My Nightmare at the ER in Atlanta, GA.

[Iluvmyboys 1]

I have had my band for 2 years......I have done well and have been satisfied with the results. Each day is a new day and with the help and support of this board I have made it to my goal and have learned a lot along the way.

Some time ago, I developed a hernia. I do not know how I got it or how long I have had it.....It is right above the band and it became difficult for me to eat certain foods and I thought the band was tight. A few time after eating, I would throw up my food. I think this caused swelling and that caused the hernia to put more pressure on the band (or visa versa). This took place for a week.....I ate soft foods and still no relief. I had reflux, and pain. It then got to the point where I was on liquids hoping that that would calm down my esophagus. I did not know I had the hernia at this point. Well, I took a Prilosec on Sept. 20th hoping for some relief. The pill never did go down and caused such pain after 10 hours, that my husband decided enough was enough and talked me into the ER. We arrived at 1am.at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. I was in pain, tired, and getting dehydrated. I told the Dr. and every nurse I saw that I had a lap band and that I needed a Lap Band Dr. to take a look at it because what ever it was that was wrong, had to do with the band. I was there all night long......they said they would call in a Dr. that would be able to look at the band. They assured me of this over and over.....he never came to see me......at 7am they told me the Dr. on call was just arriving for duty and he would do a "Scope" or upper GI. or endoscopy. I waited until 1pm, sitting there.......then after being prepped for the procedure, the Dr. came into the room. I asked him if he was going to also tell me if the band was ok, or if it had slipped, eroded etc....he replied that he had no idea about the lap band and only did the endoscopy!! I was there from 1am until 1pm.....to be told this!!! I was told over and over that a lap bad Dr would be called in!!!!! Apparently they do not come in because they are afraid to take on a patient they do not know........

HOW DO I KNOW THIS????? READ ON LADIES!!!!

The Dr. does the endoscopy, tells me to go home and take Prilosec!!! Ha!

I was there because a Prilosec stuck in my throat for 11 hours!!

The next day, I decided after much thought to go to anoter ER....I was

weak, sick, and very worried about this problem so I decided to go to The Atlanta Medical Center also in Atlanta, Ga. because they have Bariatric facility where they do the Lap Band and the bypass and I assumed they would have a Dr. on call at their ER.....again, I go to the ER have bloodwork done, explain the problems I had and what the other ER did the night before.

My blood showed that I was anemic, and the white blood count was elevated. Here is where the nightmare begins......in walks DR. PATEL the ER doctor. He listens to me. I tell him what I have been experiencing for the last week and that I wanted the lap band emptied of saline to relieve the pain on the hernia. Just to get me through so that I could get to my surgeon in Costa Rica a few days later. Dr. Patel tells me that if I am looking for a "quick" fix that I am in the wrong place. He then goes on to say that because Piedmont Hospital "dropped the ball" why should his hospital have to deal with it. He then says to me "Why should I call in the Bariatric Dr on call?? He doesn;t know you.....He didn't do your surgery!!! I told him that I had never felt so ill in my life and that I could not take one more day of the pain.......he said "you look fine to me" I then told him that I had not eaten food for a week and that my blood work proved I was getting worse......he replied that "people do not need food to survive"!!! I asked him if he would turn away a patient who had heart surgery at another hospital 5 years earlier and came in the ER. Would he tell that patient that he would not call in a heart specialist because the Dr did not do his surgery and did not know him? He left the room......all the while keeping in phone contact with a Dr. Hixon who was the Bariatric Dr on call who refused to come in!! In walk Dr. Patel who tells me that they decided to admit me!! Me, who minutes earlier looked "fine" and did not need food to exist!! Whose blood work did not matter!! Dear me, I could not believe my ears! Obviuosly after I made the statement about the heart patient he got his sick act together.

I asked him if the Dr was coming in to see me....he said no, that he would be in on regular duty in the morning. I asked him if he was going to help me with the problem and he told me that Dr. Hixon might stop by my room if he thinks he needs to see me.......so, no real answer....no one there wanted to help me it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. I told him to take the IV out of my arm and that I would go home. I would not let them treat my dog after how DR. PATEL treated me. I went to see my PCP first thing the next morning, she prescribed meds for the reflux and said that she thought I would be ok until I could get to Costa Rica......

I went to CR a few days later and my Dr. emptied the band, said hr thought the band may have slipped but that after 3 months we would see what the results were. He is hopeful that it may go back into place and if not, the band will have to come off. I wil deal with that one day at a time.

As soon as he emptied the band, he told me to start eating good, healthy foods to get my blood levels back to normal. All of the symptoms went away immediatetly! Relief at last! No reflux, vomiting etc.....I feel great.

