Kaiser - Nor Cal

[warrior 0]

I'm looking for information and support regarding patients who have received the LapBand from a Kaiser facility in northern California.

How long did the process take? Which location did you have it done? What did you think of the physicians and staff? What about all the support groups and classroom information?

Basically, I want to know anything and everything that will help me make an educated decision and obtain the best possible outcome.

Thanks in advance!

[Vicki J 0]

Hey warrior - Welcome! Well I'm just starting the Kaiser journey but I will update you as to what I have found out.

I started my journey in early April. I had to get my PCP to refer me to the bariactric surgery department. That is located in San Francisco. I believe I received my letter confirming the referral around the 23rd. Within about 10 days I received my appointment for orientation which will be on June 5th. When you receive your letter for the orientation appointment you will also receive directions to get a chest x-ray and EKG if you have not had them within 6 months. They will also send you a lab slip for blood and urine tests. These must be done prior to going to the orientation in San Francisco. The x-ray, EKG and labs can be done at your normal Kaiser.

One of our fellow Kaiser patients just went to the orientation this last Tuesday and came out feeling that things would take around 3 months from orientation to surgery. Following your orientation they will set you up a psych and dietitian appointment. You will also have to go through their lifestyle classes once a month until your surgery. They expect you to loose weight in between orientation and surgery and the amount will be determined according to how you carry your weight (i.e. in the stomach or hips). This is a pretty normal thing. Some places make you go on a 6 month supervised diet. So Kaiser isn't too bad. You will be weighed everytime you go to an appointment.

Kim felt that the orientation was very good. I have heard from some people that the lifestyle classes are also very good. Oh yeah, you'll have to stay in the hospital overnight.

I talked to the bariactric surgery center coordinator and she told me that the process usually takes from 3 to 6 months.

I hope this helped. Let me know if you have anyother questions. It seems that Kaiser is a pretty good place to have it done. They've only been covering the lap band for a little while. They used to only do the gastric bypass. The cost will be determined by your plan, naturally. Mine will be $10 or less and my daughter's will be $250. I say that it's not only going to be great getting the band but we also get it for the best price in town.

[warrior 0]

Thanks for all the great information Vicki. I started this adventure about a month ago and I just got my PCP officially to refer me. The Santa Rosa site has a few extra steps built in for success. I will likely go to the Richmond facillity, if they accept me as a surgical candidate.

I already got weighed in and am working off my 10% the nurse suggested. I didn't know that I needed an EKG, but all my other labs are up to date. I also thought this was outpatient surgery, like just about everything else at Kaiser. I'm not complaining though, many on this forum pay big bucks for the procedure.

Best of luck at your appointment. I would love to keep in touch and hear how the process goes for you. By this time next year we'll both be wearing skimpy shorts and a big smile!

Be well!

[Vicki J 0]

They may consider this an outpatient surgery even though we spend the night. My mother recently had a mastectomy which I would never have considered an outpatient surgery but they kept her overnight in a bed near the recovery area and called it outpatient. Your guess is as good as mine.

It will be great to compare notes. When I started this I couldn't find anyone on any of the boards that would even answer a question about Kaiser. Hopefully with all the Kaiser patients keeping in touch others will find out that they do it and what the process is. I almost changed my insurance because I couldn't find out if Kaiser even did the lapband and I was told by one doctor that I had to be a "lot bigger" before they would even consider me. My BMI is 42.6. If I hadn't kept pushing, I would have changed insurance companies in the fall and had the surgery done early next year. I would have also paid around $4K to get it done. I very happy I found out Kaiser does them.

Since they haven't officially weighed me in for the weight loss stuff I haven't started on loosing the weight. I don't want to loose that lovely Water weight too soon. LOL According to Kim they might not make us loose a full 10% and it depends on how we carry our weight. I'm preparing myself to loose the whole 10% so I won't be disappointed. It'll be just my luck they will require the whole thing.

[warrior 0]

I feel your pain, sister. I am at at the magical 42 BMI too. I had heard that less than 40 took you completely out of the running. Lose 10% and I'm under. For the first time in my life I was too thin for something! I have no other physical issues, other than my weight. Yes, there was liquid frustration coming out of my eyes, until I was told the truth by the supervisor of the weight loss clinic.

