drcollier

I am back to update you all on this story. I'm glad to report that it has a happy ending. Late last year I reported the incident to the appropriate department at the hospital where the doctor practices. The head of the department looked into my complaint, and spoke to the doctor about it. She said that the doctor was very cooperative and forthcoming, and it all got straightened out pretty easily. The hospital now makes sure that my doctor has an ample supply of needles on hand at all times. So from that moment on, there has been no more talk of reusing needles. I spoke with the doctor's nurse about it, and it went very well. I was very glad about this because my doctor does have excellent technical skills, plus a very nice personality. So things have turned out really well in this case. In addition, since I started getting my fills at the hospital again, the doctor and I have had a much better connection. All's well that ends well. I want to thank everyone in this forum for all the support and well wishes.

"Do I go for it one more time????? Here goes......I was banded on Feb 19, 2007 at Kansas University Med Ctr in Kansas City, by Dr. Selim........ He's done thousands of bands and this was the first time anything like this has happened to him. ...."

The decision to do it again is entirely yours. But I did want to comment on one thing you said. Dr Selim has not done THOUSANDS of bands. I'm sure the number is less than 400 at this point. That is still a lot. And he is capable of doing a good job for you.

However, if you do decide to do it again with Dr. Selim, make sure you have an understanding with him ahead of time that you expect good AFTERcare. Make sure he talks to you about your fills, and that you are saying what is one your mind. In other words, make sure he is working WITH you. Don't just be content to lie on your back and get filled. Maybe for the first fill it's OK to do that (he'll probably give you 1 cc if you have a 4 cc band); but after that, be proactive and make sure you and he are working as a team, and that you are getting good restriction. He's a decent surgeon and probably a reasonable guy; but like so many doctors, you have to make him pay attention to you.

I want to thank everyone for their responses also. I am 4 months post op, and right now am really still pretty confused in the head. What I gained from reading this thread is that this will all sort itself out over time. Is it safe for me to say that?

Right now, I can eat a lot more than I actually do right now. I've just had my third fill last week, and I still haven't gotten to that "sweet spot" yet.

I have experienced a lot of inner confusion about what and how I will eat each day. First I have this mindset of "dieting", then I remember "I'm not supposed to have to diet". And then I tell myself "I've got to make healthier choices", and then "I should eat one cup of food for a meal. Period."

And on and on it goes.

What I sincerely hope that I am hearing from you all is that my mind will finally clear, and I will find my "center", - that place where I am not thinking/worrying about food so much. And that my fills will get to a point where I can allow the band will just do its job. My job is to stay conscious, and to make as good a food choice as I can, at the time.

I love having the lap band, and although I would like to lose just a little faster and more CONSISTENTLY, I have lots of hope; and I can't wait to see what my future will be.

Thank you all so much. This message board does such a good service for people like me.

Also you might check out the section elsewhere on this messageboar under the broad heading "Food". Click on it, and then click on the link "Liquid Stage Recipes". This has different recipes that people have contributed. I'll bet it give you a lot of good suggestions and ideas.

Good luck to you.

I went for my first fill 2 weeks ago and have very little restriction, I can eat way too much to. I am now worried that I have stretched my pouch!! I am scheduled for a fill today, my MD does it with ultrasound to find the port. should I ask to have them look at my band to make sure its okay??

Turner24

I definitely would ask him. Just to have the peace of mind is a valuable thing, I think. Good luck.

The fill centers around me do not have flouro, is that good or bad? I'm in Connecticut and my surgeon is going to charge $400 for a fill, that's why I'm glad I found fillcenterusa. Any advice is appreciated.

I have heard an equal number of people whose fill doctors use fluoro as opposed to those who don't. I think most have fluoro available whether they use it or not.

The fills sound very expensive. I live in the midwest, maybe that accounts for the difference. Around here they are $100 - $250. I live in Kansas City, MO.

I have found this group to be a very friendly bunch, and the veteran lapbanders are the best. So I say all that to say, you will have very good "sounding boards" here.

This is really a good show. I have been sitting here in tears watching the episode w/the 5 year old boy Chance. He was soooooo adorable. I can't wait to see the 2nd season.

I have definitely fallen in love w/this show. I just started watching it this week.

It is a good show. I've seen episodes here and there. But I watched the show last night with Chance preparing to go home with his new family. He was so cute and it brought tears to my eyes too. What a good show. And educational too.

ok can someone straighten this out for me so dr malley is no longer at 5820 lamar ave suite#200 mission ks 66202 913-492-2530. and he is now at 10640 w 87th st in overland park 913-851-3482. i haven't yet gotten band but would really like to get my band from dr malley i've heard very good things about him so please someone get back to me thanks

Dr Malley is at 5820 Lamar Suite 200. Where are you reading that he is not there? I assure you he is still on Lamar.

so can anyone tell me here drmalley went off to

Dr Malley didn't go anywhere. He is still at 5820 Lamar. Just saw him last week.

