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:)

Skyeblu79 - sorry I can't help with the fill info. Yikes! If it is that painful, I can't believe that many of us will go for a fill. I agree that perhaps you need to look into a different fill doc. Did he use any technology to see exactly where the port is or how it is situated?

I am lucky that I am local and I'm going to Dr. K for the fill. I figure he did the surgery and will know just where the d--- port is. I think you did exactly the right thing by calling Dr. K for advice.

The idea of a big needle going in and out of me gives me the shivers. What is a sonoma? How did you know you had one?

I got this online: A seroma is a pocket of clear serous fluid that sometimes develops in the body after surgery. When small blood vessels are ruptured, blood plasma can seep out; inflammation caused by dying injured cells also contributes to the fluid.

Dr. K called me back already. He said that from what I was telling him the whole situation didn't sound right. He suggested that I either find another doctor or come back to him. I paid the initial fee to join w/my dr here and I have paid 1/2 the fee towards the 1st yr. I am going to call tomorrow and see if he will give me some of my $$ back.

He used an ultrasound machine to try to locate the port. He said that he found it then he lost it again...What a mess??

I didn't even know I had the seroma until he told me fluid was coming out of my stomach..It drained out about a 1/3 oz...Sorry if too graphic...

The actual needle wasn't bad...I don't want you thinking it's worse than it was. I think this dr just didn't know what he was doing. It wasn't bad until he switched to that other needle. Dr. K said that he should have only been using the Huber needle.

Skyblue - I really feel for you. It is so lousy that the doc is a jerk. I hope they give you all your money back, you might mention the idea of suing if they aren't ready to give you the money. Especially, when Dr. K said he used the wrong needle.

Just know you are doing really well, regardless of the imbecile.

Let me know if you fly in and maybe we can meet.

Hugs,

Michelle

Goodmorning friends.

Glad I am sticking with Dr. K. (shivers) Skye, I feel for you so much. What a mess. Post back how it is going for you.

Well, I did it!:omg: $$$$$

I wrote my check out to Dr. K, now I just need to get in the mailbox...what a feeling???!!!??? I start my pre-op diet TOMORROW!!!! Any helpful advice? I have done the Atkins before, not for along time. High protien (is it 30 grams a day?), low carb (or no carb, I think is what Paula told me). I wish I was on the other side of the band already! This is going to be SOOOO HARD!!!

Good day to all!!!

Ya did it Mal! Hooray!

You will do fine. Drink a lot of water, at least one protein shake a day and lots of protein. A steak dinner every third day helped me. I really need a lot of protein to recover from surgery well.

Is everyone from around here going to be at the meeting Tuesday at 6:30? I am going to be there. Drews how about you? I don't know what most of you look like on the outside, but I know your insides are the BEST!

Hugs,

Michelle

Thanks Michelle!

I transfered the $$ (shivers from the thought of $10,000.00)...I am such a tight wad! I wrote the check and the check is sitting in my mailbox (whew, that was very difficult...mentally not physically since my mailbox is just a few feet from my door...LOL). Promise I won't run out and snatch it out before the mailman comes.

I am going to try to make it to the next meeting. I have it on my calendar. I am one of those "everything has to be written down" kinda people! I don't think I could function without my desk calendar??

I should not have a problem with getting my protien in for the pre-op diet, I love my steaks and meat and eggs. I worry about the carb part and then the occational sweets part. I found my Atkins book, I will make a good list of what I can eat and take it to the store tonight...yes, I waited until the last minute to prepare for the diet, I have to start tomorrow.

Thanks again!!

Dynamomini- I contacted the office today and they are supposed to be getting back to me. Hopefully it will be soon so I can figure out what I can do. I hope I don't have to drag out any threats. Hopefully he will just do the right thing. If he doesn't budge Dr. K suggested telling them I would contact the medical society or board of medical examiners. I really hope it doesn't come to that.

You guys are lucky that are local. I don't know how it will go flying back and forth. I am just scared to try another doctor here again.

Mal- I am sure you will do fine w/the low carb pre-op. You will be so excited about the surgery hopefully you won't mess the carbs. And there are so many good things that you can still eat. Good luck!!

Skyblu79,

I sure hope things get worked out for you. I'm sure the evil Dr. doesn't want to have to deal with problems, I am hoping he will do whatever you suggest. I am so sorry to hear all that you have been through. Things will work out!

Thanks for the positive feedback. The check is gone and there is no turning back now. :nervous

Good morning, all! Wow Skyeblu79~ sorry to hear about your fill experience. That really sounded like it hurt. Hopefully all works out, your okay, your able to get your fill, and you get your funds back. (best case senario for you all around!)

