After doing a lot of research and reading all I can on the subject, I've come to the conclusion that Bariactric surgery would be right for me.

Throughput the past 30 years plus, I've tried a lot of OTC weight loss products, and I have been in Weight Watchers maybe five times. I have had varying degrees of success, but nothing permanent. Back in 2007, I lost nearly 100 pounds, half through sheer determination and half through Weight Watchers, but sadly within a year, I regained a little more than half of the weight. My highest weight was 357 pounds.

My primary Kaiser physician agreed that Bariactric surgery would be a good option for me, and due to my other medical concerns (Type 2 Diabetes, Congestive Heart Failure, High Blood Pressure, and Sleep Apnea) classified the procedure as being "medically necessary". Because of that classification, the Bariactric procedure is covered through my Medicare and my Kaiser Plan. In total, my out-of-pocket expense for the entire procedure would be a single co-payment of fifty (50.00) dollars.

I attended an information orientation at the Panorama City Kaiser Medical Offices on May 6, 2010.

I attended a one-on-one appointment with the lead Bariactric Surgeon, who also happens to be in charge of the Bariactric program on June 8, 2010. After reviewing my medical records and a question and answer session with me to determine if I would be a good candidate for the surgery, he approved me to continue in the program. Through TV advertisements and billboards, I originally was interested in having the Lap Band procedure, but after reviewing my medical history, the doctor felt that the Vertical Sleeve procedure would be better for me.

One of the requirements is that all candidates must complete a 12 week "Options Program". The program meets for 90 minutes once a week for the twelve weeks. The program involves information about the procedure, weekly weigh-ins, a three phase diet to physically prepare the body and the mind for the surgery, nutritional guidance, and weight management. Candidates are urged to loose about 10% of their starting weight prior to the procedure. In my case, the doctor suggested that I loose about 20 to 25 pounds. This weight loss has to to due with reducing the amount of fat around the liver, which will make the surgeons work a little easier. During the final phase of the three phase diet, food consumption will be down to the amount of food that can be consumed post-surgery. I assume this is condition the body not to go into shock when the amount of food consumed post-surgery is drastically reduced.

After the 12 week "Options" course, a final medical clearance (if all goes as planned) is granted by the surgeon, and the actual procedure can be scheduled. Those successfully completing the program have up to one year to make a final decision on whether or not they choose to continue with the surgery.

My first of 12 weekly meetings is scheduled for July 6. 2010, with program completion on September. 21, 2010.

I am so looking forward to the program.

This seems like a long time and a lot to go through for the procedure, but it's well worth the time. By programs end, I will be able to make an informed decision on whether or not to continue with the surgery, but for now, there is little doubt in my minds. The Vertical Sleeve will give me a valuable tool for changing my lifestyle, improving my health, and making me a "happy camper". This is an opportunity for me to live a better life, and I am committed to doing the work to insure my success.

:lol0:

@ BlaqBeary.....that is interesting that you even can do your labs....I thought that we had to wait til we finished our options class for them to even order the labs and ekg....how where u able to get everything ordered? I did my physical and that is it so far.....going on the 10th week now!!

I must say I am totally confused.....my class to put it lightly sucks....I have not learned anything and they do not even make us turn in food logs!! I am so glad I just finished week 9 and only 3 more to go. I have an orientation at Pacific next wednesday so maybe they can clarify somethings. All of u have been so helpful......I would be more lost without you lol!!

@ BlaqBeary.....that is interesting that you even can do your labs....I thought that we had to wait til we finished our options class for them to even order the labs and ekg....how where u able to get everything ordered? I did my physical and that is it so far.....going on the 10th week now!!

I must say I am totally confused.....my class to put it lightly sucks....I have not learned anything and they do not even make us turn in food logs!! I am so glad I just finished week 9 and only 3 more to go. I have an orientation at Pacific next wednesday so maybe they can clarify somethings. All of u have been so helpful......I would be more lost without you lol!!

No you actually must get all your labs done BEFORE you finish options or they will not send your file to your primary doctor for the final approval. The day they told me I could go and get my labs done I went.

No you actually must get all your labs done BEFORE you finish options or they will not send your file to your primary doctor for the final approval. The day they told me I could go and get my labs done I went.

Ok I just finished my 9th options class yesterday......around when did you get ur labs done and who told u too?

Ok I just finished my 9th options class yesterday......around when did you get ur labs done and who told u too?

Oh wow! You really need to call options now and find out what's up. You all should have finished up your labs before your session ended. Did you miss any classes??? You can also go to kp.org and email your instructors.

I didn't get the approval to get my labs done until after the Options classes ended. I wonder if it's different at each location?

Well that kind of sucks since we all have the same criteria for southern Cali as far as we all have to go to the options clas....none of our faults but you would think that all should be ran the same no matter location....if one does not have to wait to do all labs all locations should not have to wait either...it just makes some locations longer in wait time!!

I agree it should be all the same for all locations. It would make sense to get all the labs done before the classes end so the files are ready to go back to the primary and signed off to the surgeons.

Well, ladies I had my surgeon consult today with Dr. Yadegar in Lancaster. He is really nice and sat with me for quite a while going over my medical record and the 3 procedures. I'm really excited to have the procedure with him and feel really comfortable.

