! I am in the beginning stages with Kaiser's process. I'm doing it in Riverside county, I was wondering if anyone could clarify for me: I was told at seminar that the day of seminars weight is your starting weight for the process. She said to start losing weight now, I tried asking if we lost too much where our BMI fell out of the qualifying BMI range, if we wouldn't be able to go through with surgery; she didn't understand me so I was wondering if anyone knows that if you lose too much weight while going through the 12 week options course, can you end up not qualifying come surgery time? Thanks for any info!

I am going through Kasier as well and I actually asked a similar question. Now keep in mind that every Kaiser is different, but I actually talked to the guy who taught the initial class (he actually implemented the Options program apparently too) He told me not to worry about it. When I lose the 10% prior to surgery, I will drop below the 40BMI and he said it still shouldn't be a problem. The only thing is that they told us that the weight would count at the first class too...I found that that was not true. The weight we are going off of is the one from when we met the doctor that put us into the program (which was after the orientation class) Riverside may be different though. My sister had the surgery through Kaiser in Riverside, when I told her that prior to starting class, that I had gone for all my blood tests and EKG, she said that she hadn't done that until the 7th week of classes or so. Also in San Diego we have 24 weeks of classes and not 12. Im on week 5!! Sorry if that was too much info...

Long story short....my understanding is that once you are submitted into the options program, you are in the program and the surgery is offered to you once you complete the program...so basically being submitted into the program is approval for surgery (assuming you dont lose 100 lbs pre-op!!) and if you BMI drops a little but you qualify in every other way, you'll still be able to have surgery.

Thank you! Great to hear you're on week 5! I'm hoping to start options January hopefully... Good luck to you

I did sleeve with Kaiser. No it will not un qualify you. I asked the same question. Had to lose 20lbs. pre surgery. Lost 26lbs. They go by original weight. Good luck. I just hit my goal of 175 from 297. I love my sleeve and have had NO problems. I don't even notice I had surgery except for the amount of food I can eat is so little. Just what I needed. I love the fact that sleeve lets you eat anything you want. The portions was my problem and now it is solved. Bypass surgery restricts you from Dairy and sugers . Not to mention ALL the problems they seem to have after surgery. I think Sleeve is the BEST option out there, Best of luck to you and your new Life/figure/. LOL!