I have begun the process of the Bariatric Sleeve with Kaiser in San Diego. I went for my orientation and just completed my blood testing and my EKG this week. I am super excited to get this started as I have been doing the up and down dieting for 10 years now. I am 34 5'2" and weight 237, I am wondering if anyone is starting with Kaiser San Diego and we can move through this as a team and help each other out!

Hi embracing skinniness, If you to Pacific Bariatric website on the top you should see a banner look for support groups, they are free! Choose the one that is closer to you. People are very nice.

Hi there!

I am just beginning my journey! My doctor referred me to Positive Choice at Kaiser in San Diego. I have signed up for the orientation class and the mandatory intro to weight loss class. (In reverse order actually) I have a few questions if anyone can clue me in!

Do they have evening classes? I work long hours so the later the better.

How soon after your orientation class were you able to start the classes? (Do they call them options classes?)

Do they require proof of weight loss attempts before? (I've been on weight watchers off and on for most of my adult life so hopefully that will count!)

When do they weigh you to determine your starting point? Is it 10% of your total body weight that they want you to lose or 10% of your excess weight?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go! A good friend of mine had hers last year and she looks amazing. She got me interested in the surgery. She said she'd do it again tomorrow if she had too--absolutely no regrets! I'm excited but afraid I will get denied or something!

Hi there plussizecrossfitter,

I went through the program at positive choice as diego and just had surgery on August 27th so I can answer your questions, just keep in mind that I started this a year ago, so something's might be tweaked from that time.

1. Yes they do have evening classes, but I'm not certain if they are any later than a 6pm start time, there may be one at 7, but I'm not sure

2. After orientation, they send you for labs and then put you in a class, mine was about a month after, but I took the first class I could get into. If you need an evening class, you might have to wait a little longer, it just depends where they are in the cycle of classes

3. They did not require proof of previous weight loss attempts. They ask you about it, but that's about it

4. They want you to lose 10% of your total weight! but I'm not really sure what initial date they are going from. I heard different dates including the orientation dates, but my class went off the first day of class to the last. I actually did not lose the 10% (most of my class didn't) and it's not a huge deal. If you don't lose the 10%, there is just an extra hoop to jump through at the end! but it's just en extra meeting with the doctor. That being said, it is best to try to lose the weight.

I'm happy to answer questions if you have more'!!

Thank you so much for responding =) congrats on getting your surgery! How have things been since then? You mentioned in an earlier post that the liquid diet pre-surgery was only one day--did that hold true?

That's all really good to hear! 6 months sounds like a long time for classes but I suppose the better prepared you are the better your chances are. My friend has BCBS and it was only 3 months from when she made contact to her surgery. I admit... A bit jealous on the short time line... But being covered by insurance is awesome!

I would like to lose the 10% if I can. (Though that would move me under the required BMI--they wouldn't deny me for that right??)

Do they cover things beyond the surgery, diet, and exercise in the classes? I'm obsessed with crossfit and want make sure I can continue it afterwards (after I've recovered) without ill effects (weakness/dizziness). I had some issues with that after trying the Optifast diet 9 years ago, so that's why I ask. Granted, that was probably because I was only getting 800 calories a day... =

If they have a 6pm class that should work for me!

Thank you, thank you!

Yes, the pre-op diet is only one day and it's just Clear liquids. It goes by so crazy fast too because I had my pre-op appt that day too so it was over quick and the nerves take over a bit so I never got hungry.

I know what you mean about the six months!!! My sister also had the sleeve via kaiser and she's in riverside and the classes are only 3 months long there!!! The six months goes by quick though and I made great friends who are from all walks of life and they really help you through the journey.

If you know anything about fitness or nutrition, I have to admit that the classes are somewhat basic, but it's good to hear things again and it's a lot of info on how to deal after surgery. As far as cross fit goes, I can't say for sure, but given the intensity of cross fit, I would assume you would have to wait a few if not six months to get back at cross fit...it's a pretty major surgery so the exercise after has to be pretty low impact for awhile. You also may need to wait till you can get your calories up before doing cross fit....I know I'm only two weeks out, but I get tired walking in a store!!!! I'm not an expert though, so make sure to ask the surgeon and yhe teacher in the class.

