Kaiser Richmond Pre-op

[momcof3 1]

They have been doing the LapBand at Kaiser longer than 2 yrs - and if they are phasing it out now it is probably because of the cost of all the fills. I still doubt I would have gotten the sleeve if it was an option when I had surgery - wonder if they will cover revisions later on?

Glad to hear you are back in CA John - 1-2 lbs a week is good - it all adds up.

Sorry to hear you have to have another procedure Chrissy - doesn't seem fair huh?

[Ali2010 1]

John, 1 - 2 pds a week after 4 months is awesome! Dr. Park told me they are seeing patients lose like that for about a year! I did the same thing on lemonade--way way to fast!

When its hot I get so thirsty so the tendency for me is to take a big drink of Water or something and boy that hurts!! The other day I actully felt like I was drowning...the water got stuck! It was pretty scary.

[MoniqueD 8]

Pam, Tina, and Ashley-Yes, thanks for the advice. I am taking it easy and being very careful. I do not want to be too tight. I really think it was the Vitamins. I just came from costco and I spent $40. on vitamins. I bought Flintstone Completes, Viactive-calcium chews and B12 sublingual tabs. I know we LapBanders don't need the B12 but I personally need all the energy I can get. I am not going to chance getting vitamins stuck again. It was too painful. Now I know what you all mean when you say...STUCK!!! Ouch.

Chrissy-we are talking to you.... Sorry for your ER visit. Is the rash from your drainage tube??? EWWW, now you have the cooties...LOL. What is the surgery for???? How are you feeling otherwise? Are you taking sips of Water? Try not to gulp.

So, my family and I went to Everett and Jones BBQ for Father's Day lunch. I was able to eat.... the yams-cuz they were very soft and the red Beans. Yes, I ate beans. They were so soft and tender. All went down very easily. I also cheated a tab bit and tasted the chicken, one slice of a link and a tiny taste of the sliced beef. Again, all went down well. So I guess it was the vitamins. That was at 1:30pm and I am still not hungary. For dinner, I plan to have 1 scrambled egg with cheese...Yum.... I have to eat the pureed today and on to stage IV tomorrow....

TTYL...........

[MoniqueD 8]

Hi John and Ali, we were posting at the same time.....

[Guest sodapop]

Well I am not sure what they are doing with the Lap-Band but I am sure they wont tell us until the "final" decision was made. I dont know. I know that When I had my Surgery with Dr. Im he said this: "We are hoping, and I meant HOPE that the sleeve will be the new surgery of the future" I WAS going for the band originally but after doing all my research I decided not to. I am sure if they phase it out it's because of the cost and maintenance of the band. When I went to my appointment about getting surgery Dr. Im didn't even mention the band. He recommended the sleeve to me because the low complication rate, I would NEVER do by-pass nor was I am canidate for it because of my poor medical history and all the issues I have. It always comes down to money, and the was they do the band it is ASS backwards with you all with fills and what not. I am really curious to see if they do phase it out. That is what my ER doctor said today, but again she doesnt work in the bariatric department!

Ha ha mo thanks for saying HI. That was my pitty party. Thanks! looks like we are in the same boat with Water. Ick-I really wised they had warned me or told me about this. I never knew I couldn't swallow damn water! lol.I had a HORRIBLE procedure with this filter put into my neck. I had a IVC filter placed into my vein and they went through my NECK! well I guess my vein was way deep and they had problems getting it in. This was in preperation for my surgery. I have had blood clots on my lungs before when I got my gallbladder taken out, so My WONDERFUL doctor wanted a filter in for just in case I got blood clots. SO this stupid thing was inserted into my neck and it hasnt closed up since! It is now DRAINING like blood and plasma. yes drama. ICK and I DO HAVE COOTIES!!!!!!!! lmao! So i am on antibiotics, a special wash, and all this other drama and creams. I am a COOTIE QUEEN!

[Guest sodapop]

Hey ALI AND JOHN!!!!!!!!!!!! yay my sleeve peeps. Yeah I have only been able to get in 24 oz of Water or whatever. I know this isn't enough. I am trying so HARD. I start on sipping things at like 5am! yes John all this rumbling and gurgling and just weird weird things. I dont even know the sound to explain it! I know you had problems too with this so it is comforting to hear it!

Ali- yeah it is this STUPID NECK THING!!!!!!!!!!!! its draining all this crap still! That was almost 3 weeks ago! I am on antibiotics but get this! I also have a HUGE RASH! I have a HUGE triangle under my breasts to my stomach-where they taped of everything. I was alergic to the tape or something cause its all raised, crusty. SUPER itchy- and it looks like I got whipped!

Tina-I know! NO MORE ER TRIPS! bad. I got in totally quick though-a good thing about being a medical nightmare is that they get me in IN A FLASH! The doctor saw me like 10 minutes after i got there. lol! yay for me. ha ha ha.

