Prynn65

Regine,
I'm an LPN and currently in an RN program. I do some of my clinicals at Memorial, and didn't even realize Dr. Choi worked there! :smile: So much for my "research", huh? LOL
Anyway, I read your post asking about whether or not it is normal to be scared. Let me tell you, I was petrified on the morning of surgery. First of all, I had my pre-op appointment 3 weeks before surgery. So Dr. Choi wanted me to lose 20 to 30 lbs. I did the diet for 2 weeks, where dinner was included. Then the last week it was 3 to 4 shakes per day only.
Their scale was about 6 lbs different from mine. According to my scale, I lost only 16 lbs on surgery date, but on their scale it was 22 lbs. So of course I was freaking out, thinking I didn't "really" lose what he wanted. And I would wake up without a band, from a fat liver. LOL But thank goodness that wasn't the case.
And of course when they put me on the OR table, I felt for a minute like jumping off and forgetting the whole thing. Something about being intubated scared me to death. In fact, as I was drifting off to sleep, I kept trying to open my eyes, fighting anesthesia. LOL
I heard them joking that they were going to get this one guy to do the intubation, because he needed practice. I said, "I can't open my eyes, but I hope you guys know that I can hear you." Everyone started laughing. And before I knew it, surgery was over.
I was wheeled into the OR at 9:10 am, and woke up in recovery at 10:10 am. I told my nurse I had "bad gas pains". She said it was from my surgery. I was like, "It's over??" When she said yes, I said "Thank you, Jesus." LOL
I was a but nauseated at first, but that subsided before I left the facility. And Dr. Choi only prescribed Percocet. I was worried at first, because I thought I'd have nausea at home. But when the nurse asked if I could have a prescription for it, he said I wouldn't need it, because it was only from the anesthesia. He was right!
I had shoulder pain for one day post-op. The heating pad helped with that. And then I took Gas X and Percocet for all the other pain, for a few days. The pain was mostly from the gas they put into your abdomen. My incisions (four across the abdomen, and a smaller one kind of between the breasts) didn't bother me. The whole thing really wasn't that bad at all. So no worries! Think positive and have faith, and you will be fine. :laugh:

I had my LAP-BAND® procedure done at Strax. I am 12 days post op and feel great! I'm down 28 lbs (including pre-op diet) and am excited about a healthier, happier future.
Dr. Choi was very personable and friendly. The one thing I noticed though, was that he didn't go into great detail, explaining things like what to expect, fills, diet, etc. He seemed to be in a rush the few times I spoke with him (pre-op appointment, day of surgery, and first follow-up appointment).
However, I had already done extensive research on the band for over a year, so it wasn't really a big deal. I knew what I was getting myself into. And to his credit, the few questions I DID have, he answered to my satisfaction. So I guess I would just advise anyone going to him, to have their questions handy (even written down), to ensure all their concerns are addressed.
He also called me at home the morning after surgery, to see how I was doing. I missed the call, but heard the voicemail. I was impressed that he actually called to check in. It made me feel liked he cared. LOL
The facility at Strax is well-equipped and very clean. They have a full operating room and recovery area. The staff is very professional and caring. Everyone I came in contact with, put me at ease (I was a nervous wreck). I got there at 8 am, and was leaving by 11:30. The actual surgery took less than an hour. I was even able to fill my pain medication at their pharmacy, for a mere $16.
I was a bit hesistant at first, since lap banding at Strax seemed to be a fairly new procedure being offered. But from the research I've done on Dr. Choi, (as far back as 5 to 6 years- in New York), I couldn't find anything negative. And he told me he was trained by bariatric surgeons (can't remember exact details).
Either way, I am very pleased with my experience there, and would recommend Strax/Choi to anyone.