Anyone used Dr. Maese for fills?

leatha_g · May 21, 2006

I'm going to Maese this Thursday. My doc doesn't use flouro and has begun charging an outrageous amount for ultrasound guided fills. Since my insurance has changed to 80/20 I'm going to see if Maese can help me and at least I can check my band placement and see how my pouch is doing. I've had some issues with esophageal motility and no satiety signals, but I'm hoping he'll work with me on easing into just enough fill to help me continue to maintain or possibly lose a bit more.

leatha_g · May 25, 2006

Well. I did it! I went to see Dr Maese this morning and my experience was much better than I had thought it might be.

Of course it's still too early to tell how it will all turn out. But, I went to the office this morning because I know my banding experience has not been what it should be since my rebanding 2 years ago. My current Dr does not use flouro and he's pretty much given me the story that this far out I'm on my own , which is pretty frustrating. I've been filled, unfilled, filled again and unfilled again. I have had severe esophagitis, etc. So I'm hesitant and I am SO afraid of nighttime reflux and esophagitis, but I am even more afraid of regaining the weight I've worked hard to lose. So, it's been since March since I last attempted a fill. I've maintained the weight loss, but it's getting harder and harder and of course, my head takes over and I find myself making bad choices, etc. Like so many others on here, I can attest to the idea that the band really works with good restriction and while your anatomy is agreeing with it (the band). Once things start changing (ie, your esophagus fails to send signals, etc) things become far more difficult to manage and far too easy to become un-done.

So, with trepidation (I almost backed out this morning), I decided to venture away from the Dr who has been discouraging me and once again, seek Dr Maese's advice as he has been doing fills longer than anyone else in this country and despite my first experience with him (I also found him to be a bit arrogant and too rushed, however he spotted my slippage and never waivered on what to do), I still feel that he has much knowledge regarding what he sees on film and he's at least not wishy-washy with a bunch of redundant stories about skinny tennis players and how they remain skinny(which is what my 'band' doctor does).

Honestly, I can say I went expecting to be disappointed. I was SO afraid that my pouch was distended and that he'd scold me and parade me in front of everyone else as an example of what NOT to do with the band. But, guess what?? He was so nice to me. He actually read my file BEFORE he saw me. He remembered, even after TWO YEARS about my slippage. They had me step in front of the flouro BEFORE attempting to do a fill in order to check my band out and look at my pouch and the tech told me immediately that it looks very good. :biggrin1: :clap2: :clap2: . I was so hesitant to believe her. I kept looking myself, trying to find something wrong with the position of the band or see that the pouch was indeed stretched out, but she kept reassuring me, it looks really good. :clap2: :teeth:

So he comes back in, tells me he sees immediately what we need to do, (which is to add a fill), but he really encouraged me that all looked good. He understood that since being rebanded my sensations are different. He let me discuss that with him. He did go ahead and bump me up from 3.0 to 3.6, so I'm holding my breath, praying to God that I can handle this fill and that I don't run into anymore discouraging complications. But, I am really so glad that I decided to see someone else for a different outlook on things.

GayleTX · May 25, 2006

Leatha, I'm so glad you felt good about your visit this morning. It's so important to have trust in your physician. Maybe things will get better and better for you now.

Best wishes.....

leatha_g · May 26, 2006

:cake: Well, my faith in Dr. Maese has been restored. Yes. He's very self-assured. Even a bit over the top, sometimes. But, I've decided I like the man and I appreciate his knowledge of the band.

As was a fear, my night last night was tough. The minute I drifted off to sleep, I was awakened choking on my own spit and unable to breathe. The sudden rise from 3.0 to 3.6 was just too much! :cake: So I spent the night elevated and drifting in and out of sleep and just TRYING to swallow and breathe without effort. I went ahead and got dressed and went to work, but I called Dr Maese's office at 7am, trying to let them know I didn't want to deal with this problem all weekend long. Dr Maese had told me if I had any problems to come back in ONE day. No response from his office, so I called again around 9:30 and left another message on the 'Complete Bariatrics' phone line. No response. Finally, I went to the website, found the numbers to the Dallas office and got a person on the other end of the phone. She said Dr Maese was in the Ferris office today, but he'd be leaving in an hour for the weekend. I told her about my night and the HE had told not to wait, to get it unfilled in ONE day. So I talked directly to the nurse and she said she would do the unfill if I could come right then.

I was in Plano, 40 miles away, so I grabbed my purse and tried to keep from getting a ticket on the way through Dallas. Sure enough, I got to the office and Dr Maese was still there! He was so kind and very apologetic after seeing my flouro. I was completely stopped up. He said it was 'the real thing' and that he was SO glad I came right away. Of course, I was apologizing all over the place for keeping him from leaving and he wouldn't hear of it. He said NEVER let it go and if I EVER need him to call him at 7am and have them get him on the phone and he will meet me in Dallas, whatever, but NEVER stay completely closed up and try to live with the nighttime aspiration or not being able to swallow.

He removed .2 from the 3.6 and put me in front of the flouro. STILL nothing moving through:spit: . So he took me back and removed .2 more. At 3.2 things are moving again.

islandmom · May 27, 2006

Leatha,

I am glad things worked out for you and thank you for sharing your experience. I have not had any trouble with Dr. Maese and I really quite like him and the fact that he is VERY experienced and knowledgeable about the band and fills etc. You have reiterated that for me with your posts. Thanks again and I hope you are still doing well!

Kristi