Hey everyone going through Kaiser Richmond!!

Where are you in the process?

Hi MsJennie! I'm in the early stages. I had orientation last Tuesday (11/25) and I now have a surgeon appt for 1/8. They told me to call 2-3 times a week and see if they have any cancellation appts available since I'm really flexible with appt days and times. My surgeon is going to be Dr. Judith Park.

I started the 1200 calorie diet on Friday after Thanksgiving and I've lost 4 lbs this week! I'm not sure how much my surgeon will tell me to lose but I figure if I start now I'm that much ahead of the game. Hopefully I can lose at least 10-15 lbs before my surgeon appt.

How are things going for you? Nice to meet you!

Hi Christine!

My doctor will be Dr. Baggs. I did orientation in Sept, psych appointment in October, and met my surgeon November. Now I will meet the nurse case manager in less than two weeks :wink2: I'm very excited to get an actual surgery date :smile2:

But yes the 1200 calorie diet does work! Congrats to you beginning this journey!

Dr. Baggs was the surgeon at our orientation. Lots of good info from him. Have you been doing the 1200 cal diet too? How much have you lost and how much did he tell you to lose before surgery? Do you mind sharing your start/current weight? Mine is in my sig. :cursing:

I hope your surgery is scheduled SOON and you don't have to wait too long! Have you had to attend any other classes or do any more weigh-ins (aside from your appts you've been to?)

I went to my orientation November 11 at Richmond Kaiser. My next appt is December 30 to see the psych. I have not started my diet yet because I read on the board somewhere to wait until I see the doctor. I was going to email one of the Drs. to find out if I should start now or what. Have you heard anything different?

Hi Molly,

Actually you should start the 1200 calorie diet right away and start losing right away. So by the time you see the surgeon and you've already reached -10% of your starting weight, you'll be able to see the case manager.

At my orientation at Richmond Kaiser (back in Sept) they kept saying to start losing 10% now so the process could be quicker. Also your starting weight is the weight you were at orientation.

And Christine,

I have been following the 1200 cal diet and my loss is in my signature now...

I've only been to orientation, psych apt, 1 support group meeting (which is not mandatory and where you are able to weigh in but I chose not to), and surgeon apt.

I knew I had to lose 10% before getting my surgery and my surgeon never said anything. By the time I met him I reached my goal and he said, "Ok you are under your 10% you can schedule an apt with the nurse case manager." He actually put my goal weight as what I weighed in at his appointment which is lower than the "10%" goal.

I think/assume if you have no co-morbidities they definitly want you to lose 10% before surgery but if you have co-morbidities they will be a little more flexible, I think.

Wow MsJennie! You've lost 30 lbs in 2 months?!?! That's crazy great. I just had my first weigh in today after one week of the 1200 calorie diet and working out 3 times this week and I lost 5.6 lbs. If I keep pretty consistent with 2-3 lbs a week I should be at my 10% pretty quick.

Did you work out? What has your weekly weight loss been like?

I got my surgeon appt for 1/8 and they told me to call 2-3 times a week to get an early appt due to a cancellation. I called today and got an appt for NEXT Wednesday! A whole month early...I'm SO happy.

She said that they usually have you do the psych appt first, 90% of the time but that they only have 2 psychs right now and one is our sick so their appts are getting cancelled and re-scheduled so she felt okay putting me straight to the surgeon and doing the psych appt later. I'm happy about that because I'll have an actual number that I need to lose from the surgeon instead of just losing weight wondering where I'll need to be. BTW, my surgeon is going to be Dr. Fisher.

That's great that you were already at goal when you had your surgeon appt, I bet that was a relief! :cursing:

MollyMai, start that 1200 cal diet today! The start weight is the one they took at the orientation and all your weights will be compared to that one. Anything you lose from now until your surgeon appt will just get you to the surgery weight goal they'll give you even faster.

If you're flexible with appts, you should call and see if they have any cancellation appts available for either your psych or surgeon. They can probably get you in much earlier than Dec 30th...it worked for me! The number is 510-307-2915 and they said DON'T leave a message, just keep calling until you get through.

Good luck!

Hi Christine,

I do work out... besides walking the dog for about 20min a day I also hit the elliptical for at least 30min, 3x a week.

I havn't been keeping track of my weight weekly but just hop on the scale now and then to see what the number reads.

