Re: New & looking for So. Cal Kaiser patients

[Guest guest]

,

Welcome to the group! Were glad you found us. Please feel free to

tell anyone you no about this group who can use it.

About your post. Yep We ALL went though this. I was really upset

about the 10% to ,but like Ramona said its really a good thing.

Whhich you don't really see til after the surgey lol. There are

allot of hoops we have to jump though to get this surgey. Which I

think is good. This is not the easy way out as some people might

think. This is Major surgey . Kaiser trys to maks us as preared as

they can. Don't worry you will be able to lose the weight its just

seems really hard right now. Good luck!

Shell

> Hi there, My name is and I am interested in finding out if

> there is anyone in this group who is from so cal.(specifically

> Riverside). I really want to find out if the requrements for WLS

is

> the same for all so cal people. I went to my first orientation and

> was informed that I must first lose 10% of my starting weight (33

> lbs) before the preventative medicine dept will ever send my file

to

> get approval (from Ron? in LA) for surgery. I will be having

surgery

> through Pac Bar in San Diego. I feel like it is slap in the face

to

> me to tell me sorry, " We can't forward your paperwork until you

do

> something that you haven't been able to do in at least 15 yrs. "

It

> doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. If I could lose 30 or 40

> lbs, I wouldn't be here asking for WLS. Duh ! It would be like

saying

> to a person with diabetes, " You need to get control over your

sugar

> levels before we can give you any insulin. " How dumb does that

> sound? Ok enough ranting. Sorry, but the more I think about it,

the

> madder I get. I just wonder if anyone from SSF area has had this

> req. imposed on them too. I feel that if I qualify for the

surgery,

> (which I do), shouldn't it be determined by the surgeon how much

> weight I need to lose, if any? I was reading some posts from Pac

> Bar's website and I couldn't find anyone from Northern Cal that

HAD

> to lose weight before seeing the surgeons at Pac Barr. Help, I

need

> to know.

> Thanks

>

[Guest guest]

Hi , and welcome to the group, and to the world of revolving

Kaiser protocols. Northern California seems to have its act

together, but then, most there now go to Kaiser hospitals--maybe

that has led to the more cohesive policy. I am in southern

California (south Orange County), and no, Kaiser did not tell me I

had to lose 10% of my weight--my PCP told me I had to meet with a

Kaiser dietician for 6 months before she would consider referring me

for the surgery. I met with a dietician once, but then signed up

for a 10-week " Freedom From Fat " class given by Kaiser. I've lost

about 40% of the weight (also 33 pounds for me). The class ended a

couple of weeks ago, and already I am regaining. My PCP has

referred me, but I don't have an approval letter yet, so I am

planning on taking the class again. Believe me, besides making you

healthier for the surgery, which it does, and besides showing your

commitment, which it will, it also gets you ready to eat less--

forever. The surgery is a permanent, life-changing event.

Also, did you know that Pacific Bariatrics requires a 10% weight

loss! I highly recommend that you take yourself to the next PB

Seminar being held in the Riverside area (you don't need permission

from Kaiser, or PB--just walk in). There you will learn about their

program, AND, they will weigh you. Then your current weight is what

they base the 10% loss on. In other words, you don't want to lose

10% for Kaiser, then 10% more for PB!

All best in your journey toward WLS.

Pat

Pre-Op

> Hi there, My name is and I am interested in finding out if

> there is anyone in this group who is from so cal.(specifically

> Riverside). I really want to find out if the requrements for WLS

is

> the same for all so cal people. I went to my first orientation and

> was informed that I must first lose 10% of my starting weight (33

> lbs) before the preventative medicine dept will ever send my file

to

> get approval (from Ron? in LA) for surgery. I will be having

surgery

> through Pac Bar in San Diego.

