Do I go for it one more time????? Here goes......I was banded on Feb 19, 2007 at Kansas University Med Ctr in Kansas City, by Dr. Selim. My stomach was lacerated (accident) during surgery. I was irragated, patched up, and the band placed. Left bottom lobe of lung collapsed the next day. Stayed in the hospital from Monday to Thursday. They tried to send me home Wednesday but I took my own temp and found that I had a fever. They kept me one more night and I went 24hrs without fever, home on Thursday. Sunday started chilling and fever. Monday night went to ER in Springfield, MO. Spent the entire night there doing ct scans and tests. I read, later, in those notes that they believed I had damage to my spleen, as well. They offered me an ambulance to KC but we chose to drive the 4hrs.

Spent one week waiting, waiting, waiting. I think the docs were thinking that it was pneumonia from my lung problem. When doctor decided to take out band I was in surgery in less than an hour. I was supposed to have my port when I woke up BUT...I didn't know I'd wake up in ICU with tubes going up my nose, down into my stomach, two drain tubes coming out of the left side of me, and a large open wound where the port had to be taken out.

I had two types of strep infections and the worst staph infection you can get. I spent another week in hospital and before sending me home they put an IV Pick line in my left arm so that I could change my antibiotic IV bag every 24hrs. They arranged for a home nurse who came to see me 1x's per week for 2 wks. They showed me how to change the packing in my 2" long 1.5" deep open wound. Thank God my neighbor is my primary physician and my friend!!! She came over 2x's per day and changed it for me until it got to a depth and size that I was comfortable to do it myself (about 1.5 months).

I missed 5 weeks of work and I had only taken 1 week off, for my outpatient surgery!! I had air around my diaphragm for weeks that was sooooooooo painful I was on Oxycodone for a long time. The doc that did my band, had my primary order a CT scan and to this day, about 7wks later, HE hasn't made sure that I have the results!! Luckily, my primary is my friend!!! She let me know that the pain was the air and she started me on the pain therapy that I needed to start feeling better and getting me back to work!!

So May 19th was 3 months from the band application and it was the last day that I felt the air bubbles in my back around my left lung!!! I've been off of pain meds for a few weeks now and I'm finally starting to feel like normal again. The infectious disease doctors said that the germs that came out of my stomach, when it was accidently lacerated, is what probably caused the infections around my band, then all the way down the tube and around the port.

Here's what I'm thinking and most of my friends think I'm totally insane!! I want to go back, to the same doctor, and have the band put on again. My husband doesn't want me to go to the same doctor. I am a forgiving person and I also know that accidents happen and what happened to me was just a FREAK SERIES OF EVENTS!!!! I also think that if I use the same hospital and the same doctor, that I would probably get extra special treatment and they would really take care to do a really good job. My doctor specializes in the liver and a transplant doctor for crying out loud, it's not like I'm seeing a student!!! He's done thousands of bands and this was the first time anything like this has happened to him. You should have seen the devestation on his face after the second, much longer, surgery!!! You can't fake that! My kids are 16, 13, 11, and 6. The 6 year old doesn't want me to do it again because I was "gone too long". I'm thinking of bringing him this time and I'm planning on walking out of the hospital the same day, this time!!!

So what do you all think??????????????????

Carrie

Banded 2-19-07

UnBanded 3-2-07

Lost 22 pounds and holding now

See doctor again 6-7-07

Try again????????????

"Do I go for it one more time????? Here goes......I was banded on Feb 19, 2007 at Kansas University Med Ctr in Kansas City, by Dr. Selim........ He's done thousands of bands and this was the first time anything like this has happened to him. ...."

The decision to do it again is entirely yours. But I did want to comment on one thing you said. Dr Selim has not done THOUSANDS of bands. I'm sure the number is less than 400 at this point. That is still a lot. And he is capable of doing a good job for you.

However, if you do decide to do it again with Dr. Selim, make sure you have an understanding with him ahead of time that you expect good AFTERcare. Make sure he talks to you about your fills, and that you are saying what is one your mind. In other words, make sure he is working WITH you. Don't just be content to lie on your back and get filled. Maybe for the first fill it's OK to do that (he'll probably give you 1 cc if you have a 4 cc band); but after that, be proactive and make sure you and he are working as a team, and that you are getting good restriction. He's a decent surgeon and probably a reasonable guy; but like so many doctors, you have to make him pay attention to you.

I think it would be nuts to go back to the same doc. ANY doc would feel like crap after making a mistake like that. Experienced docs don't make those kinds of errors.

Get an attorney, he'll settle before it goes to lawsuit, use the funds to cover all medical expenses to date, plus whatever you anticipate for the next year. Even if he wants to fight it, it is likely that his insurance company would prefer to settle!. 50-150k is chump change int he malpractice world.

