Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hey Kids!

Well, I just got back from Red Robin's.

It was just me and Lifesaver. She's really sweet and I'm so glad she came and we got a chance to chat.

I missed you all! But I know that you had things to do!

Sorry though, no pics this month. I forgot my camera!

See ya Peeps,

dee~

[Woofay 0]

Dee! No camera???!!!! Oh no! Ya, the weather is really bad, still. Not sure that we will have school in the morning. Who knows. I would have been on earlier to let you know, but......bad news! My computer, I believe, has contracted a virus. I couldn't get online, or use the key board and tons of other crazy stuff. I managed to get into my picture files and I have been trying desperately to retrieve them and get them on a disk. I know, I know! I should do this often, but I'm so lazy. I do have them stored at Snapfish, but they are only stored in 4x6 format. They really shrink them down. (considering how huge they are when you take them) I think I got it done though. The pictures and all my other documents. I pulled 9 disks off. yay! So now Firedog can strip it down and do whatever. And I've been messing with some other stuff so I was able to sign back on aol....yay again!

Back to RR~~~maybe we could do a little get together some other time? I'd really love to see you. That's two months in a row of crappy weather.

Do you realize in a couple of days is my one year Bandaversary? I hope this next year takes the rest off!

Have a great night all! Glad you and lifesaver had a good night...I really missed it!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Dee! No camera???!!!! Oh no! Ya, the weather is really bad, still. Not sure that we will have school in the morning. Who knows. I would have been on earlier to let you know, but......bad news! My computer, I believe, has contracted a virus. I couldn't get online, or use the key board and tons of other crazy stuff. I managed to get into my picture files and I have been trying desperately to retrieve them and get them on a disk. I know, I know! I should do this often, but I'm so lazy. I do have them stored at Snapfish, but they are only stored in 4x6 format. They really shrink them down. (considering how huge they are when you take them) I think I got it done though. The pictures and all my other documents. I pulled 9 disks off. yay! So now Firedog can strip it down and do whatever. And I've been messing with some other stuff so I was able to sign back on aol....yay again!

Back to RR~~~maybe we could do a little get together some other time? I'd really love to see you. That's two months in a row of crappy weather.

Do you realize in a couple of days is my one year Bandaversary? I hope this next year takes the rest off!

Have a great night all! Glad you and lifesaver had a good night...I really missed it!

I really missed you guys too! It just wasn't the same. Lifesaver is really nice and you guys will love her! But without having anyone else from the group, it just felt like another night at RR with a friend. I'd love to get together anytime!

On my way there, I remembered the camera and didn't dare go back to get it since I was running a little late. I was hoping someone else would bring one. Oh well...

My face looks the same -- same Dee, just a little smaller!

I was just thinking your one year Bandiversary was coming up soon!

Wow! You've done great! I hope I do as well!

You and Michelle and Lapdancer were all banded around the same time, right?

Stay warm, it's 445am, I'm going to ride my bike and then go to work!

I'm so wired this morning and really hungry!

I've been doing the Plateau Buster diet since Monday!

Hugs,

dee~

[Mal 0]

My son's appointment went well, but hubby got in a fender bender so I headed home after the appointment to calm hubby down and just "be there" for him.

Too many aspects of my life affected by stress these days! I just feel like a robot, going through motions, making it through another day, deal with it the best I can and move on to the next...blah, blah, blah!

Woofay~The 13th is your one year?! Mine is coming up next month. I am not as far as I thought I would be, but I am happy with what is gone!!! I am not working as hard as I was, probably need to get another fill. I still LOVE my band and would do it again. You are doing great!

Dymano~How did the book deal/date go?

Lap~Welcome back to Denver!! Your hubby picked a great day to hit the hills! My son is wishing that he could be up there snowboarding. His favorite place is Winter Park. Is your fill today? I want soooo bad to get a fill today...

Marcy~We got cold and snowy weather here today! Congrats on the jeans, what a great feeling!! How's your son doing?

Drews~Are you still out there? I got my skates ready, my family thinks I have lost it, but I plan on taking Buster skating with me this Spring! I'll let you know how it goes. Did your unfill work well for you, how's the steak?

Stay warm local peeps, one more day 'til Friday!!

[MissMom24 2]

I am such a dope!!!! This whole time I was thinking that Wednesday was tonight!! DUH!!! I was even telling my hubby, I sure hope I can make it down tonight, the weather seems pretty ugly out.

DARN IT!! DARN IT!! DARN IT!!!!

I am kicking myself

Dee, I am glad that you had a good time, I REALLY WAS COMING only, it was "tonight".

DUH!

[linzchavez 0]

good evening everyone,

i went in for my second fill today...i met tom for the first time. he was excellent...i have read about how you all thought he was great, so i was anxious to meet him. he has excellent "bed side manner" and he asks a lot of questions to get to know you...he gave me some pointers on exercise and not drinking liquids so quickly after eating. all in all, i walked out of my appointment feeling extremely encouraged. plus, i REALLY liked that i didn't have a med student in the room...sometimes i just don't like feeling like i'm on display for the students.

anyway, i'm so glad i got to have a fill with him.

talk to you all soon!