I haven't seen any other Kaiser folks on this forum, maybe because the band is a newly authorized procedure. You and I can be the trailblazers.

I'm new to this forum-posting world. Let's try to stay in touch as the process unfolds. It will be nice to have (and be) a cheerleader.

[repostacy 0]

I to am looking into the lapband through Kiaser, have just decided to go through with the procedure and am going to contact my doctor on Tuesday for the referal. Hoping to get more information as well. Take care and will keep you posted as well.

[Vicki J 0]

I'm going to orientation tomorrow! Yahoo. I haven't even started trying to loose weight yet because they weigh you at orientation and I don't want my BMI too low. Once they weigh me they will want me to loose the 10% and I'll go down fighting if they say I'm too thin then. That just won't fly. But since they take people with a BMI of 40 and then ask them to loose weight, I don't think that will happen. Otherwise, we would hear about that scam all over the message boards.

There are a few other people on the boards. Mammatee is going to the orientation tomorrow and Kim J just went on the 22nd of May. Kim's already loosing and is down 9 pounds. Wednesday is the start of my "pre-op meal plan" (we're not supposed to call it a diet".

Keep me posted on your journey, warrior. I'll do the same.

[warrior 0]

I went to the intro meeting at Kaiser Richmond last week. The nurse assigned to the bariactric surgery unit conducted the overview class. She was very entertianing and informative. There was a lot of good information and the group was a mix of people preparing for bypass and lap band. It seemed like the head doctor there is a big fan of bypass, but they didn't dismiss lapband.

The questionairre they have you fill out is pretty balanced and thorough. I suggest to everyone that you have all your shots up to date, paps and mammos too. They won't take you into the program unless you're current with all preventative care. Also they mentioned needing a current sleep study (which apparently has a long waiting list) if you have sleep apnea.

Many of us weighed in for the first time. She indicated that some people are asked to lose more than 10% prior to surgery, but no one is asked to lose less than 10%. The best bet was to get started right away. So, the medical group (consisting of a psychologist, nutritionist, and surgeon) reviews your completed questionairre packet and medical records and decides if you're a suitable candidate. If you pass that part, the next appointment will be with a surgeon, a nutritionist or a psychologist. You have to see all three but in a random order.

Anyway, I'm eating better and walking the dogs longer everyday. I just can't wait for the little appointment card from Kaiser in the mail telling me that have one scheduled for the next phase. The only thing better would be to win the lottery! (I'd still get the lap band, but I'd be stinkin' rich!)

[Kim_in_SF 0]

Hi! I can't believe I missed this thread... I'm even mentioned in it! (I'm Kim, oh, and hi Vicki!) :-)

I went to orientation on May 22nd, and I've been to 3 appointments since then... my meeting with the director of bariatrics, my meeting with the dietician, and my psych consult. So far, all three have gone very well. My next appointment will be the lifestyle class, and that's next friday, the 22nd. After that, I have a meeting scheduled with the surgeon on July 13th.

I've been following the pre-op meal plan for the most part, with a few slip-ups here and there... but so far, in the 3 1/2 weeks since orientation, I've lost 13 lbs.!!! I'm not required to lose 10%, but I was told to lose about 10 -15 pounds and to make sure I exercise. (I never thought I'd say this, but I can credit being a "pear" to that! I carry MOST of my weight in my butt and hips).

Anyway, it's strange how there were no Kaiser patients on here before, and now we're starting to come out of the woodwork! haha It's great!

Glad to meet you all, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! :-)

[Kim_in_SF 0]

Hi! I can't believe I missed this thread... I'm even mentioned in it! (I'm Kim, oh, and hi Vicki!) :-)

I went to orientation on May 22nd, and I've been to 3 appointments since then... my meeting with the director of bariatrics, my meeting with the dietician, and my psych consult. So far, all three have gone very well. My next appointment will be the lifestyle class, and that's next friday, the 22nd. After that, I have a meeting scheduled with the surgeon on July 13th.

I've been following the pre-op meal plan for the most part, with a few slip-ups here and there... but so far, in the 3 1/2 weeks since orientation, I've lost 13 lbs.!!! I'm not required to lose 10%, but I was told to lose about 10 -15 pounds and to make sure I exercise. (I never thought I'd say this, but I can credit being a "pear" to that! I carry MOST of my weight in my butt and hips).

