Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

This is for Bella! Congrats on your 100lbs!

[BellaPerdente 0]

Thanks everyone for their support.

[Lap_dancer 8]

Hello Friends!

First, Bella....la la la la :thumbup: Way to go! The first biggest milemarker and you reached it. Congratulations.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT A POOR WORK ENVIRONMENT

This week at work kept me away from checking in with you all daily.

>Anyone out there have one person at their job who is quite cruel, manipulative, divisive and creates a difficult environment? < That's the type of thing I am dealing with.

In the midst of my back spasms/pain/med adjustment I was out of work six days.

When I came back, I learned this person had inferred to supervisors..and it got to my supervisor..I was "no where to be found when needed, left other people stuck to do my job" and they didn't want to pick up the added responsibility.

When I say responsibility, that would be my one student.

Long story short, i spent the better part of this week correcting misperceptions and putting out fires she had started.

i've come to the conclusion she tries to make herself appear in charge of things by belittling those she works with. Even her 'best friend' a teacher in the next room, isn't immune from her actions.

Here's an example of what she does as a form of manipulation and to create a situation. She knows I have back problems and difficulty walking. Yesterday she called my office and told me my student's bus number had changed to 23. At dismissal, he and I walked the entire bus loop. No bus 23. My legs and toes were numb. I had a driver from one of the buses call central office and found out, there is no such bus number. There IS a bus 32 and that is the bus he is to get on.

She's making it very hard on a co-worker by interjecting comments, distractions, during the work day.

Anyone know any good head games? I'd love to give her a dose of her own medicine.

Edited February 15, 2009 by Lap_dancer

[Lap_dancer 8]

To who is charting our next challenge. 285 now, 273 March 17th. Twelve pounds

[julie.ann 1]

I guess that would be me. I'll put you down for a goal of -12. We are going until April 1st. We will still post on Saturdays. Let me know if the time table changes your goal.

[Lap_dancer 8]

I guess that would be me. I'll put you down for a goal of -12. We are going until April 1st. We will still post on Saturdays. Let me know if the time table changes your goal.

Ohhhh that's a difference. Well I am going to shoot for 252.

Why not!

Friends root me on. That will be my presurgical weight and will also put me very close to the desired weight of my plastic surgeons.

I'm adding walking to my daily routine.

Dee, using your magic math, can you give me a daily and weekly goal. I don't know your formula but you have a method. Please post it here so I can follow it.

[Lolo 0]

Can someone tell me what their pre-op consisted of? Thanks.

[julie.ann 1]

Can someone tell me what their pre-op consisted of? Thanks.

Sure. It was basically modified Atkins. Absolubtely no bread, Pasta, rice or potatoes in an effort to shrink the liver and get rid of all the fatty stuff. Three healthy meals a day and Protein Shakes in between. That was when Dr. K said to me if you aren't hungry then don't eat. That is very important. That was when my eating habits chaged big time!

[Lolo 0]

Pre-op tests?

[julie.ann 1]

Pre-op tests?

Dr. K operates on obese but otherwise generally health patients. He doesn't do pre-op testing. He will go over it all with you. He is great about giving you all the time to ask all the questions you have. I have heard of some getting lab and EKG at their primary care doctor's office. I wish I would have had a cardiac panel drawn to check my cholesterol and triglycerides and such, but that is just to see where I was and how far I've come. I would have liked my A1C checked to see how high my blood sugars had been running. Again that is all just for information. I am anal retentive about having as much information as possible. I even have 3 excel spread sheets to track differnt parts of my weight loss.

I guess that's the nurse in me.

Dr. K is very kind will give you all the information you ask for!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Pre-op tests?

I thought you were asking about a Pre-op diet too.

Dr. K charges a very low price for the surgery. He only does what is medically necessary. IF you are really uncomfortable with that you might want to go elsewhere. He doesn't do pre-op testing.

I had to go self-pay and I checked many other docs in my area. The least was asking $17,000. He did all the regular pre-op testing and that was extra on top of the $17K. Dr. K uses his critical thinking pathways. He doesn't do tests that are not needed.

