Kaiser Maryland?

[smilin_apple 0]

Thanks!!! I have been doing a happy dance all day but only in my head since I was in the car for 2 and half hours after my appointment and now I am at work.

[iluvlongnecks 0]

SWEET! Congratulations on your surgery date! :whoo: Your almost there and then you'll truly be on your way to a new you.

I can't wait till I'm at that point of having a actual surgery date. It must be a wonderful feeling to know that it's really going to happen. I can only image the excitment you felt driving all the way home. I'm very happy for you! :biggrin1: :bounce: :clap2:

[smilin_apple 0]

It is all so surreal.... I am still inshock because I really wasn't expecting him to go through with it this time around, since I only lost 30 lbs so far (even though I was praying he would) I was actually waiting for him to say well keep working on it and I will see you back in a few weeks, but no he gave the go ahead and I feel great but still so surreal! I will really feel the excitement when they call me to schedule the date.

[iluvlongnecks 0]

I bet your going to be sitting on pins and needles waiting for them to call with the date. It's gotta be comforting to just know that the surgeon has given the go head and your just waiting for them to call to set up the date......your there girlfriend, it's right around the corner now.

I go for my orientation on Tuesday and thats just a start for me, but you give me hope that I need to be patient and it will come soon enough.

I wonder with my BMI (37-38) being smaller if their going to put me on a pre-op diet or not.

Have you started buying things to prepare for after the surgery? I saw somewhere on another thread a list that someone put together of the things to get before having surgery. Have you seen this?

[smilin_apple 0]

I thought I saw something like that on another thread too, but I haven't been able to find it again. I know my book that they give you at orientation gives you a similar list but I would have to look at it again. But I do not think it has all the different tips in it that the one list had about different ways to make yourself comfortable after surgery. If you find that list on here let me know. As far as the "pre-op" diet everyone is required to go on the diet plan they give to teach us to eat better, but the amount of weight; if any; that is required to lose is different for everyone. So they would still show you the foods they want you to each vs. what you shouldn't eat at the orientation and the nutrition appointments. So as a suggesstion after the orientation you should try and follow the meal plan they give because more than likely you will lose at least 10lbs before you see Dr.Stiles or the surgeon, just doing that. And they look at your beginning weight at orientation vs. what you are when they see you and they take that into consideration of whether or not you are ready for surgery. Also they will tell you it is not the BMI that makes a difference it is where you carry your weight. I knew someone with a smaller BMI that still had to lose 20 lbs because it makes your liver smaller for the surgery. Also if your weight is in your stomach it makes a difference to them as well. I carry most of my weight in my hips and thighs and I still had to lose some in my stomach to make the surgery easier on them to manuver around. Ok I am rambling now, but it is just so much info.

I wish you luck at your orientation and hopefully your road ahead will not be long!

[iluvlongnecks 0]

April, Here is a list of things to get before surgery that I had found on one of the threads awhile back and had jotted it down in a journal for future use....

heating pad

flexable ice packs

liquid tylenol (adult strength)

chewable or liquid gas-x

books & movies

squishy pillow for car ride

sports bra, no underwire for few days

Protein shakes

flavored Water

broth

sugarfree popsicles

sugarfree gum (ask dr)

sugarfree breathmints (ask dr.)

Ask pre-op for pain meds- so you can order ahead of time.

Can order liguid at Walgreens but takes 3 days

Hope this may be of some help, if I come across anything else I'll let you know.

[iluvlongnecks 0]

April,

I found where I got that list from...go to: Lap band FAQs and References

and then you see the sticky post-op checklist-Things to have before surgery.

Again, I hope this helps. I will be waiting for the day that I can go out and start buying the things I'll need for after my surgery.

[Vicki J 0]

April - have you jumped everytime the phone has rung? You'll probably hear by mid-October. I know that sounds like a long ways away but it'll go fast. Then you'll be setting up for your surgery and one day you'll wake up and say OMG it's surgery day! I can't wait.

I have become more at ease knowing that I at least have the surgeon's appt. set up. It's over a month away but I guess if I don't want to pay out of pocket than I had better be happy with that. I went up and checked with my HR because they are making some changes in our policies. I guess the only one they are making with Kaiser is that we'll be paying $15 instead of $10 for co-pays. I was a little worried about that one. Wouldn't it be a major bummer if I went this far to have them say "Oh we don't cover WLS anymore." I may still go to the benefits fair to see if she's right.

It's good to see you both are doing so well. Keep me posted on what's happening.

