A different view

[Guest Lori]

Hi, I'm new to this site and wanted to post my story. During all the time I did research on the lap band procedure not once did I come across what has happened to me. I wanted to share it with others to let others be aware of other complications that might arise from the lap band or any other surgery.

1st off...my insurance denied me for rny surgery after 6 months of jumping through their hoops. I was so gung ho and ready for the surgery that I started checking into going to Mexico to have the lap band surgery done. We took out a loan, went down and I had the lap band surgery done April 7th, 2004. Within 1 week I had excrusiating pain in my chest and arm. I had a ekg done, it was fine. Ended up at the ER to have morphine and chest xrays done. Still no relief but dry heaves from the morphine. I ended up having a c-scan, barium swallow, sonogram and other testing. The surgeon up here that was going to do my surgeryin the 1st place agreed to do my aftercare, so after going into his office and him doing a sonogram he saw severe infection around my port. I had to have a emergency removal of the port (staph infection and foreign body rejection was the 1st diagnosis). I came home to home health having to pack two deep wounds and after seeing a infection control Dr. having to be on iv and oral antibiotics. Still the pain worsened, I was in bed for almost 2 months living off pain pills, compazine for my dry heaves and constant diarreah. I had to go in again because one of the wounds started draining. The surgeon had tried to save my band but it was harboring the antiarobic and arobic infection I had. On top of all this the surgeon called me and told me there was a 3rd infection found called my mycobacterial fortutium. It is a bacteria that can be found in unsterilized surgical equipment or contaminated Water. This was a swift moving ulcerating infection that I needed to start getting treatment for also.

By this time my insurance carrier, soft heart that they have..ha, granted me the rny surgery to be done when the remainder of the band was removed. My infection control Dr. said no way...the infections I have are too dangerous to keep me open as long as it would take for the rny surgery.

My 3rd surgery was 2 weeks ago. I'm now on antibiotics for 1 yr. It takes at least 6 months for m-fortutium to heal.

I'm not saying all this to scare anyone, just to enlighten, it can happen to anyone. Though my surgeon in Mexico says he has never had it happen to any other patient he has had. It's something I had never read about and sure that alot of others aren't aware of. My surgeon up here said it could have happened up here as well as it did in Mexico, though they were working on the water system while I was there.

Just please, all those comtiplating surgery of any type, make sure you are strong and your immune system is ready to handle everything. If you have to go out of the country to get the surgery done, beware, as there is no recourse after the surgery is done if an error was made. I'm so fortunate that I had a surgeon up here ready to help me. Also actually for my insurance co. for picking up all the expense of the surgery gone wrong.

Now I'm bandless but just thankful to be alive and will keep my desire for weight loss high but try and do it on my own before I would think of surgery again.

I love to hear all the great stories of those of you have done so well, I know it's sooo possible! And I'm so happy for all of you that have suceeded and are doing so well!

Keep up the great work and best of luck to those who are on their way to a new life!

Lori

[leatha_g 4]

Lori,

So sorry to hear of your terrible ordeal. I'm really glad you had a local doc as that is not the case for everyone. You were very lucky in that aspect.

I guess everyone has a story, right? I'm truly sorry yours was not as great as many others.

The band is definitely a wonderful tool, but there are many things to consider when getting one.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I do believe prospective bandsters should be aware of all things band related, good and not so good.

Best wishes for your good health!

Leatha

[Alexandra 55]

Lori, I'm so glad you are here to be able to tell your story! Infections are no joke, and yours must have been a humdinger. I can only imagine how awful this experience must have been.

You have a great attitude, and I hope you'll stick around and let us know how you're doing!

[birdee 1]

((Lori))

Thanks for sharing your story. I am so sorry for what you had to go through. I am glad you are better.

Good Luck with everything!

Birdee

[La_madam 20]

Thank you for sharing your story, many of us here on the board did go to Mexico for our surgeries. I was banded on April 6th just one day before you were. I'm so sorryto hear al lthat you have gone through. Some of us also who went to Mexico have had problems, but none as serious as yours. I wish you all the best.

