I Didn't Sign Up For This....

[ldb1095 8]

I was banded 3 years ago. I weighed 240 and lost down to 150 within a little over a year. I loved the band and thought it was absolutely wonderful. My doctor that I thought was a great doctor suddenly left the practice and the last time I'd went in I had to see the nurse. She said I needed a fill and about killed me trying to find my port. Usually it's not the least bit painful but I was ready to cry! Finally she got it but didn't tell me how much of a fill I got, which was nothing like the doctor I had. I was so upset that things were so painful and that I'd gotten a bruise that lasted over 2 months, that I was too scared to go back. In the meantime I'd got a letter telling me that there was a new doctor coming in to replace the doctor that'd left and that it'd be about a month before he'd be seeing patients. This whole time I was having problems with my band (burning pain in my port, back pain, chest pain, loss of taste and waking up at night coughing with really bad heartburn and reflux. I had also lost all restriction within a few weeks of having the fill.) Again I was terrified of going in because the nurse was so horrible so I just kept prolonging things and trying to make it. Finally I couldn't take it anymore, I'd gained a lot of weight back and the pain was just getting worse. I called and asked was the new doctor seeing patients and was told yes. I made and appointment and went in yesterday. I explained to him about everything and even told him about how the nurse did. I was informed she was no longer working at the office (I'm fairly sure I wasn't the only one that complained, nor am I sure she was even allowed to give fills because they had no record of her doing so or how much she added). The new doctor didn't have a friendly bedside manner like the one I was used to. Anyway, he was concerned with what I had told him and he thought maybe there could be a hole in the port area (probably because that crazy nurse!). He sent me down to have an upper GI done and told me to come back up afterward for the results. I went down and drank the stuff and had the x-rays and went back up. He came in and told me that my band had been excessively tight. I told him I didn't understand because I didn't have any restriction. He then told me to come into his office and he'd show me the x-rays and explain. When I got there he showed me everything. He said that my band had been tightened so tight that nothing could get through. He didn't understand how I was even getting Fluid down comfortably. I told him I had no issues drinking or eating but did feel some pain all the time. I again told him I had no restriction though. He showed me the fluid going through the band and he was right it was just barely seeping through. It didn't make since to me. I asked him how I was getting food down then. He then pointed out to me my esophagus above my band. He said that it wasn't supposed to be anywhere near that big. He said my esophagus had no where for the food to go and instead of forcing me to throw it back up it had just stretched out. It had stretched out so much it had basically created a stomach about the size of both my fist put together. I asked him what we were going to do and he said he had to remove all of the fluid in my band and give it time to hopefully heal. I asked him then what. He said hopefully in a month or two it'd heal and we could retighten the band but starting over like I'd just gotten the band. I asked him what happens if it doesn't heal back down. He then said we wasn't going to discuss that and we needed to just hope that it will heal. I'm scared to death now! I'm worried about gaining the weight back completely (I'm only 37 pounds from it as it is) and worse than that of what happens if I don't heal. I'm thinking it's most likely meaning either removing my band or at the least having to go through another surgery to fix it. I have all kinds of worries! I thought getting the band was going to make my life so much better but now I'm thinking it's a horrible NIGHTMARE! I also found out that the doctor I had before had totally different rules. For example he forbid any Protein Shakes. He said I was to never EVER to drink them. His theory was no liquid calories whatsoever! He also did not believe in a liquid diet after fills. He said that it did not make any sense. I told the new doctor this and he looked at me like I was crazy and then just said well now I'm your doctor. You always drink Protein shakes for Breakfast and that will be your breakfast. I'm mad, I'm confused, I'm scared, I'm everything. What am I supposed to do? Am I really supposed to be drinking protein shakes for breakfast and nothing else? I was always told protein first but never in liquid form. The diet this doctor wants me on is totally different than the other doctor and had I known all this I'm not so sure I'd have went through the surgery because it's pretty much going to be the diet without the band. Don't get me wrong, I ate what I was supposed to. I never drank anything other than Water and on rare occasions I'd have a cup of milk.

Sorry I just needed to vent!

[123crod 170]

I have been Banded over 3 years too. Just don't stress over it chances are it will heal but you can do nothing now so just pray it will heal. But too much stress and worry is not good for you and may even slow down your healing.

As far as the diet every doctor is different so it won't hurt to give it a try. Hang in there you been through a really rough patch but it will get better.

cheri

[Maddysgram 6,159]

This is one pf those cases where you have to live one day at a time. Focus on what you can do today to give you the best shot in healing and not think about tomorrow. I know that stress does tighten my band, my in laws could get my band so tight without 1cc of fill in it.So try to relax,deep breath, listen to calming music, whatever it takes.

#2, you have to ask yourself, why did Dr#1 leave? Maybe having trouble?. To me new Dr sounds more like what my Dr says and you do have to trust in your Dr. Did you do any research on new Dr?

I'm really sorry you are going through all this and pray it all comes out well! Keep us posted!

[Maddysgram 6,159]

PS try to live like you're in "bandster hell" again. Just like those of us that haven't reached our green zone yet. Doing the LB rules with no restriction. You can do it! Track your food(I use MyFitnessPal) take small bites, 1 per min and allow only 20 mins to eat. 3 oz Protein first , 1/4 veggies & 1/4 good carbs.

