Had my LAP BAND done on 11-26-2007 in Buffalo, NY at Buffalo General Hospital by Dr. Aaron Hoffman. I've have had no problems what-so-ever and the support from Dr. Hoffman has been FANTASTIC. He is the BEST doctor ever! I would recommend anybody from the Buffalo, Rochester, NY area to have Dr. Hoffman perform the BAND! GREAT DOC!:eek:

i was there today for my final weigh in, surgery scheduled for next week and I got the speech about not gaining.....I guess I now know they really mean it. I have Hoffman, does he weigh you the morning of surgery too??

I am so sorry you had to go through this.

No he did not weigh me and I can't imagine him cancelling surgery! He is so empathetic with his patients and even though he wouldn't be happy, I can not see him saying "surgery cancelled"... I am so sorry for you too and I hope you get the surgery soon, one way or the other. good luck and keep us all posted....

His reasoning was that I was moving in the wrong direction weight wise. Nothing I can do now except stay on a clean track and revisit this in a couple of weeks or months...who knows.

renee, how was this left, do you have a return date to be weighed in again. or were you just dismissed?

dr hoffman takes other things into consideration. when i was going through the process it took me a hile to get a date because i hadnt lost the weight

I was told to wait a few months...A FEW MONTHS! I have started this process in the summer..... I had already lost the 15 lbs he asked me to lose in the beginning.

I called hoffman tonight (he is a family friend and partially the reason why I didn't go to him in the first place) and told him what happened. He was so nice...I am going to try and switch to him but it will be tricky as dr posner runs the program and could certainly kick me out all together, which leaves me with caruana's practice...

As I said before, timing is so big for me because of my kids. My babysitter is off from school and had planned on staying with me for the entire 4 weeks that I am not supposed to lift anything. The next time I have off is during the summer and I just can't do that.

I feel what he did to me today and to be honest the whole process was very unjust and perhaps unethical. I am devastated beyond words....

Hoffman is going to try and switch me over.... I will find out more tomorrow.

I was told to wait a few months...A FEW MONTHS! I have started this process in the summer..... I had already lost the 15 lbs he asked me to lose in the beginning.

I called hoffman tonight (he is a family friend and partially the reason why I didn't go to him in the first place) and told him what happened. He was so nice...I am going to try and switch to him but it will be tricky as dr posner runs the program and could certainly kick me out all together, which leaves me with caruana's practice...

As I said before, timing is so big for me because of my kids. My babysitter is off from school and had planned on staying with me for the entire 4 weeks that I am not supposed to lift anything. The next time I have off is during the summer and I just can't do that.

I feel what he did to me today and to be honest the whole process was very unjust and perhaps unethical. I am devastated beyond words....

Hoffman is going to try and switch me over.... I will find out more tomorrow.

Good luck Renee, I hope he takes you on so you can be on your way. If it were easy for us we wouldn't need the band in the first place, and eaven with the band it is not easy. Try and stick to strictly protien and see if you can take the four lbs off. good luck and keep us informed, you will love Hoffman he is sweet.

omg Renee so sorry to hear that.

I am astonished and feel horrible for you.

Just cannot believe this has happened.

Maria

renee

just want to say something and dont get me wrong, i am very glad hoffman did my surgery but caruana is an excellent surgeon and i think that his practice has a better follow up program than buffalo general does. i really wouldnt even call bgh program after a follow up program. it is very disorganized

Ok I have two things to say...

Renee- Hoffman did have me weigh in the morning of surgery. But i was right around the same weight.

Veronica- As far as Dr Caruana's practice I have my reservations. My aunt had her surg done this summer there and they dont do much with counseling or telling you what to eat after. She went in for her second fill and they gave her 4ccs all at once. She was sooo tight she couldnt eat. She had to have two unfills and shes still not right. I think they are pretty aggressive with fills. Yes they do answer their phones and yes you can get in quicker but I think they are a little more in it for the bucks than anything else. My aunt said they told a lady at the counter if she didnt pay right then she had to leave. She had to drive home to get the money so they would give her the fill!

val - thanks for the info. I have heard horror stories about caruana's practice...all coming from physicians who have operated with him so I have my hesitations. I agree that buffgen is very disorganized as well. Woudl you believe that a receptionist called me to confirm my post op visit four hours after my surgery was cancelled??? I am in a state of shock and the devastation I am feeling today is huge. I look forward to speaking with hoffman to see if I can make a switch...

Thank you everyone for the feedback and support. I truly truly appreciate it!

Rain - Who did her surgery? Pham? Was it open or scope? I'd be curious to know..

Ok I have two things to say...

Renee- Hoffman did have me weigh in the morning of surgery. But i was right around the same weight.

Veronica- As far as Dr Caruana's practice I have my reservations. My aunt had her surg done this summer there and they dont do much with counseling or telling you what to eat after. She went in for her second fill and they gave her 4ccs all at once. She was sooo tight she couldnt eat. She had to have two unfills and shes still not right. I think they are pretty aggressive with fills. Yes they do answer their phones and yes you can get in quicker but I think they are a little more in it for the bucks than anything else. My aunt said they told a lady at the counter if she didnt pay right then she had to leave. She had to drive home to get the money so they would give her the fill!

Wow Rain, I am surprised to hear that Hoffman weighed you the morning of surg.. Although I did not gain weight before hand I really never expected to be weighed in the morning of surg. It doesn't seem like Hoffman could actually cancell surg. He is so "warm and fuzzy" as he puts it..

renee

just want to say something and dont get me wrong, i am very glad hoffman did my surgery but caruana is an excellent surgeon and i think that his practice has a better follow up program than buffalo general does. i really wouldnt even call bgh program after a follow up program. it is very disorganized

You know Val, maybe that is why they are cancelling surg. due to weight gain because they know they are overwhelmed with people waiting to get in. They can pick and choose who they want, and who they think will have the most success rate..Not to imply you renee, because we have all had struggles with our weight, you just happened to have your weight fluctuate right before your surg..

Rain when do u go back to Hoff and give him the good news... I know he is going on a cruise to puerto rico and the virgin islands for a week during x-mas

Posner won't let me switch to Hoffman...

I'm off to Caruana's office tomorrow to meet them. I hate this.

when i said follow up care, i meant postop. can you believe that bgh called me 6 times to confirm my appt tomorrow. i finally asked them today why so many phone calls and they laughed...wtf