Why I'm considering a lawsuit...

[wsw27 0]

Don't give up! First, get a fill. 1.5 is nothing. The band is there, but without any restriction you are setting yourself up to fail. I have 8.1 in my band. I've lost 75 pounds since my surgery (July 2008). Talk to your doctor. Your doctor does not want you to fail. Most surgeon want to see patients once a month or every two months post op. The first year after my surgery I got a 3 or 4 fills. Then nothing for several months, then another about 18 months out. I've been at the same fill for about 6 months. My weight has been stable for the last 3 months. I plan to go back for a small fill next month as I want to lose another 15 pounds. Good luck to you.

[Armywife37 0]

Alot of times posts like this are just spam. People sign in and create bogus profiles to put out negative info and advertise thier product...Medifast...for example was mentioned. Since this person never logged in again since Jan 31st, I would say it was a false post.

I have enjoyed this forum and this was the first place I found when I researched the surgery. I was banded 2 weeks ago and have lost 17 lbs without a fill yet! I am very excited about the band! i have not had one issue, sickness or anything yet. I am am experiencing more hunger, but attribute that to the more walking and exercising I am doing too.:biggrin:

[Marine mom 3]

Alot of times posts like this are just spam. People sign in and create bogus profiles to put out negative info and advertise thier product...Medifast...for example was mentioned. Since this person never logged in again since Jan 31st, I would say it was a false post.

I have enjoyed this forum and this was the first place I found when I researched the surgery. I was banded 2 weeks ago and have lost 17 lbs without a fill yet! I am very excited about the band! i have not had one issue, sickness or anything yet. I am am experiencing more hunger, but attribute that to the more walking and exercising I am doing too.:biggrin:

No kidding. There is no excuse for not knowing about this site. The internet should be one of the first places to look for information, and really, when looking about health issues, negative posts far outweigh the positive.

Troll.

[Melinco 1]

Melinco, I was haveing a bad morning. For some reason i woke up in an arguementative mood(i will accept the blame! No actually Ill blame me starting liquid diet yesterday, haha). Actually my point was that this is probably part of the reason insurance companies require the preop programs. Actually Ive been on this sight going on 3 years and never heard of anybody not being well informed this far into it. By the way, do you think I could sue equate weightloss shake company because Im so miserable since chooseing their product for my liquid diet? They promoted it very wellbut didnt explain the fact I would be miserable? None of that was worded right. What I meant was, I wasnt saying people who self pay arent well informed. Ok I guess the mood is staying with me Im getting pi$$ed that I even have to explain it to you. Interprate it however you like. When in the %$^& did I generalize about self payers? I even went as far to say"My knowledge is limited because I havent had mine yet, but I will help in any way I can. Quit makeing it about you. You where very knowledgeabl I get, good for you. Is that what you want to hear? Why dont you quit being so sensitive and think about how you can help!

lol, the lack of food must be getting to you. It sucks, huh? It'll be worth it though. Again, good luck with your journey. I'm sure you'll do great.

[heidi05 6]

people i think to be quite blunt this all need calming down, people are getting their backs up and putting others backs up in the process. ok so the original post was written with little after thought and to be quite sure that we can all be guilty of posts that we did think about the after consequenses. but obviously the person is in a very difficult situation, we all get them form time to time i know i do, you would not be human if once in your life you jumped into a situation that you thought was going to give you the well needed light at the end of the tunnel, she isnt the first and will deffinately not be the last believe me. but i think this thread has died a sorry death and needs to be left as it is. having a slanging match with everyone is not what this site is all about yes air your views, yes ask and give advice as far as your own personal knowledge will allow but come on to have an out right argument is not only futile but is demoralising for the person who started the thread in the first place. so can we all agree to let sleeping dogs lie and move on.

