Hi everyone..Well, I just got home from the hospital.. I went to see my dr. with the x-ray and i was in surgery less than 3 hrs from seeing him.. My port was there but the tubing has literally snapped or broke off.. The tubing was laying in my stomach with a rather sharp point and that is what was giving me all the pain.. It was rubbing against the peritinum and that is painful.. I can't believe the dr. who took the x-ray said i had strained a muscle. So be careful.. I didn't know if my bladder was falling out, my appendix had ruptured or my intestines were all screwed up.., all from this piece of drooping tube.. Surgery went fine.. they only had to do 1 hole and then the new port and connected me up.. much simplier than the original surgery.

I had paid out of pocket for my first surgery and then i HAD TO PAY FOR THIS ONE.. I am supposed to send my receipts and everything to the company that made the band and let them know it was defective.. I hope they reimburse me.. this was not my fault.. Has anyone else had to come up with the funds and wait for reimbursement.. I guess the hospital staff are going to help me with this.. That is the only thing that pissed me off.. But i guess i would do it again.. Thanks for all your words of support.. I hope this is port is going to stay put.. lol.. Oh yea, since this WAS NOT ELECTIVE surgery, i was wondering if i shouldn't submit to my own insurance.. as well as the company who made the band.. I'm alittle confused on this issue.. Anyone who can help me, I would really appreciate it. Gonna rest now.. thank you again.

YES! my wife just had hers fixed (feb 18).

her tube floated around the back and was in danger of hitting her spleen.

so no, your not alone on this matter.

Becky

Thanks for informing us. Personally I don't know anyone that this has happen to, I'm glad that its fixed. What an aggravating situation to ordeal.

Could you disclose the manufacture of your band? and Yes I would file a claim as well with your insurance.

I'm self pay as well and am aware of problems that may occur.

Please inform us on the outcome.

Hope your feeling better. Good luck

Hey Becky,

Thank goodness the problem was fixed before you had any serious trouble!! Sounds like that could have been really ugly. And thank heavens it was a simple thing to fix!! Now you get better quick, girl, and get back to business.

As far as insurance goes, YES, you should absolutely always submit everything! Even if it's denied (which I don't think it shoudl be, since it was CLEARLY medically necessary), if you have out-of-network benefits it will be applied to your deductible and coinsurance. What kind of plan do you have?

I also think it's very much worth trying to get the manufacturer to pick up the cost of the repair surgery as well. At the very least, the cost of the equipment should be picked up. Good luck and please let us know how it's going!

OMG Becky! I'm so glad they found the problem and were able to fix it right away!

Boy, just goes to show, we really need to always listen to our bodies, 'eh? You knew something wasn't right! Glad you pursued it!

Well, best wishes for getting right back on track!

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the words of encouragement.. I am sorry to hear this happened to Big Dog's wife.. Did you get reimbursed or did you have a great insurance company??

The manufacturer of the band is INAMED... i sure hope they stand behind there product.. The company is based here in Santa Barbara, Ca.

My insurance company is Blue Shield HMO and they are real stinkers, but I'm going to see what can be done.

I have to talk to my attorney today and see how things are going.. I want to be fair about this.. I'm not out to get rich.. But I just don't want this happening to alot of others.. and I surely don't want to have this be defective again.. I like the band and I would do it all over again.. I would recommend it to my friends, it has done alright by me.. I have along way to go , but at least i know there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

I have notified the INAMED CORP. myself already by email..so we'll see if I get a response..

Thanks for listening and I'll let you all know how it turns out.. thanks for caring and sharing..

I had to get my port changed as well in October.My surgeon told me that Inamed was aware that the "first batch "of bands were breaking and remodeled the port/tubing.Hesaid he had a few patients who had surgery around the same time as me with broken ports.

Chantal

Yes, my doctor informed me about the "old batch " i guess it was prior to 1997 or so.. I don't remember... He also said that INAMED picked up the tabs for the surgeries . My doctor said that I have the new model and that this is the 2nd time he had seen this , and so I am hoping that they will cover the costs.. I was reading there brochere and they explain what can happen, but it shouldn't happen and they should cover.. Lets all hope that they stand behind there product..