I'm a nurse and I have worked with two kinds of docs - those who don't think about what they order - but just order anything and everything. When asked, "what are you going to do with those results?" They answer, "nothing, but it's standard to do these tests." So there we go, poking and proding and torturing our patients, because "that is what is standard." Many times we torture our patients, get results that we all expected - normal results and then the patient leaves with this huge bill coming to their home later. It's called, "Covering Your Ass" medicine. Not fun to be subjected to and NOT fun to have to administer. Other times we get unexpected results and still nothing to done and the patients goes home with a huge bill.

I truly think if you're not comfortable with the way Dr. K handles things,you should go elsewhere. There are many other docs who will order every test available and be more than happy to bill you for them. Dr. K isn't NOT doing tests to save himself some money, that's not the way medicine works. IF a doc wants to order something, he orders it, then he bills the patient and the patient pays - as in our case being self-pay. He wouldn't be the one who is saving himself money! No doc orders tests and covers the cost of them, themselves. I address this because in one of your last posts, you asked if he didn't order tests to save himself money.

I'm not getting angry or pissy. It just concerns me that you have so many doubts. This is perfectly okay, you should have doubts this is a life changing event in your life. I was banded by Dr. K - I knew upfront what he ordered and what he didn't pre-operatively. Just as you now know. I have a PCP whom I used to see regularly. Every quarter, I saw him to do my liver studies because I WAS on Lipitor prior to losing 133lbs with the band. I knew Dr. K wouldn't order things, so I would have asked my PCP to order them, should I have felt they were vital.

IF you truly want to go with Dr. K, find out what other docs are ordering on their patients - go to your PCP and request him/her to get these tests done. Check for sleep Apnea, do a CBC, get a Psyc Eval done, an EKG, Liver studies, a complete metabolic panel, and whatever else is standard. I'm not sure of everything. A think some do a Barium Swallow to check your esphogeal mobility. Get that done too - do what it takes to feel comfortable that you're ready for this surgery and then make your decision as to whom will do it.

These tests can give you good information, but will this information make a difference on how the band is placed? Most likely not.

Good Luck!

edit: I remembered my friend who was banded elsewhere, also had to get a Glucose Tolerance Test done to see if she was diabetic and a Lipid Panel to check her lipids, LDL's, HDL's, Triglycerides and cholesterol.

Edited February 15, 2009 by PrtyAntOvrYt

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Ohhhh that's a difference. Well I am going to shoot for 252.

Why not!

Friends root me on. That will be my presurgical weight and will also put me very close to the desired weight of my plastic surgeons.

I'm adding walking to my daily routine.

Dee, using your magic math, can you give me a daily and weekly goal. I don't know your formula but you have a method. Please post it here so I can follow it.

I got 33lbs Patty in 6 weeks - which would be 5.5lbs a week. 11.6% is what you'll need to lose.

[Lap_dancer 8]

I got 33lbs Patty in 6 weeks - which would be 5.5lbs a week. 11.6% is what you'll need to lose.

This is the part I want to learn how to do. Could you teach me?

.............................................

Julieann thank you for taking on the numbers this challenge.

................................................

Today I'm giving a shout out to those girls who took baby steps with me. They had my back when my knees went weak.

Michelle - Dynamo Mini Mal my pal

Shelbie

Hope the kids are great, school is going well, love is flourishing finely.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Sure girlfriend!

33 lbs divided by 6 weeks = 5.5 lbs a week, BUT I guess the challenge is for 6.5 weeks. IT's 45 days. Which is 33/45 = .73lbs a day. I think that's doable! I know, I know some will say it's not wise, but us big girls can do that. (or we can delude ourselves into thinking we can)

I think you can! When you're able to move - if your back is better, you lose weight pretty quickly. I'll be your cheerleader!

[Snowgator 3]

Dee,

Would you mind posting that oatmeal recipe? I think I missed it if you did post.

Hope everybody is doing well and that you had a nice v-day.