Hey all NYU Bandsters!

Miss Michelle · July 27, 2008

Well, looking around it seems like we are one of the only groups with no posts. So, I thought that we could all introduce ourselves...

My name is Michelle, I am 26 and was banded May 23,08 by Dr. Fielding. So far since beigining my pre-op diet on May 9th, I am down 51 lbs with a long way still to go. I could not be happier with my choice of surgeon and actually like going in for my post op and fill visits. Although I do think they need a larger office, lol. I was thinking of going on NYU's WLS patients cruise in August. I am not sure if it's an annual thing, but has anyone else out there attended before?

wsw27 · July 27, 2008

Hi there. I was banded on July 1 (Dr. Kurian). I've lost about 15 pounds so far. I go for my first fill August 13. I agree that NYU needs a larger office. They also need a better organized adminstrative staff, but I'm thrilled with Dr. Kurian and overall, my NYU experience was positive. I'm not planning to go on the August cruise (conflict) but I'm sure it is great way to meet fellow NYU bandsters. Thanks for starting this thread.

hopelives124 · July 28, 2008

I am scheduled for surgery on 9/16 with Dr. Kurian and had the same impression of the place. The nutritionist, I felt, could have been alot more personable. I did not find the session with her helpful or informative. It seemed very pro-forma. There was also an air of mass-production their, and the administrative staff seemed rushed. When I arrived in the morning the receptionist's first words to the other receptionist were: I would like to be anywhere but here this morning. When I saw Nilsa and was having work conflicts about scheduling the surgery she told me that she is only able to spend a few minutes with each patient, and that I was holding things up. Alot of people in the waiting room seemed to be in pain and this was very scary.

I admitt this is all a very scary and new thing. Dr. Kurian was very very re-assuring and Monica the nurse who co-ordinates pre-op testing was a doll even though I only spoke with her for about 15 seconds. Why is everyone so rushed their? Has anyone had real emergencies to which the doctors and staff responded to? I guess this is the important issue.

I would love feekback.

thanks!!!

LindaGail · July 28, 2008

Hi,

I am scheduled for surgery August 4th. So far my experience has been fine, although I agree about the nutritionist, she was just going through the motions, gave me the impression she hates her job. Everyone else has been fine. Dr. fielding is wonderful, I've only herd good things about him and the other Drs. . Do you know when I should hear from someone to inform me what time my surgery will be?

Miss Michelle · July 28, 2008

OK, OK, I have to admit I am not thrilled about the staff either. I honestly think it is becuase they are all sooo busy. The last time I was at the office I overheard that they accept walk in's and that is why they are always so packed. I can understand for emergency purposes why this may be allowed, but I dont agree with it otherwise. I do love Dr. Fielding so much that I am willing to deal with the wait and uncorteous staff. I couldnt imagine going to another surgeon. Anyways, as far as a time for surgery I got mine on Thursday afternoon for my surgery the following day. Be prepared your time may get shifted around a little. Mine was changed about an hour or two after it was originally set. Good Luck!

kristenmh · July 29, 2008

Hope:

You're getting banded two days after me by Dr. Kurian. I am with you 100% on the nutritionist -- she seemed annoyed to see me at all.

I've been trying to get in touch with Nilsa for 3+ days now -- she's not returning my calls or emails. So frustrating.

LindaGail · July 29, 2008

I don't think I've had any dealings with Nilsa.What does she do?

My doctors office faxed the signed approval form after my pre surgery exam as instructed and I'm trying to find out if they recieved it. Nobody knows anything, the person who takes care of this is out this week. I had it faxed again today. My Patient Information form states if not received by 7/29 they will pospone my surgery. All I can do now is hope I get a call letting me know what time to report for surgery.

How are you doing on the two week liquid protien diet?

kristenmh · July 30, 2008

Nilsa is the surgical coordinator -- she and Asia(?) are the folks responsible for scheduling hte surgery.

