JennyLou

Surgery was Monday, I am doing well, at home resting for the week. Some discomfort and gas; but just taking it easy and drinking my shakes, YUMMY..how are you ladies doing?

I finished 10 week weight loss classes on Sept 3rd, got to goal weight my surgeon set on Sept 18th and I have surgery date, October 26th. I am excited, I lost my required 10 lbs and now have to see my primary care dr for medical clearance, see the surgeon again, have lab work, chest xrays and I will be ready. They sure make you work to get this done. But all worth it, I started the process in May and think it has gone fast/smooth for me. I sure am glad I found this site and found out they do the surgery at Fresno Kaiser !!! THANKS LADIES

I figured out how to get the tickerfactory thing on my profile, let's see how it looks.

Peggy is dong fine, she is very informative and an excellent teacher and very nice person. The nutritionist visit was short and quick; she filled out a questionaire on the computer for the surgeon to see and that was it; went over weight loss history, what I have tried, how long and how much weight lost. I see Dr Bog on July 30th, mini seminar with 4-5 people and then we each see him individually afterwards. They said to bring a support person, so my mom is going w/me. I can't afford for my husband to take off, his hours have been cut due to the slow housing market and my mom is very anxious to find out more. She went with me when I has lasik eye surgery a few yrs ago and is my best caretaker. She is doing a great job on thursday evenings so I can attend the classes. 3 down 7 more to go. gotta love the 100+++ weather lately. let's get together anytime; is lunch or dinner better? weekday or weekend? Fresno or CLovis would be about 15-20 minute drive for me? how about you heartfire, is CLovis better for you? we can do a weekend lunch and bring the kids too if that works for you. I can always get my mom to watch mine, but don't mind if you want to bring the little one. We can wait till August if that is better, just let me know... They keep saying in class that the LB is slower weight loss, at least it is some weight loss, better than I ever did on my own. They said they will weigh and measure again before I see surgeon, just hope I can hit that 5ft mark again...Peggy just weighs us, never checks height. I need to be as short as possible, LOL

Hello Ladies, I have been to 2 with Peggy already, had my psych eval last week and meet with nutritionist on Monday. that is the last appt before they will schedule consult with surgeon. Things are moving right along. Hope the summer has been good to you. How are things since you last fills? Do you have to pay your Kaiser copay every time you get a fill? Luckily the classes were only $50 for the 10 weeks. I am learning alot and like the accountability. Think I will probably try the support groups after my band too. Stay cool, JENN

Surgery Dept called yesterday; they scheduled nutritionist and psych eval.;they got them scheduled July 9th and 13th. After those are done, they will set my appt w/surgeon. I am working at losing weight now, hopefully when I get in to eventually see surgeon I will have part of my required weight loss already done. How about this lovely weather, my 4ft deep pool is very nice these days. Have a great 4th of July and I will be back in touch when I have more to report. I also start the optional 10 week classes on July 2nd. It is going to be the hardest part of all. Since I live 30 minutes out of town and work not to far from the Clovis Kaiser, I will be staying in town for the class after work. I have to get my mom to meet my kids after school and stay with them untill my husband gets off work or my class to be done (he is a truck driver and I never know what time he will get home on a daily basis). One will have football practice starting and I have been tha parent that attended his practice for the last 3 yrs. Time to put me before the family; it is struggle to take time for things I need to do. But my family is willing to pick up the slack to get me thru the classes that I want/need to take so I am taking advantage of the help.

heart fire and silly goose: Orientation is out of the way; next step is wait for surgery dept to call to schedule nutrionist and psychiatric eval and consult w/surgeon. At appt w/surgeon he will discuss my needed weight loss. THey weighed and measured me before the orientation; I measured at 5ft, and with my weight at 211, which put my BMI at 41, PERFECT. THe lady sitting next to me just completed the 20 week previously mandatory class and was not too happy to find out I didn't have to take it and have only been going thru the process since May. OOOUUUCCCHHH. The surgeon who led the orientation was not the surgeon that does the lap band, so I will save some of my questions for when I meet him. Diana, surgery dept, said I should have a phone call by next friday. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. I am practicing chewing my food real good, not drinking while I eat and getting in some regular exercise. Haven't given up the late night cookies, but that will be the next change. One step at a time,,,I am making steady progess in the Kaiser chain of events. Have a great weekend, hope all is well with you. We will have to get together soon, JENN

Kaiser surgery dept called yesterday to schedule 1 1/2 hour bariatric surgery orientation led by a surgeon next week, they said after that they can schedule a consultation with surgeon. OK, we will see how that goes. Hope you all have a great weekend. I am taking 13 hour one way train trip to take my oldest to grandpas for the summer in Oregon. That will be a long summer for all of us. I hope your latest fills are successful, take care. JENN

OK ladies, what is PB? Michelle, after LB, do you have to cut your Vitamins in half or what??? THat sounds very uncomfortable. Hope the bday was nice.

