Hi there,

I am considering Dr. Kirshenbaum in Aurora, CO (www.lapbandrockies.com) I know that there are a few of you in LBT that went to him. I am interested in knowing your thoughts on him and if you have had any complications. I am just a little leary since the price is so low, there is little on the internet about him, and I will be traveling from WI to have this done. Any information you could provide would be much apppreciated...

Thanks!

Sheila:)

Things are much better today. Monday is always a good starting day! I weighed, lost 1 pound since last week, I exercised 40 minutes, I am writing down my food, and I haven't been in pain today so nothing in the pain diary so far. lunch was 1/2 a salmon patty from Whole Foods. I had the other half ready, but couldn't eat any more. Yeah! I also had a Protein shake, and egg for breakfast. Good day!

Be good and best wishes,

:clap2: to good days! May you have many more!

I have a P.S. to my post: Remember how I told you all that my nose was off the charts? It still is. I came home from work, walked in the house, had a Yankee candle going so it smelled nice. I went into my bedroom and the smell of something was overwhelming me.

I waited about an hour, did a brief search, couldn't find it, asked my son if he could smell it, he could, called my husband who was overdue home and screamed " I need you here NOW". He walked in the door five minutes later. I told him to go to our room and smell it.

He could faintly smell something, I was going off the wall. We sat and chatted, I couldn't take the smell even though I was in the upper part of the house in the living room. Hubby went back to our room and came out with ...a charred electrical cord. The six outlet extension was toast at one outlet. He said when he saw it and picked it up, it crackled in his hands. He touched my nose and said "good nose".

So hands up for the great white sniffer that is one of the benefits I came out of the surgery with! Hyped out olfactory sense that possibly saved me from a burned house!!!

Hi everyone!

I am still hanging around, reading alot of posts, still trying to pump myself up for the surgery. I am thinking of sending the payment in any day now....must be sure!! No turning back once the $$ is sent out. I am so proud of all of you. I am not looking foward to starting the pre-op diet. So where does Dr. K do the fills? Parker or at his office? I am going to try my best to make it to the May meeting. Thanks for all the support!

Good nose indeed, LD!

I've been reading all your replies... just not very motivated to post. I guess I'm in sort of a funk. I'll get out of it in a week or so... surely.

I'm still waiting to sign papers. Hopefully Thursday. Once that is done, I'll buy the airline tickets. Even though I can get the $38 round trip, I'm not buying them until the refinance papers are signed. I can't wait to get the tickets, buy the hotel and car rental and to finish up buying all those things I'll need post-op. I did get the liquid Tylenol and the Flintstone Vitamins so far, lol. Oh, and tons of broth. I love broth... I'm going to do good on the liquid diet, I know it (are those famous last words?)!

:clap2: It's been a great day! I weighed (officially) even though i didn't want to. I exercised for 40 minutes. I wrote my food down and ate the bandster way, protein first, no drinking 30 minutes before and after. Guess what? I wasn't in pain, angry or crazy hungry. Today was a great day! I also have been thinking of things to be grateful for instead of complaining and focused on negative things.

Thanks to all your support and wisdom. I appreciate everyone of you. Boy, LapDancer - your nose knows! Scary, could have been a fire, but there wasn't.

So for a happy tomorrow - I will:

1) Exercise and work with my trainer

2) Write down my food

3) Write down anything that comes up as painful thoughts

Here's to another red banner day!

Hugs,

Hey everyone, I just spent such a long time writing a nice note to each of you...and...some how I lost it!!! grrrrrr!!

Dynamomini~great attitude (please send some this way!!!), keep up the excellent work.

Spot~I am sooo with you on the bieng in the "funk", I have been reading the posts lot too, but haven't had time to post. I am supposed to send my check to Dr. K today (written on my calender), but I am waiting until the last minute...I am buying the book by Jessie Ahroni (Paula told me about it), I am hoping that will lift my spirits and get me excited about the surgery again.

Lap Dancer~ I am with you in the sensitive sense of smell. I already have that and I hope it doesn't get worse after surgery. Everyone who knows me, knows that I have super hero powers of smell and it drives me insane...here's the kicker, my husband has no sense of smell, so I REALLY drive him nuts!!!

I am going to try and make it to the meeting..hope to see you all there!

Have a great day and thanks for inspiring!!!

Maalani - Go for it! What do you really have to lose, except weight? I went through the same doubting, wondering if this was just another "cure" that I had signed up for in the past, but I am confident that there is something different with banding.

When things seem bad, and yes, only two weeks out I had a terrible mental and eating weekend, I didn't gorge. I couldn't. I then could fix what was wrong. THAT IS DIFFERENT! Before it would be months, sometimes years before I got myself pulled together again.

The fears I've developed as a coping device are a lot why I am fat. With the band I will face my fears, the feelings from early traumas, I can do this. So can you. That's all I'll say about it. I am working hard to unravel this part of me.

Hugs and best to you all,

You all inspire me.

Mal: Lap Dancer~ I am with you in the sensitive sense of smell. I already have that and I hope it doesn't get worse after surgery. Everyone who knows me, knows that I have super hero powers of smell and it drives me insane...here's the kicker, my husband has no sense of smell, so I REALLY drive him nuts!!!

