Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[ShelbiCallie 0]

Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?

This peanut agrees with mom. Get as many opinions as you need to feel comfortable. Trust your gut.

This fill helps with restriction, but I'm still not losing. I have had a hard time getting in my Protein and calories lately, guess I'm still getting used to it. I am very proud of myself, I hiked Ensign Peak with a friend on Saturday. Thought I was going to die a couple times, but I made it!! Also, maybe figuring this hypoxia thing may help later too.

Way to go Marie on that hike!

Any news from Brandy anyone?

Ador -- My fill doc has me sit in the waiting room after a fill and drink at least a bottle of Water. That really helps me identify if it is going to get stuck -- hard for anyone to tell with only a few sips.

BFL UPDATE:

BFL has kicked my butt! Not the exercise today, but getting in all the food and water! Dee & Lifesaver, I realized that I drank 3 cups of coffee today and, according to the book, for every cup of a diuretic you have to drink an additional cup of water. I didn't get near my water quota. I'm a total coffee addict and I've got to work on that! I think I'm going to have to resort to Protein Shakes twice a day to get the water requirement. I got 3 1/2 meals in and now it's bedtime -- too late for a meal. How the heck can anyone get in 6 meals a day and still get a decent night's sleep! Another question -- for the strength training: For a muscle group, we're supposed to do 5 reps of an the exercise and then immediately switch to another exercise within that same muscle group for the "high point" -- how do you do this is you're working on the strength machines? It takes awhile to clean the equipment, find a free machine, sign in to the fitlinxx machine, etc. Can't I just do all reps on one machine for that muscle group? I hope I'm making sense.

[ShelbiCallie 0]

Denver -- Ouch! Good luck with that tomorrow and let us know what Dr. K says.

(PS Your avatar always makes me smile -- I miss Ren and Stimpy!)

[munchkin392 1]

Well ladies I had my 4th fill today. First one without fluoro... and it was a bit rough.

First off I HATE laying down to get filled. Sucky. Second he had to poke me twice to find the port, then said it was tilted a bit. *shrug* Not sure if it was because I was laying down or not, but never had a problem with my other fills.

So he gave me 2cc's. He was willing to give me 3cc's... but I felt that would be way too much since I was already at 5cc in my AP standard. Also I still feel a teensy bit of restriction when eating chicken or salmon... so I said I was ok with 2cc... would rather be a bit loose than too tight.

So I sit up. Drink a bit of Water and it goes down slow. He counts how long it is from when I feel it, to when it goes through and says it should be good. YIKES. I DO NOT like that guess work. I want my fluoro back. Waaaah!

So I left and went on my merry way. I stopped by hubby's work to say hi and STILL felt the water sitting in my chest. I was gurgling, burping, and having all kinds of fun with the water refluxing up. I had 2 SMALL sips and couldn't handle it. Oye. So I called the office and headed back.

He took back out 1cc and I had immediate relief. I drank more water and he said it was now going through at a very light restriction pace, but I was too nervous to add any back in right then. So I am now at 6cc.

I am able to gulp water again! Yeah. I will be on mushies tomorrow so it may be a day or two until I figure out my current restriction level. I am thinking I am now too loose again... but that is WAY better than pain with water.

I still really like my new Dr... he handled it well I felt. I just am NOT comfortable about having fills without fluoro. I was afraid this would happen and it did. *sigh* Has anyone else had this problem?

I am bummed because like I said I really like Dr Monash and want to stay local. Does it get easier as time goes on. I am not really "in tune" with my pouch and had a hard time judging how water was passing... is this my fault???

Oh and he didn't use a cock block... stop cock??? So I would have had to get poked again had I wanted another .25cc or .5cc added back in... another reason why I said I will see how this level goes.

Welcome to my life, this is how all my fills go....it is a big guessing game. And my doc doesn't like flouro for some reason. Probably because he wants the money for the fills and the repeat follow up visits. Greedy. Right now I am too loose after my unfill but I will not give him the satisfaction of being right after he told me it "was all in my head" when he had me filled too tight and I couldn't eat solid food for two weeks. I will wait for my follow up visit on Oct 2nd and tweak it a little then. Thank God he is only charging $65 now instead of the $335 he used to charge, or we would be having words!

[munchkin392 1]

Lotza, congrats on hiking a mountain! you gals on here are sooooo athletic it is impressive

Adork, sorry about your bad fill experience. You were so smart to head right back to the office. I'm a little anxious, but overall am looking forward to going in for my 1st fill.

Brandy, how is your band? and how is your hubby doing?

