Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum - Logistics of surgery with Dr K.

[kraney 0]

Hello everyone,

I'm sure this information is in the 'Considering Dr K' thread, but it's so huge, I don't even know where to begin!

I hope to be banded by Dr K in the spring. I've contacted their office, but haven't done anything official yet, as they said I wouldn't need to schedule until the end of the year. Anyways, I have logistical questions:

1) Will I need a car while I'm out there for surgery? The best rental I can find for 3 days is about $200. I don't know how close the hotels are to the office/surgery center (are they two different places?).

2) I live about 7 1/2 hours away. I'm considering driving, but I don't know if I'll be comfortable enough to sit that long for the drive home. What is your advice on that? It'd be cheaper than flying (2 plane tickets would be about $260, gas would be about $100), but if someone thinks that I'd be foolish to expect to be able to handle a day long car ride, please tell me.

3) If we do fly, and we don't need a car, do we take a cab or a shuttle from the airport? Where do I look for that?

4) Is there any sort of shopping/restaurants close to the hotels? I'm sure my husband will want to get out for a bit, and I need to know if there is anything within walking distance for him.

5) Regarding fills, follow up appts, etc, is it reasonable for me to expect to be able to fly out there, have the appt, and fly back the same day? My husband works about 5 minutes from the Omaha airport, so I'm (maybe ignorantly) thinking that I can ride with him to work, take the 1 1/2 hour flight to Denver, have the appt, and then get back to Omaha by evening. And if that works, how do I get myself from the airport to the office without spending $60 on a car rental?

That's all I can think for now, but I'm sure I'll come up with something else.

Thank you!

[JillyPoo 0]

Hello my name is Jill and I was banded by Dr. K a little over a year ago and I too lived out of the area. I will answer what I can the best I can :closedeyes:. Congrats on your journey!!!

1) Yes, you will need some sort of transportation while you are there. His office is not near the surgical center(or wasn't when I got my surgery-so if he uses the same center then no). You will hae to ask the office to make sure he uses the same center. I find that rental cars change from day to day so check on that lol.

2)I live about 6 hours away from denver and we drove up for my surgery and stayed for 2 days afterwards. I was really uncomfortable on the drive home and it ended up taking us much longer which was miserable. I had gas and that fun stuff I didn't trust...if you get my drift lol. So I was having to use gas station potties which sucked! So I am not sure which is better but the drive wasn't fun. Not sure if i answered that hehe

3)Ok I looked into cabs in Denver and they are more expensive than if you just rent a car plus you can run around if you need to. You may need more meds, Soups, shopping who knows. But they are about $50 one way from the airport just to the main office :w00t:. So I would recommend that you rent a car everytime you go. I can find them as cheap as $30 a day most of the time. Make sure though that you allow about an hour/hour-half to get from theoffice to the rental car place and to the airport. Have them ticket your return so you don't need to get a ticket on the return side and only take carry on. The Denver airport is pretty user friendly. Just make sure to allow time!!!

4)We stayed near the surgical center and there were a few good places to eat there. Denver has everything you need and you are pretty close to a lot of it. I would mapquest or google everywhere you want to go ahead of time. I had maps to and from everywhere we thought we would want to go. The mall being one As far as walking distance there is some food but no shopping.

5)I now live in Arizona and even when i lived in Colorado I flew in for the day to get fills. I drive an hour or so to the airport, fly in get my rental car, go to my appointment, grab some cool Soup then back to the airport where I fly back, then finish off by a one or 2 hour drive home. It is a crazy day but it is doable. I have flown out 3 times I believe.

I need to get my daughter to the bus but if I left something off or you want to ask more let me know. I would be happy to chat. Take care and talk soon.

~Jill

[kraney 0]

Jill-

Thank you SO much for your information!!! I was beginning to think that no one would answer my questions!

Here's the first question that comes to mind:

So if you were really uncomfortable on the 6 hour drive home, would it have been better to take a 1 1/2 hour flight? I guess the way that I'm seeing it is that if I'm in my own car, I can stop every 1/2 an hour, get up, stretch, use the restroom, recline my seat, etc. I'd only be able to do that on a plane to a limited extent. BUT, it'd probably take me two days to get home, whereas maybe I could just suck it up for the short flight to Omaha?

I know I'll have more questions, but I wanted to get this one off before I lost track of it. Thank you!!!

Also, because I'm curious . . .do you have a success story??

Thank you again!!

Kim

[JillyPoo 0]

Kim~

I am not sure which would be better. You are right that you would have the comfort of your own vehicle and could stop ever so often to walk ect. I am assuming that your husband will be going with you? Planes are so hard and stressful you might be better off to drive. You never know too about making reservations and having to change last minute. I think driving is sounding more inviting lol. Take comfys and pillows:thumbup:. Glad I could help and hopefully make you feel a little more at ease about your trip and surgery.

