RICHMOND, CA KAISER ANYONE?

[CNOEL3 117]

I am sooo frustrated! So I called to make my "follow up" appt with the psych, and had to leave a message since no one answered. I never got a call back, just an email with an appt date for JULY 19TH! I have no idea why it's going to take so long to get a follow up appt, so I emailed the psych to see if I can get in sooner. I really need this process to be as quick as possible so I can heal before I go back to work in September. I will keep you posted on what he says when he emails me back tomorrow hopefully. I just want to meet with the case manager to get a surgery date!

Ok, sorry for the seemingly spoiled little brat rant I just gave, but I am just annoyed at the delay for something so simple as a follow up appt.

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Edited June 24, 2016 by CNOEL3

[byako 4]

I just started at the Richmond Kaiser location! I have my first appointment with Dr z in a week, kinda nervous for it.

Should I have booked an appointment with a surgeon too? I dont even know a goal weight yet

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[aqua24 35]

@@CNOEL3 I'm sorry to hear about the late appointment. I know they were booked several weeks out but I heard they have cancelations from time to time-hopefully you will be able to grab one of those.

Don't worry about rants, it took me a long time to decide to do this and once I did I wanted the process to go faster too. I was hoping for a July date because my support will be gone middle of August. I doubt I will get a July date at this point so I may have to wait until the end of August.

@@byako no worries, at my orientation half of the group received appointments for the psych and the other half received appointments for the surgeon. After your appt with the psych they will schedule the surgeon appt. I think mine was 2-3 weeks after the first appt.

I was nervous about the psych too but I learned a lot. He just wants to make sure you really understand and can handle what you will go through and the changes that will occur. He goes over again some of the things they talked about in orientation. He will also have your weight checked so he can see how you are progressing so far with the eating plan.

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[CNOEL3 117]

Thanks @@"aqua24" I am hoping for a cancellation, I just didn't want to have to take any time off work.

And @@"byako" I'm happy to hear that we have another person with Richmond Kaiser! Dr Z. Is great, hes very intense, but he has a wonderful way of explaining the surgery and lifestyle changes that we need to go through. He definitely made me more serious about my pre-op eating habits. My biggest suggestion is to start writing your food down (following the meal plan strictly) in a paper notebook. Dr. Z got a bit stern with me when I told him I was using myfitnesspal app which logged calories too.

So I have to go back for a follow up appt soon, he told me to go home, follow the meal plan exactly, and write down my meals in a notebook. This has worked great for me so far, and Ive dropped 10lbs since my last appt with his 2 weeks ago.

I did email him photos of my food journal so he could see my progress and he said that he couldn't be more pleased with me!

I met with my surgeon before my psych appt, but Im sure you will meet your surgeon quickly after your psych appt.

Here is a page from my journal, of basically what I wat, and in the order I eat everyday. I always make sure to measure my food, and eat Protein first, thats what he really stressed to me. (Plus, I had told him I had aome Sangria, and he was very disappointed.) So, hopefully you haven't been drinking either. Lol. Good Luck!

 

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Edited June 24, 2016 by CNOEL3

[CNOEL3 117]

So the Psych called today and rescheduled my appt from July 19 to tomorrow! I am so relieved not to have to stress out for another 3 weeks! I should be meeting with the case manager soon after tomorrow to get a surgery date!!!!

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[aqua24 35]

That's awesome! Glad it's moving faster than previously thought. I was wondering how long it takes to get an appointment with the case manager and how far out they are scheduling surgeries...keep us posted.

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[CNOEL3 117]

Surgery date is 8/8/16!!!! My psych approved me right away, and there was an appt with the case manager right away, so I was able to see her before I left. She approved me and gave me the date. I am on the cancellation list so it could be sooner than that. I am waiting right now to get my EKG done while I'm here, so things are moving quickly!!! I have my classes scheduled for 7/5/16, and my physical for 7/7/16. So after that, It's just a waiting game!!!! I was lucky that the case manager happened to have an appt today after her meeting. Otherwise I would have to drive back here from VV another day.

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Edited June 28, 2016 by CNOEL3

[aqua24 35]

That's great! It must feel good to finally have a date. I'm happy for you. Hopefully you will get a cancellation and have more time to heal.

What was the case manager appointment like?

We are on the same side of the bridge. Have you been to the support group in VV? I was told it was the first and third Monday of the month but the binder says first and fourth Monday's. I have called and left messages for clarification but no one returns my call.