Munch, I agree 100% with adork, you know your body, and if you think something is wrong keep chirping until somebody hears you and does something about it

Prty, yes I did get the low profile port. Dr. K's wasn't thrilled about the suggestion, but reluctantly agreed with the understanding on my part that the this port is harder to find when it comes time to do a fill

Well gang, I have an unexpected visit to see Dr. K tomorrow. After my surgery, my right upper arm was bruised, but I didn't think too much about it. They had to take my blood pressure about a million times, since the nurse could not hear it, and also that arm had my IV. It was still bruised when I went in for my 1 week follow up visit, but I didn't mention it because who cares about a stupid bruise. Well, now it still hurts, even more, and you can feel a hardened area underneath, and the skin is red on top. So, I called the office today and they are getting me in tomorrow to have him look at it. This is just my luck, some dumb thing happening. So wish me luck on whatever this stupid thing is under my skin! I am also not a happy camper in bandster hell or bandster purgatory or whatever I am in. Some days I am stuffed, some days I am starving, and I am not losing weight. Grrr...

What do you think it is? Hematoma? Cellulitis? Hmmm....

[munchkin392 1]

So I had a coupon for my fave store, NY & Co, so I headed there to see if they had any sweaters yet. They really didn't, but they did have these way cute wide leg jeans. I am really into the wide leg jeans this fall, even though I always have to get them shortened because I am a midget.

I looked for a 14 in the ones I wanted to try, but all they had was a 16. Their jeans run small on me anyway, so I tried the 16. They were SWIMMING on me. So I tried on the 12, and holy crap, they fit!!

So, I thought for sure this was a fluke. I bought two pairs of jeans at the Gap outlet when I went to Chicago a few weekends ago, and just got them back from the drycleaners from being shortened, and had not tried them on yet. I had bought a 14 and a 12. I tried on the 14 and they are too big already! The 12 fits perfect!!

I almost pulled a Mini and pooed in my diapers girls!!!

Another trip to the Gap outlet in Iowa City is in order, I hope they have the same jeans because I love the ones I bought and can't believe one pair is too big already.

Miss Brandy-I am finally catching up with you!

Oh, and I soooooo rubbed it in my sisters face. All these years she has made fun of me, even addressing Xmas cards to me as "Nurse Big Butt"...and I wear the same size as her skinny little Marine butt now!!

[lotzasunshine 2]

Lotza, congrats on hiking a mountain! you gals on here are sooooo athletic it is impressive

Thanks, but it isn't technically a mountain. Really you drive halfway up the mountain and then climb to the peak. It only took an hour:thumbdown:, but someday i want to hike it in 15 minutes! it is pretty steep in some places and a great workout. my butt was killing me afterwords and my legs were Jello.

[munchkin392 1]

Thanks for all the opinions on my boobie. I don't really have any reason to think something is wrong other than the fact that it hurts...the mammogram just put this thought in my head and now it is nagging me. After talking to my mom it is really nagging me. Especially after she told me they told her for five years nothing was wrong. That puts her at only slightly older than me when hers started.

And what Dee said is correct...healthcare providers make mistakes every day. The mammogram is only as good as the radiologist reading it. And sometimes we do have to be our own advocates. I do believe they were pretty careful since they took a couple different views, but I also know the statistics on young women with breast CA and know it can't hurt to get another opinion. I would rather be proactive and be considered paranoid by the doctors than risk having any problems. I have just about every risk factor known for breast cancer, so how paranoid can they think I am?

Mini-I know a couple excellent surgeons that I see all the time at work. I plan on asking one of them to look at my films and do a needle biopsy if they think it is needed. I trust either of them 100% so I will go with what they say. (Although, I do have to say they are not fans of the lap band...they are big duodenal switch advocates, so that kind of works against them...) Oh well, not everyone can be perfect like us!

[munchkin392 1]

Thanks, but it isn't technically a mountain. Really you drive halfway up the mountain and then climb to the peak. It only took an hour:thumbdown:, but someday i want to hike it in 15 minutes! it is pretty steep in some places and a great workout. my butt was killing me afterwords and my legs were Jello.

I wish we had mountains to climb here. We just have cornfields. Oh, and soybean fields!! Woo hoo!!!

[minidriver 0]

So I had a coupon for my fave store, NY & Co, so I headed there to see if they had any sweaters yet. They really didn't, but they did have these way cute wide leg jeans. I am really into the wide leg jeans this fall, even though I always have to get them shortened because I am a midget.

I looked for a 14 in the ones I wanted to try, but all they had was a 16. Their jeans run small on me anyway, so I tried the 16. They were SWIMMING on me. So I tried on the 12, and holy crap, they fit!!

