Frustrated and angry with my docs

babsintx3 · September 1, 2005

Hi Everyone,

Before plastic surgery, I had 2.5 in my lapband.

Today I went to get a fill. I am one month post op from my PS and ready to lose my last 20-25 pounds. During my PS, I asked my plastic surgeon to remove .50 from my band so in the event I had to vomit from anesthesia or take big meds I would be able to and not do damage to my band. I have been pretty hungry, but basically I havent done that bad with the lack of restriction.

I was surprised to learn today that instead of the 2.00 I thought I had in my band, "I HAVE NOTHING!!!! My band has been empty for the last month. TOTALLY EMPTY if you beleive my lapband surgeon and his flouro machine.

My lapband surgeon gave me 1.00 and said "Come back in 2 months. I am treating you like a new patient and we are starting all over." I was in shock. How can I live 2 months on 1.00 CC. I did not have any restriction when I thought I had 2.00 and now he wants me to live with only one CC. I let him know that I had gained weight from quitting smoking and that over the last month, I was able to eat bread again and even a hamburger with the bun. He said that he would not give me more than the 1.00.

The fill was done under flouro, so clearly he could see that after the fill I did not have any restriction. I was wide open with nothing and somewhat wide open with 1.00 CC.

My first fill in 2003 was 1.00. Even then, my doc authorized a second fill taking me to 1.75 a week after the first one. I am a tenured bandster and I have had few problems since being banded. I dont know what to do. I cant see changing his mind and I dont remember him rationing fills. It was one of the things that I liked about him. So what do I do? Grin and bear it or go and find another way to get me to proper restriction.? Who should I be mad at? My plastic surgeon for not being truthful? Or did he do damage to my band and I am leaking Fluid? I mean, when he did the unfill I was totally knocked out. My lapband surgeon said he saw blue contrast when he pulled out some of the air doing me fill today. He called it blue crystalline. My lapband surgeon figured that the plastic surgeon wanted to be sure that he was pulling out saline.My question is how did contrast come out if there is no Fluid in my band? I am really confused. I am afraid of gaining weight. I am not allowed to exercise yet because of the PS and I am really frustrated. I am trying desperately to stick to the rules and not regain weight. Oh well, I needed to vent. Now any production suggestions?

Babs in TX

334/180

-154

vinesqueen · September 1, 2005

Okay, first things first. ((((((HUGS)))))))

You thought you had 2ccs in your band, so you acted like you had 2ccs in your band. You did great with no fill what so ever. Let me repeat that. YOU DID GREAT WITH NO FILL.

So now you have a fill. Now you have more restriction than you had before you got the fill. Now you have more restriction than the restriction you thought you had.

Do not let that number rule your life! Knowing how many CCs in your band is just as bad for some people as obsessing over what the damn scale says.

Babs, honey, you are doing amazing.

La_madam · September 1, 2005

Babs, before I was unfilled I was at 2.5 cc's, two months of being unfilled I went and had had a fill of 1.5 and believe me I have restriction, I found it hard to phathom to be a whole 1 cc les then when I was unfilled and did not think I would get restriction from it but beleive me I have good restriction..any tighter and I would be in trouble. I was told by my doctor it is rare for a patient who was completely unfilled for over a moth to go back to their previous fill level without it being too much restriction When he tried to go to 2 ccs I was completely blocked with nothing going through..he backed off to 1.5 and it is working great and this was in the beginning of July. You may be suprised , it may work for you give it some time. Your did great thinking you had some fill prior to finding out you had none. Hang in there 1 cc may be OK for you right now, you are still healing and all, I would hate to see you be too tight and hamper what your body may need to heal properly.

vinesqueen · September 1, 2005

I have been pretty hungry, but basically I havent done that bad with the lack of restriction.

Okay, more hugs. I had to run to my math class, but I had more to say to you. (((hugs))) I know you are really worried that you are going to gain the weight back. I mean, hell, that's been all our story, hasn't it. We are great at taking the weight off, but we absolutely suck at keeping it off. I mean, if we were any good at keeping it off we wouldn't our silycone angel, right? Breathe, relax, you are going to be fine. Honest.

You have just gone through something that I can't even imagine. Not even with pictures will I be fully about to understand what you have just done to your body. (and we want pictures!) But I do know that you will be fine. You still need extra calories to heal. You've been working really, really hard, and I am sure that the thought of going above your maintenance amount of calories must scare the hell out of you. But you must have the proper nutrition to give your body time to heal.

Isn't this time to heal? Time to not worry about weight loss? I know we give that same advice to our new bandsters, that the first few months are time to heal, not time to worry about losing weight. We even tell them that if they gain a few pounds that it is not the end of the world, that they are not a failure. I know that you have told our baby bandsters this same advice, and when you haven't told them, you've thought it at them. Right? I have no experience with what you've just done, but I'm sure it is the same thing.

Babs we are all so excited for you! We really are, even the lurkers are excited, I can feel it! (Wave at the lurkers "Hi everybody!" And all the lurkers wave back...)

Of course you are mad at the docs. I'm sure you are feeling ... maybe a little betrade? I mean, the PS told you he was only removing some of you fill, and you believed him. You believed the lie he told you. It was a white lie, but a lie none the less. It is completely understandable. But, consider for the moment that you thought you had a partial fill, right? Look at how freaking well you did FLYING SOLO! You didn't even need a fill and look how well you did! We are all so very proud of you Babs!

Say it with me "I did really well FLYING SOLO!" (you have to yell the last part.) Okay, say it again, this time with feeling!

