sunnysea

My Husband and I are dumb + dumber when it comes to this subject! With out getting into too much detail, we had to dip into his 401k this past year for other reasons. And we were warned about taxes so we had that figured in to be covered. Anyhow come tax time we usually get back around $3,000 that we depend on each year, well surprise, surprise, we owe State $8,000:faint: :faint: :faint: It seems the people that advised us forgot that they don't take or consider the State taxes to be covered:rolleyes Talk about stupid:eek: Just make sure of every detail first. I am:embarassed: :embarassed: :embarassed: even talking about this, I just wanted to warn you to check every detail, I wish at least one of the:bandit 's that helped us would of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sunnysea

From everything I have read the reason not to eat solids yet was to prevent slippage by letting the stitches heal and the stomach relax while it un-swells from being banded. The Innamed book is very consevative on this subject, like clear fluids for the first two weeks and then soft mushys. My Dr. isn't that strict but I have just started creamy stuff. I know every Dr. is differant with pre-diets and fills, but I kindda thought not eating regular food right now made since when the maker of the band even says so????? Does your Dr. let you start solids early? just wondering? Sunnysea

Hi Everyone, Well it's 1 week tomorrow! Thank you Mark for the info about protein shakes and Thank You to everyone here for your inspiration, kind words, and support:) I am so Dammed glad:D I have my band, ofcourse now I've been reading more of the complication forums:faint: I'm a natural worry wart. I just wonder if most of you feel a tightness in the chest when you breath in? I go back to work on Thursday + I work at Walgreens in cosmetics and actually do alot of running around in a 8hr shift. Atleast it is some exercise, I still poop out fast and my stomach is distended alot. This early banding is weird, I have to get this straight in my head, some things I can have now like soft mushy foods will be the oppisite of what I will need to consume after a fill. Ofcourse everytime I get a fill I will be back to liquids for a few days. If Paula wants us to sip these protein shakes 3 times a day, when do we have time to drink other fluids? At work I will have to use my 15 min. breaks to get the pr. shakes in and I will have to remember to go to the stock room + time clock area to drink my water. I already talked to my manager about this, but no drinks on the sales floor. I always have a ton of work to do and or customers so I am really going to have to work at keeping hydrated. Oh there I go again worrying, but I am So So Happy I have this band! Talk to you later, Sunnysea

Shesha, I thought that you're 1st fill was on the 5th? Just wondering why it got set back?? I'm trying to figure out when I will be heading back, maybe the 5th week out so that I could catch the support meeting they have on the 1st tuesday of each month. If anyone else is going to be there let me know. Dr. K. said the 1st fill should be at 4 weeks, I realize that if we are losing enough we can wait awhile. Also I may dealing with Easter and some spring breakers that week. Sunnysea

I hear ya, I guess they sucked me in with that one. My surgeon in Denver never said anything negative about Mexico, just that he was offering a sub. for leaving our own country to have surgery. It was the Dr. here in WI that is so high on himself! I guess with the situation with my dad, I felt it was a lesson learned with dealing with lawyers. Sunnysea

BubbleButt, A surgeon here in WI. had said that was his finding and the reason he doesn't take patients from Mexico, ofcourse he won't take me for follow-up either! Also I have read it here under [Complications] seems to be more with the bands done years ago. Maybe my former Dr. said this because his only interest was my money????? It made since at the time. Sunnysea

Terry R, We stayed at LaQuinta not far from Dr. Kirshenbaums office, it was ok but would have preferred a place where you enter the room from the inside rather than a outside entrance. Anyhow the service was good, they kept my popsicles in their freezer and the Husband had to do alot of running. I know from reading on here that there are some hotels with mini fridge's. We booked on line with Travelosity and bought a package with plane,car,+ motel included. Good Luck, Sunnysea

Hi Everyone, I'm doing pretty good, just tired. I wanted to know what protein powders and ready made shakes you are using? I did order some Unjury but haven't recieved it yet. Paula the Nutr. said to consume them for life between meals. I can see where Dr. K's patients don't have a problem with alot of hunger as time goes on drinking these 3 times a day. Is everyone following this advice????