[Lap_dancer 8]

Greetings friends from snowly and blowing Colorado!

Hubby and I had an okay flight to Colorado and a lovely rental from Alamo. The drive into Golden, our first stop, was smooth and easy.

My last loggin I couldn't find the date anywhere so I left it to the fates and went with my husband and his cousins. We ended up going to a place near Red Rocks Ampitheatre. They live about two miles from there. LOVELY and quiant town.

I am still here in Colorado for another two days. My visit today was fabulous. Simply wonderful.

After one year I am so very glad I had this done. More on that later.

I have a huge post for you all to share. It's in WORD and on my email as an attachment that I will post for you all to glean what you can from it.

I have been intaking larger amounts of fat than I should. Sneakly little bugger it is.

I am refining my diet accordingly.

I highly recommend all have a "tune-up" visit with Paula on occasion to tweak as we lose. We have different needs as time goes on.

Otherwise. I'm loving the snow. Took LOADS of pictures.

I saw Dr. Hottie. Oh he is EYE candy girls. Sweet boy. I'll share my pics when I get to my home computer in Florida.

Sorry to have missed this round. We were on the western side of the city and are staying there. Went shopping while in Aurora and then went to these adorable shops near Lakewood. Having a fabulous vacation.

Will write more when I get home.

Hugs,

Patty

[lifesaver 0]

Hey Dee, thanks for your warmth and conversation at RR Wed night. It was nice to finally have someone to chat with about "band stuff" face to face. I am looking forward to meeting the rest of the gang sometime with the weather is better.

BTW Dee, I found that paperwork that says to drink things that fit through a straw but the use of a straw IS NOT recommended. It's on the preop paperwork that we are given with the instructions for Day 1-5 of the clear liquid diet and day 6-14 of the Full liquid diet. It doesn't say why a straw is not recommended. Maybe if it did, we would know if that rule applies with liquids after those phases. Just wanted you to know that I solved the mystery of where that info came from. Take care.

Rene'

[adorkbl 156]

Heya ladies... I realize I haven't updated since Dr Kirshenbaum called me to go over everything and see how I was doing. (Have I mentioned how much he rocks!! The man is awesome) So he is confident from everything I have told him that it is NOT a slip. He still thinks it was a small tear/hole that allowed a squirt of gastric juices into my abdomen causing the pain and irritation to my diaphragm. He is adamant that I should not get a fill on Wednesday as scheduled; advising me instead to give myself a month to heal and get the acid reflux under control.

After talking with Dr K, and talking with my husband, and talking with Dr Berger's staff... I have decided to still travel to Flagstaff on Wednesday so they can at least look at my band under Fluoroscopy. Then, depending on what Dr Berger thinks, I will decide if I should do a fill or not.

I don't want to go against Dr K's advice, but I also respect Dr Berger's opinion. Dr Berger is the surgeon physically examining me... Dr K is going off of test results and phone consultations. I will tell Dr Berger what Dr K said and see if he agrees, disagrees, or takes a neutral stance leaving the decision up to me. If he leaves it up to me, I will follow Dr K's advice and hold off on a fill for a month.

I am just frustrated with my band right now. I have no restriction at all. I have been bouncing between 328-330 for the past 3 weeks. I want to get back on track... but I absolutely don't want to do anything that will jeopardize my band.

*sigh*

I have a feeling I am going to come back from Flagstaff without a fill. At least I will have peace of mind once Dr Berger check things out under Fluoroscopy... so the trip won't be for nothing.

Also... hubby and I have been talking about whether or not I should just start going to Dr K for my follow up care. As it is Flagstaff is 8 hours round trip... and fills cost me $200. It would be about the same to buy a plane ticket and stay with relatives in Colorado. I am just apprehensive about having a fill without Fluoroscopy. Dr K is so easy to get a hold of though, and this whole experience has left me a bit unsatisfied with the response form my new Dr's. I am giving them the benefit of the doubt since the surgeon I see was out of town during all of this and his partner was the one on call.

I am so out of the loop on this thread, I feel silly coming here with my problems. Sorry for my novel. I am glad everyone is doing well.

[Livingthe Dream 0]

I was concerned with the cost going to Colorado every time I needed a fill. That was my biggest concern by far because I could not afford to make 7 or 8 trips to Colorado at 200 bucks a pop. My first fill I lost 10 pounds in 4 weeks. The second fill (current to date) I have lost 50 freaking pounds and am about to hit goal. I know everyone is different but Dr. K really does try to get you to the sweet spot safely.

[Lap_dancer 8]

Greetings Banditos- I am dedicating the next hour to this site, this thread for thoughts and PICTURES of my trip and one year after the band.

LA- I just read that you are having a bit of trouble with your band. Sending you encouragement and thoughts to lift you up during this time.

