Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[GreenChrysalis 1]

Lotza ~ I am so sorry your flight home was crummy. I felt pretty bad on mine too; my DH had to stick the anti-nausea lozenge under my tongue at one point. I think part of it was that I'd gone too long with my pain meds too.

GBear ~ Like I said elsewhere, please feel free to ask me anything. And of course there are far more experienced peeps here who can answer just about anything! While anesthesia and vicodin can make you constipated, I found that effect to be slightly delayed. I had loose stools at first (which makes sense if all you're taking in is water). Then in week two, I was constipated and it was not pleasant. However, some milk of magnesia soon made me better & now I take Benefiber. :eek:

Amieru ~ I am sorry about the bummer bellydancing class -- I do bellydancing DVDs at home and would love to do a class sometime, so I hope that you post about your new class! Congrats on the NSVs -- doesn't it feel great to be able to fit into seats you know you wouldn't have before? I love the idea of Branson & want to go someday...if my DH can put up with it. :crying:

Minidriver ~ If you get that new furry friend I sure hope that you put up a photo.

Dee ~ You truly have a heart of gold, bless you for helping Bella and looking after her daughter. I can't imagine a fill of 0.05 doing a thing, but we are all different, right?

Anyone heard from DynamoMini? It seems like she hasn't been around lately; must be that man in her life. I sure hope she's doing well!

This morning I was down 1.5 pounds since the last time I weighed myself Thursday morning, so I'm pretty damn pleased with fill #4. I have that distinctive feeling of the liquids slowing going through when I'm drinking, and I'm eating much less. Now to sustain the momentum! I did a new video, a cardio yoga one, yesterday morning and amazed myself because I was able to keep up with the pace. DH cheered me on and I cracked him up by swearing at the instructor (which is typical for me). :frown:

[lotzasunshine 2]

Has anyone else had problems with puss at the port incision? I saw some last night :eek:, and called Dr. K this morning to see what was going on. He said to get in to my PCP today, or I have to go to the ER. I got an appointment, so I think it will be fine. I just have to get it looked at I guess. But Dr.K is worried because it is my port. Just wondering if anyone had the same thing.:crying:

[GreenChrysalis 1]

Has anyone else had problems with pus at the port incision? I saw some last night :eek:, and called Dr. K this morning to see what was going on. He said to get in to my PCP today, or I have to go to the ER. I got an appointment, so I think it will be fine. I just have to get it looked at I guess. But Dr.K is worried because it is my port. Just wondering if anyone had the same thing.:crying:

Yuck, sorry to hear that. I hope everything is OK; let us know what your PCP says.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Sorry it took so long to get this picture posted!

Lifesaver, Kacie, Bella, Dee, Bookholder, Trish

Taken 7-16-08

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Dee ~ You truly have a heart of gold, bless you for helping Bella and looking after her daughter. I can't imagine a fill of 0.05 doing a thing, but we are all different, right?

This morning I was down 1.5 pounds since the last time I weighed myself Thursday morning, so I'm pretty damn pleased with fill #4. I have that distinctive feeling of the liquids slowing going through when I'm drinking, and I'm eating much less. Now to sustain the momentum! I did a new video, a cardio yoga one, yesterday morning and amazed myself because I was able to keep up with the pace. DH cheered me on and I cracked him up by swearing at the instructor (which is typical for me).

Thanks Greenie!

I was happy to be available in order to help Bella. It was really nice meeting her and her daughter, Kacie!

Congrats on your fill! I hope mine will be a good one. I'm getting it this coming Thursday.

I, also, cannot imagine a fill of 0.05 being of any value, BUT my friend says it is! My last fill was 0.25 and it made a huge difference! Teeny Tiny amounts!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Shelbi-I am really good at the whole JCHOA restraint checking thing since I am an ICU nurse! (You know us ICU nurses think a good patient is a restrained patient, preferably on the ventilator so they can't talk back to us! Ha ha! A little warped ICU nurse humor for you there...bear with me, I just got off work and I am a little punchy!)

On a more serious note, I am glad that new med seems to be working for you without any really horrible side effects. Antidepressant side effects can really pack a wollop at times.

Have a good Sunday!

Yeah, I've heard about those ICU nurses! I used to work with a NICU nurse who used to say the same thing! She'd say, "give me a vented baby anytime!" She hated the crying. But Babies cry! That's the way they communicate with us. It really doesn't bother me! Give me a feeder/grower anyday over a vented baby! It just makes my heart sad to see a tiny baby vented!

I'd love it if you could slip me a little lasix IV! It might just do the trick!

I remember while in nursing school, the Lasix and other diuretics were locked in the narc drawers because the nurses were taking them. I had never heard of such a thing! We had to sign them out with dual control.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Mini-sounds like this one may be the doggie for you! She sounds adorable! I soooo hope her and Keeley get along!! I am telling you, both my abused dogs are so grateful they have good homes now, I think they would do anything for me. You won't regret adopting her if she is the dog for you. (Although you may want to hunt down her previous owners and kick them around a little to show them how it feels! I know I have been tempted every time Brutus hunkers down because he thinks someone is going to hit him, or even if he just hears a loud noise! HOW can people treat animals like that?????)

