NEED TO VENT AND NEED HELP!

[Susan58 10]

I am so stressed and frustrated about this band and with my doctor. I use Nicholson clinic in Dallas if anyone has any comments about that. I am 12 weeks post op, and have really had a rough time. at about 4 weeks I started having chest pain and throwing up. went to dr. after a run around all day from my dr. I was told to go to ER, they did CT of Chest and Abdomen. and then the next day had endoscopy. They said all was well. then had some other medical issues.... so after a couple of weeks all was well.

then 2 weeks ago I started throwing up even Water, so went to Dr. they did an UGI, said I was just swollen and irritated and to do liquids for a few days and then slowly up to food. followed those instructions and all has been great .

so I went today for a fill-- finally my first one.

this is the part that I am so frustrated with my Dr. that I could just scream. I have to drive 3 hours to dr. and I get there and a PA is getting ready to do my fill and he goes to look at the upper GI results before he does the fill and he comes back to the room and says he can't do it. he is reading the results to me and it says the band should be at 1'oclock and it was at 3'oclock and he didn't feel comfortable about doing a fill, I would have to see the Dr first. so I say ok lets do it, WELL there was not a DOCTOR in the building. so started asking questions like what did that mean, like could it be fixed without surgery,... he didn't know. I asked would it hurt me to leave it like it is for a while..... he didn't know. so basically I drove 3 hours for nothing. and I asked him to call one of the doctors on the phone and he said he couldn't do it . that they were unavailable.

I think I need to change doctors but I am already in debt up to my ass with him. and now I'm worried about if this is dangerous since it has slipped.

thanks for letting me get this off my chest and if anyone has any advise or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

[2muchfun 8,927]

Here's a picture of a fluoroscopic fill. If you look hard you can see the band is at about 1 o'clock. 3 o'clock would mean the band has slipped on the upper part of the stomach. I'm no doctor so take what I'm posting with many grains of salt.

Vomiting so soon after surgery is not good. You may need to get an attorney? Tell your doctor to make this right or you will?

[CherieRyde 227]

Here's a picture of a fluoroscopic fill. If you look hard you can see the band is at about 1 o'clock. 3 o'clock would mean the band has slipped on the upper part of the stomach. I'm no doctor so take what I'm posting with many grains of salt.

Vomiting so soon after surgery is not good. You may need to get an attorney? Tell your doctor to make this right or you will?

The picture didn't come through. :/

[2muchfun 8,927]

LOL. that's because I forgot to paste it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjCZ3YjMzE0&feature=player_embedded

[dylanmiles23 2,198]

I am so stressed and frustrated about this band and with my doctor. I use Nicholson clinic in Dallas if anyone has any comments about that. I am 12 weeks post op, and have really had a rough time. at about 4 weeks I started having chest pain and throwing up. went to dr. after a run around all day from my dr. I was told to go to ER, they did CT of Chest and Abdomen. and then the next day had endoscopy. They said all was well. then had some other medical issues.... so after a couple of weeks all was well. then 2 weeks ago I started throwing up even Water, so went to Dr. they did an UGI, said I was just swollen and irritated and to do liquids for a few days and then slowly up to food. followed those instructions and all has been great . so I went today for a fill-- finally my first one. this is the part that I am so frustrated with my Dr. that I could just scream. I have to drive 3 hours to dr. and I get there and a PA is getting ready to do my fill and he goes to look at the upper GI results before he does the fill and he comes back to the room and says he can't do it. he is reading the results to me and it says the band should be at 1'oclock and it was at 3'oclock and he didn't feel comfortable about doing a fill, I would have to see the Dr first. so I say ok lets do it, WELL there was not a DOCTOR in the building. so started asking questions like what did that mean, like could it be fixed without surgery,... he didn't know. I asked would it hurt me to leave it like it is for a while..... he didn't know. so basically I drove 3 hours for nothing. and I asked him to call one of the doctors on the phone and he said he couldn't do it . that they were unavailable. I think I need to change doctors but I am already in debt up to my ass with him. and now I'm worried about if this is dangerous since it has slipped. thanks for letting me get this off my chest and if anyone has any advise or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry to hear you're having doctor problems. Monday call the doctor and tell him that if you don't get results ASAP you will report him to the state board of doctors. I have never had anyone other than my doctor do any fills.

