Kaiser Maryland?

[Vicki J 0]

Hey smilin_apple. Good to hear from you. I got my 2nd fill on Monday (4th) and pretty much had to brow beat the Dr. into giving it to me. He asked me how much I was eating (I told him 3 oz + 1C veggies per meal) and I told him I was getting hungry at about 3 hours. This is about the same as the last time and he gave me a fill. Then he asked me how much I was exercising. I was truthful about it and told him that I hadn't really gotten into a regular routine since surgery. He replied that with that information he wasn't going to give me a fill. My daughter and I both got the impression that I was being punished for not exercising. I finally convinced him to give me a fill and he gave me 1/2 cc. This puts me at 3.5cc. He then told me that I could pretty much figure on not getting anything next time. Hmmmm. We'll have to see about that. If I don't need one I don't want one. However, how can he tell at this appt what's going to happen in a month? This may be something that we'll have to include Dr. Stiles on.

I'm down about 16.5 since surgery. I'm coming up on 2 months out next week. I've been plateaued for the last couple of weeks. It sure is frustrating. But this is something every person trying to loose weight goes through.

Well, like I said it's good to hear from you again. Keep me posted on how this fill does for you.

[smilin_apple 0]

That is not right of him to do that. I am glad he gave in and gave you one. Who is your Doc again?

[smilin_apple 0]

I have a question for someone...anyone who can answer...

I am having trouble eating since my last fill...and to think it was only my second fill ( I am at approx. 5.5 cc in a 10 cc band)

I am getting the calories in (mostly at night) but not the amount of Protein needed. When I look back in my food logs I am only taking in anywhere between 25 - 40 grams protein a day. It has been extremely hard especially since I seem to not be able to eat anything thicker than yogurt until sometime after 5 pm in the evening. Thank goodness I am up really really late since I work Swing Shift and don't go to bed each day until around 3am- 4am; but being up around 10 in the morning and not being able to eat much of anything until around 5pm-7pm is hard. I have tried everything I can think of... even most Protein Shakes are too much in the mornings.

Any suggestions???

[Vicki J 0]

Hey smilin_apple - I've been running all over this last week. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. My Dr. is David Lee. I really liked him and I'm hoping that this was just a lack of communication. I need to make sure that he realizes that I'm not going to eat more than 3 oz. of Protein and 1 cup of veggies no matter what. I told him before my surgery that I fully intended to continue with no more than 1200 even if I wasn't at the right fill so I would keep loosing weight. I think I need to remind him of that. He can't go by the fact that I'm loosing weight because of it. Anyway, my last fill has helped and I'm doing pretty good with it. We'll see how it's going as I near the 14th of March.

As for your problem, a lot of people are tighter during the mornings. On the other board that I am a member of they talk about this a lot. They suggest starting out with a warm drink in the morning. This tends to loosen the stoma. However, there are still people that just can't eat in the mornings. A glass of milk has something like 9 grams of Protein so maybe a couple of these through the day would be good. Make sure that during the hours you can eat to eat 2 to 3 oz of protein FIRST. I have a tendency to still eat a bite of protein and then one of veggies. Since I can get the 2 to 3 oz in it's not a problem. But if I'm tight I do the protein in case I can't get what I need down. I have the problem in reverse. I get tighter in the evenings. It gets better the further out from my fill I get. But the first week or two is a pain. Literally! Since I'm not much of a Breakfast eater by nature I have to make sure the protein is the main thing I eat.

If these things don't help, call the doctor. It is possible you need as little as .1cc taken out to make it right. From what I have heard, if you can't eat solids and you are drinking most of your calories you can hinder your weight loss so it's better to have a little taken out.

Let me know how it is going.

[smilin_apple 0]

Thanks....I will see what happens. I am hoping since it has only been 7 days since my fill that it will still lossen up in the next few days. I know when I had my first fill it lossened up after about a week and I was able to eat more. I am trying to remember to eat the Protein first but sometimes I get sidetracked and do the bite for bite thing.

[heartfire 4]

Just wanted to jump in. First time posting. I have Kaiser and was just at my dr.'s. He said I'd be a good candidate and referred me to the Bariatric surgery seminar coming up next month.

Something I've been thinking about doing for awhile. Frustrated with my weight and trying to lose it. Loose a few and comes back, then takes that much more time to lose again. Going to be 40 this summer and have foot problems [that he also referred me to the podiatrist for] as well as Migraines and asthma that seems to be getting worse. BP is on the high side but seems to be controlled with a low amount of meds but I know I'm headed in a bad direction if I don't get this weight off.

