Okay, so I have two topics here to discuss and they kind of go hand in hand. First a little background on my story. I was banded on 3/12/09. I am 5'2" and started my journey at 233 lbs (BMI 42). This morning my scale (naked and on an empty stomach) said 178.00 so that gives me a weight loss of 55 lbs in a year. I am thrilled with my weight loss because I know that I would have surely gained in that year and I have not consistently lost over a years period like that without losing/gaining/losing/gaining.

I went for a one year visit with my surgeon on Monday 3/15. In preparation of my visit he wanted me to have an upper GI which I did. He wanted to check the placement of my band and the restriction. He was getting a little concerned about how tight my band was (9 cc's) before he would ever consider any more fills. Makes sense to me.

So I go for my appointment and I tell the nurse that basically my band is fickle. Some days I feel like I am exactly where I need to be and other days I feel like I could be just a little tighter as my portions sometimes are a little bigger than I'd like. Not an every day thing but happens on occasion. I was in no way begging for a fill.

So surgeon comes to the door and motions me out of the office (no hello BTW) to follow him. I follow him to a computer screen where he shows me the my upper GI and shows how well my band is doing, says hes happy with the placement, all looks good and that I have some good restriction. I'm still okay with that because I wasn't 100% convinced I needed adjusted. I really just wanted to talk it out and find out where I should be, but I think he automatically was on the defensive that I was going to insist on a fill. As we are walking back to the room he says to me "you smoke?" To which I reply "No." He then says "well, I smell smoke, does someone in your house smoke? So I kind of shrug my shoulders because I'm confused by this and say, "Well, I don't smoke but yes, my husband is a smoker." I'm confused though because I came from work to the appt. He then goes on to say "Well, the one thing I can smell is smoke and you smell like smoke." So I again say, "well, I've never been a smoker, in fact I lost my mother to COPD, and my sister and father to lung cancer. I'm not a smoker." Well the subject finally drops but what gets in my craw is that I can tell he still doesn't believe me. First thing that bothered me about the appt.

Then we move on to talking about my diet, what I've been eating, he tells me my choice for the afternoon lunch was horrible (3 chicken fingers and some mashed potatoes). Which, okay, I can agree with that. But I remind him of the other meals that were good choices. He then proceeds to remind me that "you would have done better with bypass but YOU wanted the band". So I tell him that I'm very happy with the band and I say "You know Dr. X, I've lost over 50 lbs (it was 52 at his office) in the last year, don't you think that's good. So he tells me that it's okay but not exceptional and how only 5% of his patients are bands now the rest bypass. The thing that really got me was that I could tell that I am a disappointment to my surgeon. I think he only views me as bringing his statistics down which makes me really upset because I think I should be applauded for what I have accomplished and not made to feel bad. He ended up giving me a .5 cc fill (which I told him I was surprised he was giving me that much) and he had me drink some Water (first time ever) before I left the office. I think he thinks I'm insistant on fills (only one visit was I ever insistent) because I don't come in and say I'm at my sweet spot. I never throw up, rarely feel stuck and at times still felt my portions were too large. But I guess because I wasn't telling him what he wanted to hear, I'm not successful and he's taking it personally or something. The whole experience was so negative I just don't know what to make of it. If your surgeon acted this way, how would you feel?

Second question, since he told me that he's only doing minimal bands now, and said the stats for the whole state of Michigan for bands were "lousy", are we becoming a dying breed to bypass?

For what it's worth, I see a doctor who is listed on all of those top doc listings each year. He'a brilliant surgeon with a great success rate, but questionable bedside manner. Most people in my support group agree that while he is a great surgeon, he can be very abrasive. To that end, he is also a pioneer in the field of the gastric sleeve. He is the gold standard when it comes to that particular procedure. He wrote the book. Last week, I saw him for my three month follow-up, he told me I was doing great, just remember to exercise, exercise, exercise, and that will see me through to the rest of my goal. He gave me a slight fill and sent me on my way. However, 5 minutes before I saw him, I heard a doctor talking to a new patient. The gentleman had about 100 lbs to loose and wanted a surgery w/ the EASIEST follow-up & lifestyle. I think I heard the word easy in about 10 different ways. Of course, the "easiest" follow-up care is w/the sleeve. There are no fills, not many follow-up appointments, and no foreign objects in the body to worry about. However, to me, there is NOTHING easy about removing 60% of my stomach or w/ bypass, rerouting my intestines. I'm not against any of these procedures at all. We all came to a point where we realized we needed some sort of help. However, I am strongly against marketing any of these procedures as an EASY option. Tying this back into the thread, I believe we get out of these procedures, what we put into them. Regardless of the path we take.