Good luck.

Arlene

[Susan58 10]

The PA showed me the pictures. the sad thing is after the UGI the doctor said it was just a little swollen and all would be fine. he told me to come back in a couple weeks for a fill... so that is why I made the appt. I didn't find all this out until I was there today. that is really what made me so mad. and now I have used all my sick time taking days off to go there and still nothing has been resolved. I am so worried that there will be a problem if something is not done to fix the slipped band.

I'm curious to know if anyone else used Nicholas Clinic and what they think of them. thanks for listening to a mad woman ramble on !!!

[Colleen C 169]

I am so sorry to hear what your going through for sure. While all this is spinning around and you are trying to figure this out I suggest getting an appointment with another surgeon. Possibly another county or whatever because you need another opinion.

[terrydumont46 1,954]

if they didn't give you any directions, I will. my band slipped too. not as bad as yours has. i'm more of a 2:00 slip. this is what I've had to do. my band was completely unfilled. and I was at green zone. liquids for 2 weeks and soft for 2 weeks and next week I will be starting solids but I have to split my meals into 5 small meals. the idea behind this is to let everything relax and hopefully your band goes back into place. I also had chest pain so bad I was taking nitro. after many heart tests it was determined that my heart was fine but with the barium swallow it showed over 20 spasms in my esophagus and at the time of the swallow I wasn't having any pain at all so I've been wondering what my esophagus was doing when I had the severe chest pain. my esophagus also elongated. so this is serious. you need to treat this very seriously. and I would look for a clinic that is more concerned. you should always have a way to get in touch with your doctor. but in the meantime go on liquids. be strict with yourself. I am really sorry you have had such a hard time. the vomiting and pain was a sure sign you had slipped. I bet if they went back to that first endoscopy it will show signs of slippage. my suggestion to you is on Monday morning you are going to call the doctor office and speak to the doctor. if the girl answering the phone doesn't put you through get very assertive. what has happened to you needs a conversation with the doctor. and you shouldn't have to drive 3 hours to just discuss something. please start liquids, sip and don't gulp. take care of yourself

[Debbie3sons 1,936]

I was going to say the same thing about being able to get a hold of your Surgeon at any time , this should be required for all Lap band surgeons & for them to let us know what hospitals close to us that we can go to that they are affiliated with , it is not right that the PA could not call the Doctor, just my opinion I bet if it was them they could get a hold of the Doctor , this made me upset , I hope it works out for you & it's not bad or hopefully it's nothing but this is no good .

[Susan58 10]

thanks everyone for your comments. I am going to call the doctor first thing in the morning. the odd thing is that after I had the UGI and did liquids for a few days and then moved to mushy foods, etc, I have had no problems eating. actually it is like there is not even a band there. that's why I went for a fill, because I can eat with no full feeling or anything.

I just can't get over that there is no access to a doctor when you have an appt. and if the PA doesn't know enough to handle any situations with the band, then he shouldn't be left unattended. I think I am just ready to have the thing taken out.

we have a vacation planned starting tomorrow, going to the beach at surfside for a few days, so I guess if the doctor can't discuss it with me on the phone. I will have to wait a while before I can make an appt. I just hope I am not causing damage by eating. the PA couldn't even answer my questions about what I should eat or if this could cause damage. anyway thanks for listening and I will post after I speak with the doctor.

[Debbie3sons 1,936]

Keep trying to get a hold of that Doctor and let them know the PA said they couldn't get a hold of them , I really hope it works out for you , but enjoy your vacation , keep us posted .

[green eye 1957 0]

Does anyone have the problem of throwing up while there eating. It doesn't matter what I'm eating. It doesn't happen all the time, it happens with all types of food. Drs. Don't what causing this.