I am sharing this with you because although you may live in America, have full health care coverage, there are a few Dr. Patel's out there! Beware....if you are like me and thought that if you ever had an emergency with the band and would be safe in a hospital ER.....THINK AGAIN.

Let me add this quickly........a friend had her surgery in Mexico by the amazing Dr. Ortiz.....she did great also, no problems etc......but, had the same thing (no hernia though) happen while on vacation in Oklahoma City....went to an ER there and was admitted for 4 days, seen by a Bariatric Dr. who emptied her band for immediate relief and was treated like any other patient!! Three cheers for that doctor for honoring the oath he took to become a doctor!!:clap2:

[skyeblu79 0]

I hate you had to go through that. What a mess? You should write a letter of complaint or see what the proper protocol is...That is ridiculous.

I'm glad you are doing well now.

[carol134 0]

You know I always question any doctors as well as thier advice. I am constantly reading on this forum about asking your doctor and that is wonderful and a very smart thing to do, but they are not God and as much as a lot of them would like to think they are, ALWAYS ALWAYS question them. Seems the money and power of being in that postion gets in the way of their real reason they became a doctor in the first place.

So sorry this happened to you. Big Hug for you....

[CCBSTX 0]

You poor thing! It is almost unbelieveable the power-trip that some doctors can be on! It's disgusting. I am sorry for you. I wish you the best. Shawn

[terrriho 0]

What an incredible experience in the most viscious way! You should forward your story to the American Medical Association, the Boards of both hospitals, whatever state regulating body and any organization that those doctors may claim certified them.

May you have a complete and uncomplicated recovery.

Terri

[barbara465 2]

First I would call your insurance company and have they NOT PAY for emergency services at either institution. I would then write a letter to each hospital administrator and tell them why they better submit a bill to your insurance or to you.

I would also consult a lawyer about sending a letter or file suit for the treatment you received. This is just not acceptable. A simple unfill would have been enough to give you some relief while seeking help in Costa Rica. This just makes my blood boil.

I also think a well placed letter in the local paper or TV station would also be appropriate.

Did your PCP not know how to do an unfill? I have heard that the needle to do this is longer than usual, but that would have been helpful as well. You should not have been allowed to suffer like this.

[Ariel 1]

Was all this agony simply because you had your band placed in CR? Or was it because the illness had to do with bariatric surgery?

[Elisabethsew 50]

I am sorry for what you went through. As a healthcare professional, I can tell you that MANY MDs are not familiar with the lapband procedure. Therefore YOU need to teach them in ways they will understand.

I would suggest telling the MD that you have a mediport device in your abdomen that is attached to a band around the upper portion of your stomach. The band is filled with saline and it needs to be emptied. Tell the MD you need an RN certified in accessing and deaccessing mediports to withdraw the saline.

In effect, you are telling him the problem and the solution as well as getting the person who you need to fix the problem.

[gonnabethin 10]

You need to give serious thought to reporting him- Dr. Patel to the medical board in GA. File a grievance or complaint with them so it is on record. That will be the only thing that gets his attention. At minimum consider filing the complaint/copying that complaint to the Physician relations and the Chief Medical officer at the hospital. Also file a complaint with your insurance company and they will address it also. Those are the only routes a patient has to combat such arrogant, personally biased, and hostile care!!

[Boo 3]

Don't doctors take an oath to help those who are suffering?

You must be exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I am so sorry!

[Iluvmyboys 1]

Was all this agony simply because you had your band placed in CR? Or was it because the illness had to do with bariatric surgery?

No, my band has been looked at by Dr. Ortiz in Mexico before, and he

agreed that it was done perfectly. My surgeon is well known and respected in Costa Rica......in fact he has taught some American surgeons.

This was caused by the hernia strangling the band to the point I was being choked. The hernia probably had something to do with having the band. The more you throw up or PB, the more of a chance you have at developing a hernia and slipping the band.

[Alexandra 55]

I would suggest telling the MD that you have a mediport device in your abdomen that is attached to a band around the upper portion of your stomach. The band is filled with saline and it needs to be emptied. Tell the MD you need an RN certified in accessing and deaccessing mediports to withdraw the saline.

In effect, you are telling him the problem and the solution as well as getting the person who you need to fix the problem.

This is crucial information we should all memorize. The simple act of removing saline from the band is something that ANY hospital should be able to find someone to do. Even if they are not at all familiar with the band, the port and specialized needle are familiar devices in any hospital. It's APPALLING that you had to go to two ERs before someone could be found who would do this.

I think it's vitally important that we all know what specifically to say if we need an emergency unfill. Hell, paramedics could probably do it if they had to.

[Iluvmyboys 1]

I am sorry for what you went through. As a healthcare professional, I can tell you that MANY MDs are not familiar with the lapband procedure. Therefore YOU need to teach them in ways they will understand.