Best to all on this journey.

Lauren

Excellent post Lauren!! It's always so much easier when someone else puts into words what you're thinking

It absolutely frosts me when people think WLS is the "easy way out" I have never worked so hard and sacrificed SO MUCH to lose this weight. Easy way out...YEAH RIGHT!!

WOW! Fifty-two pounds lost in a year?!!!! Boy, do I wish we could trade places!:confused: CONGRATS!!

Sounds like your surgeon is a real horse's a _ _. :redface: I agree with everyone that tells you to find someone else. You need a partner in this, not someone to hold you down.

As for your question about being a dying breed? Hardly! My doctor on Long Island ONLY performs laparascopic lap banding and he's done over 4000 procedures!

There are many reasons for choosing this procedure over the more radical bypass and I can't imagine it going away anytime soon unless......say, have they invented a guaranteed lose all the weight you want pill yet?:thumbup:

Keeeeeeeeeeeeeep going you're doing great!

**UPDATE** I had to go back to the surgeon today to get a slight unfill because of reflux I've been having since last week. I told my doctor that I thought we had to have a discussion because I thought we didn't understand each other. I told him exactly how I felt about him not thinking I was successful, about not believing me about being a non-smoker, etc. It ended up that we had a very nice chat and he admitted that he is not all that gung-ho about the band as he was when he initially started to do them because since people can cheat and eat around the band they are not as successful. He apologized about the smoking thing and also said that he does not consider me not-successful and if I'm happy with my results he's happy. So although I'm not happy to have experienced the reflux, I am very glad we had the discussion. I feel much better.

**UPDATE** I had to go back to the surgeon today to get a slight unfill because of reflux I've been having since last week. I told my doctor that I thought we had to have a discussion because I thought we didn't understand each other. I told him exactly how I felt about him not thinking I was successful, about not believing me about being a non-smoker, etc. It ended up that we had a very nice chat and he admitted that he is not all that gung-ho about the band as he was when he initially started to do them because since people can cheat and eat around the band they are not as successful. He apologized about the smoking thing and also said that he does not consider me not-successful and if I'm happy with my results he's happy. So although I'm not happy to have experienced the reflux, I am very glad we had the discussion. I feel much better.

I'm happy to hear that things worked out for you. Congratulations on the weight loss.

Lisa;

Thank you for the Update....I am delighted to hear that you worked it out with your Doctor. I sensed that it was something that could be resolved with a bit of conversation.

I have to give you a LOT of credit for approaching your Doctor about this, for several reasons.

First, it is always a good idea, if possible, to stay with the Doctor that put the Lap Band in you. He KNOWS how he "installed" it, and if he is good, he keeps track of how his patients are doing....it is best to try and maintain that relationship. Of course, it requires doing a lot of homework before you choose your Surgeon (if you do it correctly), and if you do your due diligence, then you will have selected a Surgeon that you will WANT to have a long-term relationship with.

Second, it takes a fair amount of gumption for some people to talk to their Doctor about the things that you have. People tend to be kind of "afraid" of their Doctors.

When I was a little kid, I had a Pediatrician that our family had seen for a long time. A very nice guy, I recall, but he used a bit of profanity (a very tiny bit, by today's standards). This bothered my Mother, so one day before I went in for a follow-up, she told me that she wanted me to say this to My Doctor: "Dr., My mother likes you very much, but she wishes you would watch your language a bit".

She COULDN'T say that herself, so she had a 10-year old kid say it! And this is the way many people are with their doctors....they are afraid of them. They shouldn't be, though.

It can be intimidating to talk to a Doctor, especially when you are going to be critical of something they have said or done. But, YOU did the RIGHT thing, and you have my utmost respect. You are taking care of your best interests, and that is to be admired.