Mal! Congrats on your next step toward banding! I'm proud of you! Paying was my "Moment of Truth" also. The no-place-to-go-but-forward moment! Yeah!!!!!

Dynamo~Did you really get information about your band and send it in? (or am I being overly dense and missed the joke:confused: ) I haven't recieved anything and the Doc hasn't told me anything about mine. Maybe at my first fill????

Spot~are you hanging in there? How's the refi going? Time is flying and you'll be on the other side before you know it.

Shesha~Any progress with your flipped port?

Tater! How are you feeling?

Sunnysea~ where are you?? Are you considering getting your fill again yet?

Lap Dancer~thanks for always being so positive!

I'm going to try and be there tuesday night. I still haven't figured out my Hubby's schedule and have no idea if he is working that night or not, or whether I need a sitter, or what the weather is going to be like? Did you hear it may snow Sunday??? Goodness! In May!!!! (I moved to Colorado a year ago from Phoenix, AZ!)

Have a grand day!

Oh, ya, I almost forgot. I have a couple of questions I need help with. Okay, with most of the tummy swelling gone, do any of you have a large hard knot type thing where your port it? It's kinda like a peach in there. Is that just the process of healing?

Also, do any of you know of a good way to help your skin shrink back to avoid reconstructive surgery? (i'm really scared of that)

Are there exercises, foods to eat, vitamins to take or creams you can use (or all of the above) to help the elasticity of the skin and keep it a little tighter?

I know my age and the fact that I have been fat, thin, fat, not so fat, fatter, thinner and really fat again has to have been rough on my skin. (the yo-yo diet story of my life!)

Let me know anything you have heard, please!

This may even be posted somewhere else or should be on a different thread, but I'm too chicken to post anywhere but here!

Hi Anita!

You are so awesome, how you remember everyone, Thanks! I didn't hear about the snow, but then again I never watch TV or listen to the news during the day. I was going to get a pool for the kiddo's this weekend..Ha!

I agree with you, this is my favorite place to post.

I guess I am going to take my before picture today (yuck), since today is the first day of pre-op diet.

Well, have a great day!

The meeting is Tuesday the 8th, isn't it? I sorta forgot that I am fortunate enough to be having the time of my life that morning...I'm going to have another root canal done. (second one in a month! woo hoo!) So, I'm guessing that whether I'm there or not has to do with how painful my tooth is after. My last one was a bugger, but it was in alot of pain before the procedure. This one is not painful, so hopefully it will be easier. But for now, I'm truly hoping to get there. I want to meet you all so much! (or at least everyone who can make it) Plus, a little counseling never hurt anyone. I'm a big believer in it.

Spot and Mal...are you gonna make it? It may help with your pre-band jitters! (I should have gone to the meeting before mine! What a basket case I can be!)

Woofay, Mal, Spot, Drews.... I hope to see you Tuesday evening. I thought it might be fun to take a group picture if everyone is okay with it. I will try to remember the camera. Sometimes my memory doesn't work.

Yes, during my one week postop - they gave me this card to fill out, like a warrantee card. Now, I don't have the exact name, because I mailed it in. We can ask. I am a bit nervous about my first fill. Some days I feel like I don't need one, but other days I do. I am not losing much weight. But then I do the crazy making scale everyday, and it is fickle.

I just ate a 1/2 cup of CostCo roasted chicken and am stuffed. Of course, first I forgot and didn't cut it into little pieces, the smelllll. I ate a piece like I used to and chewed five or six times, like normal, and swallowed. I thought I was gonna toss it up. i was stunned. This is really soft food. So, I just put the groceries away and walked around for 30 minutes. Crisis adverted, then I could eat, slowly chewing to mush, itty pieces. The band does remind you that life is different now. Chewing is really essential, also sitting down to eat helps me think through what I am doing. Old habits are OUT and new habits need to become NORMAL.

Hugs and looking forward to Tuesday. Heard rain here, snow in the mountains. Spring time in the Rockies. I love it.

Michelle

Dont forget me!! Woofay, Mal, Spot, Drews.... I hope to see you Tuesday evening. I thought it might be fun to take a group picture if everyone is okay with it. I will try to remember the camera. Sometimes my memory doesn't work.

I am going to try and come as well. I think I lost my warrantee card! I was looking for it and can't find it.

DynamoMini <-- band sister! - I did the same thing as you did with the chicken-- mine was chicken too. I think I waited to long to eat and i was really hungry and wham!! My band let me know that i was not going to swallow that chicken whole as I used too. I actually spit up, several times to get it out. I was scared because I remember Dr K telling me over and over not to vomit and that was the most important part of healing and it also hurt. At first I walked got some hiccups and then it came! Believe me, I have slowed down since then! vbmenu_register("postmenu_461626", true);