marz88

As you loss weight, your stomach shrinks too. Your band will naturally losen a bit, that"s why you continue to need fills. By now I wouldn't think you'd have pain, that could be a totally different ballgame that certaianly needs checked out by your dr. But it doesn't sound like a leak yet. Your dr can withdraw the fluid in your band to measure how much is in there to see if it measures up to what has been put in.

My port was my problem. I just got the insurance denial on the dr bill of $1000. They haven't denied the hospital bill of $8775...yet. I still haven't heard if the port was defective. I refinanced my house to pay for the initial surgery and now I'm back where I started from, $10,000 in the hole. But it is still worth it. I wouldn't take $10,000 for the weight to be put back on! Good luck

It is true that the drs down south are more experiened but there are plenty of drs here that are just as good. My dr has been doing the surgery since it was legal in the states(about 6 yrs). He was trained by the drs in Mexico. He is very much in favor of going to Mexico if you are self pay and can't afford it here. He will do your follow up and fills with no questions asked! His concern is for your health. He's not in a competition. Statistically speaking, with all the hundreds of surgeries he does in a year, I think the percentage of mis-pokes is extremely low. My leak was my port, nothing that the dr did. I'm still waiting to find out if it was defective or not. Hang in there, put your trust in the dr or find one you can trust. There are a lot of good ones here. By the way Cabguy, where are you located?

Please remember that even good drs make mistakes. I understand that most of us don't make the kind of money that a good surgeon does and that's why it hurts us so bad when they screw up and we have to pay. I have insurance but it's a different one than what I had when I had my surgery 2 yrs ago so I'm still waiting to hear if they are covering it. I refinanced my home last year to pay the difference of what insurance didn't pay(because my dr was out of network) and now I'm back where I started if they don't cover anything PLUS, I may still have the dr bill on top of the almost $9000 hospital bill! Now that bites! I am of the mind set now that drs make too many little fills and anytime you are poking to find the port you are risking a nicked tube. If a dr would just get in there and fill the band instead of pussy-footing around for months on end you wouldn't have to be running that risk. I'd rather have to go back to have a bit of my fill removed than to go back again and again to have it filled until it reaches a desired level. I'd love to have others feed back on that. What do you all think?

I don't think the dr is liable for anything. They may choose to do the surgery for nothing in order to fix the leak but the hospital and staff will bill you!!!!!!!! There is no way out of that. If you go back to the info that most drs give their patients when they are opting for this kind of procedure, it will tell you that leaking is a risk (just as a flipped port or slipped band is too). I was told that if your port is defective, that the maker of the band will pay for a portion of the surgery, but not to expect it right away, in other words it could take a year to get your money back. I just had my first re-fill since my surgery to fix a leak. I am at 5cc and have a bit of restriction but not at all what I want. My dr wants to see me in two weeks and then in two weeks after that. I told him that was going to get expensive (it cost me $100 each visit and the gas in my car for 100 miles round trip). So he told me maybe just one more visit to get me back up where I need to be. Hopefully he'll take me right up to 7cc, that's where I found my sweet spot before I found the leak!

I had my tubing replaced on April 22. My originial surgery was May18, 06. I had lost 70lbs before I finally convinced the dr that I had a leak. Initially he thought my port was the issue but once they got inside, it was the tubing. It had a "crack". I got the hospital bill last week for $8775. No dr bill yet. I have yet to get it filled, he said he didn't wish to put pressure on the band yet. So on the 19th, I get my first re-fill. I'm up 10lbs to my lowest and just angry. I had to refinance my house the first time to pay what my insurance didn't (dr was out of network) to the tune of almost $8000 and now I'm back where I started financially. Not all of us make the same money our surgeons do. And I can't help but think a lot of the problems are their fault. Did my tube actually crack or did it get poked? But like others, my band is worthless unfilled and I certainly don't wish to put on anymore weight. I've come half way and I need the help for the last half.

Only $2000 for the hospital charges?!? I'll be happy if that's all I have to pay! I was told $7000!!! I was suppose to have my surgery today but developed a sinus infection and sore throat on Monday so they rescheduled me for the 18th of April. I have been enjoying an occassional diet soda and the ability to drink while I'm eating. Two things I haven't done for almost 2 years. I keep reminding myself that there is "pleasure in sin for a season" and that when I get "fixed" the rules go back in place. I've paid (and will have paid even more when this is all finished) too much to not use the system properly. I just wish insurance was more cooperative and doctors were more accepting to blame if they are the reason for a needle nick. We'll see how it all plays out in a few more weeks. I agree with a lot of you who feel like the precious first few months were either wasted or unaided by the band. I'm hoping that with my fix, there will be a rekindling of determination and optimisim to make this WLS work for me. And a final note...when I talked to the case worker (who will be examining my unworking band part once it is removed and sent back to the company who makes it), I was asked how many cc's I had in my band. I replied that according to the math, I should have had 12cc. He laughed and said, "NO WAY! Your band only holds 10cc at the most." So where was my doctor in the the addition part of this puzzle. He should have known something was wrong months ago when we were approaching maximum capacity.

