riley4183

For the Kaiser Richmond program, they start your weight at the weigh-in orientation. Some Kaiser programs will take it from a doctor's office weigh-in, but mine didn't (my highest weight was at orientation weigh-in, so that was OK with me!) With the weekly class I am in, the weigh me there too and put it in the file. Also they take my blood pressure all of the flippin' time! Once I started it seems like it is going fast, and the sooner I lose my weight (I assume it is 10%, but my surgeon will decide and I have not met with him yet) the sooner they will schedule my surgery. My goal is to have lost 10% by the time I see my surgeon. Good luck and keep in touch! PS, Kaiser Richmond has their bariatric surgery binder online at their website if you want a preview. Good luck! Riley

Kaiser's program is great, they want you to be fully prepared and it really weeds out folks who just "want" the surgery so it will be easier to lose weight. It is a change for the rest of your life and Kaiser wants to make sure you are ready. I am at Kaiser Richmond, plus I am in classes for 4 months at Kaiser Santa Rosa. I have done the orientation (with the "beginning" weight recorded), blood tests, apnea screening, 3rd class is tonight and I have another appt in Richmond in 2 weeks for the Psych evaluation. Every step so far has been helpful, and I have already lost 11 lbs!

I am looking at a surgery date around April 2009, Richmond Kaiser. Count me in!

So not too long ago, I had posted that I had gotten a call back from Kaiser saying, patients don't call us, we call patients. Many of you counseled me to not be discouraged, to keep calling but to BE NICE. I did that. I left messages for a week, then I gave up. Well late yesterday, lo and behold, a very nice woman called me from Richmond bariatrics and said, I'm returning your call, how can I help you? :teeth_smile: I was thrown for a loop, I said well uhm, I'm waiting to be called for an appointment for orientation, my doc sent my referral electronically 3 weeks ago, and she put me on hold and came back and said, why yes you do have a referral! Can you come to 5-hour orientation this coming Tuesday?! And she said good thing I had called back, they had somehow missed me! So to orientation I go next Tuesday - election day. And to all of you who told me to just keep calling and be really nice, thanks! It worked!! Riley:thumbup:

Hey Narco! I'm Richmond Kaiser too, my doc sent in my referral almost 3 weeks ago and all I've gotten is a call back from Kaiser Richmond saying it takes 2-3 weeks, we call you so stop calling us . . . . .I start 14 weeks of weight-loss-for-surgery classes in santa rosa in a couple of weeks, so i really wanted to have my orientation weigh-in done before that, but i's taking so long! Riley

Greetings all; I'm replying to this older post because, as an avid reader, I want to see it continue! I wholeheartedly second the vote for the Mitford series by Jan Karon. I read me whole collection at least twice a year. The perfect thing for recovery. I want to live in Mitford!! Riley

Hi Queen, I'm a vege too. Jarrow makes a brown rice vegan Protein shake mix, I mix it with sugar free soymilk (Soy Slender, YUM) and if I'm living on the edge that day I might just go for it and add some sugar-free torani syrup! I get the rice protein mix at iherb.com, they also have a great drink shaker with a little coiled ball in it, add a little ice chips and shake away!:wink_smile: Hope this helps! It'd tough to be veggie and go high protein/low carb:bored: but you can do it! Here's to your health! Riley

Wow Cindy good for you! You GO girl!!!

Huntersmom, you didn't have to have the Mirena removed for your band surgery? I have a handout thingy that says you have to cease all hormonal forms of B/C 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after to help prevent clots. Does that not apply to Mirena? I LOVE mine and don't want to give it up then have to deal with huge constant clots while healing from surgery . . . .

"Do you know what they call the last person to cross the finish line in a triathlon? The same thing they call the first person, a Triathlete." God bless you Chris! This is totally motivational to me! GOOD FOR YOU!!! And thanks :w00t: Riley

momcof3, your stats are fantastic! And the time frame from orientation to surgery seems pretty quick! How long after your referral before you get your orientation appt. with Richmond? What appointments did you have to have in Richmond, and what could you do locally? What kind of test did they want? Upper GI? Apnea? Did you have a liver-shrinking diet right before? Did you have to take a series of classes at home or in Richmond? Thanks for your help! Riley

I see you were! Thanks! Gong out for my walk now, will think about questions to ask you! Thanks so much!

Momof3, were you banded in Richmond?

Good morning! Thanks for your reply. a friend from my Santa Rosa class is having bypass in SSF, her binder has info for both in it, too. I suggested SSF to my PCP here in Santa Rosa, he says he uses Richmond. Maybe i should have been more clear with him that i wanted lap band?? I guess I'll wait till Monday and call Richmond and ask. They have been very nice, I just never thought to ask! I must say that so far my Kaiser experience has been great!

My PCP finally sent a referral in for my surgery yesterday, to Kaiser Richmond. When I went and looked at the info binder online this morning, it's all about bypass! They WILL do banding there, right? What is the process in Richmond? I am taking the 4 month weight loss surgery class series in Santa Rosa, and they told me for sure to stay in that class.

Thanks Heartfire! It DOES seem a little different for all of us, when I look back on this I'm sure I will see it differently that the overwhelming quagmire that it seems right now! it's good to know that they weigh me in there, it actually sounds like a really good series - and it's required for either or the surgeries - but they didn't say anything about when I weigh in or how much I need to lose or anything. I'm glad I don't have to go weigh in with my PCP again real soon tho! It crushes me every time. With His grace, with His grace. . . . . . . :-) great days & eves all! Riley

Hey all! So happy to find you . . . . I am just starting, my PCP has sent me to a 14 week class I guess it's nutrition and preparation and pre-surgery weight loss, I am very happy to be on my way but wish I wasn't doing it alone! Anyone else in Nor Cal? Any Kaiser bandsters with good tips for me?:biggrin: In His Peace! Riley

Anyone else? I have to attend one seminar and a 14-week class before my PCP will see me. So do they weigh me at the first class and my 10% is from there? Also, I don't eat meat and would rather not start again . . . . has anyone else managed post-band with just alternative Protein sources like tofu, soy protein, cheeses, eggs? Finally . . . . how have you all lost your 10%?? Thanks! Riley