Ive had my lapband for 3 years now in August...I hate it...I want it out so bad, and cant afford the surgery. Im so miserable, I cant eat, I cant drink...I dont even have a fill in. I went by the guidelines my doctor gave me, I never lost a lot of weight. I throw up all the time, its so embarassing when your on a date or just hanging out with friends. I cant take it anymore, sometimes I just want to rip it out. Ive had complications since the first day I had it, but ignored it. When I brought them up to my doctor a couple of months later, he said I was fine and that I was basically lying about what I was eating. He all but told me I was a liar, and that I wasnt pretty because Im fat...I endured this for 2 years! I finally stood up for myself, he blacklisted me on my medical records, now doctors wont take me because of the notes on my records despite my begging and pleading. I hate how people are given power with something as simple as a Ph.D. I wish I would have researched it more, I wish I had thought it out more. I dont necessarily regret it, I just wish I would have used a different doctor with a more supportive attitude and staff. Im so embarassed, sometimes I tell people I dont have it anymore just so they dont ask why I didnt lose the weight. The smallest I got at one point was 165, and I didnt stay there long....thats when I was puking every single thing that I attempted to swallow, even sucking on hard candy. Im not saying I want to eat a burger, or something greasy and gross....I just want to enjoy eating chicken again and salads and fruits...I want to be able to eat something that is cold and not throw it up. (Ive only been able to hold down things that are warm). I want to live again. But Im completely without insurance, and the only way to get my band checked for problems is to go to the ER and pretty much demand a upper GI test. I dont have money, Im a single mother and full-time student. Im so embarassed, I feel like a failure...I hate this, I wouldnt recommend it to ANYONE! Im thinking about possibly getting it taken out and having a mini-gastric bypass in the next five years....it just makes me cry to think I have to live with this for 5 years...or more...I hate explaining to people that I dont know whats wrong, I hate being a failure, I hate being fat...Ive done everything in the book at least twice to lose the weight...and it just doesnt come off the way its suppose to...Im hoping that when I get insurance again, if I get it again, that I can have some blood tests run on my metabolism and thyroid. Its gotten to where Im dizzy a lot, I fell down last night...I eat maybe one meal a day, I dont snack and I usually throw most of what I eat up...including liquids. I have had problems with my body rejecting foreign objects (like piercings) before, and Im thinking that my body rejected my lapband or something...IDK I just want it gone! I cant go out to eat with friends, I have to sit and suffer....watching everyone else eat and get something to go or wait until I get home and eat some Cereal for fear of getting sick. Now Im just rambling...I have tears rolling down my face, I never cry...Im not a crier at all...but it hurts so bad, emotionally and physically...my stomach always feels like someone is stabbing it with a knife or punching it with a tight fist....sometimes it feels like it is litterally tied in a knot! I just hope and pray for insurance soon, for answers to my questions....I want to live, and enjoy life again...I dont understand why nothing ever works for me...Ive been on every "lifestyle change", diet suppliment, fad diet, in the world...most of these diets or lifestyle changes or whatever you want to call them require you to eat a lot more during the day than Ive ever been able to eat....Ive never been a chronic overeater, ofcourse Ive overeaten sometimes, but never a lot, I usually stuck to 2-3 meals a day and never any Snacks....I never was a fan of "real soda" so I usually drank diet (which now I drink coke zero when I do get something, but one can lasts me ALL day)...Damn America and high costs of healthcare! and poopoo on the insurance company for calling weight-loss surgery cosmetic although they consider me morbidly obese...I want to be normal for once..Im tired of being the fat friend...much less the failed fat friend....Sometimes I think its better to just be fat, than to be fat and have had weight loss surgery because then people just talk about how much you basically suck at life...and how you must stuff your face with pudding and such......Ive got news for them, I dont like pudding, I dont like ice cream, I sure as hell cant stand snack cakes......Im not a very unhealthy person.....but I cant lose the weight.....

Ill stop, Im repeating myself....Im just so frustrated right now.....Im tired of puking my guts up every single day!

Never;

I understand....believe me, I do, and you are now part of a growing community of people who have discovered that the band is NOT for them.

This could be for a lot of reasons. Even if you followed the protocol to the LETTER, if may be that the Band is not the right choice for you.

And it's not necessarily your fault for having made a decision that was not going to work for you. The Lap Band is being marketed unmercilessly by greedy Doctors who want to make a fast buck, and they do NOT always explain the options that are available to you.

PM me if you like....I've been down the road of a failed Lap Band, and maybe I can help you. There are LOTS of people here that want to help out, I can assure you!

Keep your chin up, It's not your fault!

HH

thank you for understanding...I just needed to vent because no one I know with a band understands because theirs works fine...I just dont understand what to do...I guess if it gets bad enough I can go to the ER and just not pay the bill when it comes in....I know that sounds bad...but I dont want to have problems...is that selfish?

