Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[Rosey80231 0]

Hello Again,

WOW! I am glad I found you all, I did not expect to get such thoughtful answers and quick replies. I appreciate the questions which of course while some are basic I seem to have problem with basic. they are now part of my little list that I am prepraring for my visit. Yet as with any new piece of information new questions arise and I guess I am very unfamiliar with the lingo and the acronyms. Is there a place where I could go and get a handle on that besides a medical dictionary.

Can someone tell me what is erosion and slippage. I mean I think I know what it is but in terms of the lap band.

Also anyone there with a hietal hernia. How did you dealt with it in regards to having the lap band done.

I will try to keep you updated on how things progress.

Thank you again.

[Mal 0]

Rosey~WELCOME!!! Shehsa's thread family is growing and growing. I bought a Lapband book written by Dr. Ortez....the title has escaped me??? It has a lot of information....Woofay, do you remember the title???...anyway it is a good read. I ordered it from Amazon, I'm sure you can find it at Borders or Barnes or maybe try biblio.com (that's Woofay's site, used books for cheap...gotta love it).

I know what you mean about the gut feeling with Dr. K before you meet him. I am so happy with Dr. K and his staff.

This thread is a blessing, I wish you well on your journey and hope to see you around the threads...

[Mal 0]

DYNAMO~~~~NOOOOOOO don't cancel RR!!! I will be there (shhhhh, don't tell but forget about PT conferences). Sounds like a phone conference will have to do..shame on me. Do teachers dread those things as much as I do???

[Woofay 0]

Good morning! :biggrin1::Banane20::biggrin1:

Rosey! Welcome to the board! Are you local? Will you be getting your consult over the phone or in his office? Write down all your questions so you don't forget. But let him finish his consult before you start with the questions. Most of them will be answered by the time he is done. You'll love Dr. K. Most surgeons are not known for their "personality", but Dr. K. is quite fun. You are so very welcome to meet up with the group on Tuesday, that way you can plug us full of questions! Talking is way faster then typing!:Banane20:

Want2bmeagain~ You crack me up. :Banane20: Leave milk alone on pre-op. But there is a product called "Calorie Countdown" by Hood. It's in the milk section of the store. Not a bad product IMO. Mixes well with coffee, shakes, stuff like that. And quite low in carbs and calories compared to regular 2%. Also, I think Stevia sucks. Tried it a couple of years ago on my Atkins trip. Ha! Splenda works for me. I also love "Big Medicine". Have you noticed how they recommend Gastric Bypass almost all of the time, but when it came to family, the sister/daughter, they wanted her to have the band???!!! Makes you wonder! Also, I know you have told us, but to avoid hundreds of posts, where are you located? Are you local? Lordy, you gotta meet up with us! You know what is funny? There is a barfing smiley.

Also, IMO, sugar free fudgesicles are a lot more satisfying than sugar free popsicles. They are so chocolatey and are chewier, not so icey hard. Sugar gives the chewy in stuff. Take that out and you have an ice cube. Icky!

Mal~ Yeah! I'm glad you will be there! :Banane20::bounce:

Dynamo~ I'm more than sure I will be there. Don't cancel!!!!

Drews~can't wait to meet up again!

[want2bmeagain 0]

:pWoof ~ god forbid I actually got off my duff and crawled away from the computer to actually look at the milk label! After I tore myself away from the keyboard, I saw that the carbs are like over 10 times compared to cheese! Needless to say, I never did make that Protein Drink :cry

I am becoming much too codependent on you all!! (tee,hee~is that a bad thing??). I bought Splenda and Stevia, but plan to get used to the Splenda and take the Stevia back to Wally world (man, that Stevia stuff's expensive!!!). I know you all lost sleep wondering if I could stand the Splenda, and I don't want that to happen tonight...so, I will report back later when I try it out!

I am in Montrose, my daughter is in the Springs. I so want to make a meeting some time. Otherwise, I need to get in touch with you next time I come to the Springs, and we can meet at a bakery, oops, I mean Starbucks!