I called the surgery dept; they have my referral and said expect 3-6 WEEKS to hear from them. OK hurry up and wait, wonder if I should start losing weight while I wait? They have my documented weight from April that is over 40 BMI. DOnt' want to make a wrong move...will have to give this some thought. SILLYGOOSE, how is the last fill doing? any change this week?

I emailed my PCP at 9pm last night and she emailed me at 1pm today that she sent to referral to surgery and gave me thier phone # to call if I don't hear from them soon. I love my dr !! I checked my weight at my last visit and it was over 40 BMI, will just go with that weight, a few more pounds won't make that much difference. YES we still have to loose, Peggy said it was case by case and the surgeon would let us know how much. I am feeling great, just waiting to hear from the surgery dept. Have a great Memorial Day weekend ladies and I will be in touch:thumbup:

You ladies are going to love this; no more 20 week class required, they offer an optional 10 week class only. THe seminar tonight is mandatory and I just need to get my PCP to refer me for surgery and the surgery dept handles the rest. There is no waiting list for surgery. She said she has some folks getting surgery before they even finish the 10 week optional class. You know I will be emailing my PCP tonight to get that referral. NO weight tonight, she said they will use my weight from my last dr visit or if I take the optional class she weighs there and it gets documented as starting weight. I dont' want to wait till class starts July 2nd to get weighed, think I will make a apt w/PCP to get a current weight, I have gained since my visit w/her in April. She said they are revamping the WLS procedures, I like the changes. I guess things are definetly looking positive for me. I really appreciate all your encouragement, look forward to keeping in touch as the ride continues. Hope the fills help, take care ladies

Hi Y'All, this is the week for my Kaiser WLS seminar. Really looking forward to Wednesday, will let you know how it goes.

that sounds like a great idea, we are all in such different stages, it would be nice to have different perspectives on the whole procedure.

Michelle, thanks for the info. I enjoyed reading your blog about your journey to get the surgery done. I too am glad they are doing LB in Fresno. My seminar is in two weeks and I have lots keeping me busy with kids activities and work so I know time will fly. I really appreciate all the input from you and sillygoose; nice to see two others close by that have been to the same Kaiser and are happy with the surgeon. I hope to hear more from you in the future and wish you and the family a nice summer, stay cool and I am sure I will have more questions as things with me progress. thanks again, JENN

I am scheduled for seminar May 20th, in two weeks. The fun begins, I am so excited.:thumbup:

Thanks for the info Silly Goose. If they tell me to loose weight I will be below the 40 BMI; hopefully they go with the weight at the seminar. Currently I am like 40.6, I am unsure of my height too. On all my Kaiser visits it says 5 ft., because that is what I have always told them. Do they check your height too? My husband told me I was a little over 5 ft when he checked me; what does a truck driver know about it though. An inch or two makes a big deal with the BMI calculation. I was so excited yesterday when I read the PCP email that I cried. I will be on the phone w/health education today to get the orientation scheduled. Good thing I wrote into this website or I would have switched my insurance and had to pay an $1800 deductible to get it done thru Blue Shield; My mom says God is on my side or I never would have found this great site. :thumbdown:

I got great news today; I emailed my PCP yesterday that I would like her to send me to a bariatric specialist and she emailed me today that she referred me to the Bariatric information seminar. I didn't even have to go see her again. WE had discussed my weight gain at my last visit in February for a physical and lab work. I think it would be best for me to stay on my Kaiser insurance and not switch to my Blue Shield option. I guess that is step 1, I am on way down the Kaiser WLS roller coaster. What should I expect at the seminar? do they weigh me there?

that is the best news I have heard all year !, I will get online and make apt w/PCP for this week, I have been patient for a year, dont' need to quit smoking, we will see what she says...THANKS

I could stay w/Kaiser if I wanted; but I was under the impression they don't do surgery here locally. I do not want to travel to the bay area to get it done. I have the choice of either insurance thru my employer. Did you have yours done in the bay area thru Kaiser?

I will be dropping the Kaiser June 1st and going with our companys Blue Shield PPO plan. Now I have to find a new Dr.; hopefully one that will be Pro Lap Band and not tell me to just lose some weight. I have looked at the Blue Shield website and recognize some of the drs names, but don't know the views on WLS. Thanks

nice to ready about your success, I am still in the initial process, attending seminar at drs office in two weeks, still have to find a primary care dr, any suggestions in the Fresno area that are pro lap band?

:unsure:Hello everyone, I am new to this site and was wanting to get some feedback on a Primary care Dr. Recommendation in Fresno/Clovis. I have had Kaiser for the last year and will have Blue Shield Insurance starting June 1st. I need to find a primary care dr that is Pro Lap Band. Any suggestions, I don't have any other medical conditions I need to tend to, just need to get established w/dr and then get in to see a lap band specialist to see if I can get it done. THANKS