Did they give you the whole packet of pre-admission info (where to go, etc) when you were there? If not, you can find a copy of it here:

http://pfrc.med.nyu.edu/handouts/pdf/all/pfrc05-000030.pdf

you're supposed to call the hospital after 6pm the night before your surgery to find out when you need to arrive. you report to the same day admitting area one your surgery day -- they'll take it all from there.

so far, so good on the liquid diet. i'm a few days in (i started early) and it's been ok. not fabulous, but i'm trying to make it through one day at a time.

LindaGail · July 30, 2008

Yes, they gave me that packet. I was also given a yellow paper which is titled "Patient Insructions" which instructs to have my medical clearance sent to them, it was faxed but no one seems to be capable of confirming if it was received, that's why I had it faxed again today. When i called I spoke to Asia, she tranferred me to the person she said handles that, when transfered it was a voice mail of someone who's last name was Mcmillan? Asia just bruched me off to a machine. I'll call Thursday to try to find someone who is willing to check to see if everything is in order. Asia told me someone will call me to give me the time to go to the hosptial ,although I did read that I should call after 6pm for the time. If they had more cometent people working in the office we wouldn't be dealing with these issues.

LindaGail · July 30, 2008

I forgot to mention the voice mail of the person Asia tranferred me to is out this week.

LadyWinsAll · July 30, 2008

I just saw this forum and I hope you don't mind me joining. I did a lot of research and decided on NYU because of the reputation and training of the three surgeons. I was first scheduled with Dr. Ren-Fielding but a spot on Dr. Kurian's calendar opened up 2 weeks earlier and I took it. I am extremely happy with Dr. Kurian.

Now for the negatives, the office is small. I try to get a seat near the window and look out onto the river. However, am I the only one who wishes for a counter top at the receptionist's window so one can rest paper and jot numbers or information down? My first visit there had me close to walking out because one of the receptionists was so grumpy and rude. Now that I have been there a few more times I think it is her attitude, the other three front desk people I have interacted with and Tammy, when she fills in, have all been wonderful.

I have not had problems with getting in touch with Nilsa or Monica, the surgical coordinator. I call early in the morning between 9 and 11 and they are usually picking up the phone at that time. In fact, it was only today that I could hear in her tone and her abrupt manner that Nilsa was stressed and annoyed with me when I rescheduled my surgery from July 31 to August 28. However, she talked to Dr. Kurian and confirmed the later date in August. I was probably taking up someone's minutes because I spoke with her 3 times today. (Sorry, guys!)

Monica, the coordinator, is only at her desk in the morning. She has been amazing with me because somehow my lab results never got to my PCP and she faxed all the results to him immediately so he could do the medical clearance.

Sigh! after all that effort, I still had to reschedule.

My opinion is that I do like the walk in nature of their practice. This reassures me that if I have questions/problems and I consider them important enough to come in, the surgeons will see me even though I will have to wait.

I will have to do liquids again from August 14 (Huge sigh!) but on the upside I have lost some weight in the last 12 days. My plan is to stick with liquids in the morning and up my cals slightly and try to remain lower carb until I go back to full liquids on Aug. 14. And this post was probably far longer than expected, LOL!!!

Edited July 30, 2008 by LadyWinsAll
Addition

Teko · July 30, 2008

I don't think I've had any dealings with Nilsa.What does she do?
My doctors office faxed the signed approval form after my pre surgery exam as instructed and I'm trying to find out if they recieved it. Nobody knows anything, the person who takes care of this is out this week. I had it faxed again today. My Patient Information form states if not received by 7/29 they will pospone my surgery. All I can do now is hope I get a call letting me know what time to report for surgery.

How are you doing on the two week liquid protien diet?

Hi there,

This is my first time posting here, but I had surgery on Monday. Still feeling very sore, but I saw your concerns and wanted to help. Monica is the person who takes care of the medical clearance forms. I spoke to her on a few occasions and she was both helpful and prompt. I am not sure if she is the person you mentioned, who is out this week. I would post her number but I hesitate to post it in a open forum. If you would like I could send you a personal message with the number. Otherwise you could just ask for her specifically when you call the office.

