Hi Everyone! This is my very first post! I am receiving a band in 2/2 weeks by Dr. Forbes. I have started this process last september and it is finally nearing surgery date! I am wondering what other experiences people have had with this doctor and Buffalo General. I have gotten such a run around from Malissa and the people there, it's actually ridiculous! I have complied WITH all requirements, but getting people to communicate with me AND EVEN CALL ME BACK is actually a little scary. It makes me wonder if I will be left out to dry post -op. Let me know PLEASE!

his office is on spindrift in williamsville- i see him next week, my first appt with him since my band. he was the one that actually referred me to dr. posner but i ended up with dr. hoffman, which i am glad of.

I went to my endo today and he didn't answer all my questions - he seemed like he either didn't care or didn't hear me and did not say a word when he weighed me even though I lost at least 20 lbs since he saw me last, 3 months ago. Even when I ask him about the insulin dosage he refuses to commit. His answer is always it is differnet for everyone. I asked him if my labs were better because I had been on SB and they say it does great things to your lab work and he didn't even answer me. Next stop was the podiatrist and he seemed distracted to. Geez I sure hope tomorow at my 3 hour blitz goes better.

Dr. Forbes was totally awesome at the seminar, very interested in people's questions, stayed for a while afterwards (I was at the May seminar as well), she's great! I'm going with Dr. Hoffman but it was based on what people were saying here, I don't meet him until August, though! He doesn't have the track record with GBS because he only does Lap Bands.

Bloom, if you were at the May Seminar when was your 3 hour appointment and did you say you think you will be banded in August or just meet the surgeon? I am so anxious for a timeline. I guess I will find out Tuesday.

Bloom, if you were at the May Seminar when was your 3 hour appointment and did you say you think you will be banded in August or just meet the surgeon? I am so anxious for a timeline. I guess I will find out Tuesday.

Linda, it is hard to really pin down a timeline, it seems like they see you about 4-6 weeks after the seminar, then 4 weeks after you see the dietician, then 4 weeks after that you meet the surgeon, and then depending on what you need they schedule surgery. If you do not need any testing it seems like you could possibly cut it down to 4 months. Wait--you must have had the blitz by now, so tell us, what happened, when will you meet the surgeon? Do you need any other testing?

Hi Everyone! This is my very first post! I am receiving a band in 2/2 weeks by Dr. Forbes. I have started this process last september and it is finally nearing surgery date! I am wondering what other experiences people have had with this doctor and Buffalo General. I have gotten such a run around from Malissa and the people there, it's actually ridiculous! I have complied WITH all requirements, but getting people to communicate with me AND EVEN CALL ME BACK is actually a little scary. It makes me wonder if I will be left out to dry post -op. Let me know PLEASE!

PBJ, are you getting your band on Monday? If so I wish you the best of luck! Let us know when you are home.

I am being a spokes person for my daugher who is learing disabled. she applied with Dr. Pozner in august of 2007. In January we called and malissa told us to call back next day as she couldnt locate the file. Called back next day still couldnt find file, put me on hold for a long time then told me that its on the nurse practitioners desk and we should get a letter to attend a seminar january 17th. letter never came. called back got the same answer from melissa again. we would get a letter, it never came. this has been going on for 11 months now. my daughters health keeps getting worse and worse. does anyone have any advice? :smile2:

I am being a spokes person for my daugher who is learing disabled. she applied with Dr. Pozner in august of 2007. In January we called and malissa told us to call back next day as she couldnt locate the file. Called back next day still couldnt find file, put me on hold for a long time then told me that its on the nurse practitioners desk and we should get a letter to attend a seminar january 17th. letter never came. called back got the same answer from melissa again. we would get a letter, it never came. this has been going on for 11 months now. my daughters health keeps getting worse and worse. does anyone have any advice?

Contact the patient advocate at BGH. I do not know the name of the person, but just call the operator and ask to be connected.

Their role is to guide you through a process such as this. You may encounter different issues then the rest of us because you are speaking for her.

One more question, how old is she? If she is younger then 18 the procedure can not be done currently, however, by the end of the year she might be able to be seen at Childrens, where they will start a program for 14-18 year olds.

