Colleenp

After many years as a lap band patient, I am at the end of my rope. I had my original surgery in June of 2002. Since then I have been through 3 doctors. One resigned, I fired one, and a new one since I relocated. Additionally I have had 4 surgeries all related to the lap band. Lets see, my first fill resulted in a raging infection that was treated for 6 months unsucessfully. Ultimately,my port had to be removed until the infection cleared up. That took another 2 months. All of this time I've had no restriction! Then we started again and I got up to two cc's and my port flipped. Another surgery. We start again and the tubing disconnects form the port. Another surgery!! Now we move on to a new doctor and he wants to put in a new port because the old one is on a angle and "hitting" the port for a fill is near impossible. Another surgery!!! We start again!!!! I get back up to 1.75cc's and my husband and I hit the road for 6 months. The doctor tells me to see him when I get back, which I did, and even though I had not lost any weight in those 6 months(I wasn't tight enough) he refuses to give me a fill. I get slightly annoyed to say the least and after a few words with him, I ask for my records and never went back!!! Still only 1.75 cc's. We relocated to South Carolina and after searching for a bariatric Dr. I find one that was somewhat reluctant to take me as a patient with all my previous problems, but finally agreed to see me. I really liked him and we arranged for a fluroscopy to see what's happening , and before I can get it done, I get a letter saying that he had resigned and relocated to another office 300 miles away. OH BOY!!! Should I be surprised?? Well. he has a partner and I started seeing him last October. This Dr gave me a fill under fluro in October, I feel nothing and I tell him so. Another fill in Nov....nothing... I tell him I think I have a leak.... I feel nothing! But he says no I don't have a leak. OK, I'm thinking maybe I just haven't hit my sweet spot yet. I get another fill in January of 2.8ccs and actually feel a restriction!!! ALLRIGHT now we're cooking!!! Finally! Well........2 days later...guess what....I FEEL NOTHING! I finally talk him into putting a little contrast in there and under fluro we find out that the inner ballon is leaking. Very slowly, but its leaking!!! YIPEE!!! I'm relieved to know that I'm not losing my mind!! So I ask the DR about a revision. But, because of all my previous surgeries with the lapband, it would be a BIG surgery!! I am not willing to put myself through a major surgery with no guarantee of leaks and flips and infections not happening again, so I'm sure you can understand why I am fed up.....and.....I AM DONE with the lapband and am resigned to live with the appliance sitting in me doing nothing. :cursing: In closing let me say, I do know several people that have been quite successful with their weight loss with the lapband, unfortunately, I am not one of them. Than you for taking the time to read this. Colleen

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had a fill in October of 2.3 cc's in a 4cc band(I think) I went back at 6 weeks and under fluoro the Dr only pulled back .5 cc's. He put only 1.5 back in when I was hoping that I would be close to 3cc's by now. I felt no restriction at all and of course started taking advantage of the fact that I could eat!! I go back to his office 4 days later hoping for another fill .He's trying to tell me that the fluid could be in the excess tubing that I have and once that equalizes, I should feel tightness. I have never heard of such crap and basically told him so. I have had a quite a few problems with my band and I was concerned that I had a leak, which is one of the problems I have had in the past. So, on 12/27 I go for another fluoro and we will see whats happening and I will hopefully get a substantial fill. If I have a leak, I am basically screwed cause my insurance does not cover the hospital that he goes to. Colleen: __________________

I had a fill in October of 2.3 cc's in a 4cc band(I think) I went back at 6 weeks and under fluoro the Dr only pulled back .5 cc's. He put only 1.5 back in when I was hoping that I would be close to 3cc's by now. I felt no restriction at all and of course started taking advantage of the fact that I could eat!! I go back to his office 4 days later hoping for another fill .He's trying to tell me that the fluid could be in the excess tubing that I have and once that equalizes, I should feel tightness. I have never heard of such crap:confused: and basically told him so. I have had a quite a few problems with my band and I was concerned that I had a leak, which is one of the problems I have had in the past. So, on 12/27 I go for another fluoro and we will see whats happening and I will hopefully get a substantial fill. If I have a leak, I am basically screwed cause my insurance does not cover the hospital that he goes to. Colleen:

I'm at 1.8. I'm going This Thursday for my 2nd fill with this doctor. I don't think I've lost anything and its pretty frustrating. I guess I have to be patient and hope to get to my sweet spot soon. Colleen

I had my original surgery in June of 2002. The first 6 months were a breeze. My problems started right after my first fill in Dec. 2002 and haven't stopped yet!!! After my first fill, I developed a nasty staff infection that was treated for 4 months unsuccsessfully. My Dr. decided to remove the port but left the band and tubing. After healing, 6 weeks, I go back for minor surgery and have the port put back in. Two days after surgery I am back for a "unfil". Its seems my Dr. put in a full 3cc's during surgery!! Up to that point the most I had was 1.75. I couldn't even swqallow saliva. He couldn't hit the port so its off to xray we go. After much manipulation he claims he hit the port and took some out, and I stupidly believed him and went on my merry way. Well, About a week later I'm again feeling almost no restriction, and I call his office only to be told that he is away for a family emergency. I waited. I call 2 weeks later to be told that Dr. has RESIGNED!!!!! I want to pull my hair out now!!!! I am referred to a Dr. that doesn't talk my insurance, so I get on the internet to begin my search for a new Dr. I find Dr Valin in New Haven, about 45 drive for me, get an appointment for Aug, 2003, and wait. The appoinment day comes, new doc can't hit the port, sets up a fluro for 2 weeks later, I wait. That date comes, and of course, under the fluro I see I see what the Dr and techs see, the saline is just leaking out into the surrounding tissue. Guess what? Its leaking!!! NO KIDDING!!!! I can see that. Dr. says I need a revision go back up to my office to make my appt for surgery, first available date is 6 WEEKS yup another game of hurry up and WAIT!!!! My surgery day comes, Surgery is no problem. Dr. tells my not only was my original equipment leaking, my port was flipped, and the tubing had pulled away from the port. All of this damage was done by the original attempt under fluro to get my "unfill". The radiologist at the original fill told me that he saw the gap in the tubing but said nothing, NICE!!!! So now I am all fixed, thankfully, but I am still not losing. This new Dr. started me with 1.75cc which is standard for him. I have been back twice for fills. He now has a PA do fills, which is no problem, but she is instructed to only give .25cc's at a time. She can see by the scale that I am not losing, in fact I've gained about 2 lbs. I called the office to tell them that I need more and the message from the doctor was to " have some control of myself and what I'm eating "and I have to wait 6-8 weeks for another fill. So, can you sense my frustration???? Additionally, I have to travel 45 mins for this stinking little fill and 45 minutes back only to watch the scale not move. I have had the band for a total of 21 months now and it has only worked properly for 7 of those months. I have ony lost 67-73 lbs depending on what day I weigh in. I have been the same weight, withina few lbs for a year now and I am FED UP!!!! Any thoughts??? thanks for listening, sorry I was so long winded