As far as the smoking thing…..I understand your frustration about that. We do want our doctors to trust us. BUT….the fact remains that people DO lie to their Doctors. Patient Compliance is one of the biggest issues Doctors have. And because people tend to be a little afraid of their Doctors, they will sometimes lie when they have not followed instructions. So, many Doctors are inclined to be suspicious when their patients tell them that they ARE in compliance, when there is some evidence to suggest that they might not be, as in the case of the odor of smoke. But, he was wrong, and all it took was a quick conversation to clear that up.

I was pretty appalled at the almost universal suggestion by people in this thread that you should dump your doctor. I was also pretty disgusted by some of the names people were calling your Doctor when it was pretty clear to me that you, in fact, did have a good surgeon who was probably having a bad day.

One of the traits of a successful WLS patient, I think, is introspection. The capability and desire to be able to honestly ask oneself “am I doing EVERYTHING I can do to make this Band work?” And I think you exhibited that capability in the way you dealt with your Surgeon in this situation. You tried to figure out what might have been going on with him, and decided to confront him on it, and the result is that you now have a BETTER relationship with a good surgeon. You didn’t just get pissed off and dump him like most people here suggested you do. Internet forums like this one can really be a double-edged sword. You can find some good advice and support, but you can also find a lot of Boneheads who give you BAD advice and dump a lot of misinformation on you. You are clearly smart enough to be able to separate the good advice from the bad, and I think that will help you make good decisions, and make your band experience a good and successful one.

I think you might become your Surgeon’s example of a lap Band that IS successful!

Edited March 24, 201016 yr by Spartan

My surgeon says with the band, "average" is about 50 or so pounds the first year, and up to 100 by the end of the second year (compared to the 100 in the first year you might get with bypass). So as far as my doc's thinking, you're right on target. And as he says, weight-loss professionals advocate "slow but steady," which is what you get with the band. I personally chose banding because I want to get nutrition from what goes into my mouth. I think that's a huge lesson banding gives you: as my grandmother used to say, food is fuel for your body. I rarely ate because I was truly hungry, and didn't stop when I was full. I ate because I know chocolate cake tastes really good, and there was always room for it even after a huge meal. Now that there are limitations on my intake, I will have to think about what my body needs, and not what my taste buds want.

You sound like you're doing great, and maybe your doctor just need a heads-up on his bedside manner. We all have bad days, they are no different; but kudos to you for bringing it to his behavior to the forefront instead of suffering in silence. Doctors are people too, and we are paying their salaries, after all!

he admitted that he is not all that gung-ho about the band as he was when he initially started to do them because since people can cheat and eat around the band they are not as successful.

Good for you for confronting your doc. Perhaps you just got him on a bad day...not an excuse for bad behavior, but a reason.

You might ask him what he considers 'successful' because according to my doctor, a patient is considered a success (for statistical purposes) when they lose 50% of their excess weight and bypass patients will lose roughly 2/3 just because of the malabsorption. If you look at how many actually take off all their excess weight (and there are no stats), I'll bet you'll find that most do not...and may even later gain it back...because their bad eating habits do not change. I make that assumption based on the info I've gleaned from the various bypass forums and the people I've known personally.

.

I am so glad you confronted your doctor.

But, to say he does "not consider you not successful". Come on, you are a success. You couldn't even pry that out of him.

You deserve a better doctor. I know you don't want to change doctors; but, there are more encouraging doctors out there.

Go to some other doctors support groups or seminars and get an idea of their personality. You deserve it.

As far as banding being less popular than bypass - just recently I read that for the first time, in 2009, there were more lapband procedures than bypass! Additionally, FDA is looking at approving the band for younger patients - it's being presented as a great option for overweight teenagers to prevent lifelong health issues associated with obesity.

Keep up the good work and keep the faith! Just like many things - the band works when you work the band rules!

I am glad you talked with the Doc. I wouldn't consider it "confronting" him because it doesn't really sound like a confrontation to me. It just sounds like you had open communication. I hope the little unfill helps and I wish you continued success ! You are over halfway there!

Lisa,

I'm also glad you had the courage to communicate straight with your doctor. Thanks for starting this thread, and thanks to the thoughtful contributions...

