Hey everyone going through Kaiser Richmond!!

Where are you in the process?

Went to my appointment today and it turns out they psych said I was normal, maybe boringly normal!! She was fun and we had alot of good laughs. She was doing a job I do daily so it was a bit of twist for me to be getting the questions. Luckily I knew who the president was and who I was!! So I passed that although they didn't really like that ADD part since I guess that could interfer with my followthrough with the nutrition part. I assured them I am over organized and on top of things to compensate.

My appointment was at 11:30 but I got there at 10am. I saw down to read a book and got called 5 minutes later. I was done by 11am.

I went to make the surgeons appointment and they said how soon do you want it. I said very soon. They said what about today in two hours!!! So I stay a bit and meet with the surgeon as well. Another cancelled appointment. And he actually took his lunch break and meet with me at noon.

I was assigned to Dr. Baggs and he seems great. I can go either way lap band or gastric. I think he prefers gastric but I couldn't get him to commit to which one he thought was best he said I needed to decide.

I was down to 243 today. 246 with my coat and sweater but they gave me a chance to weigh without it :-)

Dr. Baggs says my goal weight is 241!!! So two pounds way . I have to get my lab work done this week and my EKG. He ordered all the labs and I have to meet with the nutritionist and case manger. I have to be at 241 to call and make the appointment. He advised maybe being 240 just to make sure the case managers don't send me home which he said they will if you are even slightly over your goal weight.

So I am down except for losing a few more pounds and the final appointment!!! I am shocked how quick it went!! Everyone was so nice over there and I personally thanked Kelly for getting me in so quick this week.

I guess I can thank my bottom heavy body for not having to lose the full 10%.

Also since I am vegetarian I meet with Robin a bit and realized that lap band is probably better unless I plan to start eating meat. GPB patients don't do as well on a vegatarian diet.

So that is where things are at with me. Anyone else have Dr. Baggs? He seem quiet young but confident.

Oh I did have to have my stomach examined to see if I was ready for surgury other than that it was easy appointments.

I saw Dr. Baggs there today, too! My appointment was at 11 but I got there early so he saw me early - that has happened every time I go down there for me. I am definately lap-band, he said thats great since my BMI is less than 42 that's a good choice for me. Something about it has better results with the lower BMIs. Anyways he let me play with one its pretty cool, he told me all about how much better they have gotten, a new method of putting them in really cuts down on hunger, etc (I did my homework,and I knew that he had studied this new method - that's why I chose him). Anyways he set my goal at 255 and I was 251 so he walked me across the hall and got me my Case Manager appointment for . . . MONDAY! He says surgery should be at the end of Feb! Considering I went to orientation only in November, I'm moving right along here!! So I shound get my surgery date on Monday. YEA!!!:scared2:

Riley

Nicole we are so on the same track here, we had orientation together and we have both lost almost exactly the same amount we have CM appts. within days of one another - and wouldn't it be great if we had the same surgery dates too?? CONGRATS on your weight loss!

Riley:thumbup:

Hey Riley where did you get the information on Dr. Baggs and the new procedure? I would love to see that. Wow did I luck out to get him than. I asked for the surgeon who was the best at lap band but they said they all were. And I told them pick for me than. They said if you stay today you can see Dr. Baggs.

Interesting he also told me that under 42 BMI tended to do good with lap band. But he also really stressed that they have no long term studies and don't know what happens 15 years down the line to the lap band and studies show better weight lose with GPB. I think you were right before me LOL?? Too bad we didn't meet.

I did mention being vegetarian and he said that is really important and you would probably do better with the lap band unless you plan to start eating meet.

I did ask him what his choice would be if he were me and he laughed and said I like them both you chose!! He said I was healthy enough to do well with either. He said same recovery time and basic surgery risks either way.

I told him 80% lap band and I would decide before I lose the two pounds.

Wow if I call in next week I might also be looking at surgery in February or early March too!

So what about the preop and nutrion class? Do you have to do that as well?

So what is with bariactrics and back surgery being together?? The lady next to me kept asking me how I hurt my back. I didn't have the heart to tell her "no I am just here cause I am fat!! LOL" She kept telling me they were going to crack me open and check out my back..............she also couldn't hear me very well. What a strange combination!! LOL

Riley wow that is so much weight loss in such a short time. I hope I am there in a couple of months. I am truthfully disappointed in 10 pounds in month but at least my goal is only 241 and I think I can lose the next 2-3 pounds by next Friday.........(I hope). Over 30 pounds so impressed did you really stick to the 1200...........I really try but 10 pounds in a month I know other people lose faster than that.

Dr. Baggs said to up the exercise and still to the plan.

I am going to Africa for two weeks in March so I want to wait until I get back to have the surgery. Just in case there are complications. I will be back March 26, 2008. I hope to LOSE alot in Africa since I am sure the food will not be what I am used too!!