I do finally eat real food tomorrow so hopefully I'll have more energy!!!

If you lose the 10% and it puts you below on your BMI, you won't be denied....I actually asked the same question at one point!!

Let me know if you have any more questions (laying around is getting boring!!!)

I would imagine it would get a bit boring after the surgery! Did you get much pain afterwards? My friend told me she wanted to die for about 3 days after the surgery but not from pain... From nasuea and discomfort. She never even filled her pain prescription!

Today is your first food day? How's that going?

I ended up searching 'crossfit' on the board and it sounds like others are doing it after they're given the go ahead for strenuous activity. I go to a fantastic gym and I know the owner will work with me on it. I know what I'm capable of now and I know what I want to be able to accomplish! I hated going to the gym until a friend turned me on to crossfit. I thought he had lost his mind. Turns out it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. Yeah, it's hard, especially to start, but I'm addicted to the feeling of accomplishment. And being strong =)

I am really excited to get started. I wish I could have taken an earlier orientation date but I am swamped at work so later in the month made more sense to me. I'm so tired of the struggle... Of yo-yoing and failing. I love weight watchers but I'm too accustomed to it after all these years. I am in a good place emotionally and ready to make a change!

That just goes to show that everyone is different. I only had pain when I got in and out of bed.... My incisions hurt quite a bit, there's even one now that is still giving me discomfort. As are as nausea goes, I had very little. I mean maybe three minutes tops when I got up to walk around the first time, but that was it. I know there are people from my group that still have regular nausea months after surgery, so I feel lucky that I haven't had that problem.

As far as the pain meds go, they give you the prescription to fill before surgery and I would get it filled just in case. Even if you aren't in tons of pain, it can help with the discomfort. I had a very hard time sleeping after I first got home so the pain meds helped take the edge off so that I could sleep more than an hour at a time.

Of course it's totally your choice, those are just my two cents.

My food is going good so far....it's strange how quickly you get full, but I'm really trying to listen to my body because it can be painful to over eat. A few from my class have had problems with vomiting and that's the last thing I want to do!!!

Well, I had my orientation on the 25th and saw and was approved by Dr. Ray yesterday! I'm sooo happy and relieved! Now I'm just waiting for the call for classes. So ready to get started!

I was a little concerned at orientation when she said no ibuprofen after surgery. I get migraines occasionally and ibuprofen is the only non-prescription medication that works. I asked Dr. Ray about it and he said it's okay occasionally. They're just concerned with heavy use of medications that are hard on your stomach.

How is everyone doing? Photo925--how's life after surgery? Getting used to how little food you need? That part still blows me away =)

Jen

Life after surgery is great. Im now 6 weeks post op and down 30 lbs. No pain at all anymore. I was cleared to workout recently, but basically only cardio type stuff because im still not allowed to lift over 10 lbs. It is very strange at first to eat so little, but you get used to it quickly. It nice not to be so fixated on food like I used to be. Before surgery there was always a thought in my head about what the next meal would be, but now, I barely think about it. I just keep planning my meals at work. At dinner I mostly eat eggs or fish to keep the Protein high for the day. I have discovered that some senses have changed. There are foods I used to like and hate now and I think my nose is way more sensitive. Good stuff smells amazing and bad stuff gives me an instant headache!!

I see my surgeon next week and I'm hoping that I can have some more food options opened up to me!! I've also discovered that Kaiser and my surgeon are clearly not on the same page as far as some things go, it's hard to balance what the right thing to do is, when two different people are telling you different things. I tend to always side with the surgeon though!! He is awesome...I hear all three at Pacific Bariatric are great, but Tanaka was fantastic.

