Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[marcyinak 0]

This is the last one...really, I'll quit now!

Please note that BOTH of these King Salmon are mine...an uncle was helping me pose with them...he would've liked to take them home, but I was feeling selfish that day!:heh:

[DrRX - Tulsa 0]

Was it hard using Dr. K even though you are not from Colorado. I am considering using him as well. Did he schedule all of your consultations on the same day? I guess I am asking how you did everything?

Aubrey:help:

[Mal 0]

Thanks marcyinak, I will try it again...tomorrow!

I just LOVE the Atkins shakes, but I was wondering if you tried any of the Atkins bars? I haven't tried them, I thought maybe you would like them if you wanted something crunchy and sweet??

Your angel babies are adorable!! And how about those salmon??...YUMMMMMM

[marcyinak 0]

Aubrey - I have found scheduling and the phone consults no different than if I had been in town. Being far away DOES NOT hinder me for the procedure. However, I was sure to have after-care handy close to where I live.

[Lap_dancer 8]

I have my photos hosted at PHOTOBUCKET and FLICKR. Register....then when you are ready to upload photos to host your go to BROWSE and it takes you to where you have your photos stored on your home computer. Mine are in MY PICTURES folder ( duuurrr-huh)

I'll post some from my art I've been playing with.

Meanwhile: I wanna party with Michelle up in NY. The wedding sounds DIVINE and that reception: food stations...outstanding! in a warehouse!!! BRAVO! Two Kudos for unique venue. My friend Robin had the coolest chuppah (patchwork made of her father's tie, her sister's University of Florida tshirt (sister and father passed) a shirt he passed his bar exam in, all created a square fabric for the chuppah. The yarmulkes were tie dyed! hahaha.

PHOTOS baby! Post photos.

Drew, your legs look hot and you are a rollerbaby queen to be sure. I never grow bored of your posts.

>>If I ever forget anyone by name, I'm sooo bad with names. By profession I am a translator so words go in my brain and out in a second language in seconds. Problem is I don't hold the thoughts long. Now multiply that for 20 years and there ya go!<<<

Marcy in ALASKA the photos are great. I'll post my photos of Alaska. I love your state. Protein is your answer. I ate chicken tenders prepared Buffalo style, fried to boot, and ate them with Blue cheese. The carb count is minimal, protein count is through the ceiling. I lived on chicken when I was detoxing. I lived on mild wing sauce, chicken tenders. That little crunch was all I needed.

My friends: I'm two weeks post my fill and filling up, filling restriction but it ain't what I need. I'm getting hungry and able to eat MORE than before the fill. so what gives?

Dr. K wanted to go low with the fill because I'm thousands of miles from him. I'm at like 3.7 cc's. He said we have a long way to go. Well tonight I had...and get this list:

One half cup of meatloaf with shredded veggies baked in it (mother's recipe and it is killer and lite)

Boiled cabbage (1/4 cup or less)

One slice of cornbread soaked in cabbage broth

a large tablespoon of corn

one glass of tea

Dessert:

My key lime cheesecake with framboises on top! (raspberries) They are in season and fruity and plump and juicy. I had a cup of this.

I was full but not topped out.

I'm hungry now...it's almost 1 AM and I ate at 6 PM.

I worked out today for 1.5 hours doing aerobics in the pool.

I walked an hour after dinner.< /p>

I'm feeling tight in muscle but the scale is dancing between four pounds I LOST and then the next day its up again????Crazy.

I still drink slowly.

I still do not drink my meals.

I chew REAL slow.

I eat protein first.

I've begun excercising faithfully.

I suddenly feel use to my fill size.

I would really like to have more of a sensation of NOT being hungry than being hungry.

I am not ravenous like I was pre surgery which I am pleased for.

So fill 'er up? I'll be there in two weeks.

Did we say July 12th? Red Robin? Lemme know.

Patty

[Lap_dancer 8]

Photos:

The most beautiful cat on the planet. My kitten "Maybelline"

My precious BABY son, Patrick (yeah yeah yeah he's 21 yrs old, you got a problem with me doting on my BABY???) hee hee hee.

ART glass in the Westin hotel, Seattle Washington

ALASKA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GLACIER

My hot daddy

Alaska trip with my sweetie husband, last summer.

[Mal 0]

Hi Lapdancer~I LOVE the pics!! Sounds like you are doing great. You are eating right & exercising...good for you!

I have a Q for anyone...I was wondering about my first fill. Should I stick with liquids for the day of and after??

I'll try to post some pics as soon as I feel smart enough...

[Woofay 0]

Good morning, All! Great pictures, everyone! When we meet again on the 12th, I'll try and remember some pictures to bring.