My goal is to be down 40 by surgery. I want a BMI under 40 when I go under! But see, I started eating meat again just so I could do the pre-op and post-op diet stages. A main reason I am going lap-band is so I can go back to vegetarian once I have lost the weight and stabilized. So I stick to the 1200 but don't do the starches, at all. The only carbs I eat are berries and beans and vegies. Oh and the ultra high-fiber tortillas that are 7 fiber 3 net carbs and 5 protein. I log everything in caloriecount.about.com, which sows that I actually average from 900-1100 caloeis a day. I drink all of my water, and more if i can. AND . . . I walk 5 miles every day. But the #1 most important thing I do is my support groups, one at kaiser tuesday nights, one (hiking) one on saturday mornings, and the big sonoma county group once a month. I get emails, texts and calls from my group members morning, afternoon and evening, it is almost like AA or something (so I hear) and it's really hard to fail and get discouraged with all these people cheering me on day and night!

Isn't Dr. Baggs wonderful??? So smart, so young, so witty, so adorable! :scared2: He might be young enough to be my son, LOL! I will try to find the thing about his training and post it

Edited January 25, 200917 yr by riley4183

thanks Riley. I think not eating meat is hurting my losing. I have to resort to eggs and low fat cheese and cream of wheat ect. I also eats beans once a day for protein but i think it hurts my weight lose. I get 1200 but..........if I eat no starches or carbs at all i lose way faster. I feel heavy with carbs without I feel lighter all day if that makes sense. I want to lose another 10-15 at least before surgery. I know I don't have to but I know I can...........especially going to Africa for a couple of weeks............it will be hot and I will be working doing construction all day..........I have to lose quiet a bit in two weeks........................

Wish we would have meet up today!!

I didn't get to talk to Dr. Baggs much today. It was kinda rushed since it was last minute for both of us. I just really, really appreciated he worked through lunch for me. I had really high blood pressure today.........all the rushing around....and he was concerned about that and my cholesteral levels. He was giving me alot of advice with that stuff first and than we got into the surgery stuff. (my blood pressure was ok last week?!?!) I might have to go on medication until the surgery to get it down!!

I am so excited though that I am almost at goal weight and that I can go get my blood tests done.

I am going with lap band. With my diet I think it is the smartest thing to do. Please I don't want to lose weight so fast that people constantly are shocked when they see me. I want some privacy and personal space as I lose!! LOL

SWKRTP, Which part of Africa are you going to? That's exciting. Congratulations on getting your appointments. BTW what is your first name if I may ask?

Edited January 24, 200917 yr by reggie71

Tina is my first name.

Planning to get this weight lost and the CM appointment before I leave for Africa, but no surgery until I come back.

Dr. Baggs was joking not to gain weight in AFrica and put on the surgery I told him I would actully probably lose by default since I am not used to the food.

Going to Mozambique. Which is right above South Africa on the east ocean side. Going to Maputo and chomio.

Checked reviews on Dr. Baggs and nothing but great reviews from every place he has ever worked!! Can't find anything on the new lap band procedure he was talking about though.

Wishing all a great weekend.

Reggie: there seem to be alot of cancellations when I was there today. Amazing as I was willing to drop everything to come to my appointments.

Call and ask for Kelly to get in. Worked like magic!!

Tina;

I heard about this newer method of "installing" the lap-band from Dr. Woodbury, who is the #1 Bariatric & Endocrine surgeon in this area. There is a huge bariatric surgery support group up here, it meets once a month and it's mostly his patients and Kaiser Richmond & SSF patients. I think his patients are required to attend . . . anyway, he spoke last month and was talking about it, the same things that Dr. Baggs was saying Friday. He called the method some name that I can't remember. I later saw SOMEwhere that Dr. Baggs had done a more recent training in Lap-Band for that, but I can't remember where! It was recent, and all I can find online now is no more current than 2004. I wish I could remember where I saw it! I will definately let you know when/if I find out. Are you doing a mission trip in Africa?

Thanks Tina. I will call them this week. I was born in Ghana, West Africa, that's what prompted me to ask which part of Africa you were going. I hope you have a lot of fun.....

Hey Riley I did some research. Are you talking about the AP lap banding? I think that is the newest lap band and if I remember right that is the exact one that Dr. Baggs showed me. I am not sure about an installation method but I know for sure this is the newest band and it is created to avoid some of the pitfalls of the older band. Also it sounds like the it comes int a 15cc and a 10cc and that they leave about 30% of the fill in it when the place it. Sounds exact like what Dr. Fishcher told SWISH about leaving in 30% of a fill to get faster results. Wish I knew more I can't find much but it seems to me I do remember reading something about Dr. Baggs and his additional training in lap band too way back. Can't remember where I saw that..................let me know and I will let you know!!