The only bad news is that he is requiring me to go off of my birth control pills because they can cause blood clots. And I need to be off the pills for 2 months before surgery. Had this not been an issue, I believe I would have been scheduled immediately for surgery. So now I will have to wait until mid-November to early-December for surgery. It kinda ticked me off that Kaiser didn't say anything about going off the pills, since it's been 2 months since I saw the dr at Kaiser and I could have been completely prepared today. So I just wanted to put that out there for anyone else who may be on bc to ask your dr about it. I will have to stay off pills for 2 months prior to surgery and at least 1 month post-op, and he even recommended switching to the patch or another form as the pill won't be as effective.

Well, ladies I had my surgeon consult today with Dr. Yadegar in Lancaster. He is really nice and sat with me for quite a while going over my medical record and the 3 procedures. I'm really excited to have the procedure with him and feel really comfortable.

The only bad news is that he is requiring me to go off of my birth control pills because they can cause blood clots. And I need to be off the pills for 2 months before surgery. Had this not been an issue, I believe I would have been scheduled immediately for surgery. So now I will have to wait until mid-November to early-December for surgery. It kinda ticked me off that Kaiser didn't say anything about going off the pills, since it's been 2 months since I saw the dr at Kaiser and I could have been completely prepared today. So I just wanted to put that out there for anyone else who may be on bc to ask your dr about it. I will have to stay off pills for 2 months prior to surgery and at least 1 month post-op, and he even recommended switching to the patch or another form as the pill won't be as effective.

I am sorry that really sinks, Kaiser should have told everyone.

case manager at my facility states Pacific Bariatric is 4 to 6 weeks in that you have completed all thats needed

It does seem that it's just a bit different for each service area. I'm in Orange County and I have my last class on the 23rd - same weefiklaqBeary Woohoo!!! I went to see my PCP/the bariatric doctor last week for an unrelated issue (hiatal hernia - boo!) and we talked briefly about things. He told me that we don't have a post Options appointment with him, but the case manager sends everything over for him to review the last couple of weeks and they order everything at that time. A girl from a prior class did some make-ups in mine and she showed me a letter that she received from KP around week 10 with all of the info about where helr surgery would be, that an ultrasound and labs would be ordered, etc. So, a bit different than everywhere else.

Now, here's something interesting I learned last week. I was on another board, Thinner Times, and there was a girl there who was from Kaiser and was having her surgery done with PB. Apparently, PB is scheduling much further out than what Kaiser is saying. She didn't get her consult appointment until about 5 weeks after Options (don't know when seminar was completed) and was told that she would be called with a surgery date in 2-3 weeks. At week 2 she called them, and they told her to call wait another 2-3 weeks. Plus, a girl in my class has a brother who finished his Options in June, and just had his consult in late August and is waiting for a surgery date still. It took almost 2 months for his consult!!! I brought it up to my PCP and he said that PB is giving them reports that they are an average of 4-6 weeks from authorization to surgery. So, I just know that I'm going to be super pro-active with them and assume that they're not scheduling as quickly as they're telling Kaiser...

we have a syllabus that tell us what week to have labs, ekg,etc. your labs are ready for you. i sent my pcp an email for

the ekg :no appt needed. it took 15min.TE=thin2be;76947]Ok I just finished my 9th options class yesterday......around when did you get ur lab

s done and who told u too?

l

Havent gotten any syllubus or anything:confused1: they have not even talked about what the next steps are and I am not week 10 tonight!!

I called the case manager last Wednesday and still no word!!

Thin2be, are you attending Options at the VanBuren facility in Riverside? That's where I went. You could always just make an appt. with your assigned bariatric doctor there. He's the one who orders your labs and tells you the next step. You need him on your side to get the approval sent to the surgery center, so I say go right to the source. Those case managers are overwhelmed. Good luck! And don't worry, there's not much you can do to speed the process much. Just try to remember how lucky we are that Kaiser pays for this surgery, and the waiting is just the price we have to pay to get it.

It use to be at Van Buren but now it is in Corona...but that is where the the case manager Debbie Mcbride is....is that who ur case manager was?

Can you tell me the proccess you went through please?

Yes, Debbie was my case manager. Remember, my Options classes were 24 weeks long, so I'm sure things have changed, but we had about 3 visits with a bariatric dr. there during those 6 mos. I don't even remember the name of mine, but he was very thin, tall, dark hair and soft spoken.(I remember I could barely hear what he was saying) Anyway just before the end of the classes was the appt. with the doctor where he said ok, you're ready to go forward after Options and he was ready to put my referral through to West La and that they were taking patients immediately with no wait, (but Harbor City had a 2 month wait). He said I didn't even need any pre-op tests. Well I wasn't prepared to hear that and thought I had another few weeks to make up my mind because at that point I was actually having second thoughts. We decided I would see him again in 2wks with my decision. When I went back I said ok I'm ready and Debbie put my referral through for West LA by mistake (I wanted Dr.Zane at Harbor City). West LA actually called me right away with a surgeon appt. but I had to start over with my referral to Harbor City! That was kind of a bummer, but I ended up seeing Dr. Zane about 2 months later and we scheduled the surgery. There were a few pre-op tests like EKG and blood work, but nothing much. I do remember that the girls that taught Options were a little out of touch with not only how the surgery was done, but they always told us everything would take longer than it really did. I remember the instructor, (Kristen, maybe) was a whole 130 lbs her whole life and seemed to have these stories of struggling with her weight which I could never understand. The nutritionist was a bit condescending to us, and not in the greatest shape, so I was not very impressed with Options at all. I learned more from this site honestly, but still glad they make you go through it, because you do come out more prepared than a lot of people who are self pay and jump right into surgery. Hope that helps. I know you're anxious to move forward, but use this time to really prepare yourself and get used to eating light. You'll get in faster than you think.