DESPERATE, Please Help

First, I want to apologize for the long post.

I had lap band surgery April 2008. I was doing great, no significant problems or issues. I lost weight, felt wonderful, didn't need any medications anymore etc. In August of 2008 my husband (who was our ONLY income provider) abandoned me with no money, all the bills, and no more health insurance, for some woman he had been sneaking around with for a LONG time.

My last Dr. appointment and fill was in July of 2008. Since then I have been trying to work which is hard because of the economy. Im in survival mode, I have two kids, I do not have insurance and medicaid says I'm "too healthy" for benefits...

Food gets stuck CONSTANTLY, I have severe-wakes-me-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-choking-throwing-up reflux and horrible constant pain in my stomach and the middle of my back. I haven't eaten more than a 1/4 cup of mashed potatoes and a piece of fish (the kind you get in the bag at wal-mart 30 for $11) a day for the past 5 months and that takes me around 3-4 hours to eat. Anything else I try to eat I bring right back up...

Since Easter 2011 I have not had a meal-NOTHING-I am barely surviving on Ensure drinks and most of the time I bring those up as well. I burp constantly when I am laying down on my left side and when I lay on my back or right side I feel my throat getting filled with acid.

I didn't have my surgery in Jacksonville so the surgeons I have spoken to here will not even talk to me unless I pay a program fee. Because I have a balance with my old surgeon due to my ex leaving the way he did- I am unable to get any of my records other than a few pictures that were given to me post-op. 

I can not afford program fees, I do not have insurance, I JUST started another temporary job. I'm a very hard worker but for some reason no one in Jacksonville is hiring permanent full time Project Coordinators/Admin Assistants but rather it is ALWAYS temporary. Therefore the whole "I will wait until I find a job with insurance and an income lasting an indefinite period of time to get my band fixed" excuse is killing me. Its been almost 3 years. I feel helpless and pathetic and overwhelmed.

I have no idea why I am writing this post besides to get this out there and relieve the added stress of all these emotions and fears that lack of eating due to inability to care for my lapband is going to send me to an early grave.

Does anyone know if there are options? I am sure I am not the only person to have loads of bad luck. I am so very sorry for my long rant. Thanks for reading, advice is MUCH appreciated

Oh Tiffany.  I am so sorry you are in this situation.  I thought I had it bad relocating and being a self pay band patient, but your situation tops mine for sure.

Have you looked into going further than Jacksonville for a surgeon?  Maybe expand your search a bit and you might find a bariatric group that will take you on.  Have you looked at www.lapband.com yet?

I can only imagine how tight $ is for you, but the reflux you are describing is a big problem.  Please have it addressed sooner rather than later.

Thanks for your response :)

I have actually spoken to about 65 different bariatric surgeons over the past 2 years ranging all over Florida as well as southern Georgia and every single one of the ask for a minimum program fee of $500.00 before an office visit. I am unable to really afford going anywhere else I was already pushing it by leaving Jacksonville at all for a surgeon. They also need my medical records which I can not attain.

Im starting to bring up Ensures as well so now I am chewing on ice to stay hydrated. It feels like I have slime from my band to my throat with a huge air bubble floating in between. I never intended to not maintain perfect care of my band. I have been stuck at 170lbs since September 2008. I was still eating according to my plan and doing everything I was supposed to do knowing that although I needed a fill to lose anything else I was at least taking care of my band. The only time I ever deviated from that was when I had pneumonia this past December/January when I was using inhalers, drinking gatorade, eating saltines and popcycles, and taking tylenol. Since then I had been on that restricted tators and fish diet thinking that the meds had interferred.

I am so sorry Tiffany for your current situation...but you need to get an unfill and be evaluated asap.  If there is a hospital near you that does bariatric surgery you could go to the emergency room...they have to treat you and deal with the $$ issues later. 
See if that works....your kids need you to be healthy.
Good luck...let me know how it goes.
Steph

I agree!!!

 Go to an E.R. of a hospital that does Bariatrics.  Staying too tight for too long is dangerous.

Thank you Michelle.

Is there a FILL center USA around you? I'm sorry to hear your experiencing problems it is very likely you need a small unfil ..

nothing to apologize for. We're all getting hit from multiple sides with all the many issues with our economy, jobs, families and what not.

But you need to quickly deal with this reflux. You need an unfill. I know that cash is tight, but you have to have relief. Those night time choking caughing fits are a huge red flag.

http://www.fillcentersusa.com/locator/   They will help you out and there is one right there in Jacksonville.  Give them a call STAT!

If you are having trouble dealing with the cash flow, you'll have to prioritize. Think of it this way. If Mommy is in the hospital dealing with complications, there won't be any worry about the cable being on anyway. Cut the cable, turn off the AC. Do what you have to in order to stay healthy. You and your babies are worth it.

Good luck!

Since it has been almost 3 yrs since my last fill would I have even retained the liquid in my band still?
My concern is that I am obstructed. I feel pain around my band and when I rub my hand over it it feels "bigger". One of the things he repaired was a hernia in my espohagus when he placed the lap band. I used to have all of this acid reflux pre-op because of that hernia. With all the sliming and bringing food back up I was thinking perhaps I ruptured the repaired hernia? I don't know if this makes any sense maybe I'm over thinking...

 Tiffany,

I am sorry to hear about all of your problems, first of all you may need someone (friends and family) to talk to. Do you know that stress, and other things will further tighten up the band? If you are constantly under lots of stress this is not good for your band being "tight" it will further tighten it up.

I understand that you are under financial difficulties right now, but YOUR HEALTH comes first, you need to suck it up and call your old surgeon's office back, and make some type of payment arrangements with them, ASAP.

Tell them your story of what you are disclosing to this board, I am sure they will make arrangements to see you and tell them your financial difficulties and your husband leaving you with two small children and I am sure they will see you since your bands health is in jeopardy.

You really need to get an unfill until you are READY to deal with your band, the good thing about the band is that as long as their is no permanent damage done, you can always get back on track when your life situation gets better and you can focus on your weight loss goals.

Right now your MAIN focus should be on job, your children, and dealing with creditors, and of course finding that dead beat husband up of yours and making him pay child support.

Once all those stresses are under control then you will have time to take a breather and focus better on yourself, in the meantime if you are refluxing late at night you may want to sleep elevated with pillows and chew about 2-4 Papaya enzymes with 1 Pepcid before you sleep and that should help clear out your pouch immediately, but again it may not help because your band may have slipped if you've been this tight for long periods of time, we don't know the condition of your band, you need to see a band surgeon immediately at least to remove saline, if you don''t have money for an Upper GI.

Good luck