Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[KayleighsMommy 16]

Hi girls. Well, looks like I'm probably gonna lose my band :hurt: . I'm still in a lot of pain, only now it is 2 very distinct types of pain. One is what I have had all along... the crushing, spreading pressure/gas-like pain, the other is what I call the "ball of pain" that is the feeling that someone punched me in the right boob and left their fist in there. This occurs when I eat or drink anything and lasts for hours.

I ended up going to the ER 2 weeks ago for this new pain. They told me my stomach was still distended (like I didn't already know that). They also called Dr Metz about this. He called me back about 4 days later (nothing like customer service, huh?) And told me that he thinks the band is pressing on the vagus nerve and is probably is going to have to come out.

This scares the HELL out of me!!! I still have at least 50 pounds (my goal) to 90 pounds to go (where the BMI charts say I should be). I am so afraid I will put all this weight back on.

We just started with Kaiser, evidently so did Dr Metz, so he recommended I call the head of the bariatric program at KP and ask for a referral to see him. I did this and she told me she had no problem referring me, but she wanted to talk to him first to see what his plan of action was. I am still waiting to hear back from her, too.

I finally got into a gastroenterologist, it took me 3 weeks to get an appointment, while I was steadily geting worse each day. I have gotten to the point that I am barely eating/drinking for the pain. Now I am so weak I can barely stand for more that a minute or two at a time.

I figured they were going to jerk me around... "Here, try this med and come back in a month" type of thing. But she was like "I can get you in tomorrow for an endoscopy" This would have been at St Joe's but admitting was already closed for the day, so we made an appointment for tomorrow at 11 AM at the Kaiser office downtown.

She will be looking for an ulcer or stricture, though she told me she doubts it is either of these things. I told her of my weight gain fears without a band and asked her if I truly have gastroparesis (basically your stomach muscles aren't working to push the food through... it just sits there and rots) if a bypass would fix it (that seems to be one of the few things that works for people).

She told me that if she doesnt find anything tomorrow she is going to call Natalie (the head of bariatrics) and suggest she refers me to Dr Metz for exploratory surgery <Yikes> and a bypass. She said she feels that this is being caused by something structural, and I will definetely have to have exploratory surgery, so they "might as well do a bypass while they are in there".

I am reallly freaked out about needing X surgery. And if I can't have a band I will take the bypass.

Now I'm stressing thinking that Kaiser will not want to pay for the bypass, since they tend to have a lot of hoops to jump through before they will pay for bariatrics. I am hoping that they will not deny this since:

1). This would be done to alleviate a very real, dangerous stomach condition. And,

2). I have "proven" myself and my commitment already by losing 113 pounds with the band.

Of course, now (for the first time in probably 20 years) I am under a 40 BMI. This may come into play also.

I didn't elect for bypass in the first place because of the risks and more danger associated with it.... but I guess the risks of ballooning up to over 350 pounds are pretty high too.

Figures..... I decided on who I was going to go to for my PS, and to have my boobs done too. Now this is most likely going to be put on the back burner for quite awhile.

Best case scenario: She finds an ulcer, and I am all better after 6 weeks of meds. I can get my band refilled and have my lower body lift.

Second best case scenario: Kaiser pays for a bypass, I quickly lose even more weight, and look even better after my LBL.

The last scenario: Kaiser refuses to authorize the bypass. Dr Metz removes the band and I see how much it would cost for me to pay cash for a sleeve while he's in there. There goes my plastics money..... OR ..... I go to Mexico for a sleeve or the new sleeve plication. Again, bye bye plastic surgery. :broken_heart:

Sorry for the long post, and I'll post back tomorrow after my test.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hi girls. Well, looks like I'm probably gonna lose my band :hurt: . I'm still in a lot of pain, only now it is 2 very distinct types of pain. One is what I have had all along... the crushing, spreading pressure/gas-like pain, the other is what I call the "ball of pain" that is the feeling that someone punched me in the right boob and left their fist in there. This occurs when I eat or drink anything and lasts for hours.

I ended up going to the ER 2 weeks ago for this new pain. They told me my stomach was still distended (like I didn't already know that). They also called Dr Metz about this. He called me back about 4 days later (nothing like customer service, huh?) And told me that he thinks the band is pressing on the vagus nerve and is probably is going to have to come out.

This scares the HELL out of me!!! I still have at least 50 pounds (my goal) to 90 pounds to go (where the BMI charts say I should be). I am so afraid I will put all this weight back on.

We just started with Kaiser, evidently so did Dr Metz, so he recommended I call the head of the bariatric program at KP and ask for a referral to see him. I did this and she told me she had no problem referring me, but she wanted to talk to him first to see what his plan of action was. I am still waiting to hear back from her, too.

I finally got into a gastroenterologist, it took me 3 weeks to get an appointment, while I was steadily geting worse each day. I have gotten to the point that I am barely eating/drinking for the pain. Now I am so weak I can barely stand for more that a minute or two at a time.

I figured they were going to jerk me around... "Here, try this med and come back in a month" type of thing. But she was like "I can get you in tomorrow for an endoscopy" This would have been at St Joe's but admitting was already closed for the day, so we made an appointment for tomorrow at 11 AM at the Kaiser office downtown.

She will be looking for an ulcer or stricture, though she told me she doubts it is either of these things. I told her of my weight gain fears without a band and asked her if I truly have gastroparesis (basically your stomach muscles aren't working to push the food through... it just sits there and rots) if a bypass would fix it (that seems to be one of the few things that works for people).

She told me that if she doesnt find anything tomorrow she is going to call Natalie (the head of bariatrics) and suggest she refers me to Dr Metz for exploratory surgery <Yikes> and a bypass. She said she feels that this is being caused by something structural, and I will definetely have to have exploratory surgery, so they "might as well do a bypass while they are in there".

I am reallly freaked out about needing X surgery. And if I can't have a band I will take the bypass.

Now I'm stressing thinking that Kaiser will not want to pay for the bypass, since they tend to have a lot of hoops to jump through before they will pay for bariatrics. I am hoping that they will not deny this since:

1). This would be done to alleviate a very real, dangerous stomach condition. And,

2). I have "proven" myself and my commitment already by losing 113 pounds with the band.

Of course, now (for the first time in probably 20 years) I am under a 40 BMI. This may come into play also.

I didn't elect for bypass in the first place because of the risks and more danger associated with it.... but I guess the risks of ballooning up to over 350 pounds are pretty high too.

Figures..... I decided on who I was going to go to for my PS, and to have my boobs done too. Now this is most likely going to be put on the back burner for quite awhile.

Best case scenario: She finds an ulcer, and I am all better after 6 weeks of meds. I can get my band refilled and have my lower body lift.

Second best case scenario: Kaiser pays for a bypass, I quickly lose even more weight, and look even better after my LBL.

The last scenario: Kaiser refuses to authorize the bypass. Dr Metz removes the band and I see how much it would cost for me to pay cash for a sleeve while he's in there. There goes my plastics money..... OR ..... I go to Mexico for a sleeve or the new sleeve plication. Again, bye bye plastic surgery. :broken_heart:

Sorry for the long post, and I'll post back tomorrow after my test.

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry to hear all of this. I feared there would be an issue that wouldn't resolve easily. It just didn't seem right that your stomach wasn't emptying. That's horrible that you're in such pain and not able to eat. Can you at least drink the Isopure Clear Protein Drinks? You've got to keep your strength up! I know you know that. I'm sorry!

Please come back and tell us how your visit with the new doctor went. I hope you found good news! I wish they did the sleeve here for you. It would be nice to just have it done here if you have to revise to another WLS. The sleeve is the way I would go - if I had to revise.

I hope Kaiser pays for your bypass and understands that you are committed to losing weight! You've worked so hard to get to where you are today! This doesn't seem fair!

Hang in there!

love,

dee~

[mem620 3]

Julie,

I am so sorry to read what you are going through. I haven't checked this site for weeks and just found your post. WOW. Please give us an update about how it is going.

BTW - I have been stuck at the same weight for weeks, and started having trouble keeping food down myself. So I did have a partial unfill and feel much better. I have just joined Weight Watchers Online and like it alot. I need some structure to get this last 40 pounds off. Now if I could just get rid of my double-chin that is looking deflated...

Please let us know how you are doing Julie~!

[KayleighsMommy 16]

Julie,

I am so sorry to read what you are going through. I haven't checked this site for weeks and just found your post. WOW. Please give us an update about how it is going.

BTW - I have been stuck at the same weight for weeks, and started having trouble keeping food down myself. So I did have a partial unfill and feel much better. I have just joined Weight Watchers Online and like it alot. I need some structure to get this last 40 pounds off. Now if I could just get rid of my double-chin that is looking deflated...

Please let us know how you are doing Julie~!

