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:)

Mal!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you! He didn't need to do anything?? Not even drain it or anything? That is so great! I think I'll do a little dance for you too! As for the trip to Vegas....I wanna go too! :confused:

marcyinak -

PB is a productive burp. It happens when food gets backed up and sometimes comes back up, yuck. However, this happened to me and it isn't like vomiting when you are sick, just the extra food comes back out and it was a relief.

Sliming is also when you eat too quickly or gulp too much and it is a gurgling in the back of the throat that causes excessive saliva.

These happen when you have good restriction in your band with a fills of saline solution that tightens the stomach opening.

Now, these have been my experiences with them, and other people might have completely different descriptions or reactions.

Hope that helps, remember these are features of being banded. They are also the features that help us bandsters not regain weight or overeat in the first place.

Mal!!!!!!! I'm so happy for you! He didn't need to do anything?? Not even drain it or anything? That is so great! I think I'll do a little dance for you too! As for the trip to Vegas....I wanna go too!

Thanks Anita! He didn't have to do anything!!! He looked at it, poked at it, then took me in the other room and did the utlra-sound thing and showed me that everything looked good. I just stood ther and clapped and said YIIPEEEE!!

Yes, Vegas in two weeks...hubby and I are celebrating our 20th, we are meeting a bunch of people there, it should be a good time. We are having a "Monte Carlo Night" party tomorrow, just an excuse to "practice" for Vegas....muahhahaha! I am in the best mood today!!!

I hope everyone has a super weekend!!

You gals are the BEST...you know it!!!

D- Thanks for the clarification! I'd like to at least LOOK like I know what I'm talking about!

Good morning, all!

Mal, I hope you enjoy Vegas! My hubby and I are celebrating our 16th anniversary on the 8th, but I think that I used up all my money on my gut, my mouth, and my other trip to Vegas in April. That was my first trip there, and I had the best time. Can't wait to go again. We didn't stay at the fanciest place, The Imperial Palace, but it sure was fun. Next time we hope to stay at New York, New York, and just stay in there and play. I'm excited for you and so glad that your band is okay. Maybe you'll hit a jackpot and it will pay for your band and mouth?! (wouldn't that be something?!!!)

Marcy, have you thought about where you are going to have your fills done? Have you looked around in Alaska to see if there are any doctors there able to do fills or unfills in case of an emergency? Or do you plan to come out here for Dr. K to do them? Also, if you plan to do certain protein supplements, maybe you should get some while you are here, to help save some money on shipping? If milk is almost 8 bucks a gallon, how much would IDS Protein Vials or Isopure be there?:omg:

Angie!!!! Where are you? Did you have another fill this week?? Are you feeling okay and did it give you better restriction? My second fill is Monday and I need insite as to how this one will be. Also, I hope that you are going on Wed!

Michelle~ Your description sounds pretty much like everyone elses. Luckily, I can't give first hand experience of that yet. Lordy, I hope Monday doesn't cause me to experience it! I'm such a big baby.

4 more days. Have a great weekend everyone. I've got a pergola and an arbor to get put together today. Hope it stays sunny and beautiful all day!

Good morning, all!

Mal, I hope you enjoy Vegas! My hubby and I are celebrating our 16th anniversary on the 8th, but I think that I used up all my money on my gut, my mouth, and my other trip to Vegas in April. That was my first trip there, and I had the best time. Can't wait to go again. We didn't stay at the fanciest place, The Imperial Palace, but it sure was fun. Next time we hope to stay at New York, New York, and just stay in there and play. I'm excited for you and so glad that your band is okay. Maybe you'll hit a jackpot and it will pay for your band and mouth?! (wouldn't that be something?!!!)

Marcy, have you thought about where you are going to have your fills done? Have you looked around in Alaska to see if there are any doctors there able to do fills or unfills in case of an emergency? Or do you plan to come out here for Dr. K to do them? Also, if you plan to do certain protein supplements, maybe you should get some while you are here, to help save some money on shipping? If milk is almost 8 bucks a gallon, how much would IDS Protein Vials or Isopure be there?:omg:

Angie!!!! Where are you? Did you have another fill this week?? Are you feeling okay and did it give you better restriction? My second fill is Monday and I need insite as to how this one will be. Also, I hope that you are going on Wed!

Michelle~ Your description sounds pretty much like everyone elses. Luckily, I can't give first hand experience of that yet. Lordy, I hope Monday doesn't cause me to experience it! I'm such a big baby.

4 more days. Have a great weekend everyone. I've got a pergola and an arbor to get put together today. Hope it stays sunny and beautiful all day!

Woofay you're always thinking. Great idea to have Marcy think about her supplements while in the lower 48.

Goodmorning friends.

Now that I know what to expect for my fill, after I have this fill when can I expect to go back for a second fill?

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I am getting excited for our get together on Wednesday. So far I know that Drews, Mal?, Woofay, Lap Dancer? are coming. Anyone else? If you've told me.... sorry I have middle aged brainage working here and it woasn't on purpose.

Just let me know before Wednesday so I can get enough seating.

I am a little jealous that you all are getting second fills. I am much less restricted than I was. But then my dieting pattern is really kicking in. It is hit reallyhard (being perfect) then slowly as the weeks go by there is a gradual (I wanna try this or that, or eat more....) which gets the taste buds going again. I will see what the scale says on Monday, but I am already not having a protein shake every day, but eating protein instead. Probably eating I am at 45 grams instead of the recommended 60 - 80. I have to say I feel great, though. I am going to write down everything today to get back under control. I feel so stupid that I haven't mastered this!