~Jill

[kraney 0]

Indeed, you have! I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but for now we're going to plan on driving.

Yes, my husband is coming with me, and he plans to take a week off after to stay home with me and the kiddos (currently 2 and 3). Do you think a week is long enough for him to stay with me? I'm a stay at home mom, so after he goes to work, I'm on my own.

[kraney 0]

Hi Jill,

I thought of another questions, thanks for helping me out!

What are Dr K's pre- and post-op diet requirements? I've see some folks on here say their docs require a month of liquids post-op, and others only a few days. I'm curious as to Dr K's requirements.

Thanks!

Kim

Edited October 26, 2009 by kraney

[JillyPoo 0]

Good morning :wink2:

My hubby stayed with me for a few days but I don't have small kids. I think a week would be enough.

I am not sure if he does an individual plan or not. The office sent me paperwork explaining my pre and post op diets, the procedure and things to expect later. Dr. K and I had a conference call about a week before my surgery and went over the paperwork plus any questions I had. The only pre op diet that he had me do was No carbs for 10 days (I think lol) prior to surgery. This is to shrink your liver and you really need to stick to it. As far as post I am not 100%, but I don't recall it being as long as a month. I am sure if you called they would send you some paperwork :cryin:. Natalie is in his office and she is great!

~Jill

Edited October 26, 2009 by JillyPoo

[kraney 0]

Yeah, I know they will send me stuff, but I thought I would do all that when I scheduled, and I don't want to schedule until the end of the year, as I won't have the money for surgery until mid to late spring. I should probably just call the office and touch base again. I haven't talked with them since April, I think. Thanks for your advice.

[RobinAnn 2]

I haven't read JillyPoo's answers, but I'll do mine and then see if I disagree with her. My answers will be after your questions. I had surgery w/ Dr. K in June of this year.

Hello everyone,

1) Will I need a car while I'm out there for surgery? The best rental I can find for 3 days is about $200. I don't know how close the hotels are to the office/surgery center (are they two different places?). Unless you are planning for spring break or prime ski season, you surely should be able to get a car cheaper than that. I consistently can get a rental (Dollar or Enterprise) for under $30 a day. (Check priceline for cars.)

2) I live about 7 1/2 hours away. I'm considering driving, but I don't know if I'll be comfortable enough to sit that long for the drive home. What is your advice on that? It'd be cheaper than flying (2 plane tickets would be about $260, gas would be about $100), but if someone thinks that I'd be foolish to expect to be able to handle a day long car ride, please tell me. I had surgery on Wednesday (I think that's his only surgery day). I slept all day Thursday. We (my dh and I) planned to drive home on Friday but extended one more day partly because I felt washed out, partly so he could continue working (he's an IT manager and worked from the hotel room). At first I read that you'd be driving, but you mean riding? I rode home over 8 hours with no problems (and had dh not been able to work on Friday and if I hadn't been afraid of having to deal with my rambunctious dogs, going home Fri. would have been fine).

3) If we do fly, and we don't need a car, do we take a cab or a shuttle from the airport? Where do I look for that? You'll need a car to get to the hospital and Dr. K's office. They are not close to each other. A shuttle costs ~$22/person, each way, to his office area. Find a cheaper rental car. Heck, even $200 is a bargain compared to shuttles and cabs.

4) Is there any sort of shopping/restaurants close to the hotels? I'm sure my husband will want to get out for a bit, and I need to know if there is anything within walking distance for him. The availability of shopping and/or restaurants depends on the hotel you choose. Denver (Aurora) is strip-mall (and mall-mall) heaven.

5) Regarding fills, follow up appts, etc, is it reasonable for me to expect to be able to fly out there, have the appt, and fly back the same day? My husband works about 5 minutes from the Omaha airport, so I'm (maybe ignorantly) thinking that I can ride with him to work, take the 1 1/2 hour flight to Denver, have the appt, and then get back to Omaha by evening. And if that works, how do I get myself from the airport to the office without spending $60 on a car rental?

I'd sugggest for your first fill you plan to stay overnight ... although you do live in a city where you probably could have an emergency unfill if necessary. I don't have that option. For the first two fills I had, I flew up to Denver on Wednesday night, had my fill Thursday morning, had a mini-vacay for 36 hours, and flew home on Friday. I was worried that I'd be overfilled or something. This week (Wednesday!), I'm flying up to Denver in the evening and coming home Thursday afternoon because I have a 6 p.m. class. Again, you shouldn't be paying $60 for a car rental. The shuttle will cost you $44 round trip.

That's all I can think for now, but I'm sure I'll come up with something else.

Thank you!

[RobinAnn 2]

Indeed, you have! I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but for now we're going to plan on driving.

Yes, my husband is coming with me, and he plans to take a week off after to stay home with me and the kiddos (currently 2 and 3). Do you think a week is long enough for him to stay with me? I'm a stay at home mom, so after he goes to work, I'm on my own.