Chantel, did your insurance company pay the bill or did the INAMED pay for the costs.. ??? just curious..

The replacement port was covered by Inamed and the rest is covered by OHIP (ontario health insurance program).This is not a private insurance program but everyone in Ontario is covered.We basicaly do not pay for any health care unless it's cosmetic.

Chantal

This is big-dogs wife, I submitted the information to my insurance company and they would not pay for the tube and port replacement since it was still under obesity surgery which is one of our exclusions. I had to pay again $5000.00. Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico is still working with inimed on trying to get me reimbursement since it wasn't my fault. I feel for you I went through almost a year of hurting while I was trying to come up with the money. I had mine fixed last month and it works. I have lost 50lbs since this all began, good luck and like you I am glad they caught it before it caused serious problems. :mad:

Just want to touch base with you all.. I"m so greatful for all the information I have been receiving..

Big Dog's wife, I can't believe you lived with that pain for a year.. that is awful.. There is no way I could have gone another week, much less a year.. I am so sorry to hear that.

I go see my dr. tomorrow for a checkup and fill.. I have deceided NOT to get an attorney for this case... I have talked with the INAMED Corp. myself and they seem to want to work with me. I told them that IF things don't work out as I feel they should, then at that point I will bring a lawyer into play.. She told me that this WILL NOT be along drawn out affair and that they want to settle.. I told her that I had some information where you (Inamed Corp) would only pay for the device and not the surgery.. She said each is on a person to person basis.. So we will see what happens.. I will let you all know , once I know.. But if they want to stay approved by the FDA they need to keep us all happy.. !!!!

Also, I had gotten a letter from my insurance company that I had been denied for reimbursement for the 1st surgery since it was experimental.. and that I could appeal... Well I told this to the peron at Inamed and they said that they encourage people to appeal so that the insurance companies know that there are other options out there and not as expensive and invasive as the gastric by pass.. Sorry this is so lengthy, but I'm trying to give you the facts and what's happening.. Sssoooooooooo!!!

Wish me luck.. and I hope WE ALL GET REIMBURSED.. this is a product liability, not personal error. I'll keep you posted.. Hope all of you are doing well.. bye:)

QUOTE]they would not pay for the tube and port replacement since it was still under obesity surgery which is one of our exclusions.

I would think that when there becomes a problem with the band, port, or tube it is not obesity surgery. Obesity surgery may be the initial surgery but when something goes wrong later on medical necessity becomes the issue. If a company chose not to pay for a heart pacemaker and you had to self pay to have it implanted, then what would happen 5 years later if the device failed!

Unfortunately if there was a failure and the insurance would not cover I would have to seek an attorney as you cannot claim the repair of a failed device as obesity surgery.

Finally, something I THINK I know a little about!

I happened to be nearby when someone went through something like this, and I am very observant.

This is what I THINK I figured out. Inamed wants to make good on any defective product. If you/they know what's happening in advance, they will get involved and and work out the doctor's fees and arrange for the doctor to bill them. And they provide the replacement materials at no charge. I don't know exactly how they work out the hospital, as this event was out of country. And, I'm pretty sure they even reimbursed for mileage and hotel.

SO, if all someone wants to do is have it made right and not get paid for pain and suffering and mess with lawyers, Inamed seems to be right there.

HOWEVER, I believe there is also a non-disclosure agreement to sign and that nobody who was involved in one of these deals can actually comment on it.

Becky -- what were your symptoms? I've had fairly sharp pain in the port area for the past 24 hours...I'm hoping its just related to the ab exercises I did at the gym on Monday and not my band.

Calling my doctor's office this morning just to be safe.

Elizabeth

8-28-03

Elizabeth,

It wasn't at the port site, it was like my bladder was falling out.. I kept feeling these sharp pains and then it would work side to side.. I can't tell you the pain.. I doubled up all the time.. But it wasn't at the port. Sounds like the best idea is to talk to your doctor.. Exercising may have brought that on.. My port is stitched to the muscle and so i know i would feel it..

Good luck and hope it's nothing..