Hugs to you all,

Michelle

Michelle! Now who's being hard on themselves? I'm not sure that we will ever "master" how we eat. I think that's why we gain weight back so easily. I think that all of us can lose weight, and do it quite well. It's staying there that is the hard part. The band won't let us slip back to the gaining side. You're doing great! And at least you are aware of it, which is most of the battle. And by the way, protein shakes are yucky! Hee hee

Anita - Thanks for your concern...I have 3 different fill doctors in Anchorage (I have to fly to get "good" healthcare anyway). In Nome there are doctors who can care for me, but really, it'll all be ME and I'm prepared for that. One of the docs will even do free "tweaking" within the week of a fill to make sure I'm good before I fly home.

I'm sad I will miss meeting with several of you...it would've been nice to actually SEE what bandsters eat.

About protein...I've used Myoplex before and there's a place that has reasonable shipping (I am pretty good about stocking up while "in town" too). I'm going to ask the nutritionist what she recommends and then I'll try a few things. I like Myplex Light so I'm not worried about protein shakes.

Woofay - thanks for the reminder. I went to this really cool tea and meditation workshop today. The yoga teacher said, "Imagine you see someone in your family that you love dearly struggling with their life. Now imagine the love and compassion you feel towards them. Surround them with this wealth of love, kindness and compassion. Now, imagine that instead of the other person, it you in this circle of love, kindness and compassion. Give yourself those gifts."

I thought she was brilliant. I learned about tea, tea ceremonies and something in yoga that I had never heard of. It is all these hand positions (forgot what they were called) and when you put your hands in these positions certain organs of your body are sent healing energy. Remind me and I'll show you at Red Robin.

I realized that I am not as relaxed as I think I am. I have been having herbal tea at night before I go to bed. It fills me with warmth and comfort. I think I'll go back to the restorative yoga classes (better for the knees) I was going to. My health club offers classes on Tues and Thursday mornings.

See you Wednesday and thanks again! I need reminding.

Happy Sunday everyone. I hope your weekend is going well.

On the topic of food and managing food. I don't know that I will ever make peace with food. While giving nutrition to me it has also been the bane of my existance.

Too often I have been sailing along on a diet only to mistakenly allow myself a small something I enjoy and that thing created a trigger that sent me reeling into a binge. The only difference I feel now is I risk vomiting if I do that.

Last night I made beer bread. I softened it with the broth, not gravy, I was serving with it. Where I normally would have taken out half the loaf, I had about two good slices before I felt full and even a twinge of OUCH. I don't even have a fill yet. But having the band there is obviously causing some type of restriction or I wouldn't have these sensations in my body of feeling restriction.

We've all had years..YEARS of practicing what to do wrong. It will take us time to learn what to do right. What helps is to think about that, and be patient with myself....what I call "being your own mother".

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Got my car rental for Denver. I am looking forward to our The Gathering. Just to sit with you all and listen to you face to face will be a joy.

Patty

Good morning, all!

Mal, I hope you enjoy Vegas! My hubby and I are celebrating our 16th anniversary on the 8th, but I think that I used up all my money on my gut, my mouth, and my other trip to Vegas in April. That was my first trip there, and I had the best time. Can't wait to go again. We didn't stay at the fanciest place, The Imperial Palace, but it sure was fun. Next time we hope to stay at New York, New York, and just stay in there and play. I'm excited for you and so glad that your band is okay. Maybe you'll hit a jackpot and it will pay for your band and mouth?! (wouldn't that be something?!!!)

4 more days. Have a great weekend everyone. I've got a pergola and an arbor to get put together today. Hope it stays sunny and beautiful all day!

I know what you mean, I too have used up quite a bit of the money on my gut, my mouth and next the Vegas trip...how interesting that I have been a step behind you! The way my luck has been, I doubt that I will hit the jackpot, but I sure have been dreaming about it!!

How did the construction go on the pergola and arbor? What nice peaceful gift for yourself, enjoy it's beauty!

See ya' Wednesday!

Any recommendations for a hotel in Aurora?

HiMarcyinak,

Welcome!

Your consult with Dr. K will go fine tomorrow, I'll be thinking about you. He is really easy to talk to. He will put your mind at ease and answer any questions you have.

Too bad you won't be here on Wednesday for our little "meet and greet", but I am glad that you found us here. We will be here for you during your journey...these ladies and gents are...well it's hard to find the words, they have helped me through some tough moments...a blessing.

Keep us posted!

Good Sunday morning to you too, Lap Dancer! I loved everything you wrote about food. I sort of pigged out too a couple of weeks ago. :think ( I hate the word binge, I don't know why, but that is what it is.) Goodness I hurt. I had truly wished I would have just gotten sick and gotten it over with. But I didn't. I suffered for like 3 hours. (well, suffer is a bit of a strong word) So at least I have the reminder of that and if I do get out of control, I'll pay for it for a while. Hopefully this next fill will put me to a better place of eating less also. I can still eat quite a bit before I'm uncomfortable. I know I'm not supposed to do that, so I hope it helps. You may not need another fill for a while (you asked that a couple of posts ago). Everyone is different. You may get to a really good place on your first fill. Wouldn't that be great? But if you gotta come back........it's another reason to get together!!! I have no idea of good hotels in Aurora. I bet if you call the office and ask Marilyn, she would point you in the right direction.

Mal! You've actually had some pretty good luck lately! You didn't know how bad your mouth would be, but you got it taken care of. Didn't think you could afford both, but you did. Didn't know if the infection would push banding back, but it didn't. Had the threat of something truly wrong with your band, but it was fine! Sounds like your ready for your jackpot and possibly you need a lotto ticket too!

Michelle, how great that your club has yoga and meditation. Tea ceremonies? I've never heard of that. You'll have to share more on Wed! Also, something just came to me, Angie is in California this week isn't she? That's why she couldn't come and perhaps why she hasn't posted?

Have a great Sunday, All!