Band not even around my stomach?...!??!!

[aspenAvery 1]

Hello all.... I am really confused and am just starting to do research on what this could be, what happened, and what to do about it. I was banded in May of this past year ('09) and as of September had lost about 8 pounds, 16 if you include the preop diet. I was hungry from day one and never seemed to be satisfied and eating a half a cup of food was no where near realistic for me. I laughed at them when they asked me if a half a cup was filling me up and thought that there is no way that anyone really only eats a half a cup of food 3 times a day. I was still eating what ever I wanted with no problems at all. It was as if they told me it was there but it really wasn't. They just kept telling me that I was doing great and that I needed a fill and that I needed to control my eating with will power and the weight would come off. Well, I got up to 7.6 cc's in a 10 cc band and was getting hungrier and hungrier with every fill. I was also having a lot of pain on my left side. Everytime I went in, they would tell me its just from having something foreign in my body and that it would eventually go away. In early October I went in to the clinic because I was in severe pain and figured it had to be my LAP-BAND®. They did a barium swallow and said that everything was fine.... no stretching, no blockage, that everything looked perfect that if I was still in pain to go to the ER. Well, I went to the ER that night which led to my most recent surgery just a few days ago on New Years Eve. In the mean time, in early December I went to the LAP-BAND® clinic wanting a fill because I was so hungry and eating all of the time.... the nurse discussed some things with me and we decided that since I would be having surgery in the next few weeks that it was best to take out a few cc's until after the surgery (she removed 2 cc's). They also asked me a ton of questions and the nurse deemed that my band was fine and there was no slippage, dilation, nothing. She said that I had nothing to worry about that I was doing fine and regardless of the 10 pounds I had gained she was not worried about a thing... she said after the new year we could get on track again. Well, I had laproscopic surgery, through my belly button on the 31st. When my surgeon came out to talk to me when I was done he told us that he looked around and that my LAP-BAND® was just hanging there, that it was not even attached to my stomach, it was just floating around in my abdomen. I was shocked but it seemed to explain a lot of how I've never felt any different with the LAP-BAND® except for the pain on my left side. My surgeon said that he took lots of pictures and wanted the name of my LAP-BAND® surgeon so that he could contact him personally. I have no idea where to even start with this. How did this happen? Could it be something that I did? Could it be a faulty band? Could it be the surgeon? Shouldn't they have seen that during the barium swallow test? I watched the swallow test and you could see the liquid go straight down and then jet out into my stomach.... did not hesitate, did not stop, did not fill up a tiny pouch above the stomach, just went straight through into my stomach. They said that was normal so I believed them. Any advice, answers, insight would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you!!

[Just-Ice 1]

I actually gasped out loud on that one. I'm don't have anything but support for you. I'm so sorry you've had to go through this and I'm very interested to see what your wl surgeon has to say about this. wow..

[reneek 1]

Did they fix it when you had your surgery or did they just let it there for you lapband dr to fix?

[boxerlover7 0]

Wow. The only thing that comes to mind is "Wtf?". I don't see how they don't notice something like that?

[John337 2]

WOW - I read your post and my mouth is still opened. I can't believe what I am reading. You and I were banded in the same month. Who did your surgery? I can't believe the swallow test and follow up didn't show the band wasn't even attached to your stomach........

Can you say " MAL PRACTICE " ........This is the most severe case of negligence / mis-diagnosis that I have read.

Your latest surgery - What the band properly placed around your stomach?

May be time to seek a new Lap Band Doc and then see a lawyer.

I'm shocked at how you were treated all of these months.

Don't give up....Find another Doc and stay with the journey...

[KTKaya 2]

Please please see a lawyer and get a new lap-band doc!

You expressed to them several times that your intuition and body's response was telling you something was wrong. I agree that your clinic dropped the ball and was not looking out for you.

Good luck and I hope you can get everything straightened out!

[married 0]

You have GOT to be kidding!!!! Holy crap. Thats unbelievable.

[Ses 0]

Holy crap! Heads have got to roll over this one!

[sberrys 0]

I totally agree. Get a lawyer and make them pay to have everything fixed. You should also be compensated for what they have put you through - wondering why you were gaining, multiple misses of the problem, MULTIPLE SURGERIES. This is unbelievable. I feel so bad for you. :sad::mad2::bored::ohmy::sad: And every other frowney face out there. :Yawn:

[SpecialK 22]

I'm not a sue-happy person at all but this is total malpractice and that ER surgeon who saw what he did and took pictures realized it big time. Get a lawyer and a new WLS doctor.

[adagray 1]

This is crazy! I feel so sorry for all you have been through. Definitely find a lawyer. You should be compensated for this. I also don't understand how it could just be floating around in there because it is standard practice to sew part of your stomach around the band (in addition to using the locking mechanism that is part of the band).

Did they take x-rays right after surgery to confirm that your band was placed properly? Request copies of all your records. You don't need to tell them you are seeing a lawyer. You can tell them you are moving and need to transfer your care.

[minimeme 1]

Counting my blessings on this one......

[blackonynx 27]

I hope everything work out for the better. I almost feel your pain. I keep telling my doc that I can eat way too much food too. I also keep getting hungrier after a fill. they keep telling me the same thing(you're doing just fine) and that I am where I need to be. I was banded 5 1/2 months ago and has lost 31 pounds. But I havent lost anything in the last 3 months. this last fill just makes it harder to swallow, I still dont get full. Now I may have something to worry about. thanks for sharing your story. Let me know how things work out for you. I wish you all the best.

[bobby_hamrick 0]

Get pics...Can you say..Free band? Mal-practice comes to mind...

[dlsmom1 0]

I don't think I've heard of anything so blatantly WRONG!! To start on a journey such as this, and to have this happen - I agree - your 'doctor' should compensate you big time!! I think it would be a good idea to post the name of your physician, if you feel comfortable doing so, just so that others may steer clear of him. I pray that you find a good doc in your area, sue your original doctor, and start a new and wonderful chapter in your weight loss journey. God Bless!!!