If you are a single mother going to school, could you possibly qualify for medicaid?

Never Again - I have some advice for you.

1) Get copies of all your medical records. You have the right to these. Make sure it includes all progress reports, disks of all upper GI's, the operative report, the make, model and serial number of your band - everything!

2) Find an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice who either works pro-bono or only gets paid if you win your case. Sometimes just sending a letter on legal stationary is enough for a doctor to re-think his attitude. Call your county bar association for names. There might also be some low cost neighborhood legal services.

3) Document everything from day one of your surgery as to when problems started, etc...what your doctor did and didn't do.

4) Definitely look into Medicaid.

At this point, after all your vomiting and problems it is very likely that your band has slipped. You have the right to have this problem addressed. If all of the above suggestitons fail, go to an ER and tell them you are not leaving until something is done. You are also probably dehydrated.

Become pro-active and assertive about this. I always live by the saying that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Speak up. Demand things. The worst that can happen is that you'll be right back to square one. But I suspect that things will happen.

A very last resort would be to go to the media. Newspapers, tv news and tell them your story. It couldn't hurt.

Good luck and let us all know how it goes.

I'm so sorry this is not working out for you. My heart and prayers go out to you Never_Again.

What a terrible situation. What you need to do is seek legal advice. See an attorney who will take your case on a contingency basis. The doctor who has mistreated you in this manner needs to be held accountable. He cannot hold your medical records legally. Dont wait on this. The longer you wait the worse it will get. There are many attorneys who will take your case.

Cleo's Mom is right--before you need legal advice you need MEDICAL ATTENTION. This is NOT the way the band is supposed to work; you have very likely suffered a slip and that can lead to severe complications if not addressed.

It doesn't matter whose fault it is, or what led up to this situation, you simply must have it checked and taken care of. Call your state's department of insurance and ask them what the fastest way is to be covered under your state's public program. But no matter what they say, GO TO THE DOCTOR.

Absolulely correct about going to the doctor. However you very well may run into red tape or run through a maze of people and rules and regs. You should absolutely get medical attention immediately. You should also get an attorney immediately to start to work on your behalf. Hit it from both ends.

Get the MEDICAL part of this taken care of FIRST.

A Lap-band-Gone-wrong is a BAD thing to have happen to you. All sorts of nasty things can happen. Your ability to get care depends a great deal on the area you live in. You may be able to get some assistance through your county or local Welfare Agency.

Stuff like this just PISSES ME OFF like you wouldn't believe, becuase it happened to me. That;s why I haven't responded more in detail here, becuase THIS case makes me so angry. I could turn this into a rant on the whole WLS/Lap-Band/Medical/Insurance biz....but that wouldn't be fair or helpful.

One of the problems you face is the matter taking action against your surgeon. It is quite dependent upon where you reside. In California, where I live, there is a very firm 0ne-year Cap on Medical malpractice claim. There CAN exceptions to that, but it's tough. The AMA is a HUGE lobby, they have a lot of power, and they are very protective of their own.

One route you might consider legally is Personal Injury. This has used successfully in some cases, but there ARE limitations and there are time constraints.

Cleo's Mom gave some great advice in this area.

One VERY VERY powerful tool you have is the Media. They LOVE stuff like this. The threat of using the Media helped me in my situation.

Again, this brings back all sorts of ugly memories for me, and I really have to restrain myself.

And this brings me back to what has become my "mantra" to people who are looking to have the Band implanted or have ANY WLS....CHOOSE YOUR SURGEON WITH GREAT CARE!

In this forum, quite often I see people making remarks about their various Doctors in the "Surgeons" area. It almost looks like (by the way they phrase their "Praise") that they have been ASKED to come here and give a glowing testimonial.

"Oh, Dr Jones was such a Saint. He listened to all my questions, and gave such wonderful answers....and he had such nice eyes!"

and I'm NOT kidding.....that is what someone kept repeating about the Moron that did MY botch-job....he had great eyes. (vomit).

Surgeons and their staff become really, really good in their sales pitch. They know what to say, and how to say it.

BUT....they reveal their TRUE selves when something goes wrong. Some Surgeons step up and do the RIGHT thing. I have seen that many times. Others (like my first surgeon and the OP's surgeon) run and hide behind the couch when there's a problem. THAT is who they ARE. And the only way to find out who they are is to do the in-depth research BEFORE you let them stick a knife in you.

My heart goes out to the OP. This is bad, bad stuff. And incidents like this are on the rise, as WLS becomes even more of a gravy train for quick-buck doctors who shouldn't be allowed to operate on a Barbie Doll, much less a human.

Prayers all around for our friend NeverAgain....no one deserves to be treated like this.

