Kaiser Permenente in Salem

Has anybody else went through the "severe obesity program" at KP in salem?

 My doctor just refered me and supposedly this is how you can eventually get wls.

I just wanted to see if there was anybody else to talk to so I would know what to expect.
 about how many classes and about how long it takes ect..

hoping for a reply, Thanks!  ^_^

I didn't do the program in Salem but I did do the program in Portland for a year. You have to (at least in my case) go to either a 5 or 12 week Freedom From Diets class. I think that they have changed it to just the 5 week program now so that should save you some time. Then you have to use those skills that you learned and keep your food diaries and meet with the Nutritionist and Case worker once a month or so (you will need to push to get appointments that often because they aren't very structured and will rely on you making the appointments to keep up with your progress). They will evaluate you (really just seeing how much weight you lose during that time) and then send you through some various testing to prep you for surgery. I think they require a sleep study and Blood Gas Analysis pretty early on in their program as well.

I personally don't know how long the process will go because I decided on a procedure that Kaiser doesn't do so I left the program. The Freedom From Diets (which might now be called Weight Management or something similar) class is informative but all common sense things.

Good Luck to you!

Courtney

Thank you so much! you insight gives me information when I had little.

Bah!... I hate all that common sense junk.... " you are fat so you must be stupid"
 "you do this because you feel this way" or " your eating problem stems from child hood trauma"
 
I eat because I feel hungry. ^_^

I hate when the act condisendingly and act like they "understand" I hate when they TELL me how I feel. as if they have ever been obese.

I know they probably mean well.....

I'm really not an angry person, I'm just frustrated.
 

I have Kaiser, It took me 18 months to get from orentation to having a meeting with the surgeon.  I too went thru the 12 week freedom from diet class, then had many meetings with Brenda, ( the dietician) and Julie ( the social worker).  I had my durgery done at Kaiser Sunnyside in Clackmus. I had surgery on August 22, 2006.  I started out at 526 lbs and currantly weigh around 236 lbs.  I have hit the brick wall.

Good luck on your journey

Peggy

Peggy congratulations on your awesome weight loss!
Brick walls are hard-I'm rooting for you!

I've been going to the support group every month, I'm  going to the pulmonologist next week, I've been keeping a food diary. went to the orientation.
unfortunately my class doesn't start 'till November-but it's only five weeks.
I've lot 17 lbs, and I'm starting water aerobics in October.
So I'm hoping for the best and I am very, very impatient.