I'm frustrated, I'm sick, I'm scared...and I'm not getting any help from my Dr. Office or my surgeon.

I'm one week post op and I did fine for the first 5 days. No problems, no side effects (other than the usual shoulder pain, gas pain, not able to get a lot of Protein in) well yesterday I developed a really deep cough, a sore throat and stuffiness, the beginnings of a cold. I was coughing so violently that I called the surgeon to see if I needed to take something for my cough as I was afraid that the coughing would cause the band to slip. He said (and I'm quoting) "I think you are fine. There is a possibility that coughing could cause the band to slip, but I think you are ok.". Now, while I understand I'm probably overreacting, my concern is that I have had NO post op appt (it's not scheduled until 12/9, surgery date was 11/22), I have had no follow-up from the office regarding how the surgery was, how I am recovering etc. The office staff is rarely in the office and the message says that if I need to reach my doctor after hours or on the weekends I should call my surgeon directly. When they are in the office, they still tell me that I need to call the surgeon directly. When I call the surgeon he seems like he doesn't know what the heck is going on. So very different from my meeting with him.

I'm so frustrated and feel like I am just not getting the care I need or deserve. I have never had a procedure like this before (obviously) and I am scared. There are so many things that are falling through the cracks with my case, I am just at a loss as to what I should do next. I'm so scared that I just called another surgeon's office to see if I could transfer my case there....and they said no. So, it looks as though I may be stuck with this doctor. Any suggestions on how I approach it and what I say to my surgeon?

I had bronchitis really bad a few weeks back, I was about 3 months out...my band doctor told me that it would take an awful lot of severe coughing for a long period of time to cause something to happen to the band. I was really scared especially because im self pay, but after a few weeks of bad coughing I was ok and my band seems to be fine. I would be nervous too especially since your only a week out but I would reccomend you call your family doctor and see if they can give you something to help supress your cough. It sucks to be banded at the worse time for colds and flu's!!

Yup, I think that's why I'm so scared and frustrated...I'm self pay too and honestly I can't even begin to imagine how I would come up with the money for the revision....

From what I can tell, a two week postop appt is pretty standard, so I don't think they're slacking there.

Tigger- so sorry you're not happy. I can understand how scared you'd be because I'd be nervous too. Does your office have dietitians or anyone else - a nurse practitioner who can make you feel better about this? Who can walk you through and give you some information? Did you try cough syrup? I mean since it's liquid and it would cure the cough - I would consider it. Could you call your general practitioner?

Well for one, I dont think you are over reacting. You just had major surgery and have a foreign object in your stomach. I think we would all agree that some sort of caution and worry is warranted. The two week appt is normal ... so dont worry about that. Next time you call the office, see if you can speak with the nurse they have there or the PA ... Dont mention your problem until you talk with someone that might know something As far as the surgeon not really being on top of things, maybe next time you talk with you can express your concern and see if he can be a bit better in the future. I sure do hope you feel better though and get that cough taken care of!!

My first followup appointment was 2 weeks postop. I saw the surgeon at my seminar...again right before they knocked me out for surgery (for about 2 minutes) and at the 2 week appointment. I did get a call from his surgical nurse about 4 days after I went home, asking how I was doing and whether I was having any problems. After that, for the last year, I only saw his surgical nurse for fills until I went in with the complaint about shoulder pain so bad I was considering having the band taken out.

They have a better idea than you as to what makes that band slip *BUT* even if it's 'old hat' to them, it's not to you and they really need to work a little more on their bedside manner.

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Wow, I have some of the same concerns regarding the lack of attentiveness during after care. I too was banded on the 22nd. I had to go back in the next day because I had not been able to use the restroom (don't get me started). The only difference is my follow-up appointment is this thursday (day after tomorrow). I can only say be patient and consult your general practitioner.

FYI I did not see my doctor after the surgery before I left the hospital. I did have 4 medical students who were doing a bariactric rotation come by to see me. My surgeon called me on day two at home (on a Saturday) to see how I was doing because he had'nt seen me in the hospital. My post op appointment was at two weeks with the doctor.

If you start showing signs of a slippage, going to the ER at the hospital you had your surgery. Otherwise 2 week follow ups are pretty standard. If your cough is accompanied by a fever or a lot of mucous or difficulty breathing you may want to contact your Primary Care to be sure you don't have Pneumonia. Your doctor is correct, it takes a bit to make the band slip so his lack of concern isn't because he doesn't care but because it is rare for the band to slip due to cough.

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone. I am pretty sick now and have a call into my PCP for some advice. I'm sure he's going to tell me it's just a virus and I need to ride it out. I am taking some of my Vitamins to combat the cough and congestion. It seems to be working a bit. When I do cough it's non-productive, so that's good! My fever fluctuates between 99.1 and 100.4. My surgeon wants me to call him if I get to 100.8 on 2 or more occurences....so not in the danger zone there!

I do have one question: How do I know what slippage feels like? I've only had this thing for a week and I can't even feel anything except for the port if I lay on my left side?

Thanks again for the feedback! It's nice to have a place to go when stuff like this comes up

You are worring yourself sick. Please let yourself relax and get some rest, that is the only way you are going to get better. Your body is trying to heal from surgery and trying to fight off a virus at the same time the last thing you need is more stress. I am almost 16 months out and have the flu right now, I did go to an after hours/weekend clinic for cough med to keep me from coughing. Since I was first banded I have had trouble with my band and my body when I get stuck (my fault) and have vomited my whole meal numerious times over those 16 months. For some reason when I get stuck it never goes down but always up instead. I could wait it out for hours trying not to vomit. Anyway I think it takes a lot to slip your band . . . so at one week or one month out I would not be so worried. Please let yourself relax and heal. Stress does not let you heal. Stop worrying about seeing your Surgeon right now it is up to you to let yourself heal up . . . . in a couple of weeks you can deal with the surgeon and his office. I always saw my doctor at every appointment and he is the only one in his office that does the fills and they are always under floro so I know all those times of throwing up did not hurt my band so I can understand the need to be able to reach your surgeon I would give yourself time to get better and then call him directly if he does not remember you remind him everytime you call him and he will start to develop a realtionship with you. But you are already running to another Dr. Make him do his job if I remember you were self pay I was too. Do let him take your money and not give you the aftercare you desrve, but do it later when you are healed up.

Cheri