I knew there was a vomiting smiley guy, but I couldn't find him at the time..it was so sad cuz that's what my coffee with sweet n low tasted like!

So, on Big Medicine, did Garth and Robert recommend the band for her? I don't remember, I just know her sugeon was in Ohio. When she had her emergency and flew to them to have some fill taken out, I freaked...I was just considering the band, live in a small town with no fill docs~ kind of scared me just a tad. But, I have yet to find anyone else that has happened to...

I may try the sugar free fudgsicles. But, still, why no popsicles with real sugar? Gawd, you'd think I was a sugarholic over here. It really has most to do with my coffee and hating the taste of nutrasweet, which is what the sugar free stuff (crystal lite, pops, etc) is sweetened with. Other than that, I am NOT a sugar addict, just a bread addict, thank you very much!

[want2bmeagain 0]

so, I have been great with the pre op diet. In 6 days, the only "cheats" have been 1/2 beer, coffee with sugar (maybe 2 1/2 tsp per day)

NO fruit, bread, Pasta, rice, potatoes, milk, juice, chips, etc. I have eaten the meat, veggies,cheese,eggs...

I have only lost TWO pounds. Is that because my BMI is "lower" (it's all relative) at about 36-37?

I got an email from a gal whose hubby has surgery 2 hours after me...he has lost 5 lbs so far. I don't know what his BMI is.

Gawd.......any thoughts?

So, am I posting way too much on the board and driving any of you crazy? Sorry if I have!

[DynamoMini 1]

wanttobemeagain - no, you are not posting too much. Don't worry about the preop weight loss. It is really important that you follow the diet carefully for your liver to shrink. The "diet" isn't about weight loss.

Ok girls - we are on for Tuesday - September 11th at Red Robin (Arapahoe and I25) at 7 pm. Be there.

My day is ok, nothing busted, nothing dripped, nothing gurgled up, nothing sprayed and the IRS is still on it. What else can I say?

Hugs and see you Tuesday,

Michelle

[NM Sunshine 1]

wanttobemeagain and all

It does sound very much like Dr K wants you on a low carbohydrate and low glycemic diet. Especially the low glycemic. All starches like white flour, white rice, white bread are very high glycemic. So are chips and cracker AND SUGAR. Glycemic means how long it takes the body to convert the food to sugar. High glycemic foods raises your blood sugar very fast and in turn the pancreas start pumping out insulin and you feel hungry again. Low glycmic is slow to turn to sugar so it's the reverse.

I wish I could eat a bite of meat or cheese. My doc put me on a liquid diet for 8 days and I get my surgery this Tue.

[want2bmeagain 0]

Hi Sunshine!

I asked my nutritionist why we didn't have to do an all liquid diet, and she said when a doc does the all liquid, he is assured that the patient is getting the Protein and no/few carbs. That if they did Atkins, it makes it easier to cheat.

Interesting, huh?

[want2bmeagain 0]

P.S. Sunshine

besides the blood sugar issue~does the pancreas/insulin affect the liver pre op? Luckily, I am not a soda, chocolate, candy addict, so it shouldn't be a problem after surgery. Just the white carbs, which I am proud to say have not had one since the pre-op diet started. The whole darn sugar thing has made me crazy cuz I want a couple teaspoons in my coffee this week! I tried splenda this morning- YUK! I must have a super high, sensitive taste bud thing. Never thought about it before now, but could have something to do with my overeating~ I am a pretty decent cook, dinners are awesome, and I can't stop eating them! I have done the salad plate thing, and I just go for seconds~ hasn't curbed my volume eating one bit!

I am checking into the Matrix 5.0 Protein Powder supplement. I have been PMing with wasabubblebut (man, she's smart) about different Proteins, etc. She just does Matrix in Water. I am looking into doing that post op because I bought the clear Isopure sweetened with Sucralose. I tried one today and can't stand the taste of the sweetner.

I guess I have to cause trouble somewhere ~ ugh.

[NM Sunshine 1]

That is interesting what your nutritionist said. I didn't realize that. I both broth in the carton at the store. Heated myself a cup and it like to have made me puke. Had a funny taste and smell. So I didn't try broth again. Drinking a lot of no fat milk stuff.