There is another side of having a band placed in you in Mexico. To start with I love Mexico as a tourist and I am sure they are very experianced at placing bands. The problem arises when like my father who died from a massive staph infection from having a hip replacment in the States. Now I know that can happen anywhere but because he had dental work done years ago in Mexico, they blamed the whole thing on that! Don't get me wrong i'm not planning on suing anyone, but say you were in a bad car accident and needed lifetime aftercare, the ins. + lawyers would blame any problem on the fact that you had surgery in Mexico.Just a thought, Sunnysea Also alot of erosion case's stem from Dr's in Mexico doing an aggressive fill because you can't come back as often.

Robinlwade, My Dr's name is Gerald Kirshenbaum he is in Aurora CO. his phone number is 303-695-1304. Under dr's + hospitals there is a forum [considering Dr. Kirshenbaum] that is where I found out about him. He also has a web site [lapbandrockies.com] The surgery takes place at Healthsouth Aurora Surgery Center. I was very impressed with the whole experiance, everybody was wonderful and everything went smoothly, except ofcourse our flight from Chicago O'Hara to Green Bay WI. He offers a very good follow up service also. People are traveling far to have him do the surgery, I couldn't come up with the $$$ they wanted here in WI so I had to look into other options, and now I am so glad it worked out this way. Any other questions just let me know. Sunnysea

I traveled to Denver, CO and paid $9,950 with no hidden cost. I don't know if the Dr. does anyone under 18???? Fills are free for 3 months, but ofcourse the flight would cost.

Hi Everyone, I am banded:) My surgery was on 2/28 in Denver with Dr. Kirshenbaum. Everything went well, I can't say enough good about Dr. Kirshenbaum, his staff Robin and Marilyn, and the surgical center, it was all top notch. I live in N.E. WI, so my trip home took forever because of flight delays and snow+ice covered roads. Anyhow I made it home and am getting used to grinding my meds and eating popsicles. Talk more later, Sunnysea

Hi, I just got home from Denver and was banded on 2/28, I traveled from North East WI. so we have had quite a long day traveling with delays in Chicago. I wish I lived near Dr. Kirshenbaum so that I would be able to follow up with him forever! I will try to make it back there as often as possible, the whole experiance was top notch. Dr. K was wonderful and his staff and everyone at the surgical center across the street were just great:) I think that anyone that lives near him shouldn't even think of anyone else. Right now he is getting busy with everyone traveling from far to get this surgery, you have a gold mine there and no reason to travel. I just can't say enough good, I am so glad that my surgery ended up with Dr. K, because I couldn't come up with the $17,700 that they wanted here in WI. Anyhow I am rambling now, I'm just really tired, talk to you later. Sunnysea :clap2:

Hi Everyone, I haven't posted lately, just wanted to let you know that I will be flying out of Green Bay WI. tomorrow to Denver CO., my surgery will be on Wed. and I will fly home on Thur.:omg: I'm sure I will be tired, but it was this or no band! It turns out I feel alot better about this Dr. than the one I had choosen here in WI, although it would have been more conveinent to do so here. I have lost 7lbs on my pre-diet, so all is good except for this stupid snow that just won't quit!!!! I will post as soon as I feel up to it. Sunnysea

Hi Everyone, Well I fly out of Green Bay tomorrow, I hope this snow stops! I have lost 7lbs. on the pre-op diet I meet with Dr. K tomorrow and have surgery on Wed., and fly home Thur. :omg: I wanted to know what protien powder everyone likes the most? I was thinking of ordering some Unjury. Also do all of Dr. Ks patients drink 3 protien drinks between meals???? Thanks, Sunnysea

I would also take your temp., Just to be sure that that you are not running a low grade fever from infection. I don't want to scare you but I do think it is something the dr. should watch for from your discription of your port area. I hope everything will be ok, Sunnysea