[hagerteresa 3]

Hi Lori,

I am also thankful you shared your story. I think it is important for anyone considering the surgery to get as many facts and statistics as possible. Lori, I was wondering who your doctor was and which city he worked from. Like you, I had my surgery done in Mexico. I used Dr. Lopez in Tijuana and stayed at the Oasis of Hope hospital. Thanks again for your insight and am sorry you had to go thru it. Teresa

[Guest Lori]

Thank you all for the nice posts back. I didn't want to stir anything up and somehow when I posted this on my Mexican Drs. site I can no longer get on there. ..hummmm That kind of scared me and made me wonder how many other stories aren't heard. I would have liked to know myself other things to watch for before hand.

I just feel it's really important to know all the options. The very first time I heard of port rejection was in on the way to the hospital with the Dr. in Mexico. I really am not sure what all they check for as far as blood work goes, my blood was only drawn about a 1/2 hr. before my surgery. Is that enough time to tell if you have hypolori, low blood count or anything else that might matter? Maybe it wouldn't have made a difference, but I think also that we should have been warned before the surgery about the hospital Water being unfit to even wash in. Sometimes things get taken advantage of but I feel all precautions should be taken.

I've had to pay the surgeon up here 2,000.00 extra dollars to do my aftercare, my insurance also paid him for both surgeries I had. I also lost my job and am on short term disability until Sept. But I'm thankful for that, I'm mentally and physically drained right now. Just trying not to get too down. I so wanted to be able to go through with my band and have a good story to tell in support for others.

Reading all of your posts lifts me though. I'm obese, will probably be the rest of my life, but I still can have a attitude that I will make it and be healthy. That's my main goal right now. I have lost 40 lbs (most due to being too sick to eat) and am off my blood pressure meds, arthritis meds. That's so much right there that I'm thankful for. I'll get where I feel healthy and love life no matter what ).

As for where I went in Mexico for the surgery, I went to Acuna? Dr. Jose Rodriguez. I dont' blame him but wish that we would have been forwarned of the bad water in the hospital besides don't drink it. He is a down to earth very sweet man. He was readily available to answer any question and give me advice, just not able to take care of me up here from there. Also he never had dealt with this before.

Again thank you all for listening and hope that anyone that may consider going to Mexico would really be careful with the water supply and ask questions about what blood work is done, results etc. There's some great Drs. there and they are #1 at what they do, but we still have to be our own advocates.

Keep up all the great work, you all seem like great people and I appreciate your support so much.

[GeezerSue 7]

Okay, now don't flame me, either. But...there are only a couple of Mexican doctors--I think it's just Rumbaut and Sanchez--who practice in hospital facilities that are anything like what we call a hospital here. That is one reason why I, and several others here and on other boards, tend to promote those two doctors. (Although I've only been to one.)

Next in line are the kinds of places that Kuri, Ortiz and Lopez use in Tijuana. Some are bigger, some are smaller, some are newer, some are older, but they are all very, very, very limited hospitals by US standards. If you have a problem in the middle of surgery and need a cardioligist or a gynecologist or pulmonologist or neurosurgeon, you can bet that there will NOT be one in the hospital and there are none "on staff." They are just not set up for that level of problem solving. The saving grace is that you are only about an hour (depending on border issues) from San Diego.< /p>

Then, there are places like Rodriguez has in Acuña. I know he has a happy fan club. I also know doctors who say that he has had problems there that he was not able to handle. It's a one man shop, and--although there is a hopsital across the border-- it's three-hour drive to the nearest big city hospitals in San Antonio.

I'm not very familiar with the facilites used by verboonen or Joya (I think he works in several cities), although I know of happy and unhappy patients from both.

Remember that this is NOT a post about the doctors...just the facilites. But I'm a brat and want ALL THE ODDS to be on my side. And the Yahoo boards? Several of those are set up by the doctors themselves and run by some of the sappier, in-love-with-my-surgeon-who-no-longer-charges-me patients...it would be safer to speak kindly of Saddam Hussein than to speak unkindly of their little gods. Been there, done that.

Hope you get well.

[leatha_g 4]

Originally posted by GeezerSue

...it would be safer to speak kindly of Saddam Hussein than to speak unkindly of their little gods. Been there, done that.

