look at that forum too. I have this need to be over informed LOL! And I am so excited for Sunday. I got my appointment reminder call today and I was like "Oh yes I wont forget!!!!!" I plan on having a huge breakfast, Wearing jeans hevey sweater and my fuggs (fake-uggs)! Any other scale tricks to make me "weight more"???... Hehehe!!!!

Hi everyone! So I was wondering, someone mentioned the other day that they where reading all the bad stories about the band and I wanted to know where they found them. I just want to pre-pare my self you know!

Tamra- The John Muir in Concord is where/what time so Lee can have the info too! Then all three of us and anyone else can go! Pam- Lunch sounds like it was yummy! Do you know the address of the Kaiser Point West? Oh, and I am with you on the no $$ to do anything stuff!!!! Maria - I can get the Fremont info to you on Sunday after my Orrientation and then you can tell her I would love to meet with her so she doesn't feel alone :bored: Hope you are feeling good!

I might make it :confused: I have to make sure daddy can watch the boys! My Doc put me on Microgestin to "re-set my system" for a year since I hate hormonal pills. Long story!

Opps I must have hit enter 2x... Sorry guys!!!!

Liz- I feel for you on the PMSing! My Dr. put me on this new BC that is the absolute lowest hormonal BC pill out there and I was on the you know what for 2 weeks, I know TMI but I was SOOOO grumpy the whole time! I could kill her LOL! Nicollie- This Saturday? Where? Tamra- If you remind me I will be there! Hope everyone is doing good! Kinda slow today huh? PS.. My orientation is in 2 days @ Fremont Kaiser!

Liz- I feel for you on the PMSing! My Dr. put me on this new BC that is the absolute lowest hormonal BC pill out there and I was on the you know what for 2 weeks, I know TMI but I was SOOOO grumpy the whole time! I could kill her LOL! Nicollie- This Saturday? Where? Tamra- If you remind me I will be there! Hope everyone is doing good! Kinda slow today huh? PS.....2.5 more days and till I have orrientation at Fremont Kaiser!!!!!!!!!!

Lol- Nevermind my question! I went back and re-read the binder info!

Congrats Maria! Ok so the test... is it open book? LOL! Or do they make you keep re-taking it untill you pass? He He He...It's seems so funny that they have a test!

No Prob Tamra :0) I'm all for Luscious Booties! So I did see that there was a quiz at the end of the book. Do we have to take a test?