Been Awhile..Super PO'D!!!!!

[jlobyxmas 0]

Ok, it's been awhile since I posted, but after yesterdays doctor visit I knew where I needed to come for answers.

I had my surgery a year ago, have not been as succesful as I had hoped but part of it is my fault due to life issues spiraling outta control.

Anyway, so I've had to switch doctors to one that is closer to where I live for fills. So I have all of my records transferred from my surgeon to my new doc. During our initial visit yesterday he's reviewing my chart and starts talking about the fact that I have the VG band and that they are finding that the AP bandsters are seeing greater success. They aren't exactly sure why but the newer band seems to kill the appetite. He kept mentioning my VG band and finally I stopped him to have him explain what the heck he was talking about. As far as I knew I had the AP band placed last February. All the documentation that the surgeon showed me prior to sugery referenced the AP band. During the consult he showed me a model of the AP band. All the research I did was on the AP band. I never even heard of the VG band as I started doing my research after the AP band was released so everything that you found was referencing the AP band.

I asked the new doc how long the AP band has been available and he tells me he's been using it since 2007... so I'm like wait I had my band put in 2008. Why the heck would have they given me the old band??? He says, well sometimes, they just use up the stock of what they have before moving on to the newer product. WTF!!!!!

So now I'm super pissed!!! He says the VG band had a greater occurence of prolapse, plus it is harder to get off if it ever needs to be removed, as well as the added benefit of the loss of appetite with the AP band...again I say WTF!!!!

So I come to the people that have the knowledge and experience. What do you think banders?? Should I be super pissed or shouldn't it matter??

Hellllpppp!!!!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

i can tell you the AP band doesn't give you extra appetite control. I have an AP large and I am hungry with 6.5 cc's in the thing. So I don't blame you for being upset but don't think the newer one makes it easier to lose with the band, because it doesnt. There are less "side effects" down the road but the one you have was very safe and effective, so be mad but don't let it get you down.

[aubrie 6]

Even if they are both totally equal in performance and effectiveness, the point is he lied to her. She was "sold" something she didn't get. That's deceptive trade practice. I would think think that there would be several levels of illegality with this one. My question is: do you have copies of any of the documentation you discussed? Did he provide you with any printed materials? Sounds to me like he has some explaining to do.

[dubbee 0]

Just curious. Is one more expensive than the other? Did you or your insurance pay for something you didnt receive?

[jlobyxmas 0]

I failed to mention that the surgeon I am going to now has the lap-band himself. He had the VG had a prolapse and had to have a revision with an AP about a year ago. So he has personal experience with both bands, and he tells me that recent research as well as personal experience that with the AP he is not as hungry. Something about they believe that the width and positioning of the AP band rests on a nerve that sends the signal to ur brain that ur full, therefore lowering ur appetite.

I'm not sure if there is a difference in cost, the entire procedure was covered by my insurance so I'm not exactly sure what was billed for.

I just feel like I was mislead. I'm in the medical profession, and like most bandsters I thoroughly researched before I had this done. I just have a bad taste in my mouth that my original surgeon didn't mention it to me. The only thing he said prior was that there were two size bands and he wouldn't be able to tell which one he was going to use until during the surgery. He NEVER mentioned that he was going to use the previous generation of band:huh2:

[Bamagal 1]

Well being suspicious is just my nature so keep that in mind,but sounds to me like he just wants you to pay him for a new band,and I could be wrong.I have had the VG band for a year I have lost most of my weight,took me a few fills to find my just right adjustment level and I have had no issues thus far.My fill doctor uses the new AP bands as well and the only thing he hates about the VG Band is it has a low profile port making it harder to hit when you are very heavy.Now that I have lost 90lbs I am happy to have it as my port don't stick out like some I have seen and I want have to have the port changed out later.So basically I say they all three have pros and cons with the AP small having the best results as it takes less fills to find restriction but those of us with bigger stomachs didn't get that one as it wouldn't fit us.I am sure your surgeon chose what he thought was best for you so I wouldn't stress over it unless it became an issue.

[MissBS 3]

I was wondering the same thing as Bamagal. Kinda like going into the Chevy dealership and them telling you that your Monte Carlo is nice, but they have a Corvette that would be even nicer. If you have proof that your surgeon knowingly lied to you, that might be another story. But... you've got the Monte Carlo and it will get you where you want to go - focus on that, put the pedal to the metal, and don't worry about the Corvette. And if the AP is supposed to be resting on a nerve that sends a signal to my brain that I am full, then mine must have been placed wrong or it's signal sender is not working correctly. I do wish you luck!! Keep your eyes and mind on that goal, and I'm sure you will have success. Becky

[wootsie73 0]

I'm not banded yet, but I am an RN, and I can definitely see both sides of this issue. If your surgeon put in an inferior band, then he should be held accountable for that. I'm sure the new doc must have read in your records that you have the VG band or he wouldn't have brought up the issue. But, I can also see the point that your new doc may be trying to sell you a new band, which would include him placing it. In that situation, he would be getting paid for your surgery for the AP band and the fills. Now he's only getting paid for the fills. So, if it were me, I would do some research on the issue before you make up your mind about whether to go after your 1st surgeon. Those medical records belong to you, so you can make them give you a copy of them. I would read those records thoroughly and it should say in his notes prior to surgery which band you were supposed to get. That way if you develop a problem, then you can go after him. That's just my opinion though.

