Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

DrewsLou · January 26, 2007

I can't honestly say one way or another. I know when I had my flouro fill it was to check for a leak. I do think that he will fill you more agressivley if you explain your circumstances to him. I would think as long as you are hanging around for at least a day or so after your fill he would feel more comfortable doing that. That being said... do you have anyone in your area that could unfill you on the off chance you get too tight?

There's mt 2 cents!

VABandster · January 26, 2007

Yeah, there are plenty of places I can go for an unfill if I needed one....I guess when he does the "water trick" I just need to make sure its as tight as it can be...

I think part of my frustration is that the scale is NOT moving...in fact it went up 3 pounds in the past 2 days! :-( I'm starting to freak out a little!

DrewsLou · January 26, 2007

I have been pretty stalled out the past couple of weeks. I haven't lost anything since I saw you!

Restriction is so hard to judge in the office drinking Water, especially the first time you get a fill. I had no idea what restriction was supposed to feel like. He can always fill you super tight and then back it off and take the saline out until it's comfortable. Maybe try that??

VABandster · January 26, 2007

I know!! I didn't know what it was supposed to feel like either! and I hear these people saying they get filled so tight that Water doesn't go through, then the Dr. takes out a little bit....so I think that's the approach I need to try! I mean, I would definitely feel if waters not passing at all...right??

Sorry to hear you haven't lost any since we saw each other! I think I've only lost about 4-5 pounds since then myself.....and although in my Head I knew that the first fill may not last long, its still frustrating!!

OK...I made my appt. for the 19th of Feb. W/Dr. K......Its gonna be a quickie trip! I'm flying in on sunday, leaving on Mon so I don't have to take any days off from my new job.....and HOPING That this 2nd Fill works!!!!! :pray:

If I can just lose a few pounds in between now and then I'd be

kwhenrykerr · January 26, 2007

You can feel the Water sitting in and not going down. It is not like anything before. When the fill is backed off till it goes down you will know.

VABandster · January 26, 2007

KW....have you had it done that way?? Did you panic at all when the Water was blocked and not going down?? I just don't want to freak out when it happens!

kwhenrykerr · January 26, 2007

No freak out, but it was very different. Both fill were done this way and have worked very well. It could be done without the flouroscope like this, but I like the picture of everthing in-place and working right. When I loose the 3 1/2 inches of fat that cover my port I will feel better about not causing a leak. My port is hard to find by hand and the flouroscope makes it a one stick thing.

skyeblu79 · January 26, 2007

Ok Gang....need a little advice here. I called Dr. Ks office trying to make an appt. for my 2nd fill and I wanted to get it done under Fluro. Well, Marilyn just called me back and said he won't do it unless there is a reason for it (i.e. a suspected problem). So...I'm set to have another fill w/him on Feb. 19th the way I had the first one filled. I'm kind of bummed about it. I'm also having a hard time finding flights to CO that are affordable. So I'm trying to decide if I should switch to a local Doc and just start getting my fills here.
For those of you out of towners that are using Dr. K.....are you going back to him at all or starting w/fills locally??

I had kind of hoped to keep going to Dr. K cause i really like him and want the consistency, but I just don't know at this point if its going to be worth it $wise if I have to keep going back so often!

Help, advice, suggestions from the peanut gallery welcome....Thanks!

I thought about going back @ least for my first fill, but I think I will just find a doctor here. For me it will be to complicated/expensive to fly back and forth. I would probably have to miss a day of work, get a taxi to the office, and travel alone. If the flight was cheaper from NC I would consider it more.

I am shocked @ how much the fills cost here though. I am going to check around a little more, but the doctor I am leaning towards charges $1,500 (including $500 initial fee) for the whole year. Depending on how many fills I would get in a year, I guess overall it may not be that bad. This is the best deal I have found and he's like 20 minutes away.

VABandster · January 26, 2007

Wow....for $1500 you could fly back and forth to CO a few times! ;-)

But, I guess if you needed a fill every couple of weeks...it'd be worth it!

