Heartbroken - must find a new Doc in Athens/Atlanta Area STAT

[Mac-A-Doo 3]

Hi everybody,
I'll try and keep this as brief as possible., but it will get a little long as there is a LOT to cover. I got my Band done in May of '05, in Long Branch NJ. I lost 90 pounds, and hit my goal almost without any major issues. I only experienced severe heartburn as a 'complication' along with the getting to know the learning curve of what I could and could not eat. However, in '09 I developed a complication, that somehow led to an infection of my port area. This turned out to be an internal MRSA infection, and I came about 12 hours away from leaving the planet for good. Luckily, they went in and managed to get everything cleaned out, and actually managed to replace my band and port during the same surgery. When the lab reports came back indicating MRSA, the doctors seemed to think the infection was caused by a belly button ring, but we were never sure. I was on a special treatment of antibiotics for 8 weeks to clear everything up.

After my antibiotic regimen was finished I was given the 'all clear' and so, with the new band in place [but unfilled], I managed to gain weight at a rapid pace, putting on 35+ lbs. in a matter of 8 weeks. When they were finally able to do the new fills after I healed, I went back down to my goal weight, (which is around 125) proving that, the band was indeed needed and a much needed tool to effectively help me keep my weight in check. For those of you that are questioning my reasoning for getting the band done to begin with wen I was only in the low 219 area, I am, and have been disabled with many medical issues since 1996. At the time of my banding I had been thru many extensive surgeries in my spine including a 6 level lower spinal fusion, that failed miserably and was the causation (at least in theory,) for my severe Fibromyalgia. With Failed Back Surgery Syndrome, and 'Fibro' already effecting my life, to add to my list of maladies, I was also diagnosed with Lupus SLE in 2009. *They also think that one of my Lupus meds may have led to my immune system to not be able to fight off the MRSA infection that led to the emergency Band revision surgery.

Fast forward to today. I now live in Georgia after moving away from NJ in December of 2012. And while I know that I probably should have found a new doctor in Georgia before now, there was a very good reason for why. You see the day before we were supposed to move out of Nj and head for Georgia, Hurricane Sandy hit the coast of NJ, causing us to lose everything we owned to that damned storm. From both of our cars, to everything that was packed into our moving PODS, pretty much everything was gone. Life was shall I say "complicated" to say the very least. We now had to concentrate on rebuilding our lives all while adjusting to a new state! And so, I must stress that finding a new Gastro doc, just really wasn't on my mind. Add to this that I have had ZERO complications since my revision, it just was not important at the time. And when I say no complications, I cannot stress it enough - Other than getting some pain if I ate too fast or too much, there was no indication of any problems. No heartburn, no pain, literally zero side effects whatsoever. Until now.

About 6 months ago, I started feeling a twinge on my low left back quadrant. Because I have a severe back problem anyway, I at first thought that it was my back. Then it started to get worse. I feared it was my Pancreas, Live or Gallbladder. My Rheumatologist sent me for a lung X-ray fearing pleurisy. Then I went for a CT scan that also came up pretty much negative, all for a slight sign of my port cath, 'rubbing' on my spleen. So I googled left side lap band pain - and it started filling up with pages of warning signs. Shoulder pain, pain when I sneeze, heartburn, rotten egg burps, excess gas in my tummy, etc.

As I said in my topic header. I am literally heartbroken. Besides that freak infection in 2009, I have been pretty much a poster girl patient for the Lap Band. Up until now, you could ask anybody that knew of my banding surgery and they would tell you that they probably got tired of hearing me say "Getting the band was the BEST thing I ever did for my self and life". I was so over the moon happy about this tool that was given to me, that ended my lifetime struggle of weight issues. I'm only 5'0 tall, if I put on 40 lbs, its noticeable right away - heck if I put on 20 lbs, one can see the issue of a struggle with weight. My body simply cannot take the extra weight on its joints and limbs.

I now know that I'm in for a issue with the band no matter what the outcome will be, I know that there is SOMETHING happening with my implant. And herein lies my problem. I'm at my goal. My BMI is way too low for an argument of why I would qualify for any revision surgery at least that is, for just my weight alone. But, if one were to look at my disability and health issues that was one of my main secondary qualifications for getting the surgery to begin with, well then, I hoping that there might be a hope and a prayer for a sleeve to be done if the band must come out.

And that leaves me here. I'm in the Athens and Atlanta area. I'm looking for a doc that is willing to fight for patients for advocating the need to insurance companies for medical needs, as well as a skilled revision doctor. My current weight is going to work against me, that I know, but I'm scared to death of being left on my own accord for the rest of my days. I got the surgery when I was about to turn 40, and now here I am having just turned 50, and facing this horrible task.

Again I'm looking for a great surgeon in either the Athens or Atlanta area. They are both a easy drive, but I want to go to a doc that is highly recommended.

Thank you so much for listening to my plight - good night and God Bless

[gowalking 10,790]

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I can't help you but I can try to support you. I understand as I am also one of those who's band has worked so well for me...and living here in NYC, I know firsthand about the horrors of Sandy when it hit.

Please keep us posted on how you are doing and if you find a doctor who will advocate for you.

[Mac-A-Doo 3]

Thank you for that "Go" - yes it was probably one of the scariest nights of my life. We were directly on the Water on the Bay, and I gotta say in 30 years of living on the coast, never did I ever imagine that would ever happen. Thankfully our neighbor saved us from the incoming water to the house as his house sat higher than ours. We didn't go to the shelter because of our dogs,,,they wanted us to leave them in the car overnight while we were inside all warm and cozy. There was no way that I was leaving my furry kids in a car alone in that horrible storm with the wind and rain and floods - they would have been scared out of their fur!

[czymom 1]

Hi,

My doc is in Macon, which is south of Atl. Dr. Bagnato. He is amazing.