Dr. Aaron Hoffman - Lap Band done in Buffalo, NY (Dr. Hoffman)

[Want2BeThin 0]

Thank you for the information Dee! I wrote the numbers down and will start there. How are you feeling? I'm so tired of struggling with my weight and it is no longer a vanity issue, it's a quality of life issue! I just can't live like this anymore. I'm tired, my back hurts and I'm going to be 40. Now, I know that's not old but.......I FEEL OLD because of this unnecessary weight.

Do you miss eating? Do any of the women here say they miss it?

Anyway, thanks again and good luck at your follow up visit! :-)

[val 7]

i was feeling the same way you were and that is what really pushed me into having the lap band. i was just tired of it all. i do not miss eating. sometimes i think i want this or that and i will sometimes have a little piece but that little bit satisfies me. if you would have told me that prior to having surgery i would not have believed it

val

[val 7]

dee,

glad you are doing well. i feel bad i didnt get to see you at bgh but i ended up not taking my sister and so i couldnt make it.

val

[ibrn1 0]

I am scheduled for surgery with Dr, Hoffman on 11/4. I am still waiting for BC approval. I feel much better after reading your posts about Dr. Hoffman.I am very nervous about this procedure. I did my research on MDs in the Buffalo/Rodchester area. I got the best feedback on Dr. Hoffman. Being a nurse, I spoke with several surgeons that I have known for years. I have not spoken to any of his patients. Thanks for the feedback!!!

[JudyAnticola 2]

Hi want 2 be thin.

I will answer some of your questions based on my experience.

I am not sorry I did it.

It will take about 6 months to get through the whole process.

Most appointments are during the work day.

You should plan on a week off for surgery and recovery.

I do not miss food because I can eat small amounts of everything, so I have given up nothing except volume of food. I do mentally miss being able to eat a whole sub, or a whole plate of spaghetti. If I want to be thin I have to learn to eat less of those things. At least I can still have them, which was not always true on other diets.

The hardest thing for me is to chew, and to not drink for 1.5 hours after eating. I actually have to look at the time I stop eating and then wait 1.5 hours by the clock.

I have no pain anywhere. I am off my diabetes medications. Hoffman is nice as well as Posner. Posner just does not have the web fan club like Hoffman, so you do not hear much about him. But we all do love Dr. Hoffman.

In my opinion you still have to diet somewhat, but it is much easier. You also have to exercise. I would not be losing too fast without exercise. I am losing 1-2 pounds a week, I exercise 4 times a week.

We all have different stories and we all respond differently to different foods and fills. So you will have to try to average out all that we say and realize that your story will be different.

No question this was one of the best decisions of my life.

Good luck in your Quest.

[JudyAnticola 2]

There are probably a lot of great surgeons out there, what sets Dr. Hoffman apart is that he is an incredible human being as well as a great surgeon.

[DeeH 0]

dee,

glad you are doing well. i feel bad i didnt get to see you at bgh but i ended up not taking my sister and so i couldnt make it.

val

Don't feel bad. Val. We will just meet another time. I feel really good( 4 days out from surgery). I think the Protein is the worst part for me!

[bloomerific 5]

Dee!!! I'm so glad that you're doing well...the drinking of the 1 oz. cup got old with me super quickly.

Linda, you're next for surgery, right? How exciting!!!

Judy--you just got filled on Tuesday, right? How are you feeling and is there a major difference?

2BeThin--you've got a lot of good questions that have been answered, I think...but I wouldn't give up what I've done for a second! Recovery was super quick, I went back to work a week later (probably a bit too quickly), my gas/shoulder pain subsided in 10 days, and now I'm actually eating regular food! I'm very particular about what I eat because I don't have a lot of "mental" hunger anymore...I have to remind myself to eat which is SO WEIRD.

Dr. Hoffman is DEFINITELY awesome but Judy's right, so is Dr. Posner. The only thing with Posner is if you're on the bigger side of big, he may encourage gastric bypass for you. Hoffman will band any size.

How is everyone doing?

[lindatatu 0]

1. Where do I start? I have Independant Health for insurance.

2. How long are you off of work?

3. sleep apnea? I have this.

4. I recently had a stress test done....will that be needed?

5. What is the average process time?

6. When should I start the process?

8. Who do I call? I want this Dr Hoffman.

9. How long does the surgey take?

Sorry to bombard with all the questions but I'm just so confused

Ok...one more, there are some scarey posts on here.....are you all happy you did this? Any regrets?

