VALKAY

I HAVE RUN INTO THE END OF THE ROAD. I AM POST SURGERY 4 YEARS THIS MONTH. I DID NOT HAVE INSURANCE FOR THE SURGERY. I BORROWED AND RECEIVED LOANS TO GET THE LAPBAND SURGERY DONE. I STARTED TO HAVE COMPLICATIONS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SURGERY. 4 YEARS LATER, I HAVE SPENT OVER 6000.00 MORE THAN THE INITIAL 16000.00 SURGERY ONLY TO FIND OUT, IT MAY HAVE BEEN TOO SMALL OF A BAND PLACED ON MY STOMACH. I AM REDUCED TO DRINKING LIQUID DIET ONLY OR I THROW UP. MY LIQUID DIET CONSIST OF ALOT OF SHAKES, ICE CREAM AND JUICES. I HAVE NO FILL AND GAINED BACK MOST ALL OF THE WEIGHT I LOST. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A DOCTOR THAT THEY NEED TO DO A SCOPE WHICH WOULD COST ME ANOTHER 1700.00 WHICH I DON'T HAVE. HE HAS SUGGESTED THAT HE REMOVE THE BAND AND DO A GASTRIC SLEEVE WHICH IS ALSO COSTLY. I AM STILL PAYING FOR THE LAPBAND SURGERY ON THE LOANS. I FEEL TOTALLY AT THE END OF MY ROPE. I WAS ALWAYS VERY ACTIVE PRIOR TO SURGERY. I CAN BARELY MOVE NOW WITHOUT PAIN. I AM OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS. I PAID FOR SURGERY WITH CASH LOANS. IF YOU HAVE COMPLICATIONS AND NO HEALTH INSURANCE (WHICH I HAVE BEEN NOW TURNED DOWN DUE TO THE LAPBAND SURGERY COMPLICATIONS), YOU BETTER HAVE A LARGE CASH RESERVE TO PAY FOR FURTHER PROBLEMS OR YOU WILL BE SUFFERING LIKE I HAVE BEEN FOR 4 YEARS.:smile:

Starts with the same letter but have been warned about posting his name on here. I've read alot of his patients are very satisfied. I don't understand how they were treated so much better than me. I saw him for a 5 min appt. Week before surgery and then never saw him until 3 days later during the first set of complications. By the way, he came to the emergency rm and stated i think you are just a nervous person that's why you are throwing up blood. The tech in the er that did the swallow said, let me guess, your dr is ________. I said how did you know? I see this alot. He also looked at the band and fluid i drank before the dr got there and said do you have a fill which i told him no, i am only 3 days out of surgery. He said off the record, somethings wrong... There is no space for any fluid to pass. He said quietly, i think you better get another dr objective look at this . I continued to call dr. Office for 2 wks with fevers and a weight loss of 26 lbs in 3 wks. They told me to come to the office. When i arrived there was 30 people there waiting to get fills. I felt like a cow in line to get milked, which he promptly milked me. Telling me that i have a nervous stomach. I never had any nervous problems nor did i ever have stomach issues before this. When i finally got a 2nd op which was 2 months later, i was told the only way i could get my records to my new doctor was to appear at the office and hand them cash to pay for the records. What an operation. I have no respect for this doctor or his paid bunch of office staff that walk around telling everyone how he did such a good job on them. The new dr confirmed that the band is not swollen tissue problems or a nervous stomach. Its just too small for me. I now have reflux problems due to all the throwing up. My new dr is a gem but due to economy, i can't pay his fees. He has bills too and now i am in search for a dr that has reasonable rates for office visits so that i can continue to be checked. My old dr chg'd 250.00 everytime i came into the office. Does anyone recommend a doctor close to the houston or spring area of texas that has office visits that cost less than 150?

Thanks for reading my blog. I have been told by a lawyer in houston who confirmed with many doctors, that the small band is not a malpractice suit. Every doctor makes the decision during surgery to install the large or small band depending upon the amount of stomach fat. I do remember him telling me that I would need a small port due to the fact that I did not have alot of stomach fat. My original weight was 319lb. I was down to 248lb and now I am back to 297. I did get alot of great feedback from this web site which I had only tried once before. Hopefully, I will be able to find a doctor in Houston that I can work with. My original doctor is still in practice and I see his ads on tv all the time. I started to see Dr. St. Laurent after having alot of these issues. He has helped me but it cost 250.00 everytime I walk into the office which I no longer have the money. I have not seen him for 6 months and now feel so embarrassed that I have gained 40lbs since I've been there. I am presently looking for a new doctor that is less expensive for appointments and hopefully fills.