I've never had kids... is 2 and 3 (3 and 4?) old enough not to need picking up? THat is really the only restriction after surgery that I'd worry about with kids. I suppose at that age if they need you to hold them, they can climb up to you?

[RobinAnn 2]

I haven't read JillyPoo's answers, but I'll do mine and then see if I disagree with her. My answers will be after your questions. I had surgery w/ Dr. K in June of this year.

JULY, not June.

[kraney 0]

Thanks for all of your help, Robin. Hopefully by next spring, I won't have to pick up the kids, but at this point, they still need help getting on the potty, climbing up into bed, getting into the car, etc. I suppose if I was super conscience of it, they could probably make it through a day with out being picked up, but I'd run into an issue somewhere, probably with the car.

No, I won't be driving. My hubby will be with me the entire time.

I like your idea of staying the night and taking a mini vacation for myself when I do my fills. I do live by two major cities that I could use to get an unfill, but I'd pay out the nose to have it done, so an $80 hotel room would probably make more sense.

I'm glad to know that your car ride was ok. That makes me feel better!

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Thanks for all of your help, Robin. Hopefully by next spring, I won't have to pick up the kids, but at this point, they still need help getting on the potty, climbing up into bed, getting into the car, etc. I suppose if I was super conscience of it, they could probably make it through a day with out being picked up, but I'd run into an issue somewhere, probably with the car.

No, I won't be driving. My hubby will be with me the entire time.

I like your idea of staying the night and taking a mini vacation for myself when I do my fills. I do live by two major cities that I could use to get an unfill, but I'd pay out the nose to have it done, so an $80 hotel room would probably make more sense.

I'm glad to know that your car ride was ok. That makes me feel better!

HI!

I know Deb, another Dr K patient has flown into Denver from Oregon in the am, had a fill and then flown home. I've picked her up at the airport and then we have lunch and I take her back. I've done that for several of his patients. We are a pretty tight group. I used to meet pre-op's who have come alone and picked them up from the surgicenter.

Others have come and taken the shuttle to Dr. K's and then shuttled back to the airport in the same day. I know they've said it makes for a really long day, but it seems to work.

I think it is an excellent idea to stay overnight for your first fill or two. It's also a good idea to have a follow-up doc in your town. Things can happen that can cause you to need immediate attention and few ER's are comfortable unfilling a band. Once you're banded be so careful to never take any of your pills whole. This is something that can be a cause for an immediate unfill. Dr. K has a big sign in his lobby reminding his patients to not take any meds whole. Please feel free to post on the Considering Dr. K's forum. It hasn't been too busy there lately.

[kraney 0]

Thanks for the info, Party. I'm sure flying in and back out the same day would make for a really long day, but I would hope I could handle it by my later fills, perhaps when I'm more used to the process. Plus, I'm sure my flight from Omaha is shorter than Deb's from Oregon!

I live 20 miles away from these guys:

Weight Loss Surgery Lincoln Nebraska NE - Surgical Associates Bariatrics Division - Gastric Bypass Lap Band

They're pretty experienced, and have been designated as a Bariatric Center of Excellence. I've been to their seminar and been seen as a patient. I like the office and the docs, but they charged close to $18K. My insurance won't cover the surgery, (we have an exclusion, appeals won't help), so I'm on my own. Hence my choosing of Dr K.

I've read a good number of pages in the considering Dr K thread, and I can tell there is a pretty tight-knit group. I just didn't want to butt into a conversation.

Thank you so much!

Kim

[PrtyAntOvrYt 6]

Thanks for the info, Party. I'm sure flying in and back out the same day would make for a really long day, but I would hope I could handle it by my later fills, perhaps when I'm more used to the process. Plus, I'm sure my flight from Omaha is shorter than Deb's from Oregon!

I live 20 miles away from these guys:

Weight Loss Surgery Lincoln Nebraska NE - Surgical Associates Bariatrics Division - Gastric Bypass Lap Band

They're pretty experienced, and have been designated as a Bariatric Center of Excellence. I've been to their seminar and been seen as a patient. I like the office and the docs, but they charged close to $18K. My insurance won't cover the surgery, (we have an exclusion, appeals won't help), so I'm on my own. Hence my choosing of Dr K.

I've read a good number of pages in the considering Dr K thread, and I can tell there is a pretty tight-knit group. I just didn't want to butt into a conversation.

Thank you so much!

Kim

You will never be butting into the conversation! Everyone is welcome! WE love new people! Come over and ask any question you might have! There are some really nice people over there!

I love Lincoln. I graduated from the university there in 1985! It's one of my most favorite places. I've considered moving there and wondered if there would be a place for fills. Have you called that center?

I hope things work out so that you can have your surgery with Dr K. He's the best and his office staff is just wonderful! My insurance had total exclusion of the Lapband but would have readily paid for the Bypass. I used the money I got from my divorce settlement. It was worth every penny!

Take care Kim!!!