Hi,

It's been so long since I've been on here or asked anyone for support. I was banded May 2006. Since my banding I have had off and on hell with it. The first 2 yrs I had only lost 10lbs. From the first day I have had issues with PBing at every meal. My surgeon kept saying it was no big deal dont worry about it. I have learned to live with the downfalls and eventually started to lose weight and live with my band and despite my issues love and cannot go without my band.

Around Thanksgiving I developed just acid reflux which got increasingly worse. By the last wk of the yr I went to my PCP for help and was ordered an H-Pylori test which was negative, and an upper GI. The test came back as "band on it's transverse axis" and "esphogeal dialation." I haven't been able to get an actual answer to what my series means. At one point I was told I need to go straight to the OR due to erosion but then my surgeon never showed up. My primary won't give me an answer either. I can't get an answer and am having a lot of symptoms like; shoulder pain, thick saliva, nausea, occasional vomitting, severe acid reflux, and my meds arent working correctly.

My surgeon has been non-responsive and I can't get the surgeons where I work to even see me. I need to know if anyone has gone through this or has advice as a next step. I'm getting worried that this could be serious that I'm not getting help or doing enough.

It sounds to me like your surgeon is neglecting you and you could really get him in some trouble over it. I am not telling you to start any trouble, but you do need to put your foot down in some way. Maybe try to find another lapband doc to at least talk with you.

Hi,

It's been so long since I've been on here or asked anyone for support. I was banded May 2006. Since my banding I have had off and on hell with it. The first 2 yrs I had only lost 10lbs. From the first day I have had issues with PBing at every meal. My surgeon kept saying it was no big deal dont worry about it. I have learned to live with the downfalls and eventually started to lose weight and live with my band and despite my issues love and cannot go without my band.

Around Thanksgiving I developed just acid reflux which got increasingly worse. By the last wk of the yr I went to my PCP for help and was ordered an H-Pylori test which was negative, and an upper GI. The test came back as "band on it's transverse axis" and "esphogeal dialation." I haven't been able to get an actual answer to what my series means. At one point I was told I need to go straight to the OR due to erosion but then my surgeon never showed up. My primary won't give me an answer either. I can't get an answer and am having a lot of symptoms like; shoulder pain, thick saliva, nausea, occasional vomitting, severe acid reflux, and my meds arent working correctly.

My surgeon has been non-responsive and I can't get the surgeons where I work to even see me. I need to know if anyone has gone through this or has advice as a next step. I'm getting worried that this could be serious that I'm not getting help or doing enough.

Wow, that is awful. From the beginning you received crap care from this surgeon. You were obviously too tight and needed an unfill and you were told "don't worry about it"?! Call the surgeon's office again and if you get no response call the medical board. THAT should get you a response.

If your band has eroded, it needs to come out. You stated that your PCP won't tell you what the results of the tests HE ordered means? I believe that is part of his job and he needs to explain that to you. Call and go see him and let him know that you feel as if you are getting the runaround and you need to know "point blank" EXACTLY what you tests mean. Then ask, what, in his opinion, needs to be done now and who does he want you to see next.

Good luck with this situation and don't give up. Be persistent. It is the only way you will get anything done.

Give your surgeon one more chance to address your concerns. Tell the staff that if he doesn't respond you will go to the next level. Then do it. Call the patient advocate at the hospital and if not successful, call the hospital administrator.

Also, by all means go to you PCP. Get copies of all your test results, including the CD of your upper GI.

You should also get a second opinion from a bariatric surgeon and take ALL your test results with you. Call your surgeon's & PCP's office and ask for them.

You do not have to live with all of this. Be strong, be assertive and don't take no for an answer. Good luck.

Lighter;

There are some bad Surgeons out there. Lots of them. Sounds like you may have gotten one.

Even though he should give you what you need/deserve, you might want to consider going elsewhere. It is true that if you pound on him enough, he might respond...but trust me: you do not want a pissed off surgeon "caring" for you.

You are not married to this Doctor. So go elsewhere. Find someone who is really good.

I am not saying to ignore the orginal surgeon; give him every opportunity to respond, and if he does not give you the care you need, go elsewhere and then file a complaint with every government agency, Better Business Bureau, medical board.....everything place you can think of. The Medical industry does not need clowns like that working on people, and the public needs to know about them.

But please: see someone right away. Erosion and the other things that can go wrong with the band are serious, sometimes life-threatening issues.

Thank you all.

I work at the same hospital that my PCP works at so I emailed her personally on Friday demanding answers. I think up to that point her nurse was interceding my messages. I also got the Upper GI disc just in case.

I tried calling the bariatric team where I work and none of them would take me on because "they don't fix other surgeon's messes." A friend of mine who was bypassed let me vent last week and then sent me a list of about 5 surgeons in my area who may be able to help. I am going to start calling their offices tomorrow to see if other people can take me on. My other problem though at this point I'm disregarding is because I work for a hospital my insurance is geared for that hospital so if I go to any other hospital in my area they will only pay a small portion of what I need.

I'm hoping tomorrow I can get some answers tomorrow.

I switched surgeons last April after only 7 months after my surgery. I took all my test results, including discs of upper GI's to my current surgeon for a second opinion and when he told me some things my original surgeon didn't, I switched to him and it was the best move I ever made.

My former surgeon was inexperienced and had unrealistic expectations for the band. He was not good with follow up care.

You deserve to have your problems addressed and resolved and I hope one of those 5 doctors will take you on. Let us know how it goes.

I want to thank you all for your advice and support. My surgeon's office called this afternoon (he apparently forgot) and saw me tonight. Instead of my band being at the usual 2 and 8 its at 1 and 7 so we aren't far off. He's going to double check my new gi with the initial post op one. He also removed some of the fill and said within 2 wks I should be ok.

Thanks again, I really appreciate all the support. This last week was the most nerve wracking ever.