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I finally got my orientation on Tuesday December 16, 2008. They told me due to the Holidays it is the only one this month. Next one is in December. I will be able to start my 1200 diet next week and hope by my surgeons appointment I will be down at least 10 pounds. I would LOVE to have all my appointments done by New Years and Surgury by April!! I hope that is realistic. Work was not happy to let me off last minute but I offered to work the weekend. Ah the thing we will do once we make up our mind to get banded. Never thought I would agree to drive 81 miles for doctors appointment. I will be so happy once I get all the appointments done. So how long did the psych appoint take? The surgeon? I am hoping to get them on the same day and not at 7am!!! LOL. I think the orientation is the worse one and it gets easier from there or so they told me!! I would love to get a cancellation appointment before the new year!! SWISCH maybe we will be on the same timeline after all. How much have you lost? 9 pounds in two weeks seems like alot!! It this a miracle diet??? Makes me wonder if I could lost 100 pounds this this and not bother with the band...........but alas I know myself and it has never worked before.

I got my orientation appointment!!! I called today and played stupid and told them I was just following up and needed an orientation appointment. Well i have my orientation on December 16, 2008........this Tuesday. It is the only one in December and I rushed around and was luckily able to get the day off. I have to work this weekend but I am willing to do that to be able to go this month. I can start the weightloss on Wednesday. They also told me not to lose until after orientation even though it sounds funny they said it was the best way to go. This time they were very nice and friendly even. Just seems to depend on who you get on the phone. I was told to be early as they will send you home for being more than 10 minutes late no matter how far you drive. They also said it is easy to get lost so come early. I hope to get my pysch and surgeon appointment by cancellatino in the next three weeks as I have time off. Would be nice to get them both the same day actually!! We'll see. I am very excited!!

any updates on Richmond Kaiser? I have just been referred there but have not heard anything yet. It ihas been over a week. What do you know about the program. Very curious and how was the orientation?

I called today and they said the computers were down all day and there is nothing they can do as far as scheduling appointments for me or checking the referral. But they did say to call tomorrow so that is some progress. I would love to go to orientation Tuesday this week and than try to get a surgeon or psych appointment in the next two weeks when I am off. I am still going back and forth with gastric and lap band. I really want a doctor to tell me. Some are saying that if you don't get enough of a fill it doesn't do much and than what is the point. I need help willpower won't do it!! Keeping my fingers crossed about next week. I hope.............I plan to call every few days and see what happens

Hello All Well still haven't heard anything from Kaiser Richmond. I did finally call today and they said all the computers were down and they can't process any new referrals or even see them since they have no computer access. But I was told to call back tomorrow and try again so we will see. I really want to get my orientation appointment ASAP. I want to start losing my 10%. I am frustrated waiting........................I have two weeks off at Christmas and am trying to get it as much in that two weeks as possible. Maybe I will get lucky with cancelations too!! I hope. I get the impression that they are flooded with new referrals right now. Hopefully good news tomorrow

I was referred about the same time as you last week. So far I have not heard anything back from them. I did try to call yesterday to RICHMOND but they told me not to start calling until 3 weeks after the referral comes in. I honestly just want to be sure my PCP sent the referral in and really want an orientation while I am off for Christmas break. SWISH your doing great. I hope I will get on a role once the orientation is done!! I think RICHMOND must be backed up right now.

I would love to here how it went today as well. I am still waiting for a phone call or letter to let me know when my orientation is.

I had a hard time getting referred but finally did last week. My BMI is 41 but I still have not heard anything from Richmond. It has been over a week now. I called to today and they told me that it takes up to three weeks to get scheduled for orientation and just to wait a bit more to hear from them. Seems like it is taking me longer than most. I wanted to have this orientation done before January so I can start to lose weight. Keep checking my Kaiser everyday to see if something shows up there. I hope I get a bit of a warning so I can get the time off. Just anxiously waiting..........................I will be so happy when it all gets started. I am more and more sure everyday about this whole lap band thing. I am tired of the status quo and really am looking forward to a change. I am in Roseville

I am 37 years old Current weight is 254 and holding until orientation :-) Goal is 153 per PCP BMI is 41 or 40.9

Well it has been 5 days since I was referred and I have not heard anything yet. I will be glad when I hear something :-) 7am is brutal for orientation is brutal and with a five hour orientation I wil have to take the day off. But at least orientation is only once. I just want to get weighed so that I can start to lose. Losing is a nightmare for me so I want to get started soon. Do you know about surgeons appointments? Are they generally morning or afternoon? What is the drive like coming back in the afternoons? Anyone know? This is gonna be a challenge with work and time off the next few months. I don't really want to tell work what I am doing so hopefully just saying medical appointments will suffice. any advice on how to make this progress go quicker. I am feeling like with the holidays and everything that things are moving slowly. It took me almost a month to get my PCP to refer me. She wanted to run a bunch of tests first. So I have been working on this since October 31, 2008 and getting discouraged it takes so long.

Still waiting to get my orientation appointment. I hope they give me a couple of weeks so I can get time off. If not I will have to call in sick because I sure don't want to miss my orientation. From what I hear it will be a Tuesday for sure just gotta figure out which one!! Thanks for all the updates everyone. Seems like orientation could be anywhere from a week to a month after the referral. This waiting is the worst part I want to get started. So......... 1. Orientation 2. Meet psych 3. Meet surgeon 4. Meet nutritionist 5. lose weight 6. surgury scheduled 7. Pre opt class 8 Surgery Is this the general procedure.............

I am going back and forth on the lap band and gastric. I heard Kaiser prefers the gastric. So are you going to the orientation on the 19th at Richmond Kaiser?

So how was the orientation and how long from referral to getting an appointment for orientation?

Hello All I am pre opt and going through Richmond Kaiser. Waiting for my orientation appointment which I assume will be in January somtime. So I have to wait to start on the 10% weight loss? I was hoping to have lost the 10% by the orientation since I have to wait so long. Would love to stay in touch and see how it goes for everyone.:biggrin:

Did you have to spend the night in the hospital with the lap band procedure? I would rather go home if possible.

I am just starting the Kaiser process as of last week and anxiously waiting for my orientation appointment. I called last week and they said to wait a couple of weeks and they will call me to schedule me in. Just would love any information about the process. I am going through Richmond and work full time so trying to figure out how much time off I will need to take in the next few months. I hope to be banded before summer if all goes well. Would love to hear your advice and info from people who are dealing with the same stuff. My family is not really supportive of all this so also looking for a support system as well. I don't think people get what banding really is. I also heard that Kaiser pushes for gastric as well but I am not ready for that. Any information or advised.............

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.

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!!