momof4

I just want to come on here and post a warning to anybody in Las Vegas considering getting the lapband. I had the lapband with a doctor who promised that the first year's worth of fills were free (on his part). I developed dizziness shortly after getting the band and couldn't get any fills until I was over a year out. My doctor told me that my fill would be free since my medical problems kept me from being filled during the first year. Shortly after my fill, my dizziness came back and worse than before. So, I had an unfill by the same doctor and a few months later had the band removed by DIFFERENT doctor. It has now been 8 months since I had my band removed and I have just received a bill from a collection agency for those two doctor visits. When I talked to them, they had the office manager call me (who happens to be the doctor's wife) and she said that fills are considered a "surgical procedure" and that's why they billed me $1,000 each visit ($2,000 total). This was not performed under fluoro and there were no problems finding the port either time. $1,000 for the fill and another $1,000 for the unfill. This is robbery. When I told his wife that he said that my fill would be covered she told me that he would never say that without clearing it with her first since she does the billing. As it is, they have the whole process set up to where he won't even consider a fill for several months out and then he won't give you another fill for months after that. He makes sure that you have to keep going to him beyond that year to get any kind of restriction. He basically sets you up for failure. The funny thing is, that since I got my band removed, all my health problems disappeared. Make sure you get EVERYTHING in writing before choosing a doctor and make sure their signature is on it so you have proof. Tricia H

I thought I would come on here and update you on the outcome of my problem. After spending months trying to reason and negotiate with the doctor and his wife (office manager), we paid the bill. They did settle for $1500 of the $2000 they claimed we owed. Well, just today, months after we paid the bill, I got a call from Allstate Financial stating that we owe this particular doctor the entire $2000 still and legal action was being taken. I explained how this had been paid, provided him with a check # and the date it was paid. He called the office of the doctor and they seemed to remember something like that happening, but they sent it on for legal action anyway!!! What a GREEDY CROOK! Even the collections guy was angry at the doctor's office and apologized profusely when I faxed him a copy of my bank statement and a copy of the cancelled check. He was embarrassed and upset because he said that doctors like this make their company look bad!! Dr. Teng is one of the busiest doctors in Vegas, unfortunately, he's too busy to even credit your account when you've paid your bills--even if your fill was "free" and you didn't owe the money in the first place. He knows all the right things to say, but then his aftercare leaves a lot to be desired! :thumbup:

Hootiebelle, I did have the band removed and converted to an MGB. I've had a great experience with the MGB and I have also had great success. I've gone from a size 20 to a size 8 in 10 months. I am very happy with my decision to convert.

Whatever you do, don't go to Dr. Teng. He says all the right things and Tina, his wife and office manager will do and say all the right things right up until after the surgery. Then, you're on your own. If you have pain or complications, it's your fault and if you ever question them, then they get very defensive and rude. At least that was my experience and the experience of more than a dozen other of his lapband patients who have contacted me.

Liz1531, thanks for the advice. I am worried about our credit, but I'm more concerned that I am basically being robbed by the doctor and his wife. I did file a complaint with my insurance company and they are going to investigate ALL of his claims to them. Sure, I might end up having to pay for my lab work before surgery, but I would much rather pay the hospital and radiologist than a crooked doctor and his greedy wife. VegasJen, I just PM'd you the doctor's name and where his office is.

Sorry for not coming back on sooner. We have pretty much spent the entire summer on vacation. Just a quick update. I called my insurance company to report him. It turns out that he put "false codes" on my pre-op paperwork for the lab stuff so the insurance company would pay for it. He also tried billing the insurance for my fills and when they were denied because the codes were unknown, this doctor's office would bill them again and change the codes--knowing that they were NOT covered by my insurance!!! They are very crooked in the way they run his office. His wife is greedy and handles all the billings. I tried to talk to him but his wife wouldn't let me talk to him. She only said that he denied ever telling me that my fill would be free. I wouldn't lie about this and I wouldn't be going through this hassle if he didn't say it. We haven't paid the bill yet and we haven't received anything else from the collection agency or the doctor's office. I'm waiting to see what happens. He's so quick to get people in to get the lapband, but once you've got it, him and his wife don't want to be bothered with the aftercare. If they do happen to be there, then look out because they charge way more than the going rate!!! One more thing. When I talked to the doc's office manager wife, she said that since she already billed the insurance company, then she couldn't lower the price because then that's considered FRAUD. I'm sorry but isn't billing them and changing the codes over and over again to see if the insurance will pay fraud too? Isn't putting down that I am having gallbladder problems for my UGI, X-rays, etc. BEFORE the surgery considered fraud (when he knows that the labs were for the lapband)? Funny what they will do to get paid and what they'll FORGET in order to get more money. Thanks for all your responses. soulful Grandma, I PM'd you the name of the doctor, let me know if there's anything else I can help you with.....