That makes me want to cry! I remember when we were kids, we adopted this doberman that was being severly abused. Her name was Nina. We absolutely loved her. She was the best dog ever! She was loyal and such a good, loving animal. She had so many scars from her life of abuse. It made us sad thinking of what she had been through. I don't trust people who feel they must abuse animals. Something is just not right in their heads or hearts. It's truly a pre-cursor to more serious crimes -- like murder.

Nina would have done anything for us. She understood how we valued her and she valued us. Dogs are so smart!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hi everyone,

I made it home without throwing up. The flight was soooo much better, but, I still am not going to fly again. I was still nauseas (?) but as long as I kept my cough drops in my mouth (thanks lap) and kept still, I was ok. A HUGE thanks to lifesaver for your help. Wish I could give you a hug.

Dee, you were so good to me while I was there. I don't think I could have done it without you. I hope I wasn't too much of a pest. I think Kacie felt better knowing you were here for us.

Well on the last day in Colorado, I had to go to the ER. I was having alot of pain in my chest area when I tried to take a deep breath. Dee said to call Dr. K and Dr. K told me to go to the er. I knew it was probably gas pains but Dr. K said it wasn't normal to have such a hard time breathing. So to be on the safe side, I went. They did an EKG and CT scan of my lungs, blood work and gave me a GI cocktail. I guess they were worried about a blood clot in my lungs. Everything came back normal and they sent me home. (without insurance, I don't know what this will cost me:(

GBear: I know exactly how you are feeling about the different "feelings" in the body right now. I haven't been drinking like I should because I also feel the pressure, but what is weird is that I feel that sometimes by just breathing. I also have loose bowels...is that normal? I don't want to get dehydrated. I also still feel it in my chest when I try to take a deep breath. Dr. K said maybe it was from the hernia repair. Did anyone else experience this?

How long did most of you stay on the Clear Liquids. I don't want to push it but I would love to go on full liquids. All of us newbies need help from the experts now!!!!

Bella,

I'm so happy to hear you're home and safe.

I loved meeting you and spending time with Kacie!

You were not a pest! I can't imagine how difficult it was for you to be here in a foreign city - without a car - having surgery.

I'm glad that everything turned out well on Friday night. I was here at home praying and waiting to hear from you guys. I was relieved when I found out everything was okay.

Renee aka Lifesaver was so sweet to get your flight figured out!

Do you still have the papers Paula gave you about the eating plan post-operatively? She gives you ranges of days - how long to be on each stage. The ranges leave it up to you and how you're doing.

She can also email it to you - if you can't find it. I'm not sure I still have it in my computer.

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Has anyone else had problems with puss at the port incision? I saw some last night :eek:, and called Dr. K this morning to see what was going on. He said to get in to my PCP today, or I have to go to the ER. I got an appointment, so I think it will be fine. I just have to get it looked at I guess. But Dr.K is worried because it is my port. Just wondering if anyone had the same thing.

Oh no! I didn't have that problem. I'm glad you're going to be seen. Are you still on the antibiotics from Dr. K?

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hola Banditos!

Well, I'm finally back home in California, and I'm glad to be with my DH. Surgery on the 16th went well, but I get tired easily, especially in the late afternoon. I was glad I had time to recover with my relatives in CO before coming home because I think that made a huge difference.

Thank you to everyone who sent me good wishes and congrats! (Mini, Lap, Munchkin, PrtyAntOvrYt, and Green... gosh, I hope I didn't miss anyone!) I wanted to read more on this site the last few days, but I had spotty Internet access while at my cousin's house.

Bella, contrats on getting banded! Adorkable, what a wonderful huge difference I see in you! Also, I'm so sorry to hear about the gall bladder, but hopefully you will be and feel better when they take care of it.

I was glad I got to kind of touch base with Lotza at Dr. K's office for our preop appts and in the recovery room. I know I don't really know her, but it somehow made me feel a little bit better "knowing" someone who was going through the exact same experience as me right *there*. I hope you are healing well, Lotza!

I'm having a hard time getting in all my liquids because I feel a teeny bit of pressure/fullness. Or maybe it's the normal amount and I'm just being overly scared. But I guess better safe than sorry. Now that I'm home I bought Protein bullets and Isopure Protein Drinks to help me get in more protein for the time being.

TMI alert!!

I also have a LOT of gas going through my intestines, etc. Egads, what's up with that? Is it because I ate almost nothing for a day (and ate low carb before that) and now I'm having sugar Water (in the form of juice and popsicles)? Inquiring minds wanna know!

Actually, what I would really love is for some omnipotent being to explain to me what each of the different feelings are in my body and whether or not they're normal, abnormal, etc. "This is due to the blah blah blah..." I know I'll eventually be able to interpret my own body eventually, but I wanted to be 100% sure NOW, ya know? Ah well, I guess a little patience never hurt anyone.