Best wishes!

[TKW 501]

WOW!!! That is just plain rediculous that a nurse was filling everyone like that. I'm so sorry for your troubles. The new Dr. has different rules than your first but they all do. My Dr said no liquid calories either (once I was back to eating normal) I don't drink protien shakes, never have. But... I think, at least at first you need to follow the new Dr. suggestions. Once things are healed up and you are back to getting fills you will know what works for you. You've done it once so (in my opinion) if you eat solids for breakfast, once everything is back to normal that should be fine. What we are supposed to do in get in our protien, weather that is liquid or solid... as long as we are not overeating... does it really matter? Maybe, maybe not.

I wish you the very best of luck, this was just not right... honestly that nurse should have her license revoked. And.... who was monitoring what she was doing??? I just can't believe that. It seems like it was sort of malicous???

[TKW 501]

I wonder if other had this issue??? do you know? Crazy Crazy Crazy

[ldb1095 8]

Thanks everyone for the support! This is really a great place! I do truly want to be calm about this whole thing.

Even though the new doctor doesn't have a good bedside manner I do feel that he's the better doctor. What he has told me has made much more since of everything. He explained to me that the band is tighter in the mornings (This I know has always been true for me) and that's why I should have liquid Protein shakes. It does make since to me. It just scares me of being too tight again and this same things happening. I mean, I didn't know I was too tight. I didn't have the throwing up like everyone does. I did look this new doctor up and I found out he was practicing at another place before coming here but not much other than that. I'm disturbed at the reason the other doctor left. It was so hidden. I do know of one lawsuit against him for an RNY surgery he preformed. The lady got in really bad condition and had to be operated on numerous times and had to have a lot of her intestines removed. I don't know if it was his error or her error or what the whole thing was about. I wondered if this had to something to do with him leaving.

As for the nurse leaving... I only seen her very few times during the whole three years. I never seen just her until the day with the fill. I first met her at the seminar, then seen her before having surgery. I seen her as I was going in to surgery and she told me she'd be there during my surgery and that was the last I seen of her for about a year. When I was a year out from having my surgery I seen her while I was waiting to see the doctor just so she could take a new picture of me. Other than that I'd never seen her! I was really shocked the day she came in and did the fill. She repeatedly told me that the reason it was hurting and she was having a hard time finding the port is because I had so much scar tissue. I told her the doctor had never had any issues. I know there have been other issues with this nurse because my Mom (I talked her into being banded also) had an appointment and the doctor was still there but the nurse attempted the fill and after about 15-20 minutes of her poking around on my Mom, the doctor came in and asked what was taking so long. He ended up doing the fill. My Mom is pretty tough and doesn't complain about anything so she really didn't talk much of it. My Mom and I got to talking after I had the same issue with the nurse and she had told us both the scar tissue was the reason she was having trouble. I don't know about others but 2 out of 2 fills not going well doesn't sound good! Things just don't add up! The office won't tell anyone other than the doctor left and the nurse was no longer with them. I guess it's not legal that they tell but I think it should be patients rights to know these things! I've looked the doctor up time and time again and could never find more on him other than the office here. Then suddenly the other day I found him. He's now in Illinois and from what I can tell still doing the same things. As for the nurse, I don't know anything more than her first name so I wouldn't even know how to find her or more information about her.

Thanks for all you guys support! I really do need some right now! I've been praying hard and will continue doing so. I am trying to watch everything I eat and keep up with it as I should. I sure don't want to gain the rest of it back! I hope things get better and hope it's as simple as letting it heal and starting over. Hopefully this time I'll find the slim me and things work out!

[ldb1095 8]

Could you explain to me how much calories, Protein, etc... you consume daily? With 2 different doctors telling me 2 different things, I'd like to hear what others doctors have told them. Thanks!

[usedtobebigdaddy 0]

similar situation, getting revised to the vertical sleeve, band destroyed my esophagus, mysterious manufactured 1.5cc's of Fluid. Since emptying I've had constant diarrhea and have gained back 50 of the 100;bs i had lost. I cannot wait to get this voodoo piece of cr@p out my body

[ldb1095 8]

similar situation, getting revised to the vertical sleeve, band destroyed my esophagus, mysterious manufactured 1.5cc's of Fluid. Since emptying I've had constant diarrhea and have gained back 50 of the 100;bs i had lost. I cannot wait to get this voodoo piece of cr@p out my body

I might would consider doing the same if it were a choice for me but I'm pretty sure my insurance won't cover anymore surgeries dealing with weight loss surgery. I am doing everything my doctor says right now and hopefully it'll fix itself but I'm terribly sore since he took out all the Fluid. I think maybe the soreness comes from it trying to heal. I'm scared to death that I'm going to get big as a house so I'm very careful to count every single calorie that goes into my body. Hopefully I can be really strong and things will fix and I can start gradually getting fills again. I am scared to think of it not fixing itself!

I'm sorry to hear you had a similar issue but I'm glad for you being able to revise to something else. I wish you the best of luck and hope that it works out much better for you!

I haven't had constant diarrhea but I have gained almost all of my weight back. I'm working hard to get it off on my own now.... what other choice do I really have?