My suggestion would be that you AT LEAST call the operator at KU and simply ask to speak to the 'infection control department'. They are the ones that are going to WANT to know about this, believe me. Then, you need to make a report with the patient advocate office. They are the ones that investigate/look into patient complaints throughout the facility.

Good Luck to you, and please DO NOT let this go. Not only for the safety of yourself, but for the safety of another one of the patients out there who may not know any better and ends up with a huge infection, or even worse.

Thanks Robyn. I want you to know that I reported this to the hospital's infection control recently and will update as to how it is taken care of. Since I asked for a clean needle, I have not been able to get an appointment with my surgeon (I'm not sure I want another one at this point). I'll keep the board posted.

drcollier,

I understand that you aren't looking for any trouble, but this guy needs to be stopped. I'm sure you don't know his infection rate, but I'm sure he has a high one; maybe not in surgery, but port infections! Mindy is right, this is a malpractice suit if you want to persue that, but I hope you at least turn him in to the different organizations we have suggested. I'm an RN and I would lose my license if I pulled that kind of stuff! I know it's a big headache for you, but nothing like it will be if something happens because of his stupidity. Plus, look at all those poor folks that don't think anything about reusing a needle. Someone needs to do something about this guy!

So far I have spoken to the Inamed people. I am also filing a formal complaint.

On another note, I have called around to numerous doctors, but so far all have told me that they only do fills on the patients they did the surgery on. I have a call in to Dr Malley, but haven't heard back yet. In case any of you know anyone who can help, I am on the Missouri/Kansas line (Kansas City, MO).

I got my first fill last week. Once I was finished getting filled, the doctor put the fill needle back in its packaging, and gave it to me to bring back next time.

This was odd to me. Please let me know if any of you have heard of this before.

I was asked if I would keep everyone posted about "Needlegate", so here's the latest.

I am in contact someone from the Ks. board, but I have not filed any complaints as yet. They wanted me a little more info first.

So yesterday I called my doctor's office and spoke to the doctor's secretary (she told me that she was the one that I should speak to, when I asked for the doctor's nurse or one of the residents).

Anyway, I told her that I am scheduled for a fill on November 14 and I am calling ahead to request that the doctor bring a new fill needle because I felt uncomfortable (quite the understatement) with the idea of him using the used needle that he sent me home with. She put me on hold. After a while, she returned to the phone and said that she would have to call me back. (I said OK).

Today she called me back and told me that my appointment date had to be moved to a different day because the radiology room where the fills are done will be busy on November 14. I said "OK, what's the new date?" She said "December 21st." I asked if there were absolutely no earlier dates available, and she said no. (No info about the needle)

Then I asked what the doctor had said about my needle request. She said he was ordering more needles, and that some of his other patients were also not comfortable with his practice of using used needles.

Her exact words were, "He usually uses the same needle over and over when he does fills. But he said some of his patients weren't comfortable with that, so he's going to order some new needles."

I said, "He said that?"

She said "Yes, that's what he told me yesterday."

And HarleyNana, I can't make this stuff up!

I did a barium swallow afterwards. My fill was done using fluoroscopy.

OH That's PRICELESS . If it has the hospital label on it. Somewhere if needed you can find a nurse or someone that will say this doc requests his pts to leave the hospital with needles. Its not a matter of causing trouble this is SO not safe. Were you self pay or Insurance ? Just curious if he's trying to save money for himself or what the deal is ?

Mindy

I've contemplated that same question. I am using my insurance.

And yes it is an unsafe situation, -- questionable on so many levels.

drcollier,

Now that I think about it, I agree that you should save the needle; it's evidence. You may need to provide proof to whoever you report this to and if you don't have the needle, he will probably deny the accusation and get by with it. In a case like this, you need all the evidence you can get your hands on. They may even talk to the hospital personnel to determine if they send all of his patients home with a needle. In other words, don't destroy the only evidence you have!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides, it does need to be disposed of properly; in a biohazard sharps container!

I am keeping the needle. The outer bag has a hospital label on it with my name, DOB and the date I was discharged on it. I just figured I should hang on to it. I'm not looking for trouble, but I might need another fill doctor. Who would believe such an odd story without proof?

