OREOSTARR

Well I found this to be true UNTIL>>>> I moved from Pittsburgh area in October of 2008 and could not find a fill doctor to touch me because I had my surgery at West Penn Bariactric Center of Excellence ( Dr Urbandt) he is wonderful ... I miss them ...BUT I have since found here in Arizonia a doctor at the AZ Weight LOSS SOLUTIONS ... DR. DON HEFFEL9480-419-2280 he is fablous the whole team is. It was so stressful finding a doctor to take you if you did not have surgery done by them. I do believe we should be told these things. I have not had any problems so far my surgery was done April 2008 and to date I have lost 65 lbs maybe slow but it has made a world of difference in my health ... NO diabetes and almost done with blood pressure ...I take maybe a 1/2 pill every other day... I am so glad I did the LAPBAND. Good Luck to all!:thumbdown:

Has anyone been told before having your lapband implantation surgery that no other lap band surgeon will touch you if you move, have problems, have a surgeon who will not listen to you when you are having issues, live in one state part of the year and another state for part of the year, etc? Am I wrong in feeling as though this should be brought up in the "seminars" that you go to prior to the surgeon accepting you as a patient?

I had my band placed in May 2008. In Feb of this year I developed problems, had surgery for lysis of adhesions. I have been slowly getting my band refilled. Have not even gotten to the fill level I had before surgery. Now having the same issues as pre surgery. Went to my surgeon. He would not even listen to my symptoms. Just demanded I put my purse down and get up on the table to have an unfill as he was making the statement that I should be happy that I have lost 85 lbs (didn't even bother to look at my barium swallow with follow through that my family physician had ordered until after he had taken 1 ml out of my band-which by the way did show that I was not too tight).

That was almost 2 weeks ago. I continue to have the same problems (severe pain with eating, several days a week not even able to get Protein shakes down, etc) only now much worse. I also have severe burinig throughout my abdominal area tht isn't relieved by Previcid in the AM, Pepcid in the PM and drinking Mylanta every 2 hours. I have tried to get an appointment with 5 different lap band surgeons for a second opinion as I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER want to go back to my original surgeon. Oh, I forgot to mention that the lap band surgeon I saw was just currently censured by the state board of medical examiners for not apparently listening to a patient in the past.

I am a Director of Nursing at an outpatient surgical center. I was finally able to call in a few favors and will be seeing one of the general surgeons that works in our facility (I was hoping to not have to do this as I think it is unprofessional to "call in favors") today as he thinks I have an erosion and the diffuse abdominal pain is caused by leakage of the stomach contents into my abdomen.

My point is....... All potential lap band patients should be informed before they commit to having surgery that once they have chosen their surgeon, they will basically never be able to see a different lap band surgeon. If I knew then what I know now, I would never have had the lap band done and would have instead chosen to have the sleeve.

Thanks to all for listening to my rant...........Wish me luck for today. Thanks.