**UPDATE** I had to go back to the surgeon today to get a slight unfill because of reflux I've been having since last week. I told my doctor that I thought we had to have a discussion because I thought we didn't understand each other. I told him exactly how I felt about him not thinking I was successful, about not believing me about being a non-smoker, etc. It ended up that we had a very nice chat and he admitted that he is not all that gung-ho about the band as he was when he initially started to do them because since people can cheat and eat around the band they are not as successful. He apologized about the smoking thing and also said that he does not consider me not-successful and if I'm happy with my results he's happy. So although I'm not happy to have experienced the reflux, I am very glad we had the discussion. I feel much better.

Well done Lisa

Sounds like a good outcome. I hope you continue with your successful weight loss.

Barb

Lisa;

Thank you for the Update....I am delighted to hear that you worked it out with your Doctor. I sensed that it was something that could be resolved with a bit of conversation.

I have to give you a LOT of credit for approaching your Doctor about this, for several reasons.

First, it is always a good idea, if possible, to stay with the Doctor that put the LAP-BAND® in you. He KNOWS how he "installed" it, and if he is good, he keeps track of how his patients are doing....it is best to try and maintain that relationship. Of course, it requires doing a lot of homework before you choose your Surgeon (if you do it correctly), and if you do your due diligence, then you will have selected a Surgeon that you will WANT to have a long-term relationship with.

Second, it takes a fair amount of gumption for some people to talk to their Doctor about the things that you have. People tend to be kind of "afraid" of their Doctors.

When I was a little kid, I had a Pediatrician that our family had seen for a long time. A very nice guy, I recall, but he used a bit of profanity (a very tiny bit, by today's standards). This bothered my Mother, so one day before I went in for a follow-up, she told me that she wanted me to say this to My Doctor: "Dr., My mother likes you very much, but she wishes you would watch your language a bit".

She COULDN'T say that herself, so she had a 10-year old kid say it! And this is the way many people are with their doctors....they are afraid of them. They shouldn't be, though.

It can be intimidating to talk to a Doctor, especially when you are going to be critical of something they have said or done. But, YOU did the RIGHT thing, and you have my utmost respect. You are taking care of your best interests, and that is to be admired.

As far as the smoking thing…..I understand your frustration about that. We do want our doctors to trust us. BUT….the fact remains that people DO lie to their Doctors. Patient Compliance is one of the biggest issues Doctors have. And because people tend to be a little afraid of their Doctors, they will sometimes lie when they have not followed instructions. So, many Doctors are inclined to be suspicious when their patients tell them that they ARE in compliance, when there is some evidence to suggest that they might not be, as in the case of the odor of smoke. But, he was wrong, and all it took was a quick conversation to clear that up.

I was pretty appalled at the almost universal suggestion by people in this thread that you should dump your doctor. I was also pretty disgusted by some of the names people were calling your Doctor when it was pretty clear to me that you, in fact, did have a good surgeon who was probably having a bad day.

One of the traits of a successful WLS patient, I think, is introspection. The capability and desire to be able to honestly ask oneself “am I doing EVERYTHING I can do to make this Band work?” And I think you exhibited that capability in the way you dealt with your Surgeon in this situation. You tried to figure out what might have been going on with him, and decided to confront him on it, and the result is that you now have a BETTER relationship with a good surgeon. You didn’t just get pissed off and dump him like most people here suggested you do. Internet forums like this one can really be a double-edged sword. You can find some good advice and support, but you can also find a lot of Boneheads who give you BAD advice and dump a lot of misinformation on you. You are clearly smart enough to be able to separate the good advice from the bad, and I think that will help you make good decisions, and make your band experience a good and successful one.

I think you might become your Surgeon’s example of a LAP-BAND® that IS successful!

Hey Spartan,

You are disgusted that people called her doctor names, then you call them boneheads? Double standard?

Hey, let's be gentle with each other here- our journeys are hard enough as it is . Spartan has many excellent points and observations whether we agree with each other or not, as do the other posters. Let's honor the safety of this board .

Hey Spartan,

You are disgusted that people called her doctor names, then you call them boneheads? Double standard?

And thank you for providing a perfect example of a Bonehead comment.

And....I would put "Douchebag", "asshole", "Horse's Ass" "Dick", etc, in an entirely different class of comment than bonehead.

S.