Banded yesterday and had a horrible experience with post-op care.

[HunnyBun 2]

The surgery itself was good, I woke up in the recovery room feeling pretty good. I was quite out of it and the only thing I mumbled was that I was in pain. I got morphine and everything was pretty good for most of that morning.

Once I was put in my room, the horror started.

My night nurse completely neglected me. I called her four times and told her I was in a lot of pain and I couldn't sleep. I was supposed to be on morphine every 2 hours and even though it was time for my next dose, the nurse kept telling me she will bring it soon. Five hours passed and I was crying in my room from the pain. The nurse left for the day without giving me my meds. Then, as I am sitting there crying and begging for someone to help me, the transport guy comes in to take me to radiology. The nurses assistant comes in right after he did and they stand there talking amongst themselves while I cry. They didn't leave nor did they try to comfort me, just chit chatted like I wasn't there. Then when I finally crawled out of bed, the guy took me down, talking to everyone he passed on the way down. When I was done with the xray, he came back and had the NERVE to say 'Oh, that was quick baby doll'. BABY DOLL! What the hell!

I went back to my room, covered myself under the covers and cried my eyes out. I have never felt so neglected.

I was discharged a couple of hours ago. I complained to the nurse that I can't lift my legs and it went ignored. When I was leaving, I asked the head nurse to provide me with a wheel chair. her answer was: "You can walk". So I walked... until I stopped in the middle of the hallway and bended forward and cried again because I couldn't catch my breath. A paramedic was walking out of the ER and noticed me and offered to help. I was NOT in any shape to walk.

I did not get to see the surgeon after the surgery. He sent some other doctor I have never seen before. The doctor seemed clueless and minimized every one of my complaints. After I asked if there were any complications, he said yes, and asked me how I knew. HOW PROFESSIONAL! Turns out that my liver was cut during surgery. I don't care, I knew that could happen, but I am sure that I was supposed to be informed about it. The doctor also had no idea what size band was put inside of me.

They also did not give me ANY heparin on day 2, although I have a history of blood clots and was advised to take heparin for 2 weeks after surgery. I had to rely on my family doc to prescribe the heparin shots to take when I got home.

I had to remind the nurses to give me my medicine and even then they didn't follow through.

I have been to my share of hospitals. I have been hospitalized several times in my life. This was by far the absolute worst hospital experience. I pray that I am the exception and everyone else has much better care.

[samomom 19]

Call the hospital and complain. In CA it is against the law to refuse or ignore pain medication. That sounds like one messed up hospital. I'd be all over them. Tell them that you will also be contacting the state medical board to file an official complaint and really follow through with it. Then you need to grill your surgeon as to why he left you in inept hands and never followed up with you. Tell him that you are disappointed on all ends and you find it totally unprofessional that you were never told that your liver was cut. How did that happen any ways?

[DizzyGirl 0]

I would be filing a complaint with the state. That's horrible. I am so sorry you were treated that way. Absolutely disgusting. File a complaint with everyone you can find. Go to the CEO of the hospital if you have to. Let everyone know that you were neglected. It makes me so sick.

[lnhardemon 0]

WOW HunnyBun I thought i had and experience but yours was just unforgiveable you need to complain to someone who will listen so this type stuff can be solved & never happen again the nerve of some suppose to be professional People,I hope you are better I wish you a speedy recover,my nurses also ignored my request for pain meds but once my Doctor found out how they were treating me he handled it right there in front of me,& wow did their act change I was treated like a Queen after he blasted them,how did your liver get cut.

[HunnyBun 2]

Thanks for the support, I am so glad I am not alone.

I am in so much pain though, I can barely move. I had to have my mom and dad pretty much carry me up the stairs because I couldn't walk up on my own.

After surgery, Is it normal to feel like I can't lift my legs? Is it normal to not be able to take a full breath? I had my surgery on Friday morning.

[MaineJackie 3]

I had pain where it hurt unebelievably to take a deep breath. My doctor things there might have been a nerve trapped by my port. However, if they nicked your liver and if they failed to give you your heparin etc. I would have a low threshold for calling the on-call surgeon.

[gotmyeyeontheprize 2]

Oh my goodness! Neglect is completely unacceptable for any patient! As soon as you feel up to it, march yourself right into the head administrator's office and set him or her straight. Then, demand that ALL nurses, transporters, radiologists, etc. that refused to help you, or just plain ignored you, be reprimanded immediately. Actually, demand that they be called in to personally apologize to you for their behavior. Then, if you feel like it is necessary, hire yourself a good attorney and file suit against them!