Well, Grandpa finally passed away last night. The poor guy hung in there in a non-responsive state for days and days. (6 days) I think our poor Grandma had taken about all she could. Thank goodness there are wonderful programs like hospice in this world. I can stop jumping everytime the phone rings and quit trying to be good during all the cravings for comfort food.< /span>

Lap Dancer~I understand about your fill. I am still there. Doctor says that if you are staying full for 3 or more hours after you eat, your on the right track. But I feel like I can eat more than I should also. Its definately less than it was before, but that's not saying much. (I could really eat!) I liked that feeling we had after surgery when we first started on solids. Man, I could fill up on 1 1/2 chicken strips. And all "bad" foods seemed to make a golf ball. Need to get there again!

Drewslou~Why are you too tight? Did you recently get a fill? (if I missed/forgot the post where you told us, I'm sorry) It doesn't just outta no where get tighter does it? How's the knee? Are you almost back to normal?

Dynamo Mini~ Are you home from New York yet? Did you have a great time? Wish I was there too!

Mal~How are you doing? Can't wait to see you again on the 12th! Don't worry about your fill. It's quite the experience and super weird, but not bad! Time to get your band to do what you paid it to do! Hee hee!

MarcyinAK~the Atkin's sure will kick your butt at first. Tired, hungry and leg cramps like crazy. But then it changes and gives you great energy and weight loss. Sorry your having a hard time with it. It will get better. Can you imagine the pre-op diets some of the doctor's put their patients on? Some are on liquids for weeks before and weeks after. I never would have made it. Liquids suck. Hee hee! Thanks for the pictures. Alaska seems like such a far away land to me. The pictures of "the reasons why I am doing this" really hit home for me. I have a set of "those" pictures on the fridge too. Aren't babies wonderful?

DrRX~ Welcome! You'll love Dr. Kirshenbaum. He will really make you feel comfortable with your decision to have this done. If you read back in this thread, you'll see how satisfied we all were with everything- the Doc, the facility, the office staff, everything. Where are you located? Again, welcome!

Have a great day, everyone! :confused:

[DynamoMini 1]

I'm back from the great NYC and beyond.

Went to the shore (beach) on Monday and walked the boardwalk where I had walked with my grandpa. It was nostalgic, saw the old house (looked runned down).

The two days with my aunt and mom were tough. I found myself often looking and finding chocolates and Cookies, where I didn't do that often when I was with my cousin. I walked the city, so fun, the shows, the museum, I never wanted to go to sleep at night.

Came home to bills, my son Max, who is great but needy and the dog's poopy butt. No wonder I thought vacation was the best!

Drews - you look great. I want a fill that is tighter, I can eat the kitchen sink now, I think my last fill didn't hit home. Hugs!

Mal - you are such a honey. I think a tight fit is what I want too. Hugs!

Marcy (Ms Nome) - your babies are gorgeous, and you are living a life of adventure with style! Hugs!

Woofay - glad to hear things are going well for you! Hugs! Lap Dancer - glad you are arting away, you know art feeds your soul. Hugs!

Okay, so far the plan is - - - - so we are meeting the 12th, let's just go to the Red Robin because people now know where it is, and it isn't about the food anyway, its about the company. It's there at 7 pm or someone else please organize this group! Tell me I'll be there.

let me know. I have to go to the gym to work off the cookies and candy.< /span>

Smiling without pictures of the wedding - they had a photographer but he didn't include any fun pics so far on the website.

Michelle

[Mal 0]

Woofay~Bless you and your family, hope you all find some peace in knowing he is at rest. There are no words to explain how a death of a loved one breaks our hearts. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Dynamo~WELCOME home, sounds like you had a super fabulous time!!! I am up for Red Robin again. Whatever ya'll want is good with me.

I have another Q, So I am still doing the three meals, Protein Shakes inbetween and Water too. Is that pretty much the way it goes from now on? I think I am having trouble getting the Fiber, is it 25-27grams??...any ideas?? I have my Kashi in the morning and maybe a South Beach diet bar or cookie, not alot of fiber. Fruits and veggies are tough getting in, I just love my meats so much that I fill myself on meats.

AND, is is 30 minutes or an hour after eating that we can drink? I thought 30 minutes, but I was reading around here and some say an hour?? What does Dr. K or Paula say? I lost my papers that Paula went ove with me??

I started back at the gym yesterday...I don't know about "started", but I went and had a good workout for about an hour, wow am I sore today! I hope I can stay on track an keep going!

[DynamoMini 1]

Mal - I try to get between 60 - 80 grams of Protein a day and fiber from the Kashi, salad and fruits and veggies. Sometimes I have a problem with Constipation, which is something totally new for me. In NYC I started adding ground up flaxseed and bran to yogurt and even my eggs. That seemed to fix the problem. Benefiber is great and you can regulate the amount an put it into Protein Shakes. It has not taste or texture so that is a good thing.