And now... to bed. My OWN bed (well, with DH in it, too!). Glory be.

The gas is totally normal and believe me you want it out! AS soon as possible! The DH will have to just deal with it! I don't remember having gas at all, actually. I expected it, but it never came. Odd, huh? I do remember really bad port pain. I remember wishing the same, that I'd have someone who could tell me what I was feeling and when. The little twings and pokes were scary... when you have no idea what they are!

Now is not the time to worry about calories... just drinking your fluids and working to not allow yourself to get dehydrated is the best thing you can do. Isopure clears were my best friend. When I started fulls, I loved the Safeway brand soups! I'd have 1/4 cup and feel stuffed for hours and hours! Isn't it an odd sensation. Not the normal 'full' feeling. I remember eating an entire popsicle at one sitting and feeling like I had had a Thanksgiving feast. I was a little scared I had overeaten!

Dr. K told me on my consult back in October -- this will be an entirely new "norm" -- I've always remembered that. After so many years of being obese, I needed a new "norm" --

I hope our three new banditos are doing well!

Hugs,

dee~

Edited July 21, 2008 by PrtyAntOvrYt

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Hey Peeps,

I just got home from Cheyenne!

We had a great time!

I had so much energy and was able to do anything

I wanted. I got our tickets for the concert last December,

and still our seats were pretty far up on the top bleechers. (sp?) I could take those stairs like everyone else! Up and down was not a struggle like it would have been previously! One of the ticket agents was rude to me and she said, "I hope you have some oxygen, you have a long way to go." My daughter was pretty offended by that comment! People can be so ugly when they see you're overweight! BUT I didn't have any problems! For me stairs have been very hard, not because of my weight, but because of my accident... I ruptured my achilles tendon in 2005. It was misdiagnosed for 5 weeks and didn't heal properly. I couldn't have surgery to fix it because of the misdiagnosis and the fact that it had curled back on itself, so I do have a problem with the "push off" with that muscle.

The concert was amazing! Rascal Flats are just so hot!!!

AND my daughter and I took our picture in one of the booths and had it put on a key chain AND I actually look pretty cute!

I'm loving my band!!!

[BellaPerdente 0]

Hey guys, feeling better with the pain but have a couple of questions. First, I can't stop yawning. Every couple of minutes, I am yawning. I don't think I am tired, but it is getting annoying. I started last night. What's up with that? Second, is it normal to feel spasms in the esophagus? Is this from drinking or eating too fast? I have only been eating Jello, broth, and popsicles. Today, I started creamy Soups (strained) but I ate almost a whole cup. I am feeling hungrier now. I have those spasms even if I don't eat or drink????

Dee: are you talking about the papers we received online before surgery with post-op directions? I can't remember what I received at the hospital.

On the full liquid stage, I heard you can have Tomato Soup, but on one of the sticky's on the food and nutrition page, it said not to have Tomato products because of the acid. What do you guys think?

[minidriver 0]

Lotza - OH NO!! Did you get in to your PCP? Let us know.

Bella - I tried some Tomato Soup early on but it really upset my tummy. And, yes, dee is referring to the email forms about food.< /p>

dee - so glad you had fun. Wow, what a bitchy thing for the ticket agent to say. Incredible. The pic you posted is just lovely.

Well, we're taking keeley to meet the potential new furry friend tomorrow. I can't wait!

[lotzasunshine 2]

So I got into the PCP (not my regular doc, but another in the clinic)and she said it didn't look too bad. She did prescribe an antibiotic ointment though. If it spreads though, I have to go back in. So, I guess it was just a lesson of "Better safe than sorry".

She was kind of rude though. She asked where I got my Band, and I told her I went to Colorado. Then she said "You know there are places here that do it right?" Then I got ruffled and said "Much more expensive places, thousands of dollars more expensive" Then she let it drop but I still got the feeling that she thought I was stupid. Just because I'm poor and can't afford to pay $17,000 to have it done here, doesn't mean I'm stupid!!:cursing::eek::cursing::cursing::tt1:

Sorry, just had to vent for a minute.

[minidriver 0]

So I got into the PCP (not my regular doc, but another in the clinic)and she said it didn't look too bad. She did prescribe an antibiotic ointment though. If it spreads though, I have to go back in. So, I guess it was just a lesson of "Better safe than sorry".

She was kind of rude though. She asked where I got my Band, and I told her I went to Colorado. Then she said "You know there are places here that do it right?" Then I got ruffled and said "Much more expensive places, thousands of dollars more expensive" Then she let it drop but I still got the feeling that she thought I was stupid. Just because I'm poor and can't afford to pay $17,000 to have it done here, doesn't mean I'm stupid!!:cursing::eek::cursing::cursing::tt1:

Sorry, just had to vent for a minute.

That's really uncalled for. It's none of her freakin' business why you went to Colorado. And the doctors here (and in many other places) are ripping people off with what they charge. I'm glad you said something back. And I'm glad that your incision is okay. Are you still on the antibiotics?