Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Considering Dr. Kirshenbaum

[adorkbl 156]

Thanks guys! Can't wait to get to the other side. I am struggling a tiny bit with my pre-op diet... mostly fighting "head hunger". I did decent tonight subbing my normal bad stuff with half a cup of cottage cheese and some cherry tomatoes! I know technically I don't have to start for another week, but I am so ready to begin this journey... why wait.

Brandy: I live in Tucson. Mesa is about an hour and fifteen minutes from me. I know Mona is from the Phoenix area. I would love to meet up with a fellow bandster! I am not really telling many people about my surgery so sharing the journey with someone is welcome!

[bahotmomma 0]

Well Hello all, I am new to LBT. I am having surgery on 1/3/08 and am so excited. Any suggestions? I have started my pre-op diet and it is going well. Not telling anyone except for my husband (he is behind me 110%).

Sorry not really sure how to set up the BMI info...

[adorkbl 156]

Welcome bahot! You date is very close! How exciting.

I decided to go ahead and tell my immediate family (sisters, mom etc) and a select few friends. It worked out in my favor because my mom is helping me with the money and I can pay her back. Saving me lots of $$ in interest.

Otherwise I really don't feel like everyone knowing. I don't want everyone watching me and expecting my weight to melt off, because this is going to be a LONG journey.

[MissMom24 2]

Welcome bahot! You have found a great forum! I bet your counting the hours until your surgery!!!

MAL: I have been eating pretty much mushies...some soft foods mixed in here and there, but 98% mushies. Thanks for the info regarding drinking and PB'ing. I had no idea that it could make it worse...

LA: I am with you as well, I only have told my family (NOT my husbands, and I probably never will) and a few friends. Your doing great with your pre-diet so far...I really had the last supper syndrome bad! Now I know that I could still have what I wanted, just in very limited quantites...

Hope everyone is having a great day!!

Brandy

[Mal 0]

Welcome bahot!

[bahotmomma 0]

LA: Where are you from? I am self pay as well (That sucks). I to didn't want people watching me lose the weight I just want them to be surprised.

Thanks for all the Hellos.

Any advice is always welcome.

[adorkbl 156]

bahot: I am in Tucson, AZ... about a 13 hour drive to Aurora. We decided to fly this time so I don't have to drive after surgery. I may drive for follow up care though, we'll see! Luckily my husband's aunt lives in Aurora so I have a place to stay. I have never met her, so it will be interesting meeting under these circumstances.

Where do you live?

[DynamoMini 1]

Hi Bahot! Welcome. You will have to make up your mind about telling or not telling. I do get the once over every time I see a friend I've told. If I did it over, I don't think that I would tell, except my family.

Hugs all,

Michelle

[adorkbl 156]

Ok I am in a bit of a freak out mode right now. This always happens to me when I need to make a major decision, but I really don't have anyone to turn to to really work through this. My husband is very supportive and helpful, but I want the opinion of someone who has been there, done that.

I am started to second guess my decision. I am worried about complications and what will happen financially if they happen. My insurance covers LapBand but my employer has an opt out clause, so I am self pay. I am assuming this means I have to pay for any and all expenses related to my band that may come up after surgery?

So if I have complications and end up with an infection, or some other ailment, am I responsible for all those bills?! Did anyone else freak out over that prospect? Or are situations that arise later covered if they are medical emergencies regardless of who paid for the surgery initially?

I know I should be asking my insurance this question, but for some reason I feel like the people I talk to there have no idea about my policy and answer generically. Just because "Sam" told me so on the phone isn't going to pay my bills if they decide to bill me. KWIM?

This really has me worried. I am stretching already to pay for this surgery; I can't imagine what it would do to us if I ran into serious complications. Advice? Words of wisdom?

Thanks!

L

[Totallytater 1]

LA, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but almost all insurance policies take the same stance on this. If it is not a covered procedure, then the complications are also not covered. This was something I really worried about before the surgery. I didn't worry about dying or anything like that. I worried that my $10,000 surgery would turn into $100,000 from complications. You just have to pray and keep the faith that you won't have complications.

[Totallytater 1]

ShelbieCallie and Skyblue,

Just checked Dr K's website map and we're finally there. 3 from North Carolina!!

[Woofay 0]

Hey, guys! Long time, no post! Man, were the holidays busy! But we managed to get through them here! Driving to the airport a million times, always during the snow....My little brother's "fiance" (hee! he asked her to marry him!) had to leave on Christmas Day, and well, we all know what that "slight chance for snow flurries" looked like! Just so busy! Then, my brother in law from Mississippi brought this intestinal virus from hell with him. Oh man! First him, then my Grandma, then my mom, then my brother, then my hubby, then me, then my lil guy Dylan, then my mother in law...lordy this thing needs to stop! It's been two days now, so I'm doing better, but still feel icky.