We also have a 20 month old daughter and I want to be around for awhile. I also don't want to be known as the fat mom.

We're under my DH's insurance and he works for the state [California] so not sure how this is going to play out. Figured I'd go to the seminar and see what's what.

Hope y'all have a good night. TTFN!

[Vicki J 0]

Welcome, heartfire. Glad to have another member. I was laughing yesterday because I haven't figured out how all of us Californians got to be posting on a thread labeled Kaiser Maryland. But I'm glad we found each other.

I don't know where in California you are located but if you're from the Sacramento area you'll probably be going through So. San Francisco. I was banded on 12/12/07 by Dr. David Lee down there and I'm so glad I did it. The journey is long and often times very frustrating but being here now, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I started with orientation on June 5, 2007. I decided right then and there that I would follow their meal plan (pre-op diet) and start my weight loss journey from that point on. To date I have lost 89 pounds from my highest weight which showed up early last year to now. I was worried at one point that they would not give me my surgery because I had lost so much. They all assured me that this would not stop the surgery so I tredged on.

Kaiser is in it's infancy in regard to the lap band. They have only been doing them for 1 year. The staff is really paying attention and they are always trying to get feedback from the patients. So it's a learning experience for us all.

Please feel free to contact me (PM or online) if you have any questions. Each of the Kaiser facilities (all 3) that do this surgery have a different program. It's pretty easy to get through if you're willing to stay in it for the long haul. Like most other programs, you'll have to go through a psych evlauation (piece of cake), see a nutritionalist, meet with the director of bariactrics, and see the surgeon.

Good luck on your journey!

[heartfire 4]

Thanks Vicki J!

Yes, I noticed too that there seemed to be a lot of Californian's on this thread. I first clicked on just b/c it was a Kaiser thread and wanted to see other thoughts even though it was a different state. Looks like I might be glad I'm in CA for this and not another state.

I'm in central CA, near Yosemite. Do you know the other places they are doing the surgery? My doc said they weren't doing it near me but sending patients up north. I figured they weren't doing them at all and maybe sending patients out to Davis or Mercy. Then I find this site and this thread and they are doing them in-house just not in my area.

I'm a little worried about all of the traveling. I don't know SF at all and hate driving in the city. DH would come with me but probably wouldn't be able to take off from work. I'm not going to worry about that though til I see what happens with the seminar and how far I decide to take this.

My mom and sister [and her husband but he was a failure] have had the bypass surgery. My sister is 5 or 6 years out and my mom is 4 years out. Both did great with it. I don't want anything that invasive and I don't have as much to lose as they did. Also, since my DH is gone for 3 days at a time [he's a fire captain] and we have a 20 month old, I can't be down for too long.

Sounds like you've been doing fantastic with your WL journey! Gives me hope. Thanks for your time. Better scoot and get in the shower before the kiddo gets up or I won't get a shower! Have a great day! TTFN!

[smilin_apple 0]

Hi all!!!

How are you doing Vicki? I haven't talked to you in a while.... Welcome Heartfire!!!

I have some questions...don't know if you can help but let me know.

I go for my 4th appointment since my Band was placed on Nov 7th. This is suppossed to be my 3rd fill but I am not sure if I should get one.

I have the AP Band that can hold a little over 10 cc's and I have about 5.5 cc's in it now.

For the first time since the beginning; when I had this last fill done on Feb 7th until about Feb 21st (2 weeks); I was having trouble eating anything until around 7 pm at night. Now that I am able to eat throughout the day over the last week I noticed the amount is getting a little more each day. Right now I can eat either 1-2 pkts of oatmeal for breakfast. OR I can have about 1-2 cups of salad and about 5-6 oz of meat.< /strong>

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know because I am worried, I leave for Hawaii on Mar 13th and I don't want to be back at how I was after my last 1 cc fill for two weeks throwing up almost every day when stuff would get stuck for 45 minutes at a time.

By the way does anyone else get food stuck too???

[Vicki J 0]

April - Good to hear from you! Boy you've had a little bit of a rough time. I know that for a couple of weeks after I get a fill I have a very sensitive esophogus and it tends to spasm whenever I eat. I describe it as the feeling of fingernails going down. I have to be really careful. Then it seems that things adjust and I find I can eat more. I have a problem with my doctor because I don't know how much he really knows. I tried to explain this to him and he just told me that if it continues to call him. Of course, it stops and thanks to others I have discovered what it is. He also has been dragging his feet because I continue to loose weight even if I'm hungry because I stick to the program. I have emailed him regarding this because he doesn't listen to what I'm telling him about how much I can eat and when I get hungry.