[bandwife 0]

Thank you all for your replies. Please note that we are NOT the ones considering a lawsuit, though I often feel that my husband must have been the victim of malpractice, that's how badly the band is functioning. As per your advice, I will also start a new thread, but here is some more specific information:

My husband had the band put in in March 2007. Within 24 hours of his discharge from the hospital, he experienced severe nausea, followed by uncontrollable vomiting. He was readmitted, xrays were taken (I think he drank some kind of liquid so that they could ascertain where the band was). The doc said he was having some type of latent reaction to the anesthesia. He wound up staying the hospital an additional 5 nights. Thereafter, we followed instructions to the letter regarding introduction of liquids, soft foods, etc. (Obviously we were frightened to death of any further reactions, so we were extremely cautious). When he went for his first fill was when the trouble began - even with the most basic foods - salmon, soft ground meat, steamed veggies; my poor husband would have PBs and vomiting almost immediately. This trend has continued to the present day. Right now, he has NO fill - his band is empty. He's gone back to the doctor multiple times, and the nutritionist has told him to eat more slowly, eat more frequently, and stay away from dense foods.

None of that helps. I swear to you, we haven't had steak, haven't had Bagels, or even sandwiches in our house in more than three years. I have a son who is growing up without having ever had a Sunday morning bagel or egg on a roll. I don't mind; those aren't great eating habits to establish. But, what kills me is that even with the efforts of cooking food that should be no problem - baked tilapia, grilled veggies, salad - he simply cannot take those first couple of bites without getting sick. It happens at business lunches, it happens at home, it happens at little league.

To boot, he has only maintained about a 20 lb. loss. It is more than just the discomfort - I think if he had to vomit twice a day but was maintaining a 50 lb loss, we might feel differently. But to have gone through all of this, to try all of the techniques we've been instructed, and still be struggling with his weight daily....

We hate the band. Every night at dinner I think about how I wish I could go back in time and talk him out of it. If he hadn't had the reaction to the surgery, I would suggest he have it removed.

[mominkansas 2]

Bandwife, have you gone to see another doctor? That doesn't sound good or right.

[chrisdirects 0]

Greetings, Bandwife,

What a nightmare for you and your family...I can understand why you have the emotions you do. I'm sure, given the same circumstances, I would, too.

I'm no expert, certainly, but I thought of something that you might mention as a possibility to your nutritionist, if you haven't already...if solids, even soft ones, are giving your husband so much trouble, would it make sense to walk backwards on the food path, i.e., back to purees, see what he might tolerate on those for a couple of weeks, and then very slowly advance his foods again through softs, one food at a time?

I know it sounds like a major step in the wrong direction, but maybe it would give his GI tract a rest, and he'd have better luck moving forward later on. The Bariatric Eating website has lots of choices that would fit into a pureed list, while still giving him the Protein support he needs.

Just as another thought...I was on Medifast for a month prior to surgery, and have just moved to purees as of Monday...all during this time, I was cooking for my husband, and preparing things for him that I knew I couldn't eat myself. If there's really something you want your family to have, and your husband's not up to eating it just now, perhaps that shouldn't stop you from making it for them. It could very well be that your husband may never tolerate Bagels, or steak, or other things (I think those foods give a lot of bandsters trouble over time, because of their texture, etc.). My theory is, just because I can't eat it, doesn't mean my spouse should give it up forever as well.

Sending you and your husband lots of positive, healing energy-

Best, Christine

[DizzyLizzy 21]

bandwife, has your husband had an upper GI test done? I had to have the scope test before surgery and will have to every year for at least three years after to check to make sure the band is in the correct place and there are no problems, etc. If he hasn't had one, you should request your primary care physician, not your lapband surgeon order one, and send the results to both your lapband surgeon and your PCP. That way there are two at least three sets of medical eyes looking to see what could be going on there. There could be many different things going on in that area that has nothing to do with the band.

If you've gone through all the testing to see if there are other issues outside of the band, maybe he should have the band removed and see if his condition improves.

Good luck!

[JoJo1 0]

Bandwife, I have been reading these posts for a long time now, and where there are some people with problems, I think your husband wins the all time prize for the most. I am thinking he has something going on that maybe has nothing to do with the band or makes the band a bigger problem. I would definitely consider going to a different doctor.

[Kat817 19]

Hi Bandwife,

I agree, that possibly an appointment with a new Dr. might benefit. As I read your post, another thought come to me.

