Part Two Dr. Kirshenbaum

ShelbiCallie · 11-13-2007, 09:05 AM

Wrkl8 -- thanks! I'll be looking for some of those.

Rosey -- I agree with Wrkl8 -- that sounds like port pain, which seems to be the last area to heal. If it worsens or doesn't improve or your pain med doesn't control it, call Dr. K.

munchkin -- Dr. K is a wonderful surgeon and I have no regrets about traveling to see him at all. You'll be in good hands, if that what you end up doing. It will be interesting to see how the administration handles the damage control this week!

purplelady · 11-13-2007, 12:56 PM

I hope you keep this website only as informational, I agree that the other has to much information that people looking to have the band are not interested in. Maybe that is where you can do your organization of the RR. I had my LAP-BAND^® surgery by Dr. Kirsehnbaum in July 2005 and have lost over 90 lbs. He is a great surgeon and is highly respected by his fellow surgeons.

Rosey80231 · 11-13-2007, 03:34 PM

Purplelady, I guess I am confused at what you mean with your post. Please enlighten me. The way I see it, this thread was started because the other thread was established but its members were also established. I find this thread to be informational but open and supportive something I was not able to find someplace else. I sincerely hope you just don't find us informational. We share about our experiences, advice and cheer one another, gripe, vent (at least I do). I would like to think that we all have a common ground that we can not so easily find in our regular lifes. We do so in a nonjudmental and accepting way. Of course we can not forget nor be dismissive that we all had our surgery by Dr K and we sing him praises. More like his groupies if you would. I hope I am not speaking for anyone else but my humble opinion.:)

Mal · 11-13-2007, 03:41 PM

I LOVE it..we are Dr. K's groupies!

want2bmeagain · 11-13-2007, 04:33 PM

Rosey ~ my port area was more sore than any of the other incisions...and good grief...hard...mine feels like a hard boiled egg 2 months out! I will see Dr. K on Friday, and ask him if it's "normal". I thought for sure it was the port itself, mingled with scar tissue, but when he did my first fill, the needle site was about an inch below my egg. Stupid me, though, I forgot to ask him that time, I think I was too fascinated with the fill process and too busy trying to figure out what in the world I was supposed to be feeling with each drink of water!
Your pain could be "normal", but maybe getting a hold of the office would be a good idea~ just to make sure.
Also, I have talked to a few people who had hernia operations from different docs, and they all said it was hard as a rock for quite a while. Hopefully this one will break down someday. I am not vain about my stomach...hell, I would rather be thin than worry about lumps and scars, so I am not worried about that part (some people on the scar stages thread are hesitant about even getting banded because of the scars...huh?????) ~ but, I will ask him to make sure all is well.

Purplelady ~ Welcome! Tell us more about your band journey and where are you from!

MAL ~ hey girl!!! I was going to PM you to say hello cuz we haven't had any recent laphumor to share lately! How are you??? Great pic at RR !!!

Take care everyone! I think I will post my "story" next. If I add it here, I could have tomatoes thrown at me for being so lengthy!! :bounce:

want2bmeagain · 11-13-2007, 04:58 PM

Hmmmm...my story...how to keep it succinct??

I was born in ...just kidding! When I look back at pictures as a kid, the only time I looked chubby was at about 8, following some family stuff involving my sister. BUT, when I hit high school, I must have had an anorexic way of thinking, because I always knew I was fat. Being fat then was needing to lost 10 or 15 lbs, which I was able to do, but obsessed about my size. I have always been stocky, and not built like the other girls, and it just about ate me alive....this went on for YEARS. I think I now know that the mental torture can be just as damaging, whether we need to lose 100 or 20 lbs. I don't say that lightly, because I was a mess, but not super high up on the BMI scale...I get in my 20's and become pregnant, and get the largest I had ever been...all over. No cute bb ball tummy for me...I was pregnant EVERYWHERE. I dieted with WW, lost it, then had another baby a few years later. I never got all the weight off before that....So, I hit about 30, go through a NASTY divorce, deal with a little boy who has bipolar disorder...finish the divorce, finally stabilize my son, then I crash...bad. We think fibromyalgia was triggered. For the last 10 years, my weight has gone up, and up and up until I hit about 85 lbs overweight, and such a slow metabolism that it took an act of god and congress for me to lose even a pound. In '03, I joined WW online, lost a lot, but the day I got sick of counting points, it all came back, plus another 20 lbs.
During all this , for various reasons, I would come across pictures of me as a young woman, and become even more depressed, hopeless, and overwhelmed. It got to the point where all my efforts were fruitless, because the scale never moved. I knew I would never have, nor was a canditate for bypass, and every January for the last several years, I was going to begin and conquer the weight. Didn't happen, couldn't happen. I only felt comfortable being around people "bigger" than me...I would run into someone I hadn't seen in years, and just KNOW they were wondering what in the hell happened to me...I got puffier and fluffier. Little by little,this all chipped away at what body image I had...a horrific place to be.
Fast forward to August '07. I saw Big Medicine with a show that had a band. I ran to the computer, researched, and was STOKED. Within 10 days, my surgery was scheduled....HUGE financial sacrifice, but I was already sacrificing myself to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, mental issues, and self loathing....$10k was a small price to pay for health and sanity.
The first 20 lbs fell off..and each time I got on the scale, the needle had moved..I was finally happy and motivated, plus getting healthier, and wearing clothes I hadn't in years. I am sure you all have felt that, so I won't even elaborate! Now, comes the real work, the exercise, the calorie watching...but, for the first time, I actually want to move around and burn some calories...and I now KNOW I finally have the tool!!!!!
Since I am a lower BMI bandster, I am sure that many BMI bandsters can't understand my whining. It's like when my mom is upset about the 10 lbs she has to lose...good grief. But, once we hit obese, I don't think it is the pounds that eat us alive, but the struggle with (whether this is truth, it is how we perceive it)...lack of discipline, why are we such idiots that we can't just do this "ourselves", knowing exercise would help, but truly knowing it won't chip much off, knowing we would look and feel better if we could just get it together, feeling worthless because we can't keep the weight off...why can't we??? The list goes on, but it is torture, nonetheless.
For the first time in years, I have hope, but also the evidence that I will get there...this time, and for good.