Best wishes.

I agree with Judy. The patient advocate is there to help you. They will get to the root of the problem. Do not give up!!!!! Good luck. Let us know if you get any answers.

thanks for that information. i dont know why the secretaries cant be more helpful and tell us these things. my daughter is 25 and more than ready. she has used this time to study up on the procedure and what she has to do after. all the paperwork and test results are with pozner. we have been looking into switching to Sisters Hospital to Dr. Carawana.

thanks for that information. i dont know why the secretaries cant be more helpful and tell us these things. my daughter is 25 and more than ready. she has used this time to study up on the procedure and what she has to do after. all the paperwork and test results are with pozner. we have been looking into switching to Sisters Hospital to Dr. Carawana.

You could always check with a time frame from Caruana. There is a thread on this website about his group, you can get some information. I think they are a little more flexible about their arrangements than Buffalo General, but I do not want to sway you one way or the other. Lisa and Dr. Hoffman, the NP and dietician have been great to me, but the clinic secretaries are a little abrupt shall we say.

Since your paperwork is already in at Posner it might be better to continue to work with them, that is half the battle. Not really sure.

Let us know how you make out.

I emailed Buffalo General and low and behold i got a call from a patient advocate. They took down all the information and told me they would get back to me quickly. We will see.

I emailed Buffalo General and low and behold i got a call from a patient advocate. They took down all the information and told me they would get back to me quickly. We will see.

Let us know how you make out. Congratulations on this first step in your progress.

Hey all...got banded on monday and let me tell you, it was not a fun ride. I posted another thread explaining my horrifying experience. Thank the Lord I have a very supportive husband and a God whom I can turn to.

On a seperate note...can someone tell me how these tickers work? Do i have to paste the url into every post? Not sure how these suckers work! thanks!

Hey all...got banded on monday and let me tell you, it was not a fun ride. I posted another thread explaining my horrifying experience. Thank the Lord I have a very supportive husband and a God whom I can turn to.

On a seperate note...can someone tell me how these tickers work? Do i have to paste the url into every post? Not sure how these suckers work! thanks!

No PBJ you sound in better spirits. At least you got the ticker on your site. I can't even do that! Help.

No PBJ you sound in better spirits. At least you got the ticker on your site. I can't even do that! Help.

Linda, a few of us will meet at the park Saturday, maybe you can join us? Val, Nicki and I will be there so far.

also, a few are planning on going to the support group Wednesday. I hope to be there but it depends on when I get home from work.

Hi everyone, I met Dr. Hoffman yesterday. He did my colonoscopy. We only had a total of about 3 minutes interaction but I felt he was a warm caring man. He even asked me if I liked the music in the procedure room. I wish our first meeting would have been in his office instead of his having an intimate relationship with my backside and then telling me to fart to get the gas pains out! Ha Ha. But he did make me feel comfortable. I remember someone being surprised he did Colonoscopys. I guess the GI lab was too because I heard someone ask him and he rattled off a whole list of proceudures he does. He even remembered my appointment to see him was in August. I am so impressed.

I did have some horrible gas pains that lasted until late last night. I even had to take a wheel chair to the car cause I couldn't walk but I felt more comfortable being at home "relieving" my discomofort. On that note I got the book someone on this site recommended titled Weight Loss with the Adjustable Gastric Band by Robert Sewell (I love it) and I read about the shoulder pains people talk about and the book explains: A cannula is placed into the abdominal cavity through the skin and muscular wall. The cavity is then inflated with carbon dioxide gas, similar to blowing up a balloon. The pressure of gas creates space for the surgeon to work between the internal organs and the wall of the abdomen. It also explains the reason for the preop diet which many people complain about: To expose the area of the upper stomach requires the lives to be physically lifted off the stomach. The liver is often quite large and somewhat immobile in very obese patients. This can prove to be a major obstacle in working around the upper part of the stomach. To make the procedure safer and easier patients are put on a pre-operative low fat low carb diet to shrink the liver. Makes me want to make that pre-op diet successful!

Sorry for the long post. I just thought someone might be interested.