So, I thought for sure this was a fluke. I bought two pairs of jeans at the Gap outlet when I went to Chicago a few weekends ago, and just got them back from the drycleaners from being shortened, and had not tried them on yet. I had bought a 14 and a 12. I tried on the 14 and they are too big already! The 12 fits perfect!!

I almost pulled a Mini and pooed in my diapers girls!!!

Another trip to the Gap outlet in Iowa City is in order, I hope they have the same jeans because I love the ones I bought and can't believe one pair is too big already.

Miss Brandy-I am finally catching up with you!

Oh, and I soooooo rubbed it in my sisters face. All these years she has made fun of me, even addressing Xmas cards to me as "Nurse Big Butt"...and I wear the same size as her skinny little Marine butt now!!

EXCUSE ME!!!! Those were the shit elves who got into my diaper. DUH!!!

Congrats on your pants. That is so freakin' exciting. You must feel so good. Oh I can't wait can't wait can't wait.

[minidriver 0]

Thanks, but it isn't technically a mountain. Really you drive halfway up the mountain and then climb to the peak. It only took an hour:thumbdown:, but someday i want to hike it in 15 minutes! it is pretty steep in some places and a great workout. my butt was killing me afterwords and my legs were Jello.

It might as well be Mount Everest for me. I could no more climb Mt. Ensign than, than, well . . . something impossible!!

[minidriver 0]

Thanks for all the opinions on my boobie. I don't really have any reason to think something is wrong other than the fact that it hurts...the mammogram just put this thought in my head and now it is nagging me. After talking to my mom it is really nagging me. Especially after she told me they told her for five years nothing was wrong. That puts her at only slightly older than me when hers started.

And what Dee said is correct...healthcare providers make mistakes every day. The mammogram is only as good as the radiologist reading it. And sometimes we do have to be our own advocates. I do believe they were pretty careful since they took a couple different views, but I also know the statistics on young women with breast CA and know it can't hurt to get another opinion. I would rather be proactive and be considered paranoid by the doctors than risk having any problems. I have just about every risk factor known for breast cancer, so how paranoid can they think I am?

Mini-I know a couple excellent surgeons that I see all the time at work. I plan on asking one of them to look at my films and do a needle biopsy if they think it is needed. I trust either of them 100% so I will go with what they say. (Although, I do have to say they are not fans of the lap band...they are big duodenal switch advocates, so that kind of works against them...) Oh well, not everyone can be perfect like us!

Well, yes, we are rather perfect, aren't we? Yes, you should just do what you need to do to put your mind to rest. It's great that you have access to people you trust. Even if they aren't lap band fans. BOO HISS!!!

[lotzasunshine 2]

I wish we had mountains to climb here. We just have cornfields. Oh, and soybean fields!! Woo hoo!!!

Where are you from again? I lived in Missouri for a while and corn and soy fields were all around us. I really love the midwest. i miss it a LOT!

[bahotmomma 0]

Got my blood tests back . . . electrolytes are great. Kidneys and liver are swell. My glucose was 156!!!!! I am soooooo bummed. So so so bummed. It's never been that high! I was sure it would be down since I've started losing weight. So now I have to go in and have an oral GTT . . . diabetes is rampant in my family and I have been teetering on the edge for several years. Damn.

But here's some good news . . . a long time ago I think I posted about how my son and I were interviewed for a short little informational video about this organization for people with schizophrenia . . . anyhoo, the woman who is the head of the international organization called today to say that our story would be highlighted in the video and they want us to come to New York and speak at some special function at the UN! I will only speak for like 5 minutes after they show the video, but it's pretty cool!!!

Sorry to be selfish and just talk about myself here, but I was really excited about the UN thing and really bummed about the glucose thing and needed to share the good and the bad. :cool2:

Mini, WTG on the video, let us know when that is.

Well, it is as I suspected with the a-hole neighbors across the alley. They are buying the empty estate house next door for their daughter as I feared. She is my age and a complete beotch. She makes her mom look nice. They are over there cleaning tonight. So it's official-I am now going to be completely surrounded by them. Sigh. I think I may have to throw in the towel and sell my house and move. I don't think I can take being surrounded. I will go insane. Literally. Only I do not have the financial means to move unless I take my husband back. So it is a catch 22 in the worst sense.

But...now that I know for sure that is the reason I got the letter demanding I move the fence...I could really drag this out for a long time if they decide not to drop the issue. My attorney told me if I make them take me to court over it they wouldn't even get a court date until probably December 2009 and they can't sell the house until then. Hopefully their lawyer will convey to them that it is in their best interest to drop it, but if not, I know I can make their lives equally miserable for awhile at least.