If she is indeed not there I would suggest asking for Nilsa, she deals with the insurance companies and can be very abrupt when you talk to her. However if you get her on the phone and explain your problem straight out in a no-nonsense way then she will tell you what you have to do. She really knows the office and the steps you need to take, but I get the feeling she has about five times more cases then she can handle so she can come off a bit abrupt or rude. I remember having a distinct feeling of confusion when I was dealing with the office, but just keep at it and stay focused.

As far as reporting for surgery you find that information out from the hospital admitting department, Monica can give you the number. I called them Friday after 6 (for surgery on Monday) and they told me the time I should be there.

Other then that good luck, I would suggest bringing a friend or family member with you as it can be a little scary when you show up and realize that today is the day. All I can say is rally your courage and get in there. Once you are in the operating room you will only be awake for a minute or two before they knock you out, then you will wake up in the post op recovery room. After that you will be moved to a room. Most of the people on the floor I was on where lap band patients.

I have to say though that you are making the right choice in going with Dr. Feilding's office. From what I have read they are pretty much the best when it comes to lap bands, and NYU is a good hospital. I found the nurses to be very kind, and attentive.

If you have any other questions about what to expect I will try my best to help out.

LindaGail · July 30, 2008

Thank you so much for all the information. Acually I feel much less stressed today. I called this morning and spoke to Nilsa, she gave me Monica's ext. (thank you all for giving me the names of who to ask for) and Monica was very helpful, she knew my name off the top of her head and said I am all set for Monday. i feltl my stress leave my body and was feeling great the rest of the day.

I have the number of the hospital Admitting Department in my papers that they gave me. I don't have anyone to go with me to the hospital, that's fine, I know I'll be in good hands. I'm not nervous at all now, I think the nerves will start this weekend. It really does helps alot knowing what to expect. Thank you so much for all your valuable info.

You seem to be doing well so soon after surgery, from what I have read, the sorness and swelling of the stomach gets much better in about a week. Please keep in touch and let us know how you doing and I'll do the know for those after me.

Teko · July 30, 2008

Firstly I called the admitting dept at about 7pm on Friday, gave them my name and birthday and they told me to be there at 5:30am on Monday. So I was a little stressed about being late so I arrived around 5am at the entrance they told me. It seems the admitting dept is closed until 5:30 though so I had to wait down at the entrance until 5:30.

Around 5:30 I went up to same day admitting, and took a seat while they turned on the lights, and got papers etc ready. There where a number of people there for what seemed a bunch of different procedures. They had everyone sign in and wait to be called.

A little while later they called me, and I had to verify my name and birth date on some forms. After that they gave me a wrist band and sent me on to a small doctor's office type room. Once there I was directed to change into a gown, hairnet, and socks. Something they talked a lot about is the stuff you bring with you. They offer to put your valuable in the hospital safe, and to hang on to your bags for when you are moved to your room afterward but I had my family hang on to them.

At any rate I was in the room all changed for a while and a bunch of different people came to have me sign this and that. Some nurses, the anesthesiologist, and finally Dr. Ren. One form that turned out to be significant for me later was the form that enabled them to correct a ulcer of some sort if I had one. It turned out that I did, and from what I understand it is basically where your stomach has poped up into your chest cavity a bit, and they shove it back down (this is my interpretation they had some medical lingo for what they did).

After speaking to the doctor things moved pretty fast. They came and got me, and lead me into the operating room. I had to mention that I would like to use the restroom, and they let me do that, to be honest I was not sure how that works when you go under so I wanted to make sure I did not go on the table lol. Now up to this point I was pretty nervious, but it really hit me as I was walking to the room. Seeing the scrub sinks and the big peices of machiery made it all very real and in a sense frighteneing. Yet I gathered my courage and kept going. I got into the operating room itself and they had me lay down on a rather uncomfortable bed. After this there is not much more to tell, the anesthesiologist put in a iv, strapped down my arm, asked me to lean forward to put a blanket under my back. Then he placed a oxygen mask on me and asked me to take a few deep breaths.