Hey Drews! I haven't been on for MONTHS! It is good to see you still posting. I also have a leak...Ever since the beginning, almost 2 years ago, I have always said I didn't have enough restriciton. Finally, three weeks ago the dr withdrew the saline and got 3cc's. According to the math, I should have had 12!!!!!! I haven't lost a single pound for over a year and now I have gained back 8 lbs and my clothes are getting tighter. I have surgery scheduled for this Fri, the 28th to have the tubing/port replaced. My doctor said that if it is defective, the company that makes the band will pay for the surgery and replacement. If not, then I get to cover the cost since my insurance probably won't touch it. Keep me in your thoughts.

Hey everyone, thought I'd drop a line to let you know that Scottsbluff is a "Center of Excellence" in more than one way. I was banded in May of 2006 (just before they earned the title). If I recall, they will maintain band patience whether they did your surgery or not. They actually encourage you to go to places other than to them if your insurance doesn't cover at their hospital. They are truly concerned about your health and maintaining your losses. There are people from Colorado and Wyoming that go to Holloway/Forney in Scottsbluff for fills because they had surgery in Mexico and can't find doctors in their own area to maintain them. They also go 2 hrs away from home, twice a month for checkups and fills at another hospital(in Ogallala) and once a month for consultations. They don't require you to drive to their hospital or clinic for the fills. Of course that takes 2 hrs off your fill trips. If you are in the middle of the state, it's still closer for check ups in Ogallala (2 1/2 hrs) from Kearney than in Omaha, without the hassle of the traffic. Either way, no matter which doctor a person chooses, or insurance approves, the important thing is having the surgery and losing the weight.

Boy am I glad the week is about over. I worked 8 days in a row and I'm tired of people! Computer problems just acerbated the situation. And I'm sure you all know that when it rains it pours, my BIL was having his roof reshingled and they were taking out the chimney and it fell thought the ceiling. So the entire kitchen ceiling is now on the floor, he asked me to watch his cat (which we did back when the accident with my sister & nieces happened) while they clean and repair the house(just a few days). Ask me where the cat is? We can't find him! He must have snuck out when my husband went outside (just minutes after bringing him in the house). We live about 2 miles across town from my BIL so I hope he finds his way home. Oh yeah, one more thing, just before leaving work I ran to the restroom "to go" and I got a visit from auntie Flo. I went to the doctor on Monday (lost only 1 lb in a month) and he didnt' adjust my fill. He politely chewed me out for eating the sweets and told me to STOP! I truly needed him to tell me that. I have done quite well so far. I went to the store and bought all kinds of fruit and fresh veggies. I'm really gonna work on doing that which I KNOW I should. If I have to have something sweet, it's going to be fruit. I've come too far to not continue on. Tonight I had about 3 bites of steak and a couple tater tots, a few bites of lettuce salad with grape tomatoes. I was full! I know that when I use my band as I should, it will work for me.

Hey everyone, it's been a month since I last checked in. I have been hovering around 200 for the last 6 months. I go up 2 lbs and come down 2 lbs. I find myself eating a lot of sugars. NOT GOOD! I knew that sweets would be my struggle. I did so good without them until the holidays. And it just seems that I can't rid myself of them now. I'm still biking for exercise, but not like I thought I would. And I haven't walked for exercise in months. I know I need to really refocus on my situation and consider what's going on. I go back to the Dr on Monday, I hope he has some words of widsom or a magic wand to help me out of the slump I'm in.

Neal, you make me want to cry! I'm so happy for your success! You are truly an inspiration to all of us. Congrats on your 3 month maintanence! Everyone else, great job! We've all learned that there is another side of life when you are thinner. Even if it's only 50 lbs lighter. I'm hoping to hit 75 lbs by the 18th, my bandiversary. Yes, I'm like most of you, wishing to have hit that 100 mark but I am in Onederland and that alone means a lot to me. My reward is a new/used bike. I used to bike all over the area. It was nothing for my friend and me to strap the kids on the back of the bikes and ride for 15 miles! We'd picnic half way and come home. My tush is sore, but breaking it in takes time that I'm willing to endure. I have plateaued for over 3 months and I'm hoping that the bike will be the trick to get the scale moving again. How many of us have found exercise to be fun now? It used to be a challenge for me but now I look forward to the adventure of either walking or biking. AND I enjoy it!!! Just being thinner makes moving about in the world so much easier. Ever notice how big theatre seating is? Or how if you sit in an auditorium with folding chair seating, you don't touch the people on either side? What a blessing this is. And how about the way people treat you? Have any of you been treated differently since you've lost weight? I work retail and you wouldn't (yeah, most of you would) believe how people treat me now compared to a year ago! I don't feel the stare of their eyes either. Although I find myself wanting to witness my band experience with the overweight customers I help. It makes you so excited that you want to scream it at the top of your lungs and tell the world what the band has done for you! CHEERS TO ALL OF US!!! AND HERE'S TO ANOTHER YEAR OF SUCCESSES, TRIUMPHS, AND GOALS!!!!! Thanks to each and everyone of you who have hung in there and helped inspire, encourage and challenge me through this site. May God's blessings flow through this network. Okay, I'll step down from the soap box now...

Easter dinner was good, I didn't overdo it thankfully. But my mom made turkey and ham roast. The ham was good, but the turkey got suck! Later when my mom was packing up leftovers (you know how moms are) for us to take home, I told her not to give us any turkey. My dad asked why, "didn't you like it?". I said yes the the only thing it "went down" was the sink! Ouch! I took a long walk with my sister after dinner, at least an hour.