I would suggest telling the MD that you have a mediport device in your abdomen that is attached to a band around the upper portion of your stomach. The band is filled with saline and it needs to be emptied. Tell the MD you need an RN certified in accessing and deaccessing mediports to withdraw the saline.

In effect, you are telling him the problem and the solution as well as getting the person who you need to fix the problem.

Let me say once again that DR PATEL had a Lap Band specialist on the phone with him......he knew FULL well what a Lap Band was!!! He chose to refuse to help me!! I was so ill that I did not know if I could take one more day of it.

My family was afraid of what would happen to me....it was very bad. I almost drove to the ER in N.C. to have a Dr. look at it but was afraid to run into the same thing there. It is very easy to remove the saline.....they just refused to do it citing that it was not their problem!!!!!! Don't anyone worry about Dr. Patel EVER doing this to anyone again.....when I am through with him he will be a different man......I will start with the Insurance company, the local newspaper in Atlanta, and the Medical Board, and an attorney.

Thank you all for your concerns, the stress of this was unbelievablely scary.

Just think, you are an American.....in AMERICA no less and work full time, have complete health care coverage, and are told what I was told!!! Imagine the horror.....who would have ever thought that would happen in our country! Possibly Dr. Patel has not been in America long enough to know our laws???

[lyndalafe 1]

Well I can truely sympathize with you. The sad thing is that emergency rooms have no idea what to do with "lapband patients" and unless your doctor is part of that institution and can be called in, your left hanging out there on your own.

I had a very similar situation about 6 weeks ago. I have had my band for a year and have been filled and unfilled several times. I will do fine and then out of the blue I close up...start soft food...then to liquids...then to acid reflux....then to not being able to eat an ice chip...and then to severe pain, dehydration etc.

I live in Houston and the last time this happened it got unbearable on a Saturday. I called my lapband doctor who was out of town and asked if i could just hang on until Monday. Well pain got really bad and started vomiting dark brown metallic stuff? and by 9 pm that night went to the emergency room at Methodist Willowbrook.

I knew what they needed to do.........X-rays or barium swallow and then an unfill to relieve the pain. I told them this from the "get-go"??? and then just looked at me like I was from outerspace. They did take me in to run a series of X-rays and handed me this large glass of disgusting stuff to drink and I tried to tell them that I couldn't keep an ice cube down, so what makes them think I can drink that? But they said try anyway to drink a little and gave me a "barf" bag. So I sipped as much as I could and then they took pictures every 10 minutes.....in between I would throw up whatever I drank...then I had to tell them they had the camera set too low because they were expecting to watch the Fluid go down; but I told them it would be coming up and not down???? so duh? they moved the camera and did get some good pictures of the Fluid coming back up and my band being totally restricted........(actually you could see I had a slip on the x-ray) but of course they had no idea.

Then about 1 a.m. in the morning I finally see the emergency room doctor and I tell her...please just take the fill out....I will show your where the port is and any nurse can do this.........If I could I would do it myself! Well she did not want to touch me and said they had to call my doctor, who was out of town? I said he will not be coming tonight and she said well he might have to or you will just have to be admitted until he can come?????

because she could get sue'd if something happen'd??? I volunteered to sign any kind of waiver they had saying I would not sue if she would just help me relieve my pain.

Well finally she talked to my doctor and he wasn't coming but explained to her how to remove the fill. She comes in and was scared to put the needle in and I'm like just do it and then she's not getting any fluid out and calls in a nurse who has done "underskin ports" before and the nurse guides her thru it and they finally remove about 2/3 of my fill and sweet relief and then I go home.

The only good part was that the X-rays I brought a couple weeks later to my band doctor show'd the slip. However, somehow we need to get emergency room people knowlegable about the band. They are totally freek'd out and don't understand the pain and don't want to touch you.

I have a sister who is a nurse and I swear I'm going to have her learn how to put in and take out fill..................(especially remove if something like this happens again)...........the only saving grace I had was my doctor is on staff at this hospital and they could call him or I would have probably had the same treatment that you had..........so sad...............

[msgoat4949 0]

My son-in-law had gastric by-pass at Atlanta Medical by Dr. Dixon and he almost killed him..so I would say you wouldn't have been better off seeing him. If it had not been for a doctor at Eastside in Snellville referring him to a doctor at Emory he would have died. He kept going to the emergency room telling them something was wrong only to be sent home. He ended up having a lesion on the part of the intestine that was attached to his pouch. It is a horible hospital. There are several doctors at Dekalb Medical that are familiar with the lap band. I would report Atlanta Medical for sure. They are very negligent even to there own patients. So I wouldn't think it is because you were not there patient it wouldn't have mattered.