Dr. Miles or Dr. Schmitt patients

[stl 1]

First, 54 lbs in a year sounds good to me! When was your last fill? Have you had a fill since Oct? How many fills have you had? Have you called the dr's office? If so, what did they say? Do you have the Realize band? Are you exercising? I notice that you didn't mention anything about exercise in your post.

My first fill was going to be 5 cc's. I say 'was' b/c (incase you missed it in the previous postings) I have a flipped port and they are doing a port revision this week. However, I know that they are going to put 5cc's in during the revision.

I went in today for a fill and I also have a flipped port. He wants to wait 2 more weeks before doing my revision. I know that we had surgery around the same time...weird!

[Fordgal88 7]

I would suggest using another sleep study Dr. I used Dr. Schmitt's sister also and if you read back on this board, you will see that it was a total NIGHTMARE! Trust me there are plenty of Dr.'s around that know the process. =)

Hope everyone is well. I really missed group last week!

=)

Shawna

[bandmeimready 0]

I had to do all of those except the upper GI. I had no signs of GERD/heartburn/ etc. so they saw no reason to refer me for that. Dr. Miles was the one who told me (in consultation) what I had to do as far as extra testing.

My dr had already ran a 3 hr GTT (sugar test) so that was out of the way - NOTE that is where I was diagnosed as diabetic. Actually, I had requested the GTT as diabetes runs in the fam.

Usually during your 7 months the primary MD runs the WHOLE circus of blood panels! I remember sitting there that day watching her fill up 7 vials of blood! *ack* They do the A1C (sugar related), cholesterol, liver functions, thyroid, etc. Pretty much a really really good physical kinda thing. No matter what happens or what the results are just remember that the knowledge rendered gets you that much farther into the journey of changing your life. Finding out that I was a diabetic was the final determing factor for me in this process. I knew then that I had to make this work.

Dr. Miles also ordered the sleep study but I expected that. You can use someone else but I think it's easier for them if it's their in-house dr. However, she's an ENT and is also Dr. Schmitt's sister. A LOT of ppl do not like her! I liked her my first visit but by the time we got to visit #3 and #4. she wasn't my fav person. Being that I work with dr's I like to consider myself fairly forgiving and understanding in that environment but she... ehhh... She'd call and say, 'I can't proceed until you give me XYZ.' Which I had already given her! So I would produce the info again with the fax confirmation and the note of when we spoke about it and what was previously said!

At the end she told me everything was completed and she was (finally) sending my approval through to Miles & Schmitt right then only to call me a few days later and tell me that she was waiting on the read-out from my Cpap machine. Ummm the one we covered in her office a few days earlier!!! So she had lost my results from my Cpap disk somewhere during those few days! Which meant that she lied to me and had NOT sent the approval letter through the day she said she had!

My suggestion on dealing with her is this - and this is just me - it is helpful to use her b/c she's there and knows the routine BUT do the sleep study early to anticipate AND CORRECT difficulties with her. Also, when you fax something, keep your confirmation. Every time you talk to her asst (Jenny I think) write down or email yourself the date and time as well as what was discussed. She was the most difficult part of the process for me.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh and she likes to cancel and reschedule appt's like you WOULD not believe! So never ever schedule your appt's with her up against a deadline. Hubz went to her after my first visit and she rescheduled his following visit THREE TIMES! Once she was sick... once she had something else come up... and then she decided to take off another day.

Did your MD say if she's ever put anyone through this part of the program before? If she has, i definitely wouldn't worry. If not, why not just call Miles & Schmitt and ask them if they see a prob with it? Most of the ppl there are really nice.

Have you ever done the 3 hr GTT before? *chuckles* Loads of fun!

In saying all this, I can't stress enough that these are just my opinions and experiences. I'm sure that others have had different experiences so remember it's not the same for everyone. A lot of it you will just figure out as you go. I remember my MD telling me that the SINGLE most important thing was not to let more than 30 days lapse between each visit or we had to start the seven months all over!

Hang in there! It's gonna be an exciting ride!