Yea, Atkins diet would be easy to cheat on considering that some of those Atkin bars are yummy.

I have no idea if the sugar effects the liver. I do know that a heavy drinker has a large liver and so do we people who are heavy enough to get the lap band. The liver gets a lot of fat stored in it. Perhaps a lot of the fat we lose when we are on the pre-op diet is fat from liver first????

I've been drinking diet coke most of my life, started with Tab. Taqb was ugh but over the years I got use to the fake sugar I guess and when something is heavily sweetened with real sugar I can't take it....that's my ugh these days.

When the band is in with restriction, that sugar shouldn't mater especially since You're a healthy eater.

Good luck over the next few days.:hungry:

[littleroo1 0]

Hi everyone!! I'm back home in Tampa!

I miss Colorado so much - we absolutely fell in love with the state. I grew up in Arizona so it felt like home to me. DH had never been "out west" before!

I'm still doing well - the only time I'm using the painkillers is at night to make sure that I'm getting some uninterrupted sleep. During the day, I'm fine, just a little sore if I don't sit up straight.

Tina - how are you doing??

[want2bmeagain 0]

Jenn~ woo hoo! Glad you made it back safe! If you guys want a rocky mountain vacation, you are always welcome at my place, I even have a guest room since my daughter left for college! I hope I'm tempting you!

I am so happy you are feeling good. Do you have ANY suggestions for me? We leave tomorrow for Denver, and surgery on Tuesday. Should I bring certain things? ask the doc any certain things? what should I expect? I am getting so blitzed with nerves, I can picture myself walking in on Tuesday, holding out my arm, and telling them to pump me with the good stuff right away!

Sunshine ~ I don't know if I am really a "healthy" eater, It would depend on who you asked! My dad is mr. lean food, low or no oils, works out all week long and would think I am not a healthy eater. He is pretty well off financially, and I asked him about a low or no interest loan. He was hesitant (he's loaned me money before, which I have paid back)~ and I really think he wanted to tell me to put duct tape on my mouth and go to the gym. Anyway, the loan thing took on a life of it's own, ugly, and I told him nevermind, and put it on a credit card.

I just eat little junk food, fast food maybe once a month. But, I love my chicken breast coated and cooked in olive oil. I love homemade fried chicken, like steak, potato (no butter, just s. cream), Pasta, toast/butter with my eggs, etc :hungry: ( I LOVE this smiley!). So compared to junk food, I eat healthy. Compared to my dad, I am horrible!

[NM Sunshine 1]

Want to be

You're dad may be the one who has the unhealthy diet. Recently they've discovered that we do need fat in our diet, it's very important. Just the right kind of fat though. Your olive oil is great and so is canola oil. Those area the only two I will use.

Thin athletic people have some super prejudice attitudes about overweight people. It's like once white people were prejudice about people of color, or prejudice about women in the work field, or even the right to vote.

Someday they will find out (hopefully) that their attitudes are pure prejudice.

[Rosey80231 0]

Thank you all for you thoughs and advise. I have been looking for any books on the band specially the one suggested by MAL but I have not been able to find it in any site. Anyone with a title? I would appreciate.

Woofay. I am local and fairly close to Aurora which means that he is not very far from me. I am actually kind of exited but at the same time this peace has come over me. Kind of like when you know you are taken care of. Funny, I have not even meet the man yet and I already see in my mind how my life will be after the surgery. I use a lot of visualization. I think i will brave it and meet you at the Red Robin event. I will be the one looking totally lost. I would be interesting to see and hear your experiences.

Want2bemeagain. I so wish all goes well with you on Tuesday. I can understand you feeling freaked out. Try visualizing your whole experinced. Give it a try. I often do public speaking for my job and I always run the whole event in my head prior it seems to work. I am sure you will do fine. You are so brave. The more I read about this procedure the more I am at awe at all of you. So can someone tell me what is the protocol in providing all the little information at the bottom of your messages.

I am sorry my postings are boring and plain. I will work on making them more interesting

Me.