There is a condition fairly common among bandsters called first bite syndrome. What happens is that (keep in mind this is being paraphrased, or repeated as best I remember it from my Dr!) the band is placed, often times a bit higher than normal, and when the first bite goes down, it causes a spasm. When the pouch and all spasms, it pushes that first bite up into the esophagus, and triggers the gag reflex---and it is more than just the gag like you get from saying Ahhhh. It is a painful gag, because of the spasm---it is gagging on a contracted muscle.

The first thing to try they said with it, is warm liquid. Prior to eating----sip a few small sips of very warm liquid. It can be hot Water, tea, coffee, whatever. The heat is supposed to relax the muscles, and avoid the spasm. Then begin with EXTREMELY small bites, and move up to a normal band way of eating.

I am not saying that this is his cure all, but it is VERY common. And it is something quick, and easy to try to see if it helps.

There may be other ideas for first bite syndrome---you might do a search on it, and have some other ideas.

Oh yeah I remember they also recommended an acid reducer.

I will look around and see if I can find some of the people who used to deal with it.

The good news is, if it is a first bite syndrome thing, as the pouch and esophagus adjust to remaining calm during eating, it does ease.

So sorry it has been such a rough road for you!!

[bandwife 0]

Thank you all for your quick and kind replies. I will broach the topic of seeing a different bariatric doc, and also that of maybe getting his regular doctor in the loop. Kat, thanks for the warm Water suggestion, I'm going to pass it along to him right now!

[loserbob 11]

lol, the lack of food must be getting to you. It sucks, huh? It'll be worth it though. Again, good luck with your journey. I'm sure you'll do great.

My problem is, I assume people will understand my sense of humor, which I shouldnt, I dont know people on here personally. I do apologize, Im not here to pi$$ anyone off.

[rainbow_runner 1]

rlynn - you clearly don't want advice. You want to put on boxing gloves and punch somebody. And from the sounds of it, that's the way you approach everything in life.

Attitude is everything, and yours is not now and clearly was not before surgery, the right attitude.

I feel sad that you wasted your money - but that's the key. YOU have wasted it, and you are wasting this very real and precious opportunity to change your life once and for all. YOU are the only one who can make this band work. Without YOU, the band is just an expensive plastic belt around your stomach.

Talk of lawsuits is pretty extreme. Before paying for a lawyer (and if you've got money for a lawyer, you surely must have money for a fill or two), carefully read the pre-surgery paperwork your surgeon had you sign. I'm sure there's fine print in there somewhere that will negate any litigious action you're considering.

[Felisity 1]

Only a money grubbing lawyer who has no interest in your success would take the case. It sounds like you don't even really have a case. Nothing went wrong from what I read in your OP.

I never had any success at eating veggies or fruits post-op, no matter how much I chewed or how slow I ate. I did manage to lose about 60 pounds in the first 2 years post op before I began to have GERD like symptoms and problems eating normal Protein, etc. The band works completely differently for everyone - and some have success and others, like me, have issues.

I have had a completely different, and very scary experience myself. I am tentatively considering seeking legal counsel, but unsure at this point. I was banded in Nov. 2006. My band was placed much higher up than normal per my Surgeon's explanation. I have a 4cc band and have never managed to have more than 1.5 cc in at a time. Like many successful people here have stated, it's a TOOL. If you don't work properly with the tool, then you fail.

My chart got mixed up with someone of the same name after I got married in 2007 - and I have had test results lost, misread and have an ulcerated erosion (just found out last week) that has likely been there for at least six months. I am in constant discomfort and off/on spiking pain. I feel like the two different hospitals I go to for aftercare, completely mixed everything up, and I was even mis-diagnosed with a hiatal hernia. When, in fact, I had an ulcerated erosion beginning, which now about 1/3 of the band is protruding into the inside wall of my stomach. I'm waiting to be scheduled for removal. I plan on no further surgeries, and do not want a revision.

Buck up, spend your money on some fills, and realize this band can give you success - but only if YOU follow the rules and TRY. :frown: I sure hope you listen to people here and change your mindset. Best of luck!