want2bmeagain · 11-13-2007, 05:14 PM

Here are a couple of pics of me pre and post banding....This is the first time I have done before/during (not after!!) pics.

I hope my last post wasn't too long, but we all have a lot to share (if we are comfortable) going into this journey.

I would love to hear more stories, and see more before/during or after pics on this thread...they are inspiring for me!

PS the second pic was at the world series, Rockies, with my kids! It was a blast, just wish they would have won! :think

Fat Kel.jpg

Kelly crop 2 resize.jpg

Rosey80231 · 11-13-2007, 05:20 PM

OMG! you are beautiful!!!

want2bmeagain · 11-13-2007, 05:22 PM

Thanks, Rosey
I sure feel better about myself....I am not sure about beautiful, but I will put the compliment in my self esteem pocket, to get me through the tough days!

I have never before put these pics side by side, and haven't noticed the weight change till now....wow, I have eyes...the fat pads must be shrinking!!!

purplelady · 11-13-2007, 05:28 PM

The current thread is great, but I have heard from a few people who have been intimidated from the length and tightness of it. I have never been able to read every page myself, but have learned a lot from being there!
This new thread has NOTHING to do with undermining the current thread, but it seems if the car feels too small, get a bigger one....so, I am going to put my head on the chopping block and try it out...I just hope that no one reaches for the cleaver.
It would be great to discuss how you found out about Dr. K, what your experiences have been, when you were, or are, banded, where you're from, fears and excitements you've had, etc.

This is my reason for saying let's stick with information only....I am all for support but reading 30 postings about setting up time at RR is not my idea of support!! That is my personal opinion.

want2bmeagain · 11-13-2007, 05:34 PM

Hey Purplelady
One of my motivations for starting this was for more information. I feel that the more we know about, and understand our bands, the better we can utilize our tool! I learn much more from others' experiences than form books or a web search for information.

With that, we also have to remember that personal and learned information also comes with stories, and with stories comes relationships. I too, don't want this to turn into just social sharing with a spattering of information ! We have to support eachother with our banding, but if one of us had a fight with our spouse, that caused binge eating, and we want support or to share how we handled it...it is still band information in a round about way.

I want and need your support, and I hope you want and need mine. We need to stay focused on why we are here.

I hope this made sense to you, and I hope my thoughts don't drive you away....
whatcha think?
:D

want2bmeagain · 11-13-2007, 05:36 PM

I re read your post, and agree with the tons of posts on topics like RR. But, then I saw that you are all for support. If I didn't get that when I posted back, I apologize. I think I had to post my thoughts anyway for feedback from everyone!

nicnaknut · 11-13-2007, 06:03 PM

This is a great thread and a much needed thread where anyone can post their thoughts and feelings or share their band journey with us all.... I like the fact that everyone is welcome and will get support from us when in need...

Dr K's groupie is growing by leaps and bounds and we all like to be able to post and have someone take notice and reply with support or understanding whether we are a year banded, just a few days banded or soon to be banded and I hope this thread keeps that momentum....

Those are just my thoughts....

ShelbiCallie · 11-13-2007, 06:05 PM

Want2B -- You look great!!!!!!!!!!!! what a difference those 28 pounds have made --- keep it up, girl!:clap2:

I love my shock collar. I love my shock collar. I love my shock collar.

munchkin392 · 11-13-2007, 06:08 PM

Want2bmeagain, I just wanted to tell you you're awesome! I love your posts!

ShelbiCallie, I wanted to let you know that I just had a very lengthy talk with my nurse manager (who was out of town last week). She was MORE than interested in my story, very apologetic, and I think she may actually do something about this. And if not, at any rate, she ok'd my requested days off to fly out and have Dr.K do my surgery. I told her "Honestly, if you were in my shoes, would you really want to have your surgery here after what has happened? Do you really think you could entrust your life to these people?" It definantly made her stop and think.