Okay everybody (even the lurkers this time, in the privacy of your own home), say it with me "Excellent job Babs!"

hagerteresa · September 1, 2005

Ditto what Michelle and Vinesqueen says!!! Babs you are doing great and just having that 1 cc in there should help. I would just stick it out. I have contemplated going in for another fill myself but really KNOW in my head and heart that I need to get out of the summer bad habits (we have had company almost all summer from various friends and family members) and I have had none of my Water aerobics all summer (because of a bad dog bite). I find I have trouble more often than I would like in regards to pb'ing and a hard time eating some foods at certain times of the day and have decided to not get a fill at this time. There are too many things I need to work on before getting another fill. I have another local band friend who is in the exact same predicament except she was pregnant all winter and spring, had her baby, went for a fill and found her port was completely flipped over and unaccessible. She is trying to get her insurance to cover it but doubts they will, she is also still paying off hospital bills from her babies birth so it won't be till next year that she may be able to get her port fixed. Like me, she needs to regroup and refocus. We are both going back to water aerobics next week and are going to work together to re-encourage each other. Anyway I know your situation is a disappointment and seems like a mistake but it really could be worst. Sending you a hug... Teresa

babsintx3 · September 1, 2005

Hey guys,

Just got your messages.

Michelle: I agree with you. I realize that I probably need less than I had before. A few other tenured bandsters like yourself have mentioned that they need less and feel they have more restriction with less saline after a few months without it. So you are absolutely right. ITs just a random number and I should not let that dictate my success.

Vinesqueen: I love your thought process!!! It is true that thinking I had 2 CC in my band had the placebo effect. I was doing OK, but I am still 10 pounds more than my lowest weight despite the fact they cut off 7 lbs off my body. So yes, I am afraid of any further regain. I am still swollen from the PS and cant fit into my regular pants. I keep wearing stretch pants and it makes me feel even fatter. I will keep thinking like you and will do fine. Thanks for the straight forward advice!!

I am less concerned about what fill level I have and regain than I am about where the fill went. I am hoping that my plastic surgeon did not accidently puncture my tubing and it is leaking out. Only time will tell. I dont like that my doc is rationing and treating me like a baby. The fill was done with his "new flouroscopy machine" so he can see that with the one CC, I dont have restriction.

Anyway, later this afternoon, my lapband surgeon and plastic surgeon will be having a peer to peer review. I just want to find out what happened to the 2 CC and also find out why I had blue crystalline contrast in my band. I am curious as to why it was in there. Also, my lapband surgeon said my port was moved, but my plastic surgeon says he didnt move it. To me, it looks like it is in a different place. I am happy where it is, but cant anyone give me correct information?

IT seems like there is too much conflicting information and I just want to be sure that nothing bad has happened that will mean a new operation like a tubing puncture or something like that.....

Babs in TX

334/180 ish

vinesqueen · September 1, 2005

Someone recently posted something that made all kinds of sense about the subject of ports. As we get more and more toned the location of our port will changed because it it sewn to the muscles of our ab. As we tighten and tone, the port will move because the muscles have moved.

Very weird about the blue crystals though. Very weird indeed. Alien abduction?

ReneBean · September 1, 2005

One has to assume that the skin moved around a bit in the PS. Maybe the port moved with it?

Of course, if you're really a Pod Person replacing our Babs - that could explain it, too. LOL!

La_madam · September 1, 2005

Babs I dont know you very well but what I do know of you getting to know you last year at the bash, you will get answers to all of this ,you wont stop until you do.. I just know it!

One has to assume that the skin moved around a bit in the PS. Maybe the port moved with it?

Now that makes alot of sense to me, it could very well be what happened.

La_madam · September 1, 2005

I have contemplated going in for another fill myself but really KNOW in my head and heart that I need to get out of the summer bad habits (

Teresa, I'm right there with you girlfriend..I can so relate..I made a vow that after I get home from the bash it is back to basics and bandster rules for me 100%

Zoe · September 1, 2005

I can see why you're worried, Babs. Let us know what the docs say. Is it possible that the plastic surgeon intended to take out just .5cc but changed his mind while you were under anaesthesia?

I hope you're OK. And I second what Vines said. Good grief, woman, you've just been through major surgery! Let your body heal. Any additional weight loss can come later.

Deena Barton · September 1, 2005

After your surgery, if you your scars bother you, I’ll be happy to help. I’m a Certified Micropigmentation Specialist, Certified Corrective Pigment Camouflage Specialist, and a Certified Skin Care Specialist. Scar camouflage works great and it’s permanent. I teach scar camouflage and repair and have been working with plastic surgeons since 1984. I’m in southern California, but I CAN TRAVEL TO YOUR LOCATION. The price I reasonable and the results are great. Now that you’re loosing weight, lets do the finishing touches and fix that scar! Contact info.: deenabarton@yahoo.com or 760-868-3261.

Penni60 · September 2, 2005

Deena this is not the place for this type of post. Thanks. I have sent you a PM>

I'llsucceed · September 2, 2005

Ok I would copy your post & mail it to BOTH of your doctors & set an appointment to speak to each of them. Let them know again inwritting your concerns! Start with the lapband doctor & tell him you wish to have a very frank discussion with him. Maybe if there is no weight loss in a week or 2 he'll reconsider giving you another fill. I am sure he will spak with you & hear your concerns. Maybe he was just being cautios with you at the start because of the other PS. Just a thought!

By the way- You really were doing SUPER with no fill- so maybe less is best right now! & your fills will last & work even better this time around. You won't know till time passes!

Well done Girlie:0)