Anyway, it's strange how there were no Kaiser patients on here before, and now we're starting to come out of the woodwork! haha It's great!

Glad to meet you all, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! :-)

[warrior 0]

Hi Kim,

It sounds like you have the most current and in-depth info about the Kaiser process. It also sounds like it's going quickly and smoothly for you. I assume you're going to the South SF Kaiser. I'm working through Santa Rosa and Richmond. I think the Richmond site might be a little slower than SF since you've already had three appointments in one month.

That's so awesome to hear of your weight loss and surgery prep. Why do you think they had you lose only 15 pounds? Does it have to do with whether or not you hold a lot of abdominal fat? I look forward to hearing more from you as your surgery date draws near. You're farther ahead than the rest of us, so please keep us updated.

[Kim_in_SF 0]

Hi Warrior,

Yes, things are moving pretty quickly for me, however, I'm not sure that that's necessarily the norm. I had orientation on May 22nd, and it was two weeks after that when I still hadn't heard anything. I called on a Monday and did the old innocent "I was at orientation two weeks ago and haven't received any appointments yet, I was just checking to see if I was supposed to call and make them myself?" Well, they of course weren't amused and replied with "you'll receive an appointment card in the mail in 1-2 months." I was totally bummed about that, and low and behold, THAT AFTERNOON they called me and said that the director of the program (Dr. Stiles) had a cancellation and could I come in on Wednesday? I jumped on that faster than you can imagine!

When I went in, it was more of a meet and greet, she went over basic medical history, and at that point gave me my individual weight loss requirement. I only have to lose 10-15 pounds because I'm very pear shaped... I don't have a lot of abdominal fat at all, however, I'm VERY bottom heavy. She also told me that I need to start taking an Iron supplement because my Iron levels from my bloodwork were on the low side, I'm not anemic, but I need to get it up to a normal range in order to even be considered for surgery.

When I was finished with Dr. Stiles, she sent me to the receptionist and they worked with me to schedule all of the required appointments. There weren't a lot of openings, so in order to get in fairly quickly, I had to be a little flexible.

Here is a list of appointments I've completed:

1. orientation

2. meeting with director of bariatrics (in the South San Francisco facility)

3. appointment with dietician

4. psych consultation

These are the upcoming appointments I currently have scheduled:

1. friday morning lifestyle class (this friday)

2. appointment with surgeon (July 13th)

I asked Dr. Stiles how long after I meet with the surgeon it would be before surgery, and she said it's usually about 2 months after that. It could be sooner if I'm flexible and someone else cancels, but unfortunately, my work has about 0 flexibility.

So if all goes well, I'm thinking I may be having surgery around September?

I'm happy to answer any questions anyone has... I mean, I'm not a know-it-all by any means, but as you said warrior, I seem to be the one that is the furthest along in the process.

Guess that's it for now. Great to meet all of you!!! :-)

-Kim

[Vicki J 0]

Well, it looks like I've been outed for name dropping. LOL Hi ya Kim. Good to see you over here.

I am also waiting for that little card or phone call that will make my day. Because I'm further away then the two of you (distance) I will probably just have to wait my turn and not be hoping for cancellations. They try really hard to get us out-of-towners done all in one day. I appreciate that since it would take at least 1/2 days sick leave to come in for each appointment otherwise. But I keep hoping to see them on the web page. I figure I will see it there before I'll get the card.

My daughter went to the orientation with me. She received a call the other day from the bariactrics unit and they asked her if she was still interested in the surgery. She told them yes and then they asked when she could do the orientation. Boy was she laughing about that. She informed them that they had already sent her through orientation at which time the Kaiser lady told her they would update her file. It's good to know they are on top of things.

I won't know how much weight I'll have to loose until I get to my next appointment with Dr. Stiles. She measures us and then tells us how much we need to loose. But I've pretty much put the 10% thing in my head so that I won't be disappointed. I'll be really upset if they tell me I need to loose more.

Time to get to work. Glad to hear from all of you and hope our journeys are fast and successful.

[Vicki J 0]

Warrior - How's the journey going for you?

[juliegeraci 7]

Just curious, do you know where patients go from San Jose? My friend just got her referral.