I am going to go to Dr. K for my 2nd fill, and I'm just hoping that will last me for a while! If it doesnt, then I'm definitely going to find a local Dr. who will hopefully not charge me an arm and a leg!!

marjon9 · January 26, 2007

I decided that I would have the fills done locally with Dr. Susan Brinkley in Frederick. I'll have my first fill with her on Feb. 21. She charges $200 on an as-needed basis with no program fee, and people seem to like her a lot.

Kirsten, I can understand why you want to stick with Dr. K, but it seems like a lot of effort to go back to Colorado for fills. And even if the plane fare is not more than $200, there's the time and stress of all that travel. And, as I understand it, with the 10 cc band in particular it can take time and several fills to get to the sweet spot.

I know you are motivated to move forward with the weight loss as soon as possible, but you're doing so great already and you've only had the band for five weeks now. It seems like it could be a good way to go to settle in locally with the fills and move ahead with a slightly more gradual approach.

I know it's hard. I also can't wait to get to that sweet spot.

skyeblu79 · January 27, 2007

Wow....for $1500 you could fly back and forth to CO a few times!
But, I guess if you needed a fill every couple of weeks...it'd be worth it!

I am going to go to Dr. K for my 2nd fill, and I'm just hoping that will last me for a while! If it doesnt, then I'm definitely going to find a local Dr. who will hopefully not charge me an arm and a leg!!

True, I could....But then I have to factor in transportation and a day of messed work plus the inconvenience. I wish there was a way to know how many fills you will need before hand to get to your "sweet spot." With my luck will probably be a lot. Or I will get home and be overfiled.

I am going to keep shopping around. $1,500 does seem like an awful lot. I checked the fillcenterusa and there is nothing @ all in NC.

Shesha · January 27, 2007

Hi All!

I made it through surgery!

Went in a noon to the surgery center. They checked me in and within just a few minutes, I was changed into my gown and on the table. There, they asked me a few questions, and put in the IV. The anethesiologist came to talk to me, then the nurse. My surgery wasn't until 1:45 so I had a wait a little bit. They let your family come in with you while you are waiting, so that was nice. Dr. K got there early and the room was ready, so they took me in around 1:20. I don't remember anything past going through the operating room doors.

I think I woke up around 4:30. They gave me some anti nausea medicine, since I was feeling a little icky. Put my clothes back on, had me sit in a chair for a few, then they wheeled me outside and to the car.

Everything went very well. Dr K. gave me a 9.75 cm band. He said it fit well. Let's hope it's not too small. Maybe I just have a small tummy.

I feel alright today. I did go today back to see Dr. K, so he could make sure everything looked alright. When I showered this morning, some Water got into my port incision. I showed him that, and he took off the bandage cleaned it, sterilized it and rebandaged it. Hopefully it will be ok since that is such a major incision.

I will post again when I get home. so far, so good!

Sheila

skyeblu79 · January 27, 2007

Congratulations on your surgery Sheila. I am so glad everything went well...

marjon9 · January 27, 2007

Sheila, I'm amazed you felt up to posting while still in Denver. I was basically a whining Zombie for the first several days. Sounds like you are going to be one of those who recovers quickly. Looking forward to hearing an update when you return. Welcome to the Light Side.

VABandster · January 27, 2007

Mark, thanks for the name of your fill Dr!! I think I may switch to her after this next fill just b/c like you said, it is not exactly convenient to keep going back and forth to CO all the time, (even though it is nice to see my sister so much)....especially if this 10cc band of mine needs a lot more tweaking!! But, we'll see how the 2nd fill goes w/Dr. K....I think I am going to tell him to take the more agressive approach of filling me til I can't get Water down....then taking a little bit out from there, and hope that that does the trick! Does Dr. Brinkley do fills under fluro if you ask? Is there an added cost to that do you know??

I"m also waiting to hear back from another Band dr. who is right down the street from where I work (Dr. Pinnar in Reston), to see if he would take me or not. Thanks for the Advice!!

Sheila.....sounds like your experience was Exactly like mine!!! Glad to hear things went so well!! Let us know when you're home safe and sound!