[skiingj 0]

Hi Monique!!!!!!!!!!!

Ali - Yes I need to space my drinks out as I used to gulp down a glass of Water and now can't do that. Have to learn/retrain myself to take a couple gulps then come back 5-10 minutes for another round... Takes awhile to get used to this. Glad you are doing well!

[Ali2010 1]

Chrissy.... ((((huggggsssss)))) to you!

[Ali2010 1]

Chrissy, your doing better than me at that stage, I don't think I got in 24 oz of Water for a couple weeks...it just hurt to much.

I am hoping to come to the meeting Saturday; my sons grad party is Sunday so hopefully I willl be able to take break from party prep and come to the meeting. I wish I could stay for the lecture afterwards but I am just to busy.....

Anyone bringing any 18/16 size clothes? I cleaned out my closet again today---I just love that feeling!

[swrktp 1]

Yep kaiser southern california is phasing out the band to many complications..............did a bit of research and came up with the same thing. Maybe Kaiser North isn't doing the same thing. But yea I don't think we will know until it is already decided. But I am gonna ask Robin tomorrow and ask her about revisions too. I am just so tired of the fill/unfill cycles for some reason my body fights the band or at least it feels like it.............I don't think I want anymore fills and yet I know I can't go on forever without the fills. I just hate the fill/unfill cycle I am always in. What works for other people (down 15 pounds means a fill) doesn't work with me. I lost 15 abd still a .5 fill is to much. So I am gonna see what they think about revisions. Not even sure I would do it but I do wonder...........

Yea fills are expensive. AT the fill center they were 365 and than 165 a fill............I think Nicollie paid 150 for her fill or something like that. Oh geez.............I just realized all my fills and unfills ............I am making Kaiser go broke!! LOL. They did say the special needles they buy are very expensive............I was gonna buy one to keep in my purse in case I ever end up in ER and need an emergency unfill I could provide my own needle. But haven't been able to afford them............someone told me it was good to always have one if your surgeon was more than an hour away for emergencies. Most ER rooms don't have them................Ebay sells them!!

Just a bit of trivia.........well gotta finishe off my Water and head to bed. still have another 20 ounces to go. Takes me all day to get my water in.

I am gonna talk to Dr.

[Ali2010 1]

seriously? you can buy the needles on ebay? I guess ebay is a one stop shop for everything!! lol

[cole83 1]

You girls are too funny....you are not old at all! I am more of an old sole anyway :smile2: That is not why I told you what Dr. Baggs said either, just in case you thought that. I think he was telling me that cause it really does make sense that they are phazing it out. He was trying to talk me out of it for sure. I am just not sure I can remove any part of my body yet. I would much rather put something in and remove it if need be later in life!

It sounds like they have discouraged people from having the lap-band more frequently before so glad...I thought he just thought I was too heavy! Glad it was not just me. He asked me if I knew anyone who had the surgery before and I said yes and told him also about this site and he seemed surprised. I told him how great you all were and that he should check it out!

So...how come some of you are doing the Optifast? Just wondered cause you have lost soooo much weight already! I can't imagine you doing it pre-op!!! Check out newlifestyle.com I think is what it is, its like Optifast from what I have heard. Has 15 grams of Protein and sooooo good.

Edited June 21, 2010 by cole83
adding on

[momcof3 1]

I think I am the only one on Optifast at the moment. I am in the Kaiser Medical Weight Loss Program here in Elk Grove - it is not covered by our Kaiser insurance and they said I am the only person they have had that has already had bariatric surgery. I joined the program after losing 65 lbs but was stuck for over 6 mths. I need more accountability and group support - the Optifast is just for the weeks 2-16 - we have to attend through week 30 but the program lasts 82 weeks and we can keep coming for as long as we want after that. The bariatrics program probably wouldn't approve, but it is working for me - I am up to 79 lbs lost now.

[swrktp 1]

I am just joking about my age............I guess I am middle aged at 39 but I feel old!! LOL. I am an old soul too. Dr. Baggs didn't discourage the band when I went in BUT some of the other surgeons did at the orientation and it was VERY CLEAR that RNY was preferred. I just couldn't do that and I am vegetarian so that made RNY a bit of a problem too.

I do think Kaiser is phasing it out. I think that is the whole reason. Because I was given the choice and when I asked Dr. Baggs what he preferred he said it was my choice.

I was also BMI 42 and he said the lower BMI's do better with the band. I don't know what your BMI is but you weigh close to what I did. Lap band expects a 50% weight lose so that would be about 200 in the end but lots of people have done more. I plan to do more than that......eventually.

Cole will you be at Kaiser this weekend??

[swrktp 1]

Pam your are kicking butt woman!!!! 79pounds!!!

We need to Celebrate that is so, so impressive. I gotta get there next!!

WOW, WOW, WOW!!!:smile2::thumbup::thumbup: