Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[VABandster 0]

It sounds like the new name should be clutz? LOL

What happened DL that you're in a knee brace!???

[DrewsLou 3]

Derby practice last night, doing double knee falling drills. I ended up partially tearing my MCL on my left knee. No worries! I will be back on skates within a week!

[VABandster 0]

Yikes!! Sounds painful...but glad to hear you'll be back on your skates in no time!!

[Shesha 1]

Derby practice last night, doing double knee falling drills. I ended up partially tearing my MCL on my left knee. No worries! I will be back on skates within a week!

OMG!! Hurt already!! Take care of yourself!!

So, have you given Dr. K any comp tickets to your first real game?

[8675309 0]

I called his office today and requested a packet.

[Machele 0]

I called his office today and requested a packet.

A packet?!? Did Marilyn say she would send you one? I never got a packet :cry they did not have anything to send out. I have since gotten my paperwork from the nutritionist and have set up my phone consultation with Dr. K. I would be interested to find out what's in your packet...

Today I got my airline tickets:plane: , so there's no backing out now! I'm down to only 33 days left to wait!

[8675309 0]

Whoever answered the phone said they would send me a packet of more information.

[Shesha 1]

It finally feels real!! I booked my surgery for February 20th with Dr. Kirshenbaum. I am going to leave NC on 2/19 and come back on 2/23. I am really excited/happy, but I also feel very anxious and scared. I feel like I have made the right chose. Everyone @ the office has been very friendly and helpful. I have booked our flights and the rental car. The only thing I need now is to find a hotel. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Skyeblu!

We stayed at the Best Western Gateway Inn and Suites right near Dr. K's office in Aurora. The room was very reasonable, like $60.00 a night. I told them I was having surgery and they gave me a handicapped room on the first floor. It was very convienent. The rooms and hotel were clean. What was nice is that each room had a pretty decent sized mini fridge and microwave in it. I could put my Jello, broth and stuff in the fridge, or heat up my broth in the micro. Since we also had my daughter along, we were able to put a gallon of milk for her in the fridge too. The hotel had a pool and a whirlpool. My husband and daughter enjoyed it. They also had free continental Breakfast in the morning (with a waffle maker - not for you, but your traveling companions :mad: ) On weeknights, they also had a mini happy hour. Free cans of beer on ice, some wine (wasn't very good, but free) and chips and salsa. My husband had a beer or two each night, so he was happy. They also had a computer you could use for free. I used it to post on lapbandtalk, and to check in for our flight home. There are a lot of nice, casual restaurants around there too.. macaroni Grill, TGIFriday's, Chilli's, Joe's Crab Shack,a brew pub, a mall and a Super Target. All looked like a fairly new development.

[Shesha 1]

Hi all!

An FYI for future Dr. K bandsters.

When you get there, he may give you some prescriptions to get filled so you'll have them ready for after the surgery. I had 3: liquid vicoden, some extremely nasty tasting liquid antibiotic and some anti-nausea suppositories. He told me they would cost around $80.00 to get filled and gave me a few suggestions on where to get them filled the cheapest. Make sure you get 'em filled the day before your surgery, 'cause you're not going to want to run around afterwards! :mad: (Disclaimer-everyone's different, so you may get different prescriptions, if any. I'm just telling you what I was prescribed)

Well, I have prescription drug coverage and get my normal monthly meds through Walgreens.

I took the prescriptions to Walgreens just West of Dr. K's office on Mississippi (one of the roads there). They had all my insurance information in their database. All I gave them was my phone number and brought me right up.

Long story short, I had no issues and my prescriptions only cost me $6.00!!

Moral of the story.. if you have prescription drug coverage, make sure you at least try to use it for these prescriptions. Even though you are self-paying for the surgery, your drugs may be covered.

Oh, and another thing. (He told me this during my phone consult, so I was able to prepare ahead of time.) He'll (probably)have you get a product called Hibiclens. It's an anti-bacterial liquid that you'll need to scrub on your belly when you shower for two days before your surgery. He'll also have you get Dulcolax Suppositories (they work in 15 minutes to 1 hour!) to assure you have a bowel movement the night before surgery. I bought both items at Walgreens at home before I left (Target and Wal-mart did not carry the Hibiclens - you could order it though through the pharmacy. Walgreeens had it right on the shelf) and was able to bring it on the plane, even in my carry on. Just an fyi to save you from running around when you get to Denver.

[Shesha 1]

Whoever answered the phone said they would send me a packet of more information.

I called and asked for a packet and got one.

In the envelope was the Inamed/Allergan Lapband patient information brochure and Dr. K's patient history/pre-op questionaire.

I specifically asked for the copy of his patient history/pre-op questionaire though so I am unsure if it is normally included. I wanted to see how detailed of questions he asked (medical history, family history, current meds, etc.) compared to the other surgeon's I had received.

Personally, I think they could include more information in the packet - at the very least hotel information and an FAQ sheet, or put some links and PDF's on their website - and save themselves from the many phone calls I am sure they get.

[Shesha 1]

A packet?!? Did Marilyn say she would send you one? I never got a packet :cry they did not have anything to send out. I have since gotten my paperwork from the nutritionist and have set up my phone consultation with Dr. K. I would be interested to find out what's in your packet...

Today I got my airline tickets:plane: , so there's no backing out now! I'm down to only 33 days left to wait!

Congrats Machele on getting your band date. I will be there on 3/16 getting my first fill!

I didn't think he banded patients on a Friday. They told me Tues, Wed, and Thurs. He must have changed his schedule to accomodate for the influx of bands he seems to be doing lately.

[skyeblu79 0]

Skyeblu!

We stayed at the Best Western Gateway Inn and Suites right near Dr. K's office in Aurora. The room was very reasonable, like $60.00 a night. I told them I was having surgery and they gave me a handicapped room on the first floor. It was very convienent. The rooms and hotel were clean. What was nice is that each room had a pretty decent sized mini fridge and microwave in it. I could put my Jello, broth and stuff in the fridge, or heat up my broth in the micro. Since we also had my daughter along, we were able to put a gallon of milk for her in the fridge too. The hotel had a pool and a whirlpool. My husband and daughter enjoyed it. They also had free continental Breakfast in the morning (with a waffle maker - not for you, but your traveling companions ) On weeknights, they also had a mini happy hour. Free cans of beer on ice, some wine (wasn't very good, but free) and chips and salsa. My husband had a beer or two each night, so he was happy. They also had a computer you could use for free. I used it to post on lapbandtalk, and to check in for our flight home. There are a lot of nice, casual restaurants around there too.. macaroni Grill, TGIFriday's, Chilli's, Joe's Crab Shack,a brew pub, a mall and a Super Target. All looked like a fairly new development.

Hi,

That's sounds really nice. I haven't had much time to be on here for the last couple of weeks so I missed this post. I had a reservation held w/the Towneplace Marriott until yesterday and I went ahead and changed to a different hotel. It's like 10 miles from Dr. K (I think). Hopefully, we won't get lost. It's also a suite w/a microwave and fridge. I will post more about the hotel when I get back on the 23rd for anyone else that wants to know.

Thanks for remembering me:)

[skyeblu79 0]

Thanks for all the information Shesha. Maybe I should call back and ask anything that I could get before hand. I really didn't think about that. He did tell me that he would have a list of medication to get when I get there. So of the stuff that you named (asside from prescriptions) would be easier to get ahead of time.

I thought of another question....Do they use a catherater (sp)?

[VABandster 0]

I got banded on a Friday...I think it just depends on when the operating room is available.....

Skye....no, I did not get a catheter put in...the surgery time is not very long and you are up and about moving so there really shouldn't be any need for one.

One thing I do recommend you bring is some throat lozenges to suck on after surgery b/c you will likely have a sore throat from the anesthesia...

[marjon9 6]

Hello Dr. K bandsters, I want to pass along a little update.

Up to now I've had considerable difficulty being over-restricted and unable to eat anything, even mushies, much of the time since banding. This has been a concern to me for obvious reasons, especially since it resulted in frequent PB episodes. Not good.

So, I read about preventing PBs on this forum and noticed that some people recommend papaya enzyme tablets. It seemed a little bit too "New Age" for me, but hey, I was born in February, so for me personally This Is The Dawning Of The Age Of Aquarius. :hippie: So I decided to try papaya enzyme.

I drove over to the health food store in my tie-dyed 1960 Volkswagen bus and purchased papaya enzyme. When I got home I set up my experiment. I ate a few small bites of pot roast, chewing as if I had the munchies, yet knowing that the pot roast would likely get stuck and I would probably PB.

Well, sure enough, it got stuck, the golf ball descended, and the sliming commenced. A PB was minutes away. Then, with the excitement of Thomas Edison in his youth, I popped a few papaya enzyme tablets, chewed them up, and much to my delight and surprise, they worked!! Within a minute I became unstuck and the golf ball departed for the middle of that fairway in the sky.

I repeated the experiment the next day with chicken, with the same glowing results. So, I'm eating as a normal banster now, :hungry:, no PBs. I'm finally starting to feel like I am actually living the bandster life now, rather than recovering from band surgery.

I'm down 25 pounds so far as well, but I credit that as much as anything to the liquid diet. I hope I can keep heading in that direction now that I can eat something. 15 more pounds and I'll arrive in Twoterville. :clap2:

If anyone else tries this thing with the papaya enzyme I'd like to hear if it works for you as well.

So, that's the latest.

Torch a fat one for me!! :biggrin1:

Peace, Love, Turn On, Tune In, and Drop Out. :faint: