laurieu
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4 years has passed since you registered at LapBandTalk! Happy 4th Anniversary laurieu!
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I'm looking for a CARING surgeon in the Phoenix area who doesn't think only of DOLLARS but also about my well being to remove my port & lap band. I've had it for 1 1/2 years & am tired of having constant EXCRUCIATING pain in the port. I found after my total unfill that I still have some restriction, especially in the am but the gas pains have stopped. Please let me know by pm (if you're willing to share) who your doctor is that will remove yours. I hope you have found resolution to your situation & are in good health & spirits. Thanks.
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Hello. I was reading some of your responses on the Lap Band Forum and was curious how things worked out for you? I also noticed that you started seeing a doctor in Phoenix. Would you mind sharing his name, as I am in Phoenix and am currently experiencing similar problems? I may need a second opinion. I was banded in mid August. After my second fill two weeks ago, the port area started bruising really bad. I assumed it would go away, but it did not. After one week, the bruising turned into a dark red rash and I went in to see my doctor. He gave me some oral antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on it. Four days later, the red rash turned into a full blown infection. It was directly over the port incision (which had healed and closed over the last 8 weeks). Today, it looked very bad so I went to see my doctor this afternoon. He had me lay down and I thought he was squeezing the area to drain the fluid. It was incredibly painful. I then looked down and was horrified to see a hole that was the size of a silver dollar right into my abdomen. I thought I was going to pass out right there. Most of what he told me was only half understood because I was in a state of disbelief. He stuffed a big wad of gauze in me, covered it up and told me to come back tomorrow. He said he will have to do a "scope" to see if I have any band erosion and possibly schedule me for emergency surgery to remove everything. Of course I'm still trying to get over the hole in my stomach. I read about your month long process of dealing with this type of wound. How did things turn out? How does your wound look now? Thank you in advance for any help/insight you may have. I too am a self-pay so the thought of throwing $15,000 away is just another thing that is tearing me apart.
Thanks,
Tom
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I have Cigna and was very lucky that they covered my complications. I hope everything turns out for you...let us know how you are doing:) L.
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I was selfpay, two weeks after surgery found out I had staph infection my insurance has covered everything regarding the complications. I kept expecting them to call me and tell me they made a mistake but they even had a case manager follow my progress with all the problems I had. I was very honest with them about the surgery. My short term disability from work kicked in as well because I was off for 7 wks.
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Chubster, Sorry to hear about your problems. I too had a staff infection and had to have my port removed 2 weeks after the initial lap band sugery Nov 07 so had not had a fill yet. I still have not had the port replaced as I am losing weight and feeling great. I find I still have some restriction ( I know strange) I have lost 38lbs since the surgery, I know if I had the port and had fills I would more then likely have lost more but am leaving my option open in having another port put in if the weight loss slows or stops. Good luck I hope the infection heals up and all goes well. L.
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10 days post-op with problems
laurieu replied to bexter's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi Bexter, Sorry to hear you are not doing well. Please call the Dr. I don't think you would be overeacting at all to call and let him know what is going on. Let us know what happens:) L. -
S. Elaine, Reading your story touched my heart..You have done fantastic losing the weight and I can understand your fears of gaining it back. I really do think you are on the right track seeing the dietician and keeping the food log and as you get stronger after this last surgery you will work out more and more. I think W.W. would be a great addition to what you are already doing! Keep the faith and keep talking on here! L.
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Anyone had a port infection and were able to keep your port?
laurieu replied to smalldreams's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
So sorry you have an infection! I was banded Nov 16th and two weeks later ended up in the hospital while I was on a business trip with staph infection and had to have my port removed. I have not had it put back in yet. I spent one week in the hospital and then 6 weeks recovering. Make sure that if you have an infection that you do not have the port put back in right away.... get healthy first!!! -
I know how hard it is to have so much vested in something and then have it go away. I have not lost my band but I did lose my port 2 weeks after being banded so I have no fill at all. I was in the hospital for a week and then recovery of 6 weeks. I will not be able to have the port put back in for another couple of months. The comfort eating is something I have to fight hard against everyday. I have really tried hard to stick to a high protien low fat diet. I keep my mind set that I still have restriction and that I can not go backwards. I have managed to lose 29 lbs since being banded in November not a huge accomplishment when I see what others have lost during the same timeframe but just reading all the sucess stories on here keep my motivated to keep moving forward. Good Luck! L.
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help any thoughts would be appreciated
laurieu replied to laurieu's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
Thanks for the feedback. I do live only 3 1/2 hours from where I had the original surgery and well I guess it is going to take me a bit longer to decide what to do. I know for a fact that the infection was not caused by anything I did....The Dr's that treated me when I got the infection made that very clear and I don't believe that it is a trend with this Dr. according to his staff they had never had an infection from the intitial surgery....but they have had patients get an infection from a fill. So I will ponder this for a bit longer and hopefully in the next month or so I will be able to make a decision have the port put back in and restart this journey.......on the upside I have lost 29 lbs since being banded. Thanks again, L. -
:confused:Hey all, Excuse the length of this post.....I would greatly appreciate any thoughts any of you have on what you would do if you were in my shoes. I had my lapband surgery Nov 16th in Mexico. Two weeks later I came down with a nasty case of staph infection at the port site.....to keep the story short I was in the hospital for a week had the port removed and was left with a ugly large nasty open wound ( wow now if that isnt a pretty picture to paint) I was off work for 7 weeks and finally I am healthy and back to work but with no port inside of me. I saw a new Dr. here in the states and we discussed putting the port back in but I am selfpay and have already spent quite a bit of money with the initital surgery and the complications that have followed and not sure if I can afford having it done by him. When I first got sick I was really upset with the hospital and Dr. in Mexico....2nd guessing my decision to go there and not have it done in the states....I know staph can happen in any hospital anywhere...but of course in the back of my mind and my families it was that whole "Mexico" thing. I think at times I should just go to the Dr. here in the states but then I wonder am I overreacating and if I should go back to the origional surgeon in Mexico. I am so bummed out as I have so much vested in this great tool.... money, time, energy the emotional and physical toll it has taken on me and darn it I want to have the sucesss that I have read so many on this board have had. So now after a lengthy waaaaaawaaaaa post I guess my question is who would spend quite a bit more money to go to a Dr. here in the states and how many would trust going back to the hospital in Mexico that I had the initial surgery done at?:confused::tt2:
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I had basically the samething happen to me but the band did not have to be removed just the port. Two weeks after I was banded ( Nov 16th) I was on a business trip across the country and wound up in the E.R. had a major staph infection at the port site. One week in the hospital and a month and a half of daily visits to the wound care center because they had to leave this huge hole in my stomach where the port had been so it would heal from the inside out. I finally get to go back to work on Monday. I have had 2 scopes since the removal of the port and luckely the band is fine. I will not be able to have another port put in for about 4-6 months as my body needs time to rest and heal. I had my surgery in Mexico so I found a local Dr. here in Phoenix that has been willing to do all the aftercare as I have decided the idea of going back to Mexico after all this is too scary.
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Sorry for the delay in responding.......The band is good no slippage no erroision..........so right now life is good. Dr. Orris is working with the maker of the band to see how we would move forward with the port. We wont do anything about putting a port back in for at least 6 months. My body needs time to heal and rest after the last couple of months. I did get the go ahead to return to work finally .......wow have been off since Dec. 3rd, can not wait to get back. So my first business trip is Monday to Colorado for a few days....and the best part even with all this I have managed to lose 25lbs. Thank you so much for your support hope everyone is having a great Saturday! L.