Hope you get well.

Boy! Amen to that, Sue. lol In addition, we have several 'Gods' right here in the good ole USof A. lol.

Leatha

[leatha_g 4]

Originally posted by Lori

Thank you all for the nice posts back. I didn't want to stir anything up and somehow when I posted this on my Mexican Drs. site I can no longer get on there. ..hummmm That kind of scared me and made me wonder how many other stories aren't heard.

Lori,

I for one am very glad you posted. I firmly believe that ALL aspects of banding should be discussed openly and without fear of repercussion.

Do you think you will ever get to try it again?

again, thank you so much for your story and I am truly sorry that all this happened to you or anyone else it may have happened to. I wish you a complete recovery and the strength to go forward with your desire to lose weight in a healthy manner.

Best of luck to you.

Leatha

[Guest Lori]

...it would be safer to speak kindly of Saddam Hussein than to speak unkindly of their little gods. Been there, done that.

LOL isn't that the truth!! They have blocked me so bad I can't even change my email address to see if I could get through that way and won't answer my request to do so.

Gee Sue where were you when I was trying to decide on a Mexico Dr. ...LOL

I" really curious as to the other problems Dr. Rodriguez had there that he wasn't able to handle.

The U.S. Mexico or China, I think all Drs. should be liable in some way to their patients. It's really scarey to think we put our lives in total care of these Drs. that won't be there when a problem arises.

All that said and done, I guess it was a gamble to save 1/2 the price and go down there then to pay dearly here and have the back up of malpractice if needed. Live and learn....

Thanks for posting what you did for the sake of others to know what to look for.

[GeezerSue 7]

Originally posted by Lori

...

I" really curious as to the other problems Dr. Rodriguez had there that he wasn't able to handle.

Me, too. But I couldn't get much more out of him.

[Penni60 45]

posted by Geezer Sue

Next in line are the kinds of places that Kuri, Ortiz and Lopez use in Tijuana. Some are bigger, some are smaller, some are newer, some are older, but they are all very, very, very limited hospitals by US standards.

I agree with this statement. I had my surgery with Lopez but not at Oasis Hospital. I went to Sanoviv Medical Institure www.sanoviv.com which was founded and started by an American Doctor called Dr. Myron Wentz who has a degree also in Microbiology. It is located in Rosarito, Mexico. The facility has their own filtered Water supply which they are more than happy to give you a tour of. The place reminds me of a hospital that is fashioned after a 5 star hotel. The place is fabulous. IT has Thalasso pools. A beautiful salt Water Lap pool. A beautiful round salt water pool that empties into the lap pool. The place is so serene and soothing.

The surgical suite is state of the art. But if there is a problem during surgery that the docs can't handle then I am not sure what they would do.

I had all manor of labwork done on me the day before surgery. I had an ultrasound of my abdomen done and an internist from TJ came and read the ultrasound and also talked to me regarding my health history the day of surgery. I asked for a copy of all my medical records and was gladly given them.

I would highly recommed this place for the LAP Band surgery. I felt safe and well taken care of. Plus it is a nice facility and you don't even feel like you have been in a hospital type setting. You feel like you have been on vacation actually. I had pain of course but it was managed really well. They were attentive and made sure I was taken care of. GREAT PLACE!!

[Guest Lori]

.

Do you think you will ever get to try it again?

Leatha,

I can guarantee I'll never try the band or gastric bypass surgery again. My body just wouldn't accept it and I'm not willing to gamble on my life again. Its been too too scarey.

I'll do my best on my own. I've come to realize band or not, you have to have the drive and mind set to make it. So I'm going to do my best on my own and enjoy every minute I can. I'm so thankful to have that chance again.

Thanks for your thoughts, I really appreciate it.

[hagerteresa 3]

Dr. Lopez required my surgery be done at Oasis of Hope because my BMI was so high (62%) and that is the only hospital he uses that has an ICU. It wasn't like the resort you described but I thought it was on par with local american hospitals. It was a little outdated looking but very clean, had bottled Water everywhere and my room was more comfortable than any hospital I had been to in my area. T