About the Water - I guess it is 30 minutes before and after. There are Nazi docs out there that seem to really want their patients to suffer, not Dr. K.

Well, hope your day is good and that this is helpful.

Hugs - I missed you guys!

[mymacksy 0]

Hi girls,

I'm still lurking......but enjoying all your posts. I spent waaay too long looking up Roller Derby Girl stuff after seeing your myspace page, Drew :-) That looks so fun!

My initial consult with Dr. K is next week and I am very, very nervous. As I mentioned before, I have a really hard time with doctors (since I have been chronically abused by them as a nurse). I keep looking up more info on Lap Band and the negative stuff is freaking me out a bit.....such as long term weight loss rates, incidence of complications post-op, etc. I can't tell which info is reliable and up to date and which is sponsored by a competing industry and therefore likely a bunch of crap. But there is no way I'm going to even consider a gastric bypass, so it's either Lap Band or no surgery at all.

BTW, do any of you Lap Band veterans remember anything about the immediate post-op period....coming out of anesthesia or anything?

Marcy, the Atkins diets sucks something awful, in my experience - my sympathies. Does Dr. K want the Atkins diet followed pre-op only? Does he give a reason why he prefers Atkins? Is it because it's a fast loss? Is it supposed to jump start the weight loss and give you motivation or is there some other reason?

Michelle, I enjoyed your description of NY and the wedding events. I've been to NYC a few times and am always astounded at how different it is than any other place in the U.S. Truly, like a foreign country. Isn't it funny that so many foreigners think that NYC represents the whole USA?

I'm so glad to be in Colorado, the most beautiful state in the country :-) Dh and I took the kids up to Silverthorne/Dillon for a mountain hike last weekend, and ended up at Mt. Evans (we can still do the tourist things since we've only been here a year, right?) and it was breathtaking. Nothing like a hike at high altitude to remind you of those extra pounds, though :-(

Wish me luck next week.

[marcyinak 0]

Karen - Dr. K wants me to follow a VERY low carb, high Protein diet (Atkins) for 10 days pre-op....I started a little early; trying to be an over-achiever! The purpose of all these pre-op diets (regardless of type and doctor) is to shrink the liver so it will be smaller for the surgery, which makes the surgery easier/safer. Dr. K has actually stopped a procedure because a patient did not follow the diet - her liver was HUGE! Anyway, after talking with him and getting mostly surgery info., I talked with Paula, the Nutritionist, and she said to keep it under 30g of carbs a day - so far it's been easy, but I DO want something crunchy! I found some nuts and I have a servering (1/4 cup) in the afternoon which seems to satisfy me so far.

ALSO: Note that most of these sites are set up for folks who are having issues...now, MANY are not, please keep in mind that some information/statistics that you may come up with are skewed....there are THOUSANDS of folks who are doing just fine, don't need on-line support, and therefore, we don't have those numbers to "counter" some of the negative we see. I've also summized that MANY of the problems with the band are USER-RELATED...you have to be sure that you'll be able to follow the diet, guidelines, and your own feelings before you get this thing!

Good luck with your decision!

[DynamoMini 1]

Karen - I was a big skeptic about the surgery. What, sign up for and pay for another failure? I have to tell you it doesn't "fix" fat thinking or any of the reasons I have gained the weight. What it does do is slows down my eating, appetite, and earmarked a new era with food, not a perfect era, but new era in the way I am thinking about myself and food. I am logging everything that enters my mouth on calorieking.com, I am exercising, I am conscious of what I put in my mouth and accountable for it. Now, I haven't lost that quickly, but am I making healthy choices? For the most part yes. Am I controlling my portions? Again, for the most part yes. Am I dieting perfectly? No way. Am I exercising? Yes I am commited to five days a week for 45 minutes with weight training two times per week. As I am doing this I am establishing a positive pattern with food, that I never had. Dr. K is very holistic, compared to the other doczillas I have seen referred to here. I had no side effects from the surgery, I did wake up slowly from the anesthesia and was nausious for about 12 hours. I used the suppositories and it calmed down. I didn't have the gas pains, some people seem to. I have a tool, not a fix. GB is a cure, but so unhealthy. With the band you have to do the work that you would do anyway. My goal in all this isn't to weight 110 pounds (nice) or catch a man (nice) or teach aerobics class (nice). I just want to be healthy and physically fit. Not much to ask for, we all deserve to have a healthy life. Soapbox done!

Good luck with your decision. Attitude is everything.

Michelle

[DrRX - Tulsa 0]

Marcy,

I called Dr. K's office this morning and they were so helpful. They already scheduled my surgery for August 22. I can't believe it happened so quickly!! You will have to let me know how it went for you!

Aubrey