Laurel E.

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Company potluck today, I did pretty good, I only had one mini brownie for dessert. I realize I will not get my surgery done until at least the end of Jan as I still have 10# to lose (+a few for scales difference) before my surgeon will schedule my date. I plan on going in for a weigh in after Xmas so see what his scale says. Got really sick last few weeks and have not been on my elliptical for almost 2 weeks. I am giving myself until after Xmas then back to basics. DH (the dirty rat) has lost about 45# since mid Oct. He does a two hour workout 3 times a week and can really restrict what he eats, Hate him!!, but he is looking really sexy!!!!

Well, not doing as well as I had hoped on losing the 32# I need to get my surgery scheduled.  I am somewhat following the 1200 cal diet. I did convince my DH to buy me an Elliptical Machine for my birthday (52 this year) and I have actually been using it.  I am up to 12 minutes twice a day and I have been pretty good  about doing it during the week. I have been giving myself the weekends off. Thanksgiving was at my Brothers and I did fairly well, then the day after we went up to my Mother-in laws in Pioneer for the rest of the holiday weekend. We did eat and I didn't necessarily restrict myself to not eating goodies. The good news is that I only gained 1# so I am OK with that.  Since I am losing so slow (I have been cheating some) I am thinking I will have to revise my surgery date until sometime in January.  I still have to lose 14# (plus a few more as my scale is probably not like my dr's). I am really going to put a push on, but I am also not going to beat myself up if I mess up here and there, it is after all the start of the holidays. The good news is that my DH is on board and also dieting (he is reading Dr Oz's book from Ophra) and he has lost about 30# in the last month. GRRRRRRRR hard to be supportative of him when I am losing so slow. He also needs to lose about 100# but is not getting the surgery. He can do it himself if he applies himself. He can workout for 1-2 hours and keep to a strict diet. Wish I was a little more like him

Nutrition class at Kaiser Richmond. Again my DH went with me and this actually was a good class. Unlike the orientation meeting it was not particularity slanted to either surgery. She did mention that the next nutrition class would be for Lapband patients only. Back at the orientation meeting in the binder they give you is Kaiser's 1200 cal diet that they want you to follow. The usual progression is Orientation meeting, Nutrition class approx 3-4 weeks later, Consult with Dr approx 2-3 weeks after that. They feel that if you start the diet after the orientation class by the time you see the surgeon approx 6 weeks later you may have lost enough weight to get your surgery scheduled. LOL LOL LOL.  Anywho I had only lost about 10#so far, and I had had my appoints out of order. I am going to get myself ontrack (been saying goodbye to some foods for the last month and a half). I was hoping to lose all the weight by the end of Nov so I could get my surgery scheduled for the last week of December as my work wants all employees to take that time off.

Orientation meeting at Kaiser Richmond. Well, I was really very disappointed with this informational meeting. While they did briefly mention the Lapband, it was totally slanted to the RNY. I really did not like the Dr (I think it was Dr Spencer, can't remember now) who presented most of the information. At one point he put up a slide that showed an unfilled lapband side by side with a filled lapband. He then stated that  "As you can see there really is little to no difference between the two bands" He also stated that he felt much was made of getting fills and really the person just need to police what they ate. I was like WHAT????? I had already been on this board for a few months and I thought that this guy was a real jerk. I would have protested his attitude and info but he had already slammed a few others who had just asked questions. With the info he presented, I would be very surprised it anyone out of our group of about 50 people even asked about the lapband at their consultation. At this meeting everyone was given a binder that we are to bring to all future meetings. I had been given the binder and an insert for the lapband on 9-6 after my appointment with Dr Im. The binder also was mostly slanted towards the RNY - what the heck, what's up with these people! The binders that everyone else got  didn't have the insert - so how was anyone suppose to know anymore about the lapband?????

Appointment with Dr Im at Kaiser Richmond to see if I can get the Lapband. (My PCP said they would decide what surgery I would get if I qualified for their program - she did not know much about their program) My DH went with me and they weighed me - 326# on their scale. Saw Dr Im and he was very nice. My only concern with him was that he said he had only done 5 lapbands since Kaiser had only started doing them in 4/06. I hope he does more before he gets to me!!!  We did not even discuss the RNY as I told him I was only interested in the Lapband. We did discuss how my eating habits and lifestyle would need to change and he did a brief exam (didn't even have to take off any clothes!) and told me I would need to lose 10% of my weight (32#) before he would schedule surgery. He realized at the end of the consultation that they had mis-scheduled my appoints and that I was suppose to have the Orientation meeting (mandatory) before the consultation was even scheduled. So we went over to the Bariatric office and they scheduled the orientation for 9-27-06.

Very impatient like most of us who want the surgery. Decided to follow up with the Kaiser Richmond Bariatric group to see if my PCP had forwarded on all the necessary report. I was lucky that the gal had my file on her desk and she made me an appointment with Dr Im for 9-6-06.

Saw the Nutritionist at Kaiser. Basically all she did was document my weight loss attempts in the past. May have helped that about two years ago I had asked my PCP about WLS and she had me take Kaisers weight loss management class (6 or 8 weeks, I can't remember). I had learned somethings that I actually did do, but like most of my other attempts, it did not last. She said she would also forward her report on to my PCP who would forward everything on to the Bariatric Surgery Group at Kaiser in Richmond, CA

Saw Dr Lipsker at Kaiser for my Pysch eval. He made me wait about 20 minutes, and I was getting nervous. Had about a 20 minute chat. Told him that I wanted the Lapband and my history. He was very nice and agreed to pass on this eval to my PCP.

Saw my PCP at Kaiser about getting the Lapband. She wasn't really very supportative (I basically told her that was what I wanted and did Kaiser do it) but agreed to give me the necessary referalls for the Psych eval and the Nutritionist.