As to your problem, maybe you should get a small fill, say .5cc. I think it sounds a lot like me and that you're going to have to be VERY careful the first few weeks after a fill with what you eat. If you have a PB episode, go to liquids for a couple of days and let things rest. The best advice is to ask your doctor. Explain the whole thing to him. I wish I could be of more help. Go to smartbandsters.com and ask them. They're old pros and Jessie, a bariactric nurse, is on there and she will get back to you.

Good luck and keep me posted.

[Vicki J 0]

Heartfire -

Wow, it sounds like you're in some beautiful country. I don't blame you for not wanting to go to the bay area but, unfortunately, that's the only place I know they are doing it. I keep hoping they will do it in other places but we can't even get a fill somewhere closer. It's a real bummer.

Yeah, I've been chugging right a long loosing weight. Sometimes I have to work at it a little more than I want because I get where I need a fill but hopefully soon we will reach that sweet spot and I can glide on through. I have about .2 pounds before I reach the spot where I shed that "obese" label forever. Of course, that's when the weight stalled for its monthly pause. I keep telling myself it too will be gone soon.

I wouldn't have chosen another surgery for anything. I know that we have to work at it while we wait for the right spot but at least it is forever adjustable and as you said it isn't as invasive. I have (knock on wood) had no problems with this and see the light at the end of the tunnel. That's a first in so many years I can't remember the last time I saw that light. I thought the bulb had burned out for sure. Now all I have to do is get over feeling guilty because I have to buy clothes once a month. My DH gives me a hard time (good humored hard time) about this. I told him I could stop loosing or gain it all back and he screamed NO! I can tease with the best of them. LOL

Keep me posted on your progress. I think Kaiser's adopted the mantra of "Go west". Also, feel free to PM me if you want. I see those quicker.

[smilin_apple 0]

April - Good to hear from you! Boy you've had a little bit of a rough time. I know that for a couple of weeks after I get a fill I have a very sensitive esophogus and it tends to spasm whenever I eat. I describe it as the feeling of fingernails going down. I have to be really careful. Then it seems that things adjust and I find I can eat more. I have a problem with my doctor because I don't know how much he really knows. I tried to explain this to him and he just told me that if it continues to call him. Of course, it stops and thanks to others I have discovered what it is. He also has been dragging his feet because I continue to loose weight even if I'm hungry because I stick to the program. I have emailed him regarding this because he doesn't listen to what I'm telling him about how much I can eat and when I get hungry.

As to your problem, maybe you should get a small fill, say .5cc. I think it sounds a lot like me and that you're going to have to be VERY careful the first few weeks after a fill with what you eat. If you have a PB episode, go to liquids for a couple of days and let things rest. The best advice is to ask your doctor. Explain the whole thing to him. I wish I could be of more help. Go to smartbandsters.com and ask them. They're old pros and Jessie, a bariactric nurse, is on there and she will get back to you.

Good luck and keep me posted.

I did get a small fill on Monday of .3 cc's.... I am at a total of 6.5 cc's now. I have been taking everyone's advice on this website and am really slowing it down. Even when I drink Water I have to "SIP"

I leave next week for Hawaii....so I hope all is better by then.

[Philo Beddoe 0]

I am a male. My BMI is about 38-39. I have hypothyroidsim, high cholesterol. I sent an email to my Kaiser PCP and they told me to call the education department. I did, and I am scheduled for an "orientation" class on Oct. 16th. What is this class? What do they cover?

Are my chances for the lap band slim becasue of my low BMI?

[smilin_apple 0]

I am a male. My BMI is about 38-39. I have hypothyroidsim, high cholesterol. I sent an email to my Kaiser PCP and they told me to call the education department. I did, and I am scheduled for an "orientation" class on Oct. 16th. What is this class? What do they cover?

Are my chances for the lap band slim becasue of my low BMI?

Are you in California? I know this Thread is listed as Kaiser MAryland but the last few people who chatted on here myself included are from Sacramento CA and went to a Kaiser near us in CA.

If you are in CA I might be able to answer your questions better for you since I have been through the process already.

Take care,

[Philo Beddoe 0]

Are you in California? I know this Thread is listed as Kaiser MAryland but the last few people who chatted on here myself included are from Sacramento CA and went to a Kaiser near us in CA.

If you are in CA I might be able to answer your questions better for you since I have been through the process already.

Take care,

Yes, I am located in So. California. Also can you explain what co-morbidalities are? Thank you for your help.