Advice on how to proceed with Kaiser?

[Shrinking Violette 0]

hi ladies:

My friend who just got banded through richmond this week said her process went like this:

"you will be asked to weigh in normally before the first "orientation class/seminar". At kaiser richmond, they just had us check in and hop on the scale. Dressed, some people took off their shoes, but you were not allowed on barefoot (socks ok). It was off to the side with only the facilitator able to see the scale, and a really long line. Some people came in late and were weighed at the end, but it had to be done at that class as that was considered your starting point weight.

The seminar then was all about the program, the pros/cons of surgery. The especially harped on about the limitations and the things to be worried about. Probably trying to get the flaky folks to drop out. Then, after the lecture portion, they had all "support folks" like your husband, parent, friend leave the room and gave us a 7 page highly personal, confidential questionaire to complete and then we left. Questions about past dieting habits, traumatic experiences, issues about your sex life, issues with eating disorders, etc.

In the handouts you left with was a copy of the diet they suggested you start to get you going!

That was it, and it was about 2-3 months after that before i got my next appointment which was a 5 hour seminar. Then the psychologist appt, a meeting with the surgeon where they check you out and give you your preop goal weight, which is normally around 10% of your body weight at the first orientation weigh in.

Once you make weight... Appointment to weigh in, appointment with case manager where a surgery date is set and then pre op class and nutrition class and then pre op physical and then after a few labs, you are good to go.

Hang in there. It feels like a really long process, but if you think about it, my first seminar was the end of january and here i am today...done! And remember, this is richmond... Maybe fremont is quicker."

remember that at your first orientation, they weigh you & that is your starting weight. Almost everyone is asked to lose at least 10% of that starting weight. My friend had the stomach flu right before she went & her weight was down 8 lbs. She had to lose 10% based on the lower # but when she went home and started to feel better she of course gained the 8 lbs back which meant she had to lose even more than they advised! Basically, you want to be at your heaviest weight on orientation day. Don't diet ahead of that appointment because the pounds lost won't count. Good luck!

wow you rock, your so informative, congratulation on your surgery, may i ask you after you were done with the class, can you fill me in as to what happened next? Did you have a psych evalution and if so what did they ask you?

Thanks,

s.v.