Edited:

I'm so appalled by this, I had to come back and ask, are you pulling our leg on this? This is truly one of the most bizarre things I've ever read on LBT.:omg: :omg: :omg:

I wish I was pulling your leg. But I am not. It's absolutely true, with no embellishment.

Someone suggested to me that I might have scheduled to get my 2nd fill too soon. I've been looking around on the message board to see if someone had asked that question before. I didn't find anything, so I thought I would float this question out to some of the veteran bandsters.

I had my first one on 10/31/2006, and have yet to experience any restriction. I can eat a lot with no problem if I am not careful.

I took it upon myself to call up and schedule a second fill. The receptionist gave me 11/14/2006 for the date. It's not too late for me to reschedule or postpone it.

So far, I am 6 days into my fill. I figured that if the restriction suddenly "kicks in" before the 11/14/2006 appointment, I could just reschedule for a later date.

Is two weeks too soon?

Demand a new one and watch them very closely!!! This sounds so strange to me! Poor thing.... did you get any infections after surgery? And why do you need another fill so soon? Just curious. ~Raynie!

I knew something was wrong wih that. I refuse to reuse the needle and I don't mind telling him. And I will follow up with a report. Who would I report this to?

The surgery went well. No infections or complications.

To answer your question, raynie, I decided to schedule another appt for a fill just in case this one didn't start providing any restriction (I have 1 cc in my 4cc band right now).

It's so hard to get into my surgeon that I thought it would be better to schedule the appt, and re-schedule if i don't need it; rather than really need it and then have to wait two more weeks to get in. Maybe that is not the best reasoning.

So far I am feeling no restriction eating normal nutritious food after 6 days so far.

This is my first post. I have the inamed lap band. I've had it 2 1/2 weeks. Can anymone tell me what a 10 CC band and a 4 cc band, etc is? what's the difference?

I hear the VG bands are the ones that have a capacity to hold 10 cc's of saline solution. Mine is one that holds 4 cc's max.

I don't know of anyone who has been filled to capacity with either one. I have 1 cc of solution in my 4cc band.

Hope that helps.

B-2220 SYSTEM, GASTRIC BANDING ADJUSTABLE 10.0CM

MFR: INAMED (BIOENTERIC) SANTA BARBARA

He could be right. It's a 10cm band, which should only hold about 4cc. Make sure he tries to pull back any saline that is in there, BEFORE you allow him to cut you. It COULD be that he missed the port.

THAT IS GOOD ADVICE. LISTEN TO LEATHA_G and ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO TRY TO PULL BACK ANY SALINE FIRST.

I got my first fill last week. Once I was finished getting filled, the doctor put the fill needle back in its packaging, and gave it to me to bring back next time.

This was odd to me. Please let me know if any of you have heard of this before. The packaging says it's a single-use needle. I didn't notice if the doctor sanitized the needle before he gave it back to me.

I had brought the needle with me that first time because they gave it to me (unopened then, of course) when I was discharged from surgery. I thought that, in itself, was strange enough.

I go for another fill next week. Let me know what you all think. Thank you very much.

How many people go to a fill doctor that uses neither ultrasound or fluoroscopy to find the port and just relies on "feeling" for it. I am curious to know what is the general standard on this

Fluoroscopy only.

I am 14 weeks out and have had 3 fills in my 4cc band.

first fill 1.25

second fill .5

3rd fill .5.

not a whole lot of restriction. getting frustrated that I am still white knuckle dieting. We'll see I guess.

This is what is driving me kinda crazy. I would like for my doc to be a little more participatory in helping me find my "sweet spot" earlier on. I know that the reason I am feeling this way is that I know I have the band, and I don't want to go 2 - 3 months not getting the full help of the band.

But I decided on the other hand that I would be a bit more proactive in telling him that I am getting not enough restriction.

A friend of mine has a doctor who has her hang around and eat and drink a little to "test out" the restriction of the band. If it's not enough he adds a tad more right then on the same day. In other words, he tries to get it as good as he can before the patient leaves.

My first fill was 1 cc on 10/31/06. I called my doctor's office and I will get a second fill on 11/14/06. I almost hope he puts in another 1cc, but I will discuss it with him, ask some questions and then leave it to his expertise.

Give it a few days. Of the five fills I have had in fifteen months, I do remember it was a day or even two before I noticed difference. Odd I know, but that was my experience.

15 months post op

200 pounds lost, at goal....Life is good!

That makes me feel better. I will give it several days. I know it sounds a bit dramatic, but I was feeling fearful because for me, it feels like this lap band is my last real hope for losing this excess weight and getting a shot at regaining my health.

Thank you so much for your response.