Great info! Thanks! I am so glad I know you "in real life"!!!!! :wub: I didn't want to say but I am really worried about all this pre-testing blood work! I hate to go to the Dr. as is!!!! Let alone any kind of testing My primary has put people throught successfully. Actualy a lady that works at the office had the lap band put in in December. The only thing is that she typically uses Dr. Matthews at Princeton. I think I am the first one to use Dr. Miles. I have heard a lot of people complain about the Dr. Schmitt ENT Dr. Miles refers to. Pretty much the same thing you are saying. She rescedules and losses everything. My aunt actualy had the gastric bypass done by Dr. Miles and he finally had to refer her to another ENT because Dr. Schmitt ENT kept delaying her surgery because of lost paper work and so on. I might consider doing the sleep study with the Dr. my primary requested or see if Dr. Miles will refer me to someone different! I have had a sugar test done many many years ago probably like 5. It came out border line. They told me not to gain any weight and I have probably gained 40 lbs since then :thumbup: Thanks for the 30 day tip. I am going to go back and check and make sure none of my appointments are more than 30 days apart! Oh, but they still need to be 1 in a month right? Wow, I can't wait to have this surgery so I can just focus on getting my health back in order!

[bandmeimready 0]

I went in today for a fill and I also have a flipped port. He wants to wait 2 more weeks before doing my revision. I know that we had surgery around the same time...weird!

Do ya'll both have the Realize???

[Bamablondie1 0]

Do ya'll both have the Realize???

I do have the Realize band but I think that is all they've used for like the last year. Can anoyone else on here confirm that? Lisa told me that switched to the Realize band b/c they supposedly have less flipped ports. And maybe they hold a couple more cc's of Fluid? ?? They told me my port was flipped on the 8th and at that time she said I was the 3rd person in 300/400 ppl.

[Bamablondie1 0]

I went in today for a fill and I also have a flipped port. He wants to wait 2 more weeks before doing my revision. I know that we had surgery around the same time...weird!

Hey STL! Yeah we did! Were we the same day? Mine was 12/28. He wants you to wait two weeks? Odd. They told me it would take about two weeks for ins approval on the revision. Ya know when I went in he never looked at me. It showed that it flipped on the ultrasound and then Lisa came in and jabbed around *lol* to confirm it. She did say that she would have gotten him to come in but he was out of the office.

Part of me is upset b/c it's like I have this thing but I can't use it at the level I should be able to - yet. Butttt... on the flip side I have lost 24 lbs since surgery and I do have some restriction. Just a speed bump in the road, I know. Have I mentioned how much I hate needles, surgery and hospital environments?!?! OK ok... I know... only like 10x!!! We'll get thru this sista! lol!

[Bamablondie1 0]

Great info! Thanks! I am so glad I know you "in real life"!!!!! I didn't want to say but I am really worried about all this pre-testing blood work! I hate to go to the Dr. as is!!!! Let alone any kind of testing :eek: My primary has put people throught successfully. Actualy a lady that works at the office had the LAP-BAND® put in in December. The only thing is that she typically uses Dr. Matthews at Princeton. I think I am the first one to use Dr. Miles. I have heard a lot of people complain about the Dr. Schmitt ENT Dr. Miles refers to. Pretty much the same thing you are saying. She rescedules and losses everything. My aunt actualy had the gastric bypass done by Dr. Miles and he finally had to refer her to another ENT because Dr. Schmitt ENT kept delaying her surgery because of lost paper work and so on. I might consider doing the sleep study with the Dr. my primary requested or see if Dr. Miles will refer me to someone different! I have had a sugar test done many many years ago probably like 5. It came out border line. They told me not to gain any weight and I have probably gained 40 lbs since then Thanks for the 30 day tip. I am going to go back and check and make sure none of my appointments are more than 30 days apart! Oh, but they still need to be 1 in a month right? Wow, I can't wait to have this surgery so I can just focus on getting my health back in order!

Well the good thing is that you've done a GTT before so ya know what to expect *chuckles* As for the 30 days... I dunno if it really matters if one is like 5/1 and then 5/31. Ya know? I can tell you that my dates were 5/26, 6/22, 7/16, 8/13, 9/8, 10/8 & 11/5. You can see how I kinda moved some of them closer the first few months trying to hurry up and get my 7 months over! :wink:)

[bandmeimready 0]

Well the good thing is that you've done a GTT before so ya know what to expect *chuckles* As for the 30 days... I dunno if it really matters if one is like 5/1 and then 5/31. Ya know? I can tell you that my dates were 5/26, 6/22, 7/16, 8/13, 9/8, 10/8 & 11/5. You can see how I kinda moved some of them closer the first few months trying to hurry up and get my 7 months over! :wink:)

Great idea! Anything to move this along faster! I think I'll get my calender out and do some rearanging! Ha!!!!!!!