[DeeDee40 3]

The is no way in HELL I wouldnt be complaining to someone! I work at the hospital and patients speak there mind all the time, AND IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE! I would call them on Monday and say all of your concerns to the head of the hospital. You can ask for the patient relations dept and go from there. But, you dont know if you were the only patient that has complaints on this, you might find out others have spoke up too. But definitely call.

[cbearanne 0]

I'm so sorry that happened to you! I had such a great night experience I feel so lucky. My nurse kept me very comfortable and I was able to walk as much as I wanted to. Hope you can follow up with a long letter your horrible experience. These letters do not get ignored, the people need to be accountable. Hope you are feeling much better by now.

[lauragshsu 6]

I am so sorry this happened to you. I didn't think they were even allowed to let you walk out after surgery. I've had three lap-band related surgeries (the intial and two port-related ones) and they never let me walk out. I could have walked (heck, probably could have skipped/jumped) out with the second one, but they still insisted I leave with a nurse being pushed in a wheel chair until we got to my car.

[HunnyBun 2]

I went to the ER last night. I was in too much pain to walk or take full breaths. The ER gave me morphine and did a CT scan and chest xrays to rule out blood clots in my lungs. They also gave me Heparin immediately.

I went home with a prescription for serious pain relievers and was told that I should have been prescribed something to control my pain.

[DebH 1]

I am so sorry you had such a horrible experience. I am glad though that you went to the ER and at least got something to ease your pain. Hopefully you will heal quickly and can begin to enjoy the benefits of this experience even though it was a terrible way to start. Feel better!

[Msbandtastic 1]

The surgery itself was good, I woke up in the recovery room feeling pretty good. I was quite out of it and the only thing I mumbled was that I was in pain. I got morphine and everything was pretty good for most of that morning.

Once I was put in my room, the horror started.

My night nurse completely neglected me. I called her four times and told her I was in a lot of pain and I couldn't sleep. I was supposed to be on morphine every 2 hours and even though it was time for my next dose, the nurse kept telling me she will bring it soon. Five hours passed and I was crying in my room from the pain. The nurse left for the day without giving me my meds. Then, as I am sitting there crying and begging for someone to help me, the transport guy comes in to take me to radiology. The nurses assistant comes in right after he did and they stand there talking amongst themselves while I cry. They didn't leave nor did they try to comfort me, just chit chatted like I wasn't there. Then when I finally crawled out of bed, the guy took me down, talking to everyone he passed on the way down. When I was done with the xray, he came back and had the NERVE to say 'Oh, that was quick baby doll'. BABY DOLL! What the hell!

I went back to my room, covered myself under the covers and cried my eyes out. I have never felt so neglected.

I was discharged a couple of hours ago. I complained to the nurse that I can't lift my legs and it went ignored. When I was leaving, I asked the head nurse to provide me with a wheel chair. her answer was: "You can walk". So I walked... until I stopped in the middle of the hallway and bended forward and cried again because I couldn't catch my breath. A paramedic was walking out of the ER and noticed me and offered to help. I was NOT in any shape to walk.

I did not get to see the surgeon after the surgery. He sent some other doctor I have never seen before. The doctor seemed clueless and minimized every one of my complaints. After I asked if there were any complications, he said yes, and asked me how I knew. HOW PROFESSIONAL! Turns out that my liver was cut during surgery. I don't care, I knew that could happen, but I am sure that I was supposed to be informed about it. The doctor also had no idea what size band was put inside of me.

They also did not give me ANY heparin on day 2, although I have a history of blood clots and was advised to take heparin for 2 weeks after surgery. I had to rely on my family doc to prescribe the heparin shots to take when I got home.

I had to remind the nurses to give me my medicine and even then they didn't follow through.

I have been to my share of hospitals. I have been hospitalized several times in my life. This was by far the absolute worst hospital experience. I pray that I am the exception and everyone else has much better care.

[Msbandtastic 1]

I think you should call the hospital administrator to complain. they could have seriously compromised your recovery and I can't believe they let you walk out of that hospital by yourself. I thought it was required that you be wheeled out in a wheelchair. I certainly was. They actually wheeled me out to my husband who was waiting with the car by the front door.

[ansoninc 16]

I think it is a requirement for you to be wheeled out of the hospital. I have noticed that this discussion board has a listing of doctors by state. If yours is listed there see if you can make notations about how bad he was and how bad the hospital was. You should also contact your local medical board. You need to send certified letters and email. Don't settle for a phone call.

Take care of yourself!