My story starts in July of 2010. I received my Lap-Band on the 23rd. My surgery was performed by Gerald Kirshenbaum in Denver, Colorado. He said it went well after the surgery but mentioned that my liver was lacerated during retraction and he had to repair a hiatal hernia. He felt that the laceration was no big deal because it stopped bleeding before he ended.

Fast forward 8 weeks and 20 pounds less. I started having stomach cramps, vomiting and body aches. Dr. K's office felt I was having after effects of having food stuck. It lasted five days before I couldn't take the cramps and went to the ER. After blood work and CT scan I was sent home with no diagnosis except for a slightly elevated white blood count. My Lap-Band looked to be in place.

The next week I continued to feel horrible. Went back to Dr.K and he prescribed antibiotics for elevated white blood count. After four days I went to my general practitioner because I figured I must have that damn swine flu. He gave me a shot for the pain and said I should feel better in about four hours. After five hours I felt so much worse that I ended up in the ER again. They did new blood work and my d-Dimer was elevated so they did an ultrasound looking for a bloodclot. None was found. They sent me home around midnight with no answers.

The next day my symptoms worsened. I had a fever of 104.3 and was retching violently. I lost consciousness for a period of time and when I awoke my lips were blue. This resulted in another trip to a different emergency room. When I got there my BP was 80/50 and in severe pain. They quickly diagnosed me with Septicemia (also known as Sepsis). After taking a new CT scan they decided I had air or Fluid around my liver. The ER doctor started an Internal Jugular central venous line and started aggressively treating me with multiple antibiotics. My life was on the line.

I live in Colorado Springs. I was transported by Flight for Life to a hospital in Denver where my lapband surgeon was located. When I arrived they wanted to go in laparoscopically to explore my liver situation and check my lapband but my blood pressure was so low that I was unstable. They put me in ICU for a blood transfusion and platelet expansion to hopefully stabilize me. My kidneys were starting to fail.

The next morning they wheeled me down to the OR but my blood pressure was too low to use laparoscope so they had to cut me open from chest to naval. I was so full of infection that it was pressing on my organs and that was what was causing my pain. He found the infection under my liver cleaned it up and placed a drain. While in there he also removed my lapband.

I was put into a medically induced coma for two days with my family receiving a 50/50 chance of survival. When my organs started rebounding they brought me out while still having a respirator placed to help me breathe. After my body proving to them it could breathe on its own, they removed the respirator. I spent the next 10 days in ICU and CCU recovering my health.

I was sent home with a picc line for six weeks of IV antibiotics to be given up to four times a day. After a few weeks I was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs resulting in having one tapped for the extraction of fluid.

What a mess this all was! I can't explain what I went though physically, emotionally and financially.

I'm not telling you this story to scare you or make you change your mind. But I just want you to know that not everybody's outcome is a success. When they tell you there are risks..you should believe them!

Sorry for all your complications, but glad you are well now. I had a something like that happen when they removed my gall bladder many years ago, wound up at Stanford University Hospital, and underwent more surgery as a result. Just goes to say it can happen with any surgery, there are always risk involved. Hope all is going well for you now best wishes to you for a happy and healthy life.

Let me try to answer some of the questions. I am doing fabulous right now! Although three years later I have gained back my 20 pounds I lost. I truly loved the band and was devastated that it was taken out. I had been at a good spot and seemed to be managing well with the band. Honestly, if I could be GUARANTEED no problems I would get it again. I don't have another $10K laying around!

As to the bacterial cultures they had a hard time identifying. It must have been cultured three or four times. I believe my blood cultured positive for lactobacillus and my lesion cultured positive for streptococcus anginosus. At one point they had talked about dialysis but my kidneys started improving and back to normal two post discharge.

Let me try to answer some of the questions. I am doing fabulous right now! Although three years later I have gained back my 20 pounds I lost. I truly loved the band and was devastated that it was taken out. I had been at a good spot and seemed to be managing well with the band. Honestly' date=' if I could be GUARANTEED no problems I would get it again. I don't have another 10K laying around!

As to the bacterial cultures they had a hard time identifying. It must have been cultured three or four times. I believe my blood cultured positive for lactobacillus and my lesion cultured positive for streptococcus anginosus. At one point they had talked about dialysis but my kidneys started improving and back to normal two post discharge.[/quote']

Over 25 years ago a cousin had by pass and everyone knew the doctor cut her somewhere and not one doctor would be on her side when she tried to sue. She gained all her weight back not because of the screw up because she couldn't stop eating all the wrong foods and large portions. She died from cancer because she hid her bleeding mole from her doctor for a few years.

Feel better and maybe your insurance can replace your band. Have the doctors office help you and good luck.

Wow, sorry to hear about your problems, but glad to see you are healing and doing better.

Thank you for sharing your story, and I'm so glad you were strong enough to overcome all those trials and come out a champion. I'm wondering if that's the reason why we are required to go on a two week preOp liquid diet (to shrink the liver). My sister had the sleeve done and her doctor did NOT request that.

The lapband didn't almost kill you, your surgeon did. Has he been reported ?