[kaninag 35]

OMG--- Last night was pure torture!!!!!!

For dinner I ate salmon and veggies...I prob didnt even eat a 1/4th of a cup cuz it felt like my food was just stuck in my throat....It felt like this for hours...no pain just like it was hung up you know felt like I had to throw up but nothing came up....tried to go to bed around 900

BAD idea...when I would lie down I would get this AWFUL pain/pressure in my chest/stomach area...the only way I wouldnt have pain is if I sat up. Needless to say last night I slept on the couch with a bunch of pillows sitting up...This is horrible...I guess Im back on liquids for a few days to see if this will clear up but wow is this uncomfortable....I dont know what I could have done cuz Ive been fine no problems for the past few days.....

[Bamablondie1 0]

OMG--- Last night was pure torture!!!!!!

For dinner I ate salmon and veggies...I prob didnt even eat a 1/4th of a cup cuz it felt like my food was just stuck in my throat....It felt like this for hours...no pain just like it was hung up you know felt like I had to throw up but nothing came up....tried to go to bed around 900

BAD idea...when I would lie down I would get this AWFUL pain/pressure in my chest/stomach area...the only way I wouldnt have pain is if I sat up. Needless to say last night I slept on the couch with a bunch of pillows sitting up...This is horrible...I guess Im back on liquids for a few days to see if this will clear up but wow is this uncomfortable....I dont know what I could have done cuz Ive been fine no problems for the past few days.....

Ummm... ok... so you are stuck but not stuck and it's NOT b/c of a fill?!?! How frustrating! Let us know how/when/why that resolves. I'm curious about how long it last so that I won't freak out if I'm ever in the same boat!

[kaninag 35]

I havent had a fill in a long time. Something must of irritated my stomach is all I can think of. Maybe I ate too fast and didnt realize it I dont think so. Right now Im fine. Im doing liquids and we're good. I've had this happen to me before but it was like right after a fill....I'll keep you posted. Dont freak out you'll be fine!!!

My doc has always told me to go to liquids when something like this happens for a few days. BUT he says if liquids wont stay down or after a few days you're not better call him ASAP--liquids are going down fine.

[bandmeimready 0]

I know this is a really silly question...but when you get stuck is it like you are choking and you can not breathe????

[bandofhope 1]

Hi Mary,

my experience has not been one that makes me feel like i am choking...i know what you are talking about- like when you inhale something down your windpipe and you can't pull a breath and you can't breathe...NO, mine is nothing like that. Imagine the top of a pastic coke bottle with no give or elasticity...now now imagine pushing a hamburger bite, or a mouth full of chips, or any big bite of anything that holds it's shape...the pressure from the food trying to go down creates sharp pain...and I can feel the bulk of the food pressing against my esophagus and at times it feels like it is going to pop up my throat..that is my experience...I have not thrown-up yet- and this always happens when i do not pay attention to the size of bites i take or the texture of the food i eat...hope that helps and like i said.. that is my description, others on here have one to share as well...

[kaninag 35]

I just feel a lot of pain in my upper chest and when it finally does start to go dow I can feel it pushing thru and it hurts. I hate getting stuck but even after 2 years I do from time to time. but it only happens when Im not paying attention to what Im doing...like when eating out with friends.

[LollyMoe 1]

I get stuck mostly when I'm with other people, not paying attention, talking too much. I excuse myself to the bathroom and slime like crazy for awhile. After I burp, I can go back, eat the rest of my food and I'm okay. When I eat alone at home, I have no problems. I just have to watch it closer. I hate that feeling of pain in the upper chest.

I also wanted to say that Dr Gerald Dey is a excellant pulmonary doctor that did my sleep study. Dr Miles's office had no trouble accepting his clearance/test results. I had my sleep study done at the hospital. His office is in the building on the left that you pass when going up the hill to the hospital. My primary care doctor recommened him.