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[byako 4]

Congrats @@CNOEL3 ! I'm actually scheduled for the same class, so maybe I'll see you there! Was funny, when I called to sign up for them I was told people don't usually go in that order (just had orientation, seeing Dr Z for first time tomorrow, no surgeon yet), but we were encouraged to quickly sign up for them or attend support groups in orientation.

@@aqua24 You asked how far out surgeries are scheduled... I remember them making a big point of telling us they only schedule out 1 month in advance, and no later than that. Also, I'd try to just keep calling. I had a similar problem with the Richmond number, but kept calling and eventually got through.

[CNOEL3 117]

That's great! It must feel good to finally have a date. I'm happy for you. Hopefully you will get a cancellation and have more time to heal.

What was the case manager appointment like?

We are on the same side of the bridge. Have you been to the support group in VV? I was told it was the first and third Monday of the month but the binder says first and fourth Monday's. I have called and left messages for clarification but no one returns my call.

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The Case manager appt was intense. She is VERY serious. I could tell that she truly wants us to succeed. She requires you to have yur questionnaire filled out, and the consent form signed. I also brought my food journal. She asked which of the goals in our binder I have met, as well as which ones I am still working on. I hd.to explain to her thay I've stopped drinking, even after I had the 1 sangria the weekend after orientation, I was truthful and have not had a drop since. It was very straightforward and to the point. She explained the Vitamins and told me where to get them and to start taking them now. It was intimidating, but I'm so ready for this that I was well prepared for the surprise appt.

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[CNOEL3 117]

Also, I have not yet been to a support group in VV yet. They are the 1st, and 3rd Monday.of every month, except July 4th one is cancelled. I was told today that I need to attend at least 1 support group before surgery, so I will be going to the 3rd Monday in July for my first one. The Case manager told me "Since you live in VV, there should be no excuses!" Because I told her I missed last month's because I took my grandma to the ER.

Oh, also, I am bummed because she told me I have to get on Birth Control! Ugh. Ive been off of BC for over a year, and its done wonders for my monthly cycle, as well as assisted in weight loss. My husband and I have been using condoms, but she said I will need to get either the implanon which I hated, or the IUD, which I won't ever get, or the shots. So I am making am appt to start the shots simce thats the lesser of the 3 evils. Lol. She said no BC pills!! Which sucks. But oh well, I'm still happy!

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[aqua24 35]

Thanks for the information. I need to attend the group but I am on-call the first and third weeks. I may try to go to VV one and hope I have phone service.

That sucks about BC. I should probably make an appointment as well. I got off BC a few years ago and have been happier without it. Shots sound like better option to me too.

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[JenniBenni 1]

I'm about halfway through my appts for VSG surgery at Richmond Kaiser with Dr. Albert Im. He seems like a wonderful Surgeon. Im just curious if theres anyone else on here who is going through the process at the same location as me.

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Hey there! Im going thru richmond kaiser with Dr. Im. I have my meeting with the case manager on Monday and was told I will receive an august survey date. I'm more than excited. I felt during our group class that the case manager was a bit mean... How was your appointment with her?

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[CNOEL3 117]

I'm about halfway through my appts for VSG surgery at Richmond Kaiser with Dr. Albert Im. He seems like a wonderful Surgeon. Im just curious if theres anyone else on here who is going through the process at the same location as me.

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Hey there! Im going thru richmond kaiser with Dr. Im. I have my meeting with the case manager on Monday and was told I will receive an august survey date. I'm more than excited. I felt during our group class that the case manager was a bit mean... How was your appointment with her?

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Ya, she's a bit...... intense I guess. Lol. She totally intimidates me. I guess she has to be like that though to make sure that people follow through with the meal plan and do what they are supposed to do. She was definitely very straightforward during my 1 on 1 appt with her. But I made sure to bring my food journal with me and I'm glad I did. August 8th is my surgery date for sure, maybe even sooner if someone cancels. I wish you luck!

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[audaciousmarie 161]

I'm about halfway through my appts for VSG surgery at Richmond Kaiser with Dr. Albert Im. He seems like a wonderful Surgeon. Im just curious if theres anyone else on here who is going through the process at the same location as me.

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Hey there! Im going thru richmond kaiser with Dr. Im. I have my meeting with the case manager on Monday and was told I will receive an august survey date. I'm more than excited. I felt during our group class that the case manager was a bit mean... How was your appointment with her?

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Believe it or not...you are not the first person that has that impression of her. Kudos to you for making it this far in the process!

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