I think we all weigh the risks before every surgery! Anything could happen! I currently have a friend who had a gastric bypass two weeks ago and is battling multiple infections in the hospital! I visited her yesterday... It's bad! But she never said it was the bypass that did this too her! It's risk... I am sorry for your experience! Hopefully you are well now!

My story starts in July of 2010. I received my Lap-Band on the 23rd. My surgery was performed by Gerald Kirshenbaum in Denver, Colorado. He said it went well after the surgery but mentioned that my liver was lacerated during retraction and he had to repair a hiatal hernia. He felt that the laceration was no big deal because it stopped bleeding before he ended.

Fast forward 8 weeks and 20 pounds less. I started having stomach cramps, vomiting and body aches. Dr. K's office felt I was having after effects of having food stuck. It lasted five days before I couldn't take the cramps and went to the ER. After blood work and CT scan I was sent home with no diagnosis except for a slightly elevated white blood count. My Lap-Band looked to be in place.

The next week I continued to feel horrible. Went back to Dr.K and he prescribed antibiotics for elevated white blood count. After four days I went to my general practitioner because I figured I must have that damn swine flu. He gave me a shot for the pain and said I should feel better in about four hours. After five hours I felt so much worse that I ended up in the ER again. They did new blood work and my d-Dimer was elevated so they did an ultrasound looking for a bloodclot. None was found. They sent me home around midnight with no answers.

The next day my symptoms worsened. I had a fever of 104.3 and was retching violently. I lost consciousness for a period of time and when I awoke my lips were blue. This resulted in another trip to a different emergency room. When I got there my BP was 80/50 and in severe pain. They quickly diagnosed me with Septicemia (also known as Sepsis). After taking a new CT scan they decided I had air or Fluid around my liver. The ER doctor started an Internal Jugular central venous line and started aggressively treating me with multiple antibiotics. My life was on the line.

I live in Colorado Springs. I was transported by Flight for Life to a hospital in Denver where my lapband surgeon was located. When I arrived they wanted to go in laparoscopically to explore my liver situation and check my lapband but my blood pressure was so low that I was unstable. They put me in ICU for a blood transfusion and platelet expansion to hopefully stabilize me. My kidneys were starting to fail.

The next morning they wheeled me down to the OR but my blood pressure was too low to use laparoscope so they had to cut me open from chest to naval. I was so full of infection that it was pressing on my organs and that was what was causing my pain. He found the infection under my liver cleaned it up and placed a drain. While in there he also removed my lapband.

I was put into a medically induced coma for two days with my family receiving a 50/50 chance of survival. When my organs started rebounding they brought me out while still having a respirator placed to help me breathe. After my body proving to them it could breathe on its own, they removed the respirator. I spent the next 10 days in ICU and CCU recovering my health.

I was sent home with a picc line for six weeks of IV antibiotics to be given up to four times a day. After a few weeks I was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs resulting in having one tapped for the extraction of fluid.

What a mess this all was! I can't explain what I went though physically, emotionally and financially.

I'm not telling you this story to scare you or make you change your mind. But I just want you to know that not everybody's outcome is a success. When they tell you there are risks..you should believe them!

Just curious, did you have a pre-op diet to shrink your liver? How much weight did you lose pre-op if you had one? Thanks.

Did they ever Identify the type of infection? MIRSA. STAPH, C-Diff?....Where you placed in isolation? Although ICU could be handled as such.....

They gave you a transfusion.....did they also run you through Dialysis?

I'm just trying to ID the case....

Hey b... remember what happened to Mrs. Shirley... 54shirley I know her's was due to a slip. So i think what this young lady is trying to say is.... We should all listen to our bodies and if we feel something is not right... don't stop till you get an answer.

Maybe the topic should have been more like..... complication from Surgery, almost killed me. just saying

Hey b... remember what happened to Mrs. Shirley... 54shirley I know her's was due to a slip. So i think what this young lady is trying to say is.... We should all listen to our bodies and if we feel something is not right... don't stop till you get an answer.

Maybe the topic should have been more like..... complication from Surgery, almost killed me. just saying

I'm a Healthcare Pro, conduct clinics in various hospitals and treatment centers....she explained the symptoms, the onset....I'm curious what the findings were...nothing to do with the band, but infection control which is a major concern for all, especially in a surgical suite...or was it post op wound care....

Things like that perk my ears from being around it all day...again nothing to do with weight loss or the band...

When these things happen, people are interrogated so it does not happen again...i's a bad mark on someone..

i got ya.... this doctor saved my uncle... she is amazing and specializes in infection control

Dr. Mary Eschete, MD

Sure hate to hear that but am glad you are doing well now. Best wishes.

The lapband didn't almost kill you, your surgeon did. Has he been reported ?

I never implied that it did! Fortunately, he retired afterward.

Just curious, did you have a pre-op diet to shrink your liver? How much weight did you lose pre-op if you had one? Thanks.

I did follow a pre-op diet to a "T". Lost 10 pounds.

Hey b... remember what happened to Mrs. Shirley... 54shirley I know her's was due to a slip. So i think what this young lady is trying to say is.... We should all listen to our bodies and if we feel something is not right... don't stop till you get an answer.

Maybe the topic should have been more like..... complication from Surgery, almost killed me. just saying