Thanks Mary, For those that don't know, I lost my band last week. I had a major erosion. I spent 2 days in the hospital, came home for about 12 hours and went back to a different hospital. I had a CT scan in the ER and had a seroma (way early for me... that usually happens after 3-4 weeks... not 3 days) I was in the hospital for another 3 days on a couple different antibiotics. I came home on Sunday with 2 different antibiotics and 2 different pain killers. I have a drain that will come out in another 2-3 weeks.

The surgeon told me my stomach may be "mishapen" from scar tissue and in 6 months or so he may be able to go in and stretch any stricture in there. I'm thinking NO. If I have any restriction why would I want to get rid of that? I am still on liqiuds for another 2-4 weeks!!!!

I got my applications for Kaiser bariatrics. I am going to fill that out in a couple of weeks (want to go to a doctor and get an "official" weight before filling out paperwork) I am so hoping I will not need it.

I have pretty much decided that I will give myself 6 months. As long as I am still staying the same, or even losing a bit (C'mon scar tissue/restriction ) I am going to go ahead and have my plastic surgery done.

I guess just time will tell.

[JillyPoo 0]

Hello ladies,

It has been a long time since I have been on here and too long since my last fill. I am coming to Denver for the support group meeting and a fill in March. Does anyone go to the support group meetings? I am in desperate need of not feeling alone, no one really gets it. They all seem to think that once you get it that is it, I don't know, I just feel like I am alone with it. Make sense? Anyway, let me know if anyone is planning on going, it would be nice to make some connections. There isn't any support group near me.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hello ladies,

It has been a long time since I have been on here and too long since my last fill. I am coming to Denver for the support group meeting and a fill in March. Does anyone go to the support group meetings? I am in desperate need of not feeling alone, no one really gets it. They all seem to think that once you get it that is it, I don't know, I just feel like I am alone with it. Make sense? Anyway, let me know if anyone is planning on going, it would be nice to make some connections. There isn't any support group near me.

I forget, where do you live? Are you able to come up once a month to meet all of us at Red Robin? We could start doing something more regularly!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

a bunch of out of town banders are going to be here on the 23rd and 24th of March! We're all staying downtown! It would be great to have a group meet at Red Robin! Anyone interested?

[KayleighsMommy 16]

a bunch of out of town banders are going to be here on the 23rd and 24th of March! We're all staying downtown! It would be great to have a group meet at Red Robin! Anyone interested?

Works for me!!

[JillyPoo 0]

I live in Arizona. Monthly is too much, wish I lived closer!

I forget, where do you live? Are you able to come up once a month to meet all of us at Red Robin? We could start doing something more regularly!

[Laptastic 0]

So, ever since they changed the format of this site, I don't get updates sent to my phone or email, so therefore, I don't think anyone's been writing. I was bored this evening and thought I'd check in. Turns out that people ARE writing. Hey peeps! Count me in for whatever happens on March 23/24. I'll try to check in on this site more often.

[jmegirl 2]

So, ever since they changed the format of this site, I don't get updates sent to my phone or email, so therefore, I don't think anyone's been writing. I was bored this evening and thought I'd check in. Turns out that people ARE writing. Hey peeps! Count me in for whatever happens on March 23/24. I'll try to check in on this site more often.

I'm so excited for the get together! I can't wait to go back to Denver and see everyone.

PS - Hi everyone! I haven't posted in probably 2 years. I'm Jaime, and I got banded by Dr. K in November of 2008.

[KayleighsMommy 16]

I'm so excited for the get together! I can't wait to go back to Denver and see everyone.

PS - Hi everyone! I haven't posted in probably 2 years. I'm Jaime, and I got banded by Dr. K in November of 2008.

Hey Jamie,

Long time no see. Glad you're back.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Okay Peeps!

We're meeting at Red Robin @ Arapahoe and I-25 on March 23rd at 7pm!

We'll have some out of town Banders here! Mini, Munchkin and Jaime!

Let's all get together and enjoy some good conversation!

I hope to see you there!

[KayleighsMommy 16]

Okay Peeps!

We're meeting at Red Robin @ Arapahoe and I-25 on March 23rd at 7pm!

We'll have some out of two Banders here! Mini, Munchkin and Jaime!

Let's all get together and enjoy some good conversation!

I hope to see you there!

Looking forward to it :bananajump:

[rudeetina 0]

a bunch of out of town banders are going to be here on the 23rd and 24th of March! We're all staying downtown! It would be great to have a group meet at Red Robin! Anyone interested?

Hello All --

I was banded by Dr. K on 1/27/2011... I would so love to come and hang out with other fellow banders.... Is there anything that I need to bring?