Hello everyone! I am also going through Kaiser, Southern CA, but I'm in North County, just outside of San Diego. I completed the weight loss management and orientation at the Wellness Center in SD in September (had to go to SD for that), and I've also done the pre-op labs. I met with Dr. Ray on Monday and Barbara just called me last night to schedule my Options classes. I'm taking them in San Marcos from 7:00-8:30 PM, but they don't start until November so I have to wait a month. But that's okay, I'm just thrilled to have started the process, and to be able to take the classes closer to home.

They told us at orientation that the process averages about 9 months and that's sounds about right so far. Barbara said on the phone that we won't meet with the surgeons until the last month of classes.

My question concerns type of surgery. I know that it will either be the sleeve or the bypass, and it's the surgeon that has the last say. But how was the choice presented to you by the surgeon, or in class, and how did you finally decide? I will also go through Pacific Bariatric and have the surgery at Scripps Mercy.

Also, did any in your group elect not to go through the surgery after completing the Options program? What was the most beneficial piece of information you learned in the classes?

Thanks for offering your expertise! There's nothing like hearing from someone who has already gone through it!

Hi,

Congrats on getting started with Kaiser!! Im in north county too, but drove down to Clairmont every week so that I could get into class as fast as possible!!

As far as deciding what type of surgery you get, they go through the different options with you in class and the benefits of both so that you can make a good decision for you. I think that the doctor would only over rule your decision if there was good evidence that you should go with the other option. I chose the sleeve because I'm not diabetic and I just didn't like the idea or rerouting my insides. I actually never met the surgeon until after classes were over. You have to go to an orientation at pacific bariatric, but they go over the very basic stuff and you'll only meet one of the surgeons there, and he is just giving a speech and answering questions for the group. They may have changed it that the class gets to meet them ahead of time, so I'm not sure.

There were two people in my class that chose not to have the surgery (they could still have it because you have a year from the time classes end. One guy was a little older and he felt that he didn't really understand the ins and outs so he opted out. Another guy just wanted to see how much he could lose on his own before having surgery, so he may still have it.

As far as what you learned in class, Im a huge researcher, so I learned a lot prior to entering class. The class does add value in getting ready for surgery, but I can't say I got a ton out of it. The best thing I got out of it was the support group of my class. We still chat all the time and all visited each other in the hospital. It's great to have people to know that are going through the same thing as you. Don't stress too much about knowing everything they teach in class before surgery, I have found that a lot of what they taught was very broad, covering what could happen in both surgeries. I had the sleeve and I think a lot of what was in the Kaiser book didn't even apply to me.

Let me know if you have any questions!! Good Luck!!

@@Photo925 thank you so much for taking the time out to answer my questions! It still amazes me how completely different the insurance requirements are from state to state and even from county to county! Congratulations on getting through all the hoops and having your operation. It's comforting to know first hand how good you're feeling post-op and how much you've already lost.

If you don't mind I'd like to ask a few more: did you pick your surgeon at PB or was one assigned to you? They all seem great, I was just wondering how it was determined who you got. What was the psych eval like? I understand that we will have to undergo an endoscopy at some point prior to surgery, is it still done by conscious sedation, or do they put you out? I had one in 2011 and I was wondering if it's done the same way now. How long were you in the hospital? How long did you take off of work? Anything you wish you would have known of beforehand?

I'm sorry for bending your ear so much, but I feel like a brand new sponge in all of this and I'm eager to soak up your first hand knowledge. Congrats again on your success, and I'm sure it will just keep on getting better in the future!

@@The Candidate

I'm happy to answer any questions!! I picked my surgeon. I know that some people will just take which ever one has the first available appt, but I had had a pulmonary embolism just month prior so I picked Tanak because I had heard good things about him. All the people in my class mostly just took whomever was available but everyone was happy with their surgeon. Dr Tanaka can be almost intimidating when you meet him, but I like that he took everything really seriously.

The psych eval was super easy. It was just like having a conversation with your friend. They just want to know that you are ready for the changes and have a good support system. My sister had gone through this before I did, so I had great support and the psych eval isn't even anything to worry about.