Munch, I can come help mess with the neighbors if need be.

Well, after the radiologist having the tech take several different films of my boob (including one that rolls the tissue around that the tech referred to as a literal titty twister-pleasant), it has been deemed ok. But I still have a wierd feeling about it. I know I am being paranoid, but given my family history I think I am entitled to a little bit of paranoia. :tt2:

Have them re-ck and keep bugging them til they do.

So I had a coupon for my fave store, NY & Co, so I headed there to see if they had any sweaters yet. They really didn't, but they did have these way cute wide leg jeans. I am really into the wide leg jeans this fall, even though I always have to get them shortened because I am a midget.

I looked for a 14 in the ones I wanted to try, but all they had was a 16. Their jeans run small on me anyway, so I tried the 16. They were SWIMMING on me. So I tried on the 12, and holy crap, they fit!!

So, I thought for sure this was a fluke. I bought two pairs of jeans at the Gap outlet when I went to Chicago a few weekends ago, and just got them back from the drycleaners from being shortened, and had not tried them on yet. I had bought a 14 and a 12. I tried on the 14 and they are too big already! The 12 fits perfect!!

I almost pulled a Mini and pooed in my diapers girls!!!

Another trip to the Gap outlet in Iowa City is in order, I hope they have the same jeans because I love the ones I bought and can't believe one pair is too big already.

Miss Brandy-I am finally catching up with you! :w00t:

Oh, and I soooooo rubbed it in my sisters face. All these years she has made fun of me, even addressing Xmas cards to me as "Nurse Big Butt"...and I wear the same size as her skinny little Marine butt now!!

I am so happy for you on the new jeans. Isn't that just the best feeling?

[Snowgator 3]

a 12! That is so completely awesome, congratulations! proud of you!

[lifesaver 0]

This peanut agrees with mom. Get as many opinions as you need to feel comfortable. Trust your gut.

Way to go Marie on that hike!

Any news from Brandy anyone?

Ador -- My fill doc has me sit in the waiting room after a fill and drink at least a bottle of Water. That really helps me identify if it is going to get stuck -- hard for anyone to tell with only a few sips.

BFL UPDATE:

BFL has kicked my butt! Not the exercise today, but getting in all the food and water! Dee & Lifesaver, I realized that I drank 3 cups of coffee today and, according to the book, for every cup of a diuretic you have to drink an additional cup of Water. I didn't get near my water quota. I'm a total coffee addict and I've got to work on that! I think I'm going to have to resort to Protein shakes twice a day to get the water requirement. I got 3 1/2 meals in and now it's bedtime -- too late for a meal. How the heck can anyone get in 6 meals a day and still get a decent night's sleep! Another question -- for the strength training: For a muscle group, we're supposed to do 5 reps of an the exercise and then immediately switch to another exercise within that same muscle group for the "high point" -- how do you do this is you're working on the strength machines? It takes awhile to clean the equipment, find a free machine, sign in to the fitlinxx machine, etc. Can't I just do all reps on one machine for that muscle group? I hope I'm making sense.

Shelbi, You are doing fine. I have never done BFL with the band so I am trying to figure out where I will need to adjust the program. So I had the same experience as you today....got in about 3 1/2 meals. My goal is 4. So I think if we shoot for that, we should be ok. Just make sure your Protein drinks are not low carb (unless you are adding a carb like fruit, or something to the meal), because you will need the energy....at the same time watch out for sugar.

As far as the weight training sessions go, just do your best to hit a 10. Best case scenario is that you do the method they prescribe, but if that machine you need is not available for you to immediatley jump on, you might as well stay where you are at and just try and find a way to hit a 10 there. The next time you do that muscle group I would make an effort to use another machine or mix it up a bit. I would be happy to give you ideas if you are trying to figure out exercise options for certain muscle groups. Today I did a cardio session with BFL intervals because I needed to schedule my week so that my legs are not sore on Saturday, since I intend to do a mongo hike on that day...I figure that will be my lower body workout from hell.

Overall, my goals are to get my workouts in, get 4 BFL meals in, drink more water, and complete 12 weeks. I don't want to be nit picky since we have the "band factor" going on, we cant chug water all day or eat a lot, so we just need to modify a bit. Dont skimp on the Protein. Your body will need it to repair itself from the weight workouts. Don't skimp on the workouts.....they will change your life:-) and your body. Let me know if you have other questions. Congrats on day one....how does it feel. Any other BFL'ers out there that want to report?