Christina, I will be banded on Monday. That will make it 7 months and 1 day since I sent in my application. As Dee said the first thing is to get an application and fill it out. This is not a quick process so don't put it off. Any tests you have or will have done from this time forward keep a copy of the results. You will need it later. ALWAYS have an extra copy of everything you send the weight loss center or they give you. Documentation has been known to get lost. I have independent health. You need to qualify. This means have a BMI of at least 40 or 35 with comorbiditys. My BMI is 35 but I have diabetes, sleep apnea and high BP so I qualify. I am very anxious to lose weight but am really looking forward to becoming healthy! After your initial weigh in you will be asked to go on the South Beach Diet. You need to lose weight to show you are able to comply to new eating habits and sometimes to qualify for insurance. As far as Dr. Hoffman is concerned yes he is great but so is Dr. Posner. They will probably be adding a third doctor to the practice. You are "assigned" a surgeon but have the right to request a certain one but that is nothing to worry about just yet. It will be months before you reach that point. Again, as Dee said surgery is about an hour and requires an overnight stay. Recovery is different for each individual. If your job requires heavy lifting you will need to be off longer. That is the only real restriction. They encourage walking immediately. You can drive after you are off the pain meds. Also if you even considering it don't delay in putting in your application. You can change your mind, you can delay surgery. My original surgery was scheduled for September 22 but that did not fit in with my work schedule so I had to have a schedule change. It happens. After you are accepted in the program you can attend monthly support group meetings for pre and post band patients at Buffalo General. There is a wealth of information exchanged at the meetings and new friends are made.

You could read every post on Lapbandtalk and get 1 million different experiences. As one poster recently pointed out, she has had a perfect experience, no PB ing, no sliming but she doesn't write because it would be boring. Everyone assures me I will love my band and they are all happy they had it done even after a painful "stuck" episode.

I hope this helps. Good Luck

[lindatatu 0]

Dee what do you mean the Protein is the worse for me? I thought we were on Clear Liquids for the first week.

[DeeH 0]

We are but you need to get your Protein Drinks in too...apparently the one I got isn't the best for me LOL They just have a strange taste to me. I got the designer whey in french vanilla..it mixes with Water.< /p>

[lindatatu 0]

Dee thanks for the heads up. I will put that on my list of questions for the dietician. One does visit you in the hospital right? I have Designer Whey in vanilla and chocolate. I haven't tried the chocolate yet but I have been mixing the vanilla for months with milk to put in my Cereal and putting the Protein powder in my cooled coffee. If you drink coffee that would be a good way to drink it.

Have you tried to add fruit to it (blended of course)? Thank you for giving me some guidelines.

The hospital just called and I have to be there at 5:15 am and Michael is on vacation. Awwww I was looking forward to seeing him. I only have two more days of eating so I am trying to clean out the refrigerator of all fresh produce so it doesn't go bad since I wont be eating it for awhile and to my husband it is alien food. LOL

[daniellabee 0]

hello, havent written in awhile. I finally got called for the October seminar 10/16...yay. It took 4 months to get in but I've got a few of the tests out of the way (sleep study & psych). I really wish I wouldve kept reading these posts though, it gives a person so much encouragement.

I had been getting really frustrated that just getting the initial visit was taking so long it was never going to happen. So I think I have been unintentionally sabatoging any weight loss. I can see now over the last month or so I def. "stress" eat and eat like I'm getting back at something or someone. Thats got to sound strange but it must be my own way of dealing or not dealing with things that has gotten me in this predicament.

But just from reading through these in the last 2 days it gave me the motivation to turn down ice cream and stop going out to eat every day on my lunchbreak. I also stopped going to the vending machines.

Sooo baby steps and I cannot wait to get this whole process moving, thanks for letting me vent:)

[daniellabee 0]

Also, I think i remember someone writing these before...would you recomend I try to get an appt scheduled w/Dr. Hoffman that night since it may be hard to get thru after this seminar again?

[lindatatu 0]

Daniellabee, if it is the same as it was in the spring you must wait for the center to call you for your first appointment. Listen carefully because I was one of the only people who heard you could go in to get your first weigh in and start on South Beach immediately if that is what you want to do. I believe it will be months before you see the surgeon. There are other appointments and tests first.