I think the whole time I was thinking about my 10% number and just hoping to get closer and closer. I really did surprise myself at the surgeon visit, lol.

You are so lucky to be able to be flexible for appointments. Life is pretty busy for me right now. Hope to see you at the support group? The next one is on Wed, Dec 10 at 6pm... let me know if you can go :tongue2:

-Jennie

I'd love to go, I just hadn't had the time to find out when/where they were in the area. Where is the one at on 12/10? Is it a weight loss group or one specifically for people who've had bariatric surgery? That'll be a great night to have a meeting since I'll have just had my surgeon appt that day.

Please let me know the meeting details. Thanks!

I had my surgery in Richmond on 8/26 - yes it is best to start the 1200 calorie food plan right after orientation to quicken up the process. My surgeon was Dr. Im - I saw him first and he said I needed to lose 20 lbs total - I had already lost 12 - my starting weight was 285 - so I didn't even have to lose 10%. I think it may sometimes depend where you carry your weight. As soon as you hit the goal weight you get an appointment with your case manager and she gives you a surgery date. I didn't go to any of their support meetings before surgery - too far to drive from Sacramento and they are only on Wed evenings. I went to orientation on May 9 and had surgery Aug 26.

I actually won't be able to make it but the meeting is for post and pre-op patients.

12/10 @ 6PM

Kaiser Richmond, Building A, second floor, conference rooms A2-A2

I have been referred to Richmond Kaiser last week. Does anyone know how long it takes for them to process the referral and call you for orientation.

Does anyone know when Orientation usually is and for how long? I live out of town and am trying to figure out how much time I will have to take off.

Also I was weighed at the doctors, my PCP, at 254 on November 6, 2008 and than on December 3, 2008 at 251. I don't want to stall my weight loss and am trying to continue to lose a bit which is a struggle. Will they let me count this or do I truly have to try to "keep my weight steady" until orientation. I really want to get started on my 10% since I struggle so much to lose even 20 pounds. Anyone know who has been through the process??

Would love to keep in touch with those going through the process at Richmond.

Any sac area people out there who can tell me how long it takes to get to Richmond on a typical weekday??

I am really excited to finally get the referral to bariatrics it took me a month to get my PCP to make the referral and lots of research!!

I am actually at BMI 40.51 and just make it for the referral process at 251 pds. At 254 I was 41.0 BMI. I am just concerned that losing weight will take me out of the referral process but the whole point is to lose weight right? Just want to get this moving without losing my eligibility.

It took 4 days from my PCP sending the referral to getting an orientation date. The date was for one week later 11/25. Orientation starts at 7:30am (you have to be there at 7am to check in and get weighed.) It's supposed to be 5 hours but we got out in 4 and left at 11:30am.

They will take your weight at orientation and will always refer to that as your "starting weight" at all the following appts. After orientation, you'll want to start losing weight and follow the 1200 calorie pre-op food plan to prepare for surgery. Then, when you meet with the surgeon he/she will see that you've started to lose weight and you most likely won't have to lose as much before surgery. If I were you, (since your BMI is borderline) I'd try to maintain your weight and not lose too much until your orientation weigh in.

I live in Woodland and it took me just over an hour when I went to orientation. It was only 5am when I left though, so morning traffic wasn't really busy yet.

Let me know if you have any more questions! I know I've had TONS of them. Hopefully I'll learn lots more this Wednesday when I meet the surgeon.

Nice to meet you! Good luck. :biggrin:

I am in Carmichael, well Madison and Manzanita and at 5 am it took me 1.5 hrs to get there. Pretty smooth sailing.. just don't walk in with a coffee.. lol. :biggrin:

Ok, so

I had my PCP referral sometime in the beginning of October.. about a week or so later i looked online at my appts and saw my orientation, then about a week after that got the letter in the mail. So i think it all depends on when you get the referal. My Orientation was on Nov. 4, 2008. I maintained until that day.

That weight is the "starting" weight..

My orientation did end around 11:45..

My next appt isnt until Dec 31 which I need to call on because that will not be a fun drive.

Well since the orientation i have lost 31.5 lbs. just by doing the calorie reduction and joined Fitness 19 and paid for their trainer, SUPER CHEAP! Membership is 15.00 and trainer is 20.00.

If you need anything feel free to contact me:D