Thanks Reesh. I have no problem paying them what I owe them, but what they're asking for is way too much. Besides that, now that they know that I had an MGB, he's taking back the "free" fill. He's doing this out of spite and for no other reason. Before they knew I had the MGB, I never received a bill or anything. (Actually, I still have never received a bill from his office, only the collection agency). Maybe it's stupid for me to refuse to pay the whole amount, but it's a matter of principle.

Wow Lauren, thanks for the information. We have been on vacation all week and so I haven't had a chance to come back on. I plan on calling the doctor's office first thing on Monday to work something out. The screwy thing is that after the fill, the doctor's office tried billing my insurance and I called the office manager (doctor's wife) to remind her that the doc said he wouldn't charge me for that fill. She said she'd talk to the staff member who bills the insurances and get it taken care of. However, now she doesn't remember the doctor telling me there was no charge. As far as the unfill, I will gladly pay a "reasonable" price. I refuse to pay $1000. I know he quoted my fills at less than that, but then again, I didn't get it in writing. If he refuses to budge, then in all honesty, we'll take the chance. We have been told that our credit score is at the top 1/2 of 1% in the country. It might take our score down but I can't just sit by and let the doctor and his wife rob us either. I'll keep you posted on what they say when I talk to them on Monday. Thanks for your help.......Tricia

Thank you Lili. I have thought about it, the only problem is that I don't have PROOF that he said that my fill was free. I wouldn't even mind paying for that fill, but $1000 is outrageous. I could have gone to most anybody else and gotten a fill for $100 - $350. He never said that fills in his office were $1000 either, he quoted me like $150 but I didn't get that in writing either. My husband is so angry that he said they aren't getting one penny. We have good enough credit that one little glitch isn't going to hurt us. He already robbed us by putting the band in and being absent during the after care, why should be pay him an inflated price for the fill and unfill!!!

What's even worse is that I NEVER even received a bill directly from the doctor before he sent it on to the collection agency. My husband even called the collection agency and asked how they received the bill for collection when we had never even received one. It's not like we don't have the money--we do. But how can we pay for something we were never billed for? (We weren't billed because they know that at least one of those services was supposed to be free).

Carlene, I was self-pay and from my understanding some insurances do pay for it. However, Dr. Rutledge no longer accepts insurance payments because some of them were taking way too long to pay. Instead, you pay up front and then the insurance companies reimburse you (if they do cover it). I can honestly say that this has been the answer to my prayers. I am in the 160's now and I don't have to worry about getting stuck, being too tight, etc. I also eat anything and I mean anything I want, but I can only eat small amounts. The weird thing is, that since my surgery my taste buds have changed and I find myself craving salads and coleslaw. On the few occasions where I've given in and had ice cream or a candy bar, it just wasn't satisfying and didn't taste good. I ended up throwing it away instead of finishing it. I have gone from a size 20 to a tight 14 in less than 3 months. I haven't lost that much weight ( I only had 3 feet bypassed and the norm is 6 feet), but I've lost a lot of inches. I can honestly say that I am just living life now. I don't think about food constantly or worry about what I can or can't eat. I am just living. As far as being so far away from your doctor. You have to have a primary care physician agree to do your aftercare (mostly blood work to make sure your Vitamins and minerals are normal). If you have problems, Dr. Rutledge is always available by cell phone or e-mail. In the few instances where people thought they had leaks, Dr. Rutledge called the emergency room ahead of time and prepared them for what to do. I even know of one case where Dr. Rutledge went to the patient. In most of those instances, there wasn't a leak, just people eating too quickly and too much. (It feels like you're having a heart attack from what I've heard). I've never experienced this though. I guess the band taught me how to chew, take small bites and stop when I feel satiated. Take care, Tricia H

I had the mini gastric bypass with Dr. Rutledge after working with the band for over a year. My band had slipped, but not from overeating. It slipped up, probably from vomiting, when I went through several episodes of dizziness and vertigo. I know that Dr. Rutledge only performs the mini bypass and the other doctors he trains must also agree to only perform the mini gastric bypass. The learning curve shows that the more times you perform or do something, the less chances of problems from inexperience. My lapband doctor pushed the lapband or the RNY harder than Dr. Rutledge pushed the MGB. After speaking to 30+ patients who had the MGB, and after reading the manual and researching all the other alternatives, I chose the MGB. I had less pain with the MGB, even though Dr. Rutledge had to remove my band and I was up and walking ten minutes out of recovery. I hurt worse with the band than I did with the MGB. In fact, I walked a 5K in 47 minutes less than a week after my surgery. I have never vomited, I have never had dumping or any of the other complications that the RNY and DS reportedly have. Be thorough in your research and remember that there are a lot of people who are satisfied with the MGB, RNY, DS and the band. Only you can decide which one is best for you. Tricia H

I quit too. After smoking for more than 15 years, I quit cold turkey. I gave it up for lent almost ten years ago and have never gone back. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Unfortunately, that's when I gained all my weight too!!!

Fifty Cent. Anyone know if the girls making out under the white snake is supposed to be "KISS"? This is fun....... Tricia

The Doors and Blind Melon.

To those inquiring about my MGB. I had it done October 12 by Dr. Rutledge in Henderson, NV. On the message boards, they call it Vegas. The MGB costs $17,000 if you're a cash patient. It's $18,000 if you finance. I am well on my way. Since my MGB, I am now only 2 lbs. away from my lowest weight with the band. Since I slipped, I gained most of my weight back that I had lost with the band (31 lbs.). The best part is that I don't feel like I am on a diet. I am not hungry and I "graze" all day long. It's funny, because since my MGB, I actually crave salads and cole slaw. Sweets just don't sound that enticing to me anymore. When speaking to many of the MGB patients, I found that ALL have easily kept the weight off, unlike the RNY. Apparently, you never lose the "malabsorption" with the MGB like you do with the RNY and that is the reason that this surgery has been so successful. A lot of insurances won't pay for this surgery because they consider it "experimental". Dr. Rutledge created the whole process and blames himself if a patient loses too much weight, or too little weight. He doesn't say that you're eating too fast or too much. I finally feel like I'm living life. My diet or my weight are no longer on the forefront of my mind. In 2 more pounds, I will be at my lowest weight in 5 or more years. The great thing is that I know it won't stop there. I'm sorry this is so long. I am just very grateful and in disbelief at how easy the MGB journey has been compared to my band. Actually, there is no comparison........ Best wishes to all of you, Tricia H

I'm with Spydr. I once had a lady call me a fat a$$ and I just turned and looked at her and smiled. I then told her that I might be fat, but it was her I felt sorry for because at least I could lose weight and what was she going to do about her ugly face. Tricia H

Bandednomore, I am glad that you posted your condition and the suspected cause of your gastroparesis. There are a lot of complications that people have that might not be "typical', but it doesn't mean that they ARE NOT caused by the band. There are several people on here, including me who have had other symptoms--similar to autoimmune disorders and after having the band removed, the symptoms disappeared. It doesn't mean that it was caused by the band, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't just because it isn't typical. Unless someone is a doctor and has performed surgery and CARED for literally thousands of band patients, then I don't consider them an expert. Having a band for years doesn't make a person an expert because everyone's bodies are different and will react differently. You might be an expert on your own case, but not any body else's.:thankyou: Best wishes to you, Tricia H

Heidi, I live in Henderson and had to have my band removed due to slippage. I was converted to a MGB. Anyway, when I discussed getting the MGB with my primary care doctor, he wanted me to wait a year or two for the "gastric stimulator" to come out. I know it sends signals to your stomach so that you aren't hungry, but I also read that it could "shock" the stomach into helping digestion too. Maybe you can talk this over with a doctor and see if that is a possibility rather than stay on the Reglan forever. I don't know how true the articles that I read are; but it's worth looking into. Best wishes, Tricia H