Next thing I know I was in the recovery room. I slowly drifted back into wakefullness. I would be awake then doze off again, and I am not sure how long this lasted. Eventually I was awake and I remeber my mouth was extreamly dry. I asked the person that was watching me for some ice but she said it was too early for that, but I could have a swab. Never have I appreciated a spongy swab dipped in ice Water more then at that moment. After waiting there for a time a bed was arranged on the 13th floor, and they moved me up.

At this point there was not really much pain, just some woozyness (is that a word heh?). I layed there for a while, and the nurse told me about my options for pain managment, and about the spirometer (the back page of one of the pages in the packet you got from pre-surgical testing talks about it). The nurse also gave me some ice chips and said I could have some broth in 4 hours. There was a long period of just laying there, I would not say I was bored, just sort of relaxing, and I used it to put my mind in order.

I do need to make a side note that the nurses I had while I was there where really 10/10. They where very helpful, and knowledgeable. I was in a double room and they moved some people in and out that where personable and I spoke to them to pass the time.

I got up eventually, and I walked around, but right when I was getting back to bed I had the most queezy feeling and felt like I was going to puke. I told the nurse and she hooked up some stuff to my iv for queezyness that took care of that.

Later the doctor came in breifly and told me everything went well, and that I was a-ok.

I had some broth, and it went down quite easy. This turned out to be a little decieveing. I suppose that the stomache had not swollen like they said it would at this point and that is why I was able to drink so easily. As it is now I have to drink extreamly slow or I get a sort of backed up feeling.

The night passed fitfully. When you go into the operating room they put your legs in these blow up things that keep your circulationg going, and they had me wear those during the night. They where very uncomfortable, and hot, but oh well.

The next morning they had a meeting around 8 for the lap band patients. I met some of my fellow patients there. I had thought about going around before that to, I don't know just sort of say hello, but then I thought that they probably wanted to be left alone, and it would be rude of me to intrude. Anyway they went over the post sugery diet, and talked about your next visit for the esophogram.

Then it was all done, I told the nurse I was ready to leave, signed some papers, and took some pain medicine for the road (Thank goodness I thought of this because it seemed like every pot hole on the way home was ten feet deep). I had my family pick me up and went home.

Now I am at home. I find it a little difficult to lay down because it is hard to breath deep without pain, so the first night I pretty much slept with my back up. I did not get a very good night sleep, and there has been some soreness and pain. Oddly enough my computer chair gives me the best position to sit both minimizing pain, and making it easier to get up. Getting up from bed and chairs is hard because I use my stomach muscles for that, and they are really sore.

I have felt the pain and soreness go down since I got home, so I feel pretty positive about that. On the way home I picked up some pepcid complete chewables because I noticed that they kept hooking me up to a pepcid iv bag in the hospital. Nobody said acid would be a problem, and it hasn’t yet but I just wanted to be prepared. I also got some gas-x disolvable strips. Apparently they shoot some CO2 into you during the surgery that gives you shoulder pain similar to gas, and the gas-x does nothing for that, but it helps for regular stomach gas. I also got some kids Gummy vites because I could not find any Centrum chewables.

Whew, that is about all I can think of off the top of my head. It is sort of a rant, but believe it or not it sort of helps to lay it all out on here, I have never been a journal person but I imagine this is what being one feels like.

I hope it helps, and I wish you the best of luck. Even when the pain and soreness where at their worst I did not regret my choice.

kristenmh · July 30, 2008

Thank you so much for posting that -- I've been so curious about the day-off routine.

Would you mind answering a few questions for me?

- Was your family able to stay with you until you were brought into the OR?

- How long was it between the time you arrived before you were in the OR?

- Were you able to wear underwear into surgery?

- Did you share a room?

- Did they offer you anything to help you sleep? (i.e. Ambien, etc)

- What time were you discharged on Tuesday?

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