Just to be icky...(heehee ) has anyone done a real vomit since being banded? I've only done the PB thing. Let me tell you...they are totally different! OMG! It is the hardest, painful, noisiest thing in the world! It is so violent...I hope that I didn't hurt anything in there. I wonder how I would know? Luckily, that part only lasted about 14 hours. (only! oh god!) Anyways...just thought that I would share that with you. (a warning! heehee!) No one at home really understands, they just think I'm exaggerating my flu....if they only knew!

I sure had a lot of pages to read. Welcome all the newbies! Sure are a lot of people getting banded by Dr K! Congrats on your decisions!

L.A~ Try not to worry about the "what ifs", they will drive you nuts! Yes, things can happen. But things can happen from being overweight too. Things too can happen from by-pass. Just know, that should something serious happen, your in great hands with Dr K. You'll be taken care of. If you need to, give Natalie a call and talk about those things. (From what I understand, that's what she is there for. I've only met her briefly.)

Dynamo~ your doing great! How's that fill? I can't believe how well your doing with the working out. (I still want arms as beautiful as yours!)

Mal~ sorry about the holiday problems, with food that is. You too, Mare. I think we all had them. There is no good reason to see if just one more bite will make the big PB. (I did it too...:cheated: luckily, not as many times as I would have thought and mostly from foods that I knew wouldn't work, not the quantity...) The New Year is upon us, and tomorrow is a new day. All we can do is try to do better! And your friends are nuts, Mal! You can totally tell the loss! If nothing else, flip through our RR nights...Do you think people just get jealous of someone finally succeeding at something that has been so hard?

Lap Dancer~ your beautiful face sure is changing! I'm glad you're feeling so good! Too bad we waited so long, huh!

Well, all. I finally got the money for that gym membership. There are no more excuses as my mom gave me the money for Christmas. So, I guess I'm going to be working out. (eeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwww, yucky, icky! :censored:) Hope that it does some good for this southern sag!

Have a great night all! Sorry so long...but its been forever and my family is out with the inlaws for dinner (I still don't feel like food). Amazing how long you can chat with no one buggin ya!

Oh ya! I made my 10 lb goal for January 4th....plus 2 lbs so far! woo hoo!

Also...I think that January 10th is the schedule for the next RR?? Sound good? (I sure need a Bandster night!)

[Mal 0]

WOOFAY!!! So nice to hear from you! I was worried about you! I just love to red your posts. Sorry to hear that you have the flu. Do you still have the anti nausea medicine that Dr. K prescribed? I wonder if that woud help? I hope you get to feeling better soon.

I have been making the wrong food choices lately, but some how I managed to lose another 2 pounds since my fill??? I haven't been to the gym in a LONG time! Hubby and I had a good talk about taking the right path to a healthy new year during dinner tonight. Hopefully the new year brings us all better health!

Congrats on meeting your goals! I'm going to have to look back and see what mine were...LOL, I can't even remember what goals I set for myself...I know my work out goals, but I forget my weight loss goals??? I truly think you will enjoy working out, you can do it!!!

Happy New Year!!

[ShelbiCallie 0]

Hi Everyone! Happy New Year! 2008 is going to be the best year ever for all of us. I'm still around, reading mostly, but wishing you all well and cheering you along.

LA -- I had similar second guesses about the $ and possible complications. This is a total leap of faith, in all honesty. If I could lose weight any other way and kept it off, I would have done that in a heart beat. But with my history, I knew that wasn't going to happen and I was heading down the path to obesity complications without surgery. I had to be honest with myself and ended up accepting the very small risk of surgical complications instead of the very real facts of diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, arthritis, etc. I think I made the safest choice with surgery. Hope this helps. In terms of money, if I did end up with a surgical problem, which I haven't so far knock on wood and don't anticipate at this point -- I'm screwed; there's no extra $ here. But, ya know, whatever -- there's always something -- why not me??)

Anita -- I'm sorry about the virus and hope everyone's feeling better!

Mal & Dynamo -- you're committment to exercise is inspiring ! Keep it up!

Take care and have a good week everyone!

[adorkbl 156]

Shelbie: Thanks. I feel better today. Talked with my hubby again last night and he is still 100% on board. I think I strayed too long over on the complications side of this board and my mind started running away. :thumbs_up:

I have since reeled it in and am feeling much better. I am just going to have to hope that I fall into the no complications percentage. I am very confident in Dr K... and that is a large part of the battle, finding a competent surgeon.