[smilin_apple 0]

I am praying for you! Don't worry all will be fine. I haven't heard of one employer that dopesn't cover it yet. As far as I know all that changes is co-pays, not what is covered but I could be wrong. What am I saying don't worry!!!! Have a great day!

[Vicki J 0]

Thanks. I'm praying this woman is right too. I'll know for sure on Wednesday. If I find out that it's not covered, I'll be pushing that group in SSF to get it done before the end of the year! LOL

I kind of doubt that they changed the policy so much that I wouldn't be able to get it. The worse case senario that I can think is that it will cost me a little more. Right now if they admit me it will be free (except for doctor's visits) and if they don't admit me it will cost $10 - 15. Not bad. That's one of the reasons I can't see going to another insurance. Besides that I've had so much luck on their pre-op meal plan (diet) my BMI is too low to go any place else. I sent an email to Dr. Stiles asking if there was some magic number in the weight loss where they would tell me that I've lost too much and they won't give me the band. She hasn't answered yet.

[TabithasMom 0]

CONGRATULATIONS on getting your surgery!

I know that this thread is pretty old.

I am using Kaiser in SSF or Fremont, which ever has the smallest wait list.

My doc seems to be doing things in a different order. I am having my psych eval BEFORE orientation. I called about being scheduled for orientation and they said, no. Go do the psych first.

Now I am confused and feel lost in a sea of paperwork.

[Vicki J 0]

You get to choose where you go? We didn't. They said that they broke Northern California up into sections and where you landed is where you went. I hope you're right. SSF has a 20 to 24 week wait from what I read on the board from the time you go to orientation until your next appointment. I don't know about Fremont. If what I read is true, then it will probably be around 8 months to a year for surgery. That's only a guess though.

I was pretty amazed at the difference in the different Kaiser processes. The nurse at SSF told me that one of them didn't require a psych appt. I have been talking to another person who is going through Richmond's process and it is totally different too. So, I don't know what to tell you on the other ones.

All I know is now that I have gotten the surgery I'm sure glad I put up with all the hassle. I'm doing pretty well and I'm loosing really good right now. I've lost 4 pounds since starting solids on the 26th. Of course, probably the only good thing about being on the liquid diet is you loose pretty fast. I think I've lost around 13 pounds since surgery.

Right now I'm doing really good with the hunger situtation. I'm thinking he'll probably want to wait on a fill for a while since I can only eat a little and I can last the amount of time they want you to between meals. I'm crossing my fingers that I've somehow ended up one of the lucky ones that won't need too many fills. But I'll let him make that decission.

Good luck on your journey through Kaiser's process. It will get frustrating but it will be totally worth it.

[TabithasMom 0]

Well, I dont get to exactly choose which one I go too, they choose for me but they are trying to even out the load between the two centers.

I just go my orientation letter and packet in the mail yesterday. Very excited!! I know that it will take a long time, I had to do a pysch eval and blood work before they set me up. I started this back in October 07 and it is Jan 08 and my orientation is Feb 10.

walking down the long and winding path!!!

[iluvlongnecks 0]

Hi everyone it's been a while since I've been on this site and I kinda got off track from all the waiting to hear back from SF about my next appointment. I lost the 20lbs that they wanted me to lose and evn lost a coupke more, but then the holidays came and I gained 3 back. I have managed to maintain that lost so far.

I finally got my next appointment for Feb 25th and have another one on March 13th.....I guess this is the beginning of many appts.

of encouragement to get myself back on track with the diet and walking.....I've been a slacker and can't seem to get motivated again.

I'm hoping that my appt will get me in the lapband mode again .

[smilin_apple 0]

Hi Vicki J and ilovelongnecks!!!

Been a while since I have been on here. How are you both doing? I am doing well. I am just over 3 months out from surgery and total weight loss since surgery is 20.5 lbs. I had to wait 3 extra weeks to get my first fill since Dr. Alami was hurt and out of clinic for a few weeks. I was suppossed to get it by 12/19 and didn't get it until 1/7; so I just got my second fill this week...

WOW how aweful that was!!! I was so nervous on my first fill and he was in and out in a snap...didn't even hurt. So this time I went by myself thinking it should be a breeze. Well it wasn't!!! My port was not cooperating with the DR. and he tried for about 15 minutes before taking me downstairs to do it under flouroscopy. Not a big deal then. He couldn't figure out what the problem was because when he saw it under x-ray it was in the perfect spot. Oh well, he said we shouldn't have any more problems in the future...I'm praying for that one!

Well enough rambling on and on....how are you both doing?

Oh and excuse my manners to anyone else that has joined since I have been on here...HELLO and Welcome!

Well I better get back to work, talk to you soon.