As far as an endoscopy, I never had to have one. So I'm not sure if that is a new thing, but I never had to have that procedure. I was in the hospital three nights. So I had surgery on Wednesday and was out on Saturday. There were two people in my class that had longer stays because of issues. I took a total of two and a half weeks off work. I work a desk job most of the time though, had I had to be up moving around during the day, I would have taken more. I was definitely tired during the first week back.

I did tons of research, so I think I was pretty prepared. Things that surprise me is that even now, six weeks out, I haven't been cleared to work out. I can walk and do cardio stuff, but still can't lift over ten lbs and I expected to be able to get back to working out sooner. Learn now that stalls are a way of life after. I see a lot of people freaking out over not losing weight fast enough or having stalls where they lose nothing for days or weeks. I had to put my scale away to keep from weighing myself all the time. I learned to chill and as long as Im doing what Im supposed to, it will work.

Oh....and in class (depending on who your teacher is) they will tell you all sorts of things that they say you can never have or eat or drink ever ever again...its just not true. I really feel like they just tried to scare the crap out of us sometimes in class, everyone is different and you never know how you will react to different foods after surgery!!

@@Photo925

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences; it means a lot! How great that both you and your sister can support each other. I'm very close to my sister as well, but she's reed thin and always was, but she has been, and will continue to be, my biggest supporter in my journey. It's true when they say that having support is such an integral part of achieving your goal.

I hope it's true for me too with the endoscopy; it's not an experience I wish to repeat anytime soon. Although most here have said that's its a breeze, it wasn't for me. It's just a personal thing I guess. I really have to learn to stop stressing over requirements that may never come to pass. I'm in research overload a bit, but like you I want to know as much as possible beforehand.

Anyway, this will be it for tonight I promise! How long was it after you finished the classes until you actually had the surgery? What pre-op labs/tests were ordered? How stringent were they about the 10 percent pre-op weight loss? Do you know of anyone that had their surgery postponed or cancelled because of not losing the 10 percent? Is it really true that you don't feel hunger anymore, or at least that it's been greatly diminished with the sleeve? (Boy do I need that!). Is this hunger suppression outcome the same with the bypass, if you happen to know? I haven't really found a clear answer on that.

Dr. Tanaka sounds like a good choice, especially with your pulmonary embolism just a month before. That must have been frightening. It sounds like you were in expert hands as I've heard nothing but raves about him.

Thanks again! I'm Debbie, btw.

@@The Candidate

Hi Debbie,

Keep asking questions!! Im happy to help!!

Im a bad example of how long it takes from the end of classes to surgery date because of my embolism. I had to wait longer because Dr wanted me to finish my blood thinners first. I finished class in May and had surgery in August, but I would say most of the class had surgery within two months of the class ending. A word of advice, when they send you for labs or to take care of something, do it right away. There's so many people waiting, so even waiting a couple days to get blood work can push back when they call you by days or a week even.

For my preop labs, there were a whole bunch of tests, but I really just had to give blood, so I couldn't name them all!!

For the 100%, no they are not super strict (they will act like they are) all that happens if you don't lose the 10% is that you have to go see Dr. Ray once more after the class ends, before they order your labs and send you off to Pacific Bariatric. Because of that appt, there is like a two week delay for surgery. There was only one person in my class who lost the 10% and she of course had surgery first. I would definitely try to lose it because it will save you some time of waiting. Now, once you meet the surgeon, you absolutely cannot gain any weight or they can cancel your surgery (of course I've heard of people who did gain and it didn't effect the surgery at all) but I believe that is dependent on your particular situation. The way I see it, every pound you lose preop is one less you need to lose post op!! (It's still hard though because you can sometimes get the "food funeral" mentality and have a lot of "last meals"

I don't know a great deal about the bypass because I went into this knowing I wanted the sleeve. But yes, it is true that the hunger goes away. I can say that there are days where you feel a little hungry, but it's usually head hunger and I'm just bored so I find something to keep me busy. You almost have to remind yourself to eat every once in awhile.

Hope that helps.

Please let me know if you have any other questions