Joan

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Ok, it's been awhile since I posted, but after yesterdays doctor visit I knew where I needed to come for answers.

I had my surgery a year ago, have not been as succesful as I had hoped but part of it is my fault due to life issues spiraling outta control.

Anyway, so I've had to switch doctors to one that is closer to where I live for fills. So I have all of my records transferred from my surgeon to my new doc. During our initial visit yesterday he's reviewing my chart and starts talking about the fact that I have the VG band and that they are finding that the AP bandsters are seeing greater success. They aren't exactly sure why but the newer band seems to kill the appetite. He kept mentioning my VG band and finally I stopped him to have him explain what the heck he was talking about. As far as I knew I had the AP band placed last February. All the documentation that the surgeon showed me prior to sugery referenced the AP band. During the consult he showed me a model of the AP band. All the research I did was on the AP band. I never even heard of the VG band as I started doing my research after the AP band was released so everything that you found was referencing the AP band.

I asked the new doc how long the AP band has been available and he tells me he's been using it since 2007... so I'm like wait I had my band put in 2008. Why the heck would have they given me the old band??? He says, well sometimes, they just use up the stock of what they have before moving on to the newer product. WTF!!!!!:glare:

So now I'm super pissed!!! He says the VG band had a greater occurence of prolapse, plus it is harder to get off if it ever needs to be removed, as well as the added benefit of the loss of appetite with the AP band...again I say WTF!!!!:eek:

So I come to the people that have the knowledge and experience. What do you think banders?? Should I be super pissed or shouldn't it matter??

Hellllpppp!!!!

Something is kinda fishy here, thing is... the band hasn't been out long enough to have long term studies. It's only been out for about a year. In the beginning their sales pitch for the new bands was that there would be fewer slips and erosion. Well, slips are *still* on the increase and erosion is still the same. They also claimed that hunger would be less but they never backed any of this up with any studies. It was theory and sales pitch.

What your surgeon may not have told you is that for many people it is taking freak'en forever to get to a sweet spot with the new mega bands and many never get enough restriction. It also came out from a FL convention just a few weeks ago that if you surgically reposition a band or replace a band you stand a 70% chance of a slip within 5 years.

There is a study on Ghrelin, the hunger causing hormone. As a sleeved person I have had the Ghrelin producing part of my stomach removed. But there are studies that show some Ghrelin is reduced temporarily in banded people. Not removed, reduced. It's not a "forever" thing but temporary. But that happens with ALL bands, not just the newer bands.

I see a whole lotta people having their "new and improved" bands removed on various revision boards. I think that the band makers just keep coming out with new things and new theories but no hard data.

If I had to be banded again honestly, I'd want the smaller older generation band. I wouldn't dream of getting the new one. Weight loss is slower probably because it takes forever to get and maintain a sweet spot. The first six months of any WLS type is when people lose the best. After about 6 months you aren't as paranoid about following rules and such. You learn to eat around your surgery type. I've seen countless people posting that they are at 6-8 months and just now feeling some restriction. Well, by that time they aren't in it as hard and heavy as immediately after surgery. They just aren't losing well.

Seriously, I wouldn't worry about which band you have. In the end they all do the same job. The rest is theory and sales pitch. If you make a new band that does the same thing as the last one you have to come up with something to sell the darn thing. So they do, it's call marketing. ;o)

[jlobyxmas 0]

Thanks everyone for your responses. The new doc is not trying to "sell' me a new band. In fact he wasn't really making that big a deal of it, he was mentioning it in passing and me being the anal retentive medical professional that I am, made him stop and explain what he was saying.

I have lost weight and ur right wasabubble, u tend to not be as strict after several months out, I'm definately assuming the responsibility of only losing 50 pounds, not blaming the band at all. I just feel kinda decieved by the first surgeon. He never mentioned the VG band, and as I had stated I didn't know anything about the VG band. Alllll of my research and his and my discussions prior to surgery were about the AP band.

I have no intention of having it replaced....no way!!!! And God forbid that I ever have to.

I spoke to one of the docs I work with and he agreed that it was something that I should just pursue, simply by asking the question of why he chose to use one instead of the other. I'll let ya know how that goes.

I am happy with my band and the decision I made to have surgery, I know that without my band not only would I probably not be down 50 pounds I'd probably gained another 20.:tt2:

[maryrose 2]

I would as to see the OP note.

I am a medical transcriptionist and many mistakes are made in patient's charts.

The OP note should give you the exact band name. He very well could have decided to go with another band during the procedure and that would be stated in the OP note.