Paula, My insurance did not pay for my conversion. I was self pay for the band and was self pay for my MGB. I didn't know about the MGB until about 6 months after I got my band. I wish I would have known before and saved myself from making a very expensive mistake. The band just wasn't the right choice for me. My body never liked it inside of me and started having weird health problems--which have gone away since getting my band removed. I have lost over 10 lbs. already and my pants are fitting very loose already. The MGB was the best choice for me and I liked the fact that it is easily reversible. That's the reason I got the band in the first place because my husband was terrified of the gastric bypass not being reversible (or easily reversible). Tricia

Heather, I know that he has converted several lapband patients--all needed to lose different amounts of weight. I do know of one patient that he performed the MGB on and she only needed to lose 20 lbs. or so, I'm not sure of the whole story, but that 20 lbs. was life threatening to her. He performed the surgery and only bypassed 1 foot on her. I had 3 feet bypassed, but the norm is 6 feet. I know of him performing 8 feet for the severely obese patients too. Normally, he won't perform surgery on anybody under 30 or 35 BMI. He is more willing to consider you for his surgery if you are a lapband conversion, no matter how much you need to lose. He knows of the failure rate of the lapband and the discouraging and helpless feelings it leaves in people. He is very sympathetic and his staff is excellent too. Beware of the packet though. It's quite complicated. Go to clos.net and scroll to the bottom. Join the mailing list, which is actually his message board and you can read and interact with hundreds of people there. You do not have to be a patient to join. You do have to sign up for yahoo though. Dr. Rutledge and the other CLOS doctors are on those boards too in case you want to ask them direct questions. Also, if you call Dr. Rutledge's private cell phone number, he does answer. I called him at 7:30 on a Thursday night and he answered all my questions. Good luck to you. Alex - Thanks for the good wishes. I know I will succeed with this. The best thing about it is that I DON'T FEEL HUNGRY. I never would have believed it, but it's true. Tricia

Alex, Sorry I don't come here everyday anymore. MGB is mini gastric bypass and I had my lapband converted on October 12. I only had to stay on liquids for 7 days and I am already on mushies for one week and then to anything I want. I am doing very well. The pain after surgery is so much less than after the band. As a matter of fact, I was up and walking just ten minutes out of recovery. I won't ever PB again and dumping is much less common with the MGB than RNY or other gastric bypass surgeries. I just walked a 5K to help cure juvenile diabetes and have been back to normal activity since 4 days out of surgery. Good luck to those of you who are getting your band removed. When I got my conversion, the doctor discovered that my band had slipped and was up by my esophagus. I knew it, but my band doctor kept insisting that I was eating too fast or taking too big of bites. What a relief to be done with that whole mess. Good luck Corinne on your band removal. Tricia H

Hi Corinne, When I asked my band doctor how much it would cost to get my band removed they told me it would be anywhere between $5,000 - $10,000. And she said probably closer to $10,000. I just had a conversion to MGB and the cost to remove the band was included in my conversion and was much less than what my band doctor quoted me. I don't know if that's the normal price for removal, that's just the price that was quoted to me. Good luck and best wishes. Tricia H

Sorry, I haven't been on here for a while. I am not trying to push or sway anyone into getting an MGB. I only want people to know it's available. It is completely reversible and have even spoken to one person who had to have a complete reversal after one year due to being malnourished. Out of the many people I have talked to, she is the only one I could find who had complications and it wasn't until she was over a year out of surgery that she developed complications. She went solo for a couple of years and then after more research together with Dr. Rutledge, they agreed to perform another MGB, but this time only bypassed 3 feet. She's doing extremely well now. The MGB does use the Billroth II type connection, but it is NOT the old loop. In fact, the new stomach is vertical and not a pouch up at the top of the stomach near the esophagus. They have found that there's less acid reflux this way and a lot less complications overall. Whatever any of you decide, just do your research and when you think you've done enough, do more. I have been researching this for 6 months and have only ever found TWO reports that were negative. One of them was from a competing doctor here in Vegas and the other was a Japanese report that referred to a surgery that is not an MGB, but they called it that. I had to read a 100+ page manual, informing myself of the MGB and alternatives. I then had to write a 15 page paper, explaining what I learned to even be considered for the surgery. If you print he manual and take to a doctor, most will be impressed at the amount of information in there. It is not pushing the MGB, it is informing of all the pros and cons of every surgery out there, as well as non surgical alternatives. Best wishes and good luck to all of you, Tricia H.