So I got my referral paperwork yesterday.  Its official, I see my surgeon in 10 days.  I had a phone call on Friday from the bariatric department at Kaiser to "check in" on me.  The call started out great, just telling me that my letter was sent, but then it started getting negative.  She asked how much weight I have lost, and I told her I maintained in the past month.  Apparently that was the WRONG answer, because it triggered a long lecture about dedication and how the surgeon may refuse my surgery now.  I was shocked and hurt.  They never told me how much I needed to lose in the first place.  Obviously 15lbs wasn't good enough.  I was told by Kaiser that the surgeon would ask me to lose some weight before surgery, but I didn't know that I needed to lose it before I went to see him.  Now I am stressing and worried that he will refuse me.  

I wish Kaiser knew how to talk to their patients.  It seems that all they know how to do is discourage and judge people.

Sounds like they need to communicate with their clients a lot more clearly! I'm sorry to hear about your troubles and hope they resolve soon.

 i highly doubt he will refuse you based on not losing weight before you ever saw him. honestly, it's none of the woman at kaiser's business if you lost weight or not. that's between you and the surgeon and who ever makes the ultimate decision on insurance approval. i WAS dedicated, went to the gym 4-5 times a week, ate the right things in the right amounts and continued to gain until i had surgery. i would try and speak to a supervisor at kaiser if you have her name, or at least the time and date of the call (perhaps they could look it up), or if you are supposed to stick with her throughout your journey (that's how it was for united) asked to be switched to someone else, as she may have something to do with your approval process.

 I have already recieved my approval letters, and I am finished with the Kaiser for the most part, aside from annual visits for after surgery.  I guess she was just a nurse doing phone calls that day.  I have never met her.  I have filed numerous complains about the weightloss program and the ridicule and judgements they put on us, but I have never heard a response.

Luckly, last night I met the RN of the surgeon I will be seeing and she assured me that everything will be FINE.  :)

 that's ridiculous! glad everything is going to go as planned though! which surgery are you having and do you have a date yet?

 I am having the VGS, and my consultation is on the 16th.  I only have a few more meetings I need to go to, so most likely I will be schedualed for late September.

 good luck with everything and keep us updated!

I had the dietitian tell me the same thing. I looked at her and chewed her out for about 30 minutes telling her how dedicated I AM. When I went to see my surgeon I was nervous as could be. I had gained 9 lbs (was a muscle gain). He told me I was showing I was dedicated and I would do well. He put me on the liquid diet wanting me to lose 10 lbs before surgery. I only lost about 2-4, but he could tell I was trying and was following his diet. This showed I NEEDED the surgery just as I said. Good luck hun! If they try to say you are not dedicated or you did not loose enough, remind them that if you could loose weight naturally why would you want to do a life threatening, life altering surgery?