sherrytaylor

My lapband story is one mostly about the doctors themselves.  I was banded by Dr. Rohrer in 2004.  Had very few complications with the exception of things getting "stuck" which I eventually learned to deal with.  In the first 2 Years I went from 250-270 to 180.  Felt on top of the world!  Could breath, sit in movie theatres comfortably again, fit on a plane, all those things I couldn't do before.  I moved to another state and had to look for another doctor.  Dr.Ballero said he was an bariatric surgeon and could do my fills for me.  After a year of having fills done I began having liguid  creep up my throat at night while sleeping.  We ended up having a Upper GI done and he told me removal was the only option I had or I would damage my esophagus and never be able to swollow again.  I was late in the year and we decided to do it quickly the same year for insurance reasons.  He told me I would eventually gain all my weight back. Well, 1.5 years late I am up 40 pounds and feel horrible.  I no longer have insurance so revision or another type of surgery is no option now.  I was told that when he was doing the surgery that he could do no other at the same time because insurance wouldn't approve since I was no longer obese. He said I would be again so we could wait until then.  It really upset me after the surgery when he never even bothered to call to check on me.  When I called several months later to ask about my bill, I inquired as to why he never checked on me and he said it isn't his job to do that and being's he has no nurse in his office, I would not have gotten a call.  I live 1.25 hours from where he is located and if I would have had complications, he would have never known.  He also said I would need my esophagus rechecked in 6 months. Never once did I get a call.  My experience with the band was awesome.  Have been very depressed since the removal and have found several doctors who have told me they would have left my band in and found other ways to fix the problem first.  I actually feel that I am missing a piece of myself.  I had long ago accepted that I would have the band for the rest of my life and had learned who I was with it.  Now, empty heart, huge body again.  \If you want a band, listen to the doctor.  He will help you if he is a good doctor.  The second surgeon I had was almost exclusively a bypass doctor and I believe he saw more money by removing my band and eventually getting to do the bypass.  Just be careful and listen to the exact words they say.  If I would have listened to the second doctor, I would have relized I needed a second opinion or a call to my first surgeon, ASAP.