BandsterHopeful

Dr. Santiago Horgan is in chicago. He is world-renowned, and has been doing bands far longer than almost any other US doc, since he trained and practiced abroad long before the band was approved in the US. You're very fortunate to be close. Renee

I am a physician, and the brand new Kuri hospital in TJ is top-of-the-line in every way. Far better than most US hoapitals, and at least equal to the renowned, famous US medical centers. You won't go wrong. dr kuri has banded a great many other doctors and nurses and other medical profressionals, and I assure you that none of us would have gone there if we had been worried about ANYthing. Renee

Dr Steven Tersigni in Coos Bay , OR is less than that, i believe, and an excellent doctor. his fill person, is also excellent. Wherever you go, it's very important to have a local person available for emergency unfills and problems. This can make the difference between doing well or not - or even losing your band to complications. Medicare and Medicaid are also paying for banding, at certain designated "Centers for Excellence." This includes Dr emma Patterson in Portland. Call her to find out more. Why go all the way to Seattle or Tacoma? Renee

Where do you live? There may well be an experienced doc willing to fill you nearby, let us know. Your MX doc may also be able to refer you to someone he knows. Also, about the gas - it all dissipoates immediately after surgery. you will not be flying with a "belly full of gas'. Renee

Please never get a fill if you are havng ANY trouble with the previous one! You need to resolve your pain before you continue. If it is first bite syndrome (esophageal spasms0 the "fix" is LESS fill, never more. Banding is not supposed to cause pain. Fills are not to be given on any set schedule, but only as needed! I don't know any doc who would continue to fill someone having so much trouble!!!! Please get another opinion - your band's life depends on it. If the suggestions above (hot liquid before the meal) do not solve the problem, please see another band surgeon for advice. You might also need a GI consult. In the meantime, I would ask for (demand, if neeedd) an unfill so you can start to eat and heal. Your weight loss is not the first concern here - your health is! Renee

Lots of obese people have reflux before banding, from a hiatal hernia. this is routinely repaired with the band surgery. the reflux that happens AFTER banding is from an entirely different cause - either a too-tight fill, or another problem, including a possible slip. All reflux should be checked out, and quickly, before pouch and/or stoma damage occurs. Renee

When you look at a doctor, you must look much more longterm than people just banded in the last few months. Most problems do not start to appear until much later - most slips and erosions occur about 6-18 or 24 months out. that is when inexact placement and other possible issues arise. The surgery is only the very first step of many. then, you need excellent written instructions, good fills, and much more from the doctor along the way. Renee

Any severe heartburn or GERD should always be checked out quickly. If it starts after a fill, it's almost always a sign of a too-tight fill and will be relieved by a small unfill. If it starts NOT around a fill time, it can be a sign of a slip or other problems. You always need to see or consult your band surgeon. Don't simply try to cover it up with acid reducers, but fix the cause or your stomach and band can be badly hurt. Renee

A lady in our support group went to her and finds her very strict. she will not (or did not 8 months ago) even consider banding a smoker, required my friend to lose 40# on her own before banding, and will not fill her unless she has lost a certain amount of weight since the last fill. The lady is actually afraid to go to her and ask for a fill and leqaves in tears much of the time. I have no personal knowledge, but this seems very harsh to me. Of course it could also simply be my friend's reactions. Renee

Do ask on several different boards. For the very good doctors, you will have a very large number of replies. don't go by just a few. Ask the doctor for references for the medical people he has banded -doctors, nurses, dentists, etc. all the very good doctors have banded many of these, and I would tend to trust them. Renee

You're greatly exaggerating much of what you say. A couple weeks of ?GERD causes no one permanent damage. I'd be quite surprised if you are really in the medical field , as you say, becuase there is a great deal of misinformation about medical things in your angry posts. Nontheless, i am very sorry about your experience, and hope you'e fine by now. Renee

I hope you'll consider Dr Kuri also. he is far, far more experienced. He has a brand new hospital that would challenge ANY US hospital - with an ICu, ER, and IV poles WITH monitors! :-) . there are the same US call lights, electric beds, TV/DVD, and really excellent care. with Dr Kuri, there ar 2 Inamed-trained surgeons with dr Kuri, all working on you, so your surgery is done quickly and you're not under anesthesia very long at all - which dramatically cuts down complcations and speeds recovery time. His post-op diet is based on many years of experience, and there is no need for days and days of cler liquids. We need good nutrition to heal well. They also put you in contact with several other patients also being banded that day (there is never a day with only 1-2 patients scheduled) so you always have a friend befor you get there. A great many doctors and nurses choose Dr Kuri, for a good reason - and i'm one of them. Renee

For Michelle, the opriginal post-er: Dear, this is very common! I'm surprised Dr. Ren did not discuss this with you. After any longterm unfill, scar tissue can fill in around the band, and it's then VERY VERY common to never be able to get as big a fill as before. You can also never safely jump right back to a previous fill level - you have to go up slowly again and give your stomach a chance to get used to fills again, just like befoer. don't worry about the anmount of fill - you are too tight and in trouble because you're trying to keep a too-tight fill. You have to be able to eat and drink enough to lose well, and the constant trouble is begging for a slip or erosion. PLEASE get an unfill to whatever fill level you need to, to keep your band safe. For "READY" - please call your surgeon right away. you're begging for an infection, and these can cause a band erosions and require the band to be removed. Didn't I see someone who also had this happen, and lost her band? De Larla maybe?? renee