Need Help Please

**I posted this on the Lap Band msg board too** I have posted several times on this and the CT board where I hang out......Now I have more pieces to my puzzle...... I have had almost no restriction....I have a 5cc band and I have 4.2 cc's in it. I am 9 mos out from surgery. I have gone for fill after fill, and I never get any restriction. Well I most recently were talking to a few band frends of mine who are far less filled and have almost too much restriction. Well, whats very comforting is the APRN who does my fills (whome I love by the way) says.... well I am going to call the OR and have them check their records to see what size band they have you down for....the chance of the wrong size is very slim, but its worth trying...so all this time I have been getting these little tiny fills and I could have a band double the size. I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. So she has me go to see the nutritionist....well after my appt with her and she verified I do (mostly) my band rules, and band eating....she is like well...it does sound to me like you have too much room abover your band or the pouch is too big or something.....that comforting too...thanks.....so after asking what test we can do since something is not right, I get told "you'd be having some other symptoms if something was wrong, like vomitting, or pains" Well now I am having port pains, so I got insistant. I left a msg at the surgeons office for NO ONE to call me back. THANKS. Then radiology calls me to confirm my appt for my upper GI - great, Now I have an appt that I didnt even know I had. Well, I went today after insisting something get done, and what does the radiologist say to me....well the doc is right, no restricition.....(so from now on you can all call me Dr Bree I guess) He said everything goes right thru the band. I told him the thing about the surgeon saying it may be a larger size, and he said I dont even know if there are bigger sizes....so that was a waste of time...... Well I bodily went up to the surgeons office who was in surgery at the time and the APRN is on vaca this week so it was useless.....so i wrote a note to leave as a msg for him. Do you think I got a call back yet. NO !!! What the hell happens now, does anyone know? Any suggestions are WELL appreciated. I feel so alone here. I cant even get the doctors office to call me back. Thanks for another "venting" session. Bree

Hey Bree, I myself dont much about the lap band I had the gastric. But I would definately call the surgeon and tell them its an emergency and you need help. If they dont get back to you call another surgeon's office to find out whats wrong. I hope you get your answers. Sorry to hear your having such a tough time sweetie. Take care and good luck Hugs KimC

Oh Bree, You must feel really frustrated....I can only imagine.....Please try not to let the stress get to you...Your Doctor will be back soon...And if he/his office don't help you in a timely fashion once he gets back, pester them until they do..You deserve to get quality care, not this bullsh#.... Hang in there......Things WILL get better,,,,,, Dorota

Hi DR. Bree just goes to show you we know our bodies better then the doctors do at times. all i can say is your a better person than i am i would have been waiting outside the O.R. for the doctor to come out and confront him. by you posting your story is it will make people think before they use your doctor if thats the kind of after care you recieved. good luck jackie

Hi Bree, From one Bandster to another, I would go stand in the office until you see the doctor or go get another opinion to find out what is going on. My experiences are so different from yours (I can't keep much protein down and they won't unfill me - "Learn to work with the band"). I love my doc but I know he is so far away. I am going to send you a PM with some information that may help you - look for my email. Nancy

Bree - This is just ridiculious! There is supposed to be a lap band support group meeting tonight - who knows if there will be one w/Honor on vacation - but if there is, perhaps you can face to face talk to Dr. Barba about this issue and also tell him exactly how you feel. I just tried calling the office to confirm if there will be one but they are on lunch now.......... I will call you........... Don't give up! Tammy

Hi Bree, Your a better person than me. If some body put me through what they have done to you I would call an attorney and I bet they will return his phone calls! Take the fight to them and take no prisoners! Good Luck!

My suggestion is to see Dr Aranow. 860-347-9167 I think ....anyway he's in Middletown. You see HIM for fills not an APRN. He can look at the upper GI results and devise an answer to your problem. I think you need to run not walk to a new surgeon.