I just talked with my Docter the other day and he will have me on a high protien/low carb diet for 1 week before surgery. He said to keep it simple just no bread,potatoes,rice, or pasta, he said those types of carbs make the liver swell. He said one patiant he had already made an insision and her liver was huge, he had to back out and tell her mother that he couldn't do the surgery that day. The mother confesed that her daughter had eaten french frys right up to the day before???? I have a BMI of 40 and I do know that patiants of his that have a higher BMI have to diet for 2 weeks. Some DR.S must just be more conservative about this issue or less:confused: Sunnysea

Hi everyone, I talked with Dr. Kirshenbaum today and have my surgery date of Feb. 28th:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I can't believe it, I am so Happy:) Thank you Shesha for all your info and ground work for us from Wisconsin , I guess people from anywhere. Anyhow I think his bussines is really growing just from the people posting here alone. He certainly offers a good deal for us self payers. Thanks so much everyone, I find this site to be so informative and helpful. What did we do before the internet???:omg: Sunnysea:target::pray2::banana:cheer2::):grouphug:And I turn 50 on the 27th!!!!:rolleyes :speechles :eek: what a nice Birthday present.

Pam, If you read alot of the posts here on Lapbandtalk you will see how well alot of people have done with being banded. I will be getting banded the end of Feb. and after looking at the before and after pictures and doing my homework on the Lapband I am more sure than ever that this is the way to help my hunger. I realize that the weight can come off slow but if you have patiance and get your fills when needed it will help not only take the excess weight off but also keep it off. When talking to my Dr. today he said that I could have a treat once in awhile, say like a dish of ice cream but not everyday. I read on this website all the time people that have had this done and they are 2 weeks postop and eating what ever they want. They either don't know any better or they just don't care. I would guess that these people would not do well on their weight loss. And then some are just not able to lose as fast because of meds., heridity, etc... I don't know how I will lose but I will use this tool to help me, I'm sure there will be times when it won't be fast enough, I will have to remember where I have been and don't want to go back. By the way I have never heard anywear the 25% loss, I have seen more like 50% to 70% quoted. But as you see on this website it can be much greater. Sunnysea

Hi, Add me to the Feburary Bandster List:clap2: I am from NE Wisconsin and will be flying out to Denver to have Dr. Kirshenbaum to do my surgery. I am a self pay and was having a hard time coming up with the money but I'm ready now. My surgery will be on Feb. 28th, one day past my 50th birthday. Sunnysea:D

Hi Mary, Sorry it took me awhile to respond. I actually live in Marinette Wisconsin right across the river from Menominee Michigan. I am trying to get $$$ together for surgery, my ins. has it excluded even if medically nesessary:( Hope everything will go well with your testing, I had a stress test in Dec. and while thumping away on the treadmill I thought to myself I am never going to overeat again!:faint: it was really hard. The minute I got off the treadmill the nurse asked me if I would like a muffin and some juice? yes that would be great!!! Anyhow even though I am out of shape everything turned out good. Well Good Luck with being banded soon. Sunnysea

Hi Terry R, Shesha just answered your question, I have been getting all of my info from her posts. I have also been in touch with Dr. Kirshenbaums office now and wish I had the money. When I finally get banded it will be a long drive for my fills, but I won't let that hold me back. Keep us posted on when your surgery will be. Good Luck, Sunnysea:)

Hi, Here I was approved with Capital One for an amount that would have covered part of my expence to have surgery here in WI. But I could not get the rest together :think So I have since looked into Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver, I would then have enough to get surgery. So I gave Capital One a call to tell them I have switched Drs., and find out that he is not in their program and doesn't care to be :cry I am so frustrated, Here I could have had my surgery on January 31st. :speechles Sunnysea

Hello everyone, Is anyone from Upper Michigan? Sunnysea

Sunshine, When you redo the January list please take my name off [sunnysea 1/18] I wasn't able to keep that date. I am really trying for Feb. now. Thanks, Sunnysea