[Guest guest]

,

Pat made a good point. Re-gaining the weight is how it ALWAYS was

for me! You can think of this as a good thing. once you lose the 10%

or more you will never gain that back and your that much ahead of

the game

Shell

> > Hi there, My name is and I am interested in finding out if

> > there is anyone in this group who is from so cal.(specifically

> > Riverside). I really want to find out if the requrements for

WLS

> is

> > the same for all so cal people. I went to my first orientation

and

> > was informed that I must first lose 10% of my starting weight

(33

> > lbs) before the preventative medicine dept will ever send my

file

> to

> > get approval (from Ron? in LA) for surgery. I will be having

> surgery

> > through Pac Bar in San Diego.

[Guest guest]

> Hi there, My name is and I am interested in finding out if

> there is anyone in this group who is from so cal.(specifically

> Riverside). I really want to find out if the requrements for WLS is

> the same for all so cal people. I went to my first orientation and

> was informed that I must first lose 10% of my starting weight (33

> lbs) before the preventative medicine dept will ever send my file to

> get approval (from Ron? in LA) for surgery. I will be having surgery

> through Pac Bar in San Diego. I feel like it is slap in the face to

> me to tell me sorry, " We can't forward your paperwork until you do

> something that you haven't been able to do in at least 15 yrs. " It

> doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. If I could lose 30 or 40

> lbs, I wouldn't be here asking for WLS. Duh ! It would be like saying

> to a person with diabetes, " You need to get control over your sugar

> levels before we can give you any insulin. " How dumb does that

> sound? Ok enough ranting. Sorry, but the more I think about it, the

> madder I get. I just wonder if anyone from SSF area has had this

> req. imposed on them too. I feel that if I qualify for the surgery,

> (which I do), shouldn't it be determined by the surgeon how much

> weight I need to lose, if any? I was reading some posts from Pac

> Bar's website and I couldn't find anyone from Northern Cal that HAD

> to lose weight before seeing the surgeons at Pac Barr. Help, I need

> to know.

> Thanks

>

, I live in Riverside, and actually go to Kaiser Fontana because

I have a friend who recommended a PA there, and I really like her. I

started this journey in June 2003, and attended the mandatory class at

Kaiser regarding the surgery. I had surgery on 4/16/2004 with Dr.

in San Diego, and I was not required to lose 10% before they would

schedule my surgery, although I did lose 10 pounds. Dont ask me why,

as from what I have read, most folks are required to do so. It seems

like a lot of hoops to jump through, but I have quite a few friends

that have had the surgery before me, and I am more educated about the

procedure than most of them. In fact, I am giving them pointers about

our new lifestyle. I just think Kaiser wants all its patients to be as

prepared as possible, both mentally, physically and emotionally before

taking this on. Please contact me if you would like to talk.

[Guest guest]

, did your PA refer you for your WLS? I didn't know they had

that much authority. There is one a like a lot locally, and would

like to think I could go to her if I hit any stumbling blocks with

my PCP.

, what said is right--the more you educate yourself about

the surgery and all it involves, both before and after, the more

quickly PB will move you along in their process--once you get to

them. I don't know this from personal experience yet, but I've

always thought that, and confirms it.

Pat

Pre-Op

>

> , I live in Riverside, and actually go to Kaiser Fontana

because

> I have a friend who recommended a PA there, and I really like

her. I

> started this journey in June 2003, and attended the mandatory

class at

> Kaiser regarding the surgery. I had surgery on 4/16/2004 with Dr.

> in San Diego, and I was not required to lose 10% before they would

> schedule my surgery, although I did lose 10 pounds. Dont ask me

why,

> as from what I have read, most folks are required to do so. It

seems

> like a lot of hoops to jump through, but I have quite a few friends

> that have had the surgery before me, and I am more educated about

the

> procedure than most of them. In fact, I am giving them pointers

about

> our new lifestyle. I just think Kaiser wants all its patients to

be as

> prepared as possible, both mentally, physically and emotionally

before

> taking this on. Please contact me if you would like to talk.

>

>