THAT WAS FUNNY! Super hero powers of smell!!!

Dynamomini, Thanks for the support! I know that I am going to go through with the surgery, I just have that doubtful part of me...and I know with the support from everyone here, I will find the spirit I need and be successful with the band. You are so right on about months and sometimes years before pulling myself together, but the older I get the harder it is. I know this is what I need to do, there is no question about it.

Lap Dancer, we could be the Dynamic Duo of scent investigations!!

Hey Gang! I just went for my first NON Dr. K Fill! (my 3rd overall)...and I was a bit freaked out by the fact that I had been thinking I had a band that HELD 10ccs, but it turns out I have the 10cm BAND, which only HOLDS 4CCs!!! And this 3rd fill brought me up to 3.90 ccs in my band so I'm almost as tight as I can get!! This thing better kick my ass this time cause its gonna have to hold me for a while!!

anyways, hope you're all doing well......take care!

Hey Gang! I just went for my first NON Dr. K Fill! (my 3rd overall)...and I was a bit freaked out by the fact that I had been thinking I had a band that HELD 10ccs, but it turns out I have the 10cm BAND, which only HOLDS 4CCs!!! And this 3rd fill brought me up to 3.90 ccs in my band so I'm almost as tight as I can get!! This thing better kick my ass this time cause its gonna have to hold me for a while!!

anyways, hope you're all doing well......take care!

Wow. I don't know what size I have. Hmmm. Better call and ask.

I stayed home from work. Pain in the left side. I had a pretty BIG dinner if you can call two tamales a big dinner. I have pushed myself to work my regular pace and arrived home to crash and sleep. Today was my third straight day to work but woke up with my left side hurting. Hurt to stand up. Called in sick. Never went back to bed but laid in bed and watched a movie, checked emails and then decide maybe maybe maybe the problem was to do with my constitution. I made some Gevalia (love this coffee), took some nice stemware, iced it and poured the coffee over it.

One hour later....vavoom. So quick I didn't quite make it in time but the morning shower and coconut body shampoo felt good and smells great. I feel several pounds lighter. Glad I stayed home!

My sniffer is still in check!

<p>Hey Lap Dancer,</p> <p>Sorry to hear your not feeling well today. I wonder what factors in about our LB size??</p> <p> </p> <p>Have a better day!</p>:target:

Hi Everyone!

Lap Dancer - I had a slow morning too. The constipation thing - I have never had that, but without much bulk it's a problem. I went and got a chopped salad yesterday - Southwestern with FF dressing. Anyway, I chewed and chewed and this morning I was a happy camper too. I need that fiber!

Mal - I am glad you are working it out. I started working it out about a year and a half ago. I think it is better to be sure than to jump in and regret. Altho' you have to bite the bullet at some moment. I am meeting a friend who had the GBypass last June. She has lost 100 pounds. It makes me wonder, but I think this is a healthier alternative.

I think I have a 10 CC band, I already sent the card in for a warrentee. Pretty funny, like a car.

Hugs and a restaurant sounds great the second week of June. Do we want to meet after the regular meeting on the second Tuesday?

Michelle

Hey guys, I posted this over in the lap band fills room, but I only got one reply. I just wanted to see if anyone had been thru this or if you have any advise or opinions on what to do. I did contact Dr. K's office today and I spoke w/Robin. She's going to have Dr. K call me tomorrow just to get his opinion. Sorry this is so long.

I went for my first fill 3 weeks ago and I wasn't able to get it done b/c I had a senoma. My follow up surgeon drained the seroma and told me to wait until today to try to get a fill again. I go in today and he feels around and can't find the port. Then he does an ultrasound and pokes w/my the needle at least 4-5 times. He basically says he lost it. He then gets a larger needle (called a spinal something) and tries again. It hurt so bad, I almost felt like jumping off the table. It didn't hurt when it went in, but it felt like he was hitting something. Then he tries it again and I have that same horrible feeling. The 1st time I just said ouch, the 2nd time I told him it felt like he was hitting something. He says well I know I'm not hitting the stomach. I was like well, I'm not sure but it hurts really bad. I tell him that I think I will have to stop. While I am saying that he sticks me yet again!!! It was horrible. I felt like crying. He tells me that it may be some leftover stuff from the seroma and that either me can try it again or give it a couple weeks. I ended up rescheduling for the 15th of May. I felt horrible when I said to reschedule. I have only lost 1.5 lbs in the 3 weeks since my last visit.

At this point, I am scared to go back for another try...The sticking w/the needle hurt, but no as bad as that feeling when he pressed the needle in. I have a horrible needle phobia so I am doing a little better than I thought I would. We both decided numbing won't really help b/c I can take the initial prick.

Honestly, I am beginning to question the competency of doctor. Is it normal for someone to have to poke me this many times and still not find the port? He did tell me that as I lose more weight it will be easier to find the port...If he can't find my port w/the ultrasound machine, I don't know what to say....

Any advise please. Has anyone gone through anything like this before?

Sheesha, sorry to hear about your flipped port...That is great that Dr. K will fix it for free. Good luck w/what you decide.

After reading about your port, I am wondering about mine. I am wondering if something is wrong or if my aftercare doc just can't find it.