To all of you who make a special distance trip from parts outside of Denver, this one's for you. ... When pricing the band, I chose Dr. K because he was the lowest price. THE GIFT I received in that choice is a doctor who has a special expertise in laporoscopic surgeries and now, one year later, a practice that has expanded to include an all encompassing service to surround us with help when we need it. See, it isn't just about the band. The band is a tool. Many of us have some 'head work' to do to understand and control the why of how we got to such a desolate place on the obesity scale. There is more to measure than just pounds. They have picked up on that long before we did.

Traveling to Denver to see Dr. K and Natalie and Paula is something I think worthy the purchase of as an investment in myself. Realizing that money doesn't grow on trees, I also take the frugal approach. On the advice of a flight attendant I "join them all"...flight clubs, price deals, hotel deals. Best Western Gateway in Aurora has a $69 room rate for us as medical patients. The rooms have microwaves and mini fridges. They also have a pool. I use Priceline.com and bid on my car rental. Where there is flexibility with company...like cars, hotel, flight, the lowest one gets my money. The goal is...getting to Dr. Kirsenbaum's office. Whatever it takes, no matter what.

I tried skimping on aftercare and it cost me in time, health and motivation. Staying local for my fills felt like an oddity. Not that the facility was dirty or the nurse was not caring but there IS a difference when you have someone follow-up their own work, monitoring it vs. someone doing so second hand information and more on training rather than instinct. My local fill, whatever went wrong who is to know but I had pain, I had nausea and did not feel comfortable opening up. At Dr. K's office, they know me. They KNOW me. Patient trust takes time to gain and they have my trust. I put a dollar value on that.

[Lap_dancer 8]

Notes on Eating:

After one year, the changes that are measured are less on pounds and more on lifestyle. The most difficult thing for me has been to relearn my life. Things in need of change:

- Not drinking my dinner. Normally drank four large glasses of liquid along with my meal.

- Less of the scale, more of the day to day successes in terms of change.

- Life does not happen from the four walls of my bedroom. Less time on my bed and more time OUT in the world.

- Chew and then swallow.

- What really makes you happy? Since thinking it use to be food and actually was, food is no longer an option.

............................

The first notice of concern was the times of my meals. It was recommended that I develop a pattern of eating consistent with regular intervals of eating. Three meals a day with smaller supplementing “snacks” that are planned and at 100 calories or some determined caloric intake not more than what is consumed at a meal.

v Snacks should not be more in caloric intake than a meal. There should be no confusion between food intake as identified as a “meal” and one that is a “snack” that is planned as part of my food program. Snacks are recommended at or around 100 calories and preferably in containers that are easily carried with me. Recommendations were; Yogurt, 100 calorie snacks packaged as such, pudding, mozzarella string cheese and other items lower in fat content.

v Pick a day of the week devoted to preparation for my week of food plan so I don’t run out of food or don’t have something on hand in the event I have an emotional situation that is a trigger for a binge.

v When I arrive home from work, the time when I am most tempted to eat something I shouldn’t, have foods prepared to intake or elect to do a non-food activity I find enjoyable. An example of this is a movie. Tell myself that I will not eat my snack until after I have watched my favorite movie. Get a favorite book and elect not to eat until after I have read so far into the book. The idea being to create a new pattern of habits. Creating new patterns is important so when I deviate from that pattern I will immediately recognize it.

After reviewing my diet it was found I was taking in more fat than I realized. Items that had hidden fats in them were skin on chicken, nuts, even thin breading on seafood can hold additional fat. The objective now is to shave away fat as much as possible.

When eating out, opt for an all vegetarian meal rather than always a meat meal. Suggestions are Pasta with marinara, not cream sauces. Salads, not large ones, but smaller dark green vegetable salads and Soups are good.

Alternate meals: Example; 3-4 nights a week opt for a healthy option for dinner and save the higher caloric/fat meal for another day but plan for it. This could be the ‘special’ item you enjoy as well. Plan for ice cream, plan for wings but again, create the pattern.

Create alternatives. I enjoy sweet tea, carry the small tubes of peach tea by Crystal Light and keep them in my purse. Order Water at the restaurant so the temptation to drink sweet tea is lessoned.

Summary:

Develop a pattern of eating consistent with regular intervals of eating

Snacks should not be more in caloric intake than a meal

Selections should be simple. The less complicated the better

Pick a day of the week devoted to preparation for my week

Creating new patterns of habit so when you deviate from that pattern you will immediately recognize it

3-4 nights a week opt for a healthy option such as an all vegetable dinner

Create alternatives – I enjoy sweet tea, I can bring Peach tea packets in my purse and add to my water at dinner. Be creative.

[Lap_dancer 8]

First Stop--

One of the blissful places I found taking advantage of the beauty in Colorado. This place is on the way up to Buffalo Bill Cody's grave on the road designed by William Williams. It's called the Thinking Spot but I call it....................

Patty's Place

[Lap_dancer 8]

[Lap_dancer 8]

Edited April 13, 2008 by Lap_dancer