TJWOOD

Hello Dr Watkins. I have read many of your posts and have the utmost respect for you. I can only imagine how busy you are, but can you please find time to read my thread? I'm a 42 year old guy and in 3 months, I went from a promising beginning to a new life to having a feeding tube in at Christmas time. I am really curious to know if a hole in a stomach will really heal in 3 to 4 weeks? Here is the link to my story. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/please-help-infection-port-area-79735/

Thank you so much in advance for your time and any information you can provide.

Thanks,

Tom

Hello. I was reading some of your responses on the Lap Band Forum and was curious how things worked out for you? I also noticed that you started seeing a doctor in Phoenix. Would you mind sharing his name, as I am in Phoenix and am currently experiencing similar problems? I may need a second opinion. I was banded in mid August. After my second fill two weeks ago, the port area started bruising really bad. I assumed it would go away, but it did not. After one week, the bruising turned into a dark red rash and I went in to see my doctor. He gave me some oral antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on it. Four days later, the red rash turned into a full blown infection. It was directly over the port incision (which had healed and closed over the last 8 weeks). Today, it looked very bad so I went to see my doctor this afternoon. He had me lay down and I thought he was squeezing the area to drain the fluid. It was incredibly painful. I then looked down and was horrified to see a hole that was the size of a silver dollar right into my abdomen. I thought I was going to pass out right there. Most of what he told me was only half understood because I was in a state of disbelief. He stuffed a big wad of gauze in me, covered it up and told me to come back tomorrow. He said he will have to do a "scope" to see if I have any band erosion and possibly schedule me for emergency surgery to remove everything. Of course I'm still trying to get over the hole in my stomach. I read about your month long process of dealing with this type of wound. How did things turn out? How does your wound look now? Thank you in advance for any help/insight you may have. I too am a self-pay so the thought of throwing $15,000 away is just another thing that is tearing me apart.

Thanks,

Tom