Just a thought

I read your post 3x, is your lap band Dr. who's hand slipped and cut your stomach? I am not sure after reading your article. I know you want to be thin, but HEALTHY is where it is at! Get your health back to normal first then think about doing this again much later on. It will take your body 1 year to re-generate. Too risky too soon.

drcollier, How do you get Dr. Selim to pay attention to you? Do you know his cell number? How many times do you have to call his office before you get a real person or a call back? Did your surgery go without any complications? Perhaps if mine had gone without complications (caused by the doctor), I would be very happy with him and my band. I wonder if he mentions me when talking to knew patients? I asked what and how many complications he's ever had and at that point he'd had a couple of slips and a couple of flipped ports, if I remember correctly. You are right about the bands that he's placed. I think I got a little excited while typing and meant to type hundreds, I am sorry about that, in anycase he's done alot. I do appreciate your thoughts and I'm very happy for your success!

Thought I'd stop in and let you know what I'm leaning towards this time! First let me say, Dr. Selim probably has not done THOUSANDS of bands but rather HUNDREDS. Sorry for misleading there. That does not change what he did during my surgery to cause my complications or that I have no band and how hard it's going to be to find a doctor that will fight this scar tissue inside of me now to attempt another surgery! I did sign off on the possibility of infected band but not on infection caused by doctor cutting hole in stomach.

I still haven't heard from my doctor on the CT scan he ordered for me back in early April, when I called for more pain meds. And I still haven't talked to a human in his office since early April. I really think that if he ever acted like he cared about what happened to me, I'd have had that band put back on this past month!

If it wasn't for my primary care doctor, I would have had to quit my job! She put me on the pain control therapy that made it possible for me to go to work, which made me to be up and moving all day long (just 3 days a week the first 2 weeks, 4 days the next week) Being up and moving all day caused me to heal so much faster and start feeling better. I have a great primary! There were other problems related to my surgery that she helped me with, yeast infections and depression! I'm off of all prescription meds now! Just have to take Aleve or Ibuprofin. My open wound healed very nicely. All scars still hurt a little and I think it must be the scar tissue that makes me hurt inside.

I just couldn't force myself to go back to KU on the 7th of June and I'm leaning towards the Mini Gastric Bypass or MGB, that my mother had 4 years ago. I wanted the band for the obvious reasons however the MGB is reversible. I will wait a year for my body to heal, so it'll be next spring. I'm not sure if I'll be able to have it because of the scar tissue from infection around the band, down the tubing, and around the port. I talked to the doctor ON HIS CELL PHONE for over 20 minutes one day and he did not say NO (yet) He will have to see all my notes on both surgeries and a CT scan. Dr. Hargroder is in Joplin, Mo. I still have alot of time to research but I think this is the route I will end up going. There is a 2 year limitation on filing suite and if I'm unable to find a doctor to do another surgery, then I may file.

I don't want a "decent surgeon" I want an "great and compassionate surgeon"

It is certainly not asking too much for a great and compassionate surgeon, that should be what we all demand.

One note on the MGB, it is falling out of favor, fewer and fewer docs are performing it. If you are thinking of another procedure, I'd urge you to consider the gastric sleeve, you can find loads more info about MGB and the sleeve on obesityhelp.com

I wish you luck and please keep us updated on how things go for you.

Go to a different doctor honey. Not good at all!!!!

Faith, I was wondering why you say MGB is falling out of favor? It seems like I see more and more people (online, that is) who've had the surgery and are very happy and healthy. I know that the clos.net site and Dr. Rutledge rub people the wrong way with kind of a 'sales pitch' feel. But really, the surgery has less complications that RnY...why such a bad reputation? I don't know. I've even posted on OH -- "Why does this have such a bad reputation?"

I know there are people who have complications -- but more than Rny? I don't think so. More than the band, yes, probably. It's just weird -- the conflict between all these happy patients, and yet, many people (who don't personally have the surgery but have some kind of knowledge of it) are very strongly anti-mgb.

It sounds like you went through complete medical hell...to put it frankly. I don't think you should do any more to yourself right now. You need to heal physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. Also...your 6 year old is scared for you....relax and recover.

Carrie, I work in insurance, and see too many times, complications from surgery. You came through this by the grace of God. I believe that God teaches us a lesson in all that we do. I would not do it again. I would at least wait another year. Let your body heal. I would also see another doctor. I just had the band done 7/5/07 and am wondering what did I do. I feel okay, but I was under the impression that it would be a piece of cake. It is no cake or cakewalk. I'm hoping to get out of the house for the first time tomorrow, but it will be for a quick drive. I'm still very sore, very swollen, and feel the band. I don't know if I'm supposed to be feeling the band, but hopefully, it will get better. You want to be here for your family, so please, take your time with this and do see another doctor. I'm sure if your new doctor sees your background, they will treat you with kid gloves.

I'm still very sore, very swollen, and feel the band. I don't know if I'm supposed to be feeling the band, but hopefully, it will get better.

You are feeling the effects of the band, the effects of surgery. We can't feel the band.

It's normal to be sore, swollen, full of gas, and sometimes miserable. It gets better, honest.

You will go through about a month of wondering what the heck you did. You will question if this was the most stupid thing you have ever done. But when pounds start to melt away, you'll know you did the right thing. Just remember, you will question your banding decision for a good month or two.