HH

I think its a really good thing that this type of situation is spoken about on this site. There are so many things that can and do go wrong with some of these doctors. Its horrendous. I think anyone who has had these experiences should definately post. Its a real wake up call to those who have not yet had surgery or for those people who are going thru the same thing. So sorry to hear about all of these terrible terrible experiences.

Im going to try to address all the posts at once...lol, its an attempt.

The only thing that my doctor did that was illegal was not turning over my medical records after I paid for them (I got a copy from a doctor I was trying to get in to see), he didnt get me sufficient time to find another doctor before he told me I would no longer be his patient and never gave me a certified letter, and possible emotional distress........all of which are civil tort law. Ive been a pre-law student for a few years now...Im seeking another quicker certification right now because of the economy, but Ill go back to my legal studies after that.....

I cant afford an attorney in my area, I live in a VERY small town and Ive already used my free pass with my lawyer when he did the legal work getting my daughters father to sign over his rights (which was a HUGE ordeal for some reason)

I do not qualify for Medicaid....Im over the age limit and even if I was to get pregnant in the next year I would not qualify because I turned down the offer to receive TANF, which means I also forfeited any chance for adult Medicaid for a certain amount of time.

As far as the ER, I cant pay the bill to go.....and I cant handle to bill collectors calling me, or that hit on my already horrible credit.

I cant document everything from the first day of surgery because I cant remember in detail every day over the past 3 years...I cant hardly remember anything since Ive had my child lol!

I do know that my doctor as black-listed me....which Im about to pull up the Texas code for that, and see if its legal or not to put those notes on my medical records. Its a shame that a patient can not stand up for what they believe in without being punished.....

Im not going to say any names on here, however if you are in the Beaumont, Texas area I wouldnt advise you to use a certain doctor with a funny name....

Wow that really sucks. I would think that if the doctor refused to treat you knowing that you may have possibly have suffered as a result of his surgery then you would have some sort of case? Sounds like emotional distress is an understatement. Nevermind the physical distress. Can you contact another surgeon and at least have them see if your band has slipped? Maybe there is a surgeon out there who would be willing to help you. What a nightmare.

Wow that really sucks. I would think that if the doctor refused to treat you knowing that you may have possibly have suffered as a result of his surgery then you would have some sort of case? Sounds like emotional distress is an understatement. Nevermind the physical distress. Can you contact another surgeon and at least have them see if your band has slipped? Maybe there is a surgeon out there who would be willing to help you. What a nightmare.

Im just venting...Ive exhausted every avenue...Ive contacted every doctor in my area...from all sides...none will take me...and without insurance I cant afford the visit anyway...Im not kidding when I say I have no money...

I have $140 in my bank account...and thats it, IDK? when I will have more money, I dont know anything...My parents have been so wonderful about everything as far as helping my daughter and I out...but its even hard on them as my father had to take a much lower ranking position just to go back to work and my mother had back surgery and can no longer work...and if there was even a job opening around here I would go to work instead of school...but there arent any jobs around here....small town + recession = sucks!

Refusing to treat a patient who has medical problems that the doctor may have caused and then denying you access to other doctor's care by black-balling you sounds like the basis for a medical malpractice suit to me.

I know malpractice attorneys who advertise here say you pay nothing unless they get money for you. Go online and search for medical malpractice attorneys in Texas. They often have an online form that you complete stating your problem. They then get back to you with their advice, which is free. Try that and see if you get any good advice. Also check on the neighborhood legal services which often provide free legal advice to those who can't afford attorneys.

I remember when I kept getting a bill from a dentist for something that I didn't thing there should be a charge for (lots of other stuff but too long) and I called my attorney and she said to go sit in his office waiting room and refuse to leave until I got something on their letterhead that said the charge was dismissed. It never came to that but I was prepared to do that.

Go to your doctor's office and tell them you want a copy of everything in your files including all anecdotal remarks and you aren't leaving until you get it.

If you are reluctant to go to the ER can you contact Allergan and ask for referrals for other doctors and explain the problems you are having with your former doctor? Tell them you are contacting an attorney about your rights and your problems with the band. That should get their attention.

Also, contact a patient representative at the hospital at which you had the surgery and explain the problem. Contact the hospital administrator if you don't get anywhere. And tell them you are going to contact the media and let them know how this hosptial and doctor are treating you. They won't want the negative publicity.

I would become the biggest thorn in their side. Your health is in jeopardy and that is the most important thing.

The way you have been treated is unacceptable.

I hope that you are able to get this problem resolved.

Again, good luck.

Thank you all for the support and advice...its helps knowing that someone is on my side...even if you dont know me and live who knows how many miles away.....

I managed to eat a little tonight without getting sick....it wasnt much, but it was more than Ive eaten in a while...it just seems like everything is always so hard for me...I know its just me thinking that, and there are people with far worse problems...but I guess its that self-centered feeling you get when your not doing well...

Thank you all again, you have no idea how much it means to me that you arent pointing fingers telling me what I must have done wrong...