Dropping in to say hello
Howdy everyone!
I haven't been here in a while, but I've been so busy. I started school to get my MBA a few weeks ago. I am loving my lap band. It's been slow and steady. I've lost 26 pounds now since the 21st of October, I'm pretty happy with that. Today I got my second fill, so hopefully I start to get some more restriction I'm now up to around 6 cc's in my band.
One of these weekends I'm going to get out to coffee to meet some of you. It's next on my to do list. It would be this Saturday, but my father is coming for a visit and he arrives Saturday morning and then we are headed to take my little ones to seasame street live. Woo hoo!
Hope all is well!
Melissa
I haven't been here in a while, but I've been so busy. I started school to get my MBA a few weeks ago. I am loving my lap band. It's been slow and steady. I've lost 26 pounds now since the 21st of October, I'm pretty happy with that. Today I got my second fill, so hopefully I start to get some more restriction I'm now up to around 6 cc's in my band.
One of these weekends I'm going to get out to coffee to meet some of you. It's next on my to do list. It would be this Saturday, but my father is coming for a visit and he arrives Saturday morning and then we are headed to take my little ones to seasame street live. Woo hoo!
Hope all is well!
Melissa
Hi! I am new here. I live in Lakeville. I have a lapband, have had it since April 16, 2009. I have lost 45 lbs but now I am having serious problems with my band and my surgeon. I really am feeling alone and like I am the only person who ever has gone thru this so it's great to find this site!
I don't know yet how things work around here. So I will just share and you can tell me if this is the wrong place. My surgeon is Dr Paul Benn at southdale. With other surgeries, you see your surgeon before and a couple times after surgery. With the lapband it is an ongoing relationship. I really didn't SEE this before surgery. I am having great difficulty with Dr Benn. I have read his reviews and it seems everyone loves him. I don't get it.
As long as everything was going fine, he was fine, except I noticed he didn't like answering questions. I like to understand what I am going thru and I like science and biology and I do read alot and I am on another forum, SmartBandsters, where I have learned alot about band life. But he seemed irritated by questions. Then, I started PBing every time I ate solid food. This was when my band was still very loose so it didn't make sense. He refused giving me unfills 3 times. No discussion...everyone else I know who is banded, fills are something decided together between doc and patient. I couldn't eat anything but cereal and liquids. Instead of trying to solve my problem, he said it was all in my head and I would just have to live with it. It started in August and I am still dealing with it now (Jan 16). He finally gave me a small unfill last week but my encounter with him was VERY rotten. I am very angry. And with the unfill, now I can eat anything, my hunger is back and I have no restriction at all. So there is something wrong here and instead of looking for solution, he blames the patient. I went to a therapist, as he suggested. The therapist said it wasn't in my head either. I have been so super positive about my lapband and so excited about the weight loss and how great I feel. I have no mental illness or reason to make myself throw up everyday. it hurts! And now I feel like he just emptied my band and I am now on my own. No support from him. There is a PA at the clinic who I am still talking to but she can't do fills or unfills. I have never been so upset and disappointed by the behavior of a doctor. The disrespectful way he has treated me is just unbelievable. And I am not abusive or weird! I am very diplomatic, a good listener, I am open to anything that could help the situation. The PA says we can slowly add back saline trying to not trigger the throwing up problem. That makes sense but now I am wondering if I even want to go back to that clinic. I may need a new doctor. Any opinions or advice? Tracy
I don't know yet how things work around here. So I will just share and you can tell me if this is the wrong place. My surgeon is Dr Paul Benn at southdale. With other surgeries, you see your surgeon before and a couple times after surgery. With the lapband it is an ongoing relationship. I really didn't SEE this before surgery. I am having great difficulty with Dr Benn. I have read his reviews and it seems everyone loves him. I don't get it.
As long as everything was going fine, he was fine, except I noticed he didn't like answering questions. I like to understand what I am going thru and I like science and biology and I do read alot and I am on another forum, SmartBandsters, where I have learned alot about band life. But he seemed irritated by questions. Then, I started PBing every time I ate solid food. This was when my band was still very loose so it didn't make sense. He refused giving me unfills 3 times. No discussion...everyone else I know who is banded, fills are something decided together between doc and patient. I couldn't eat anything but cereal and liquids. Instead of trying to solve my problem, he said it was all in my head and I would just have to live with it. It started in August and I am still dealing with it now (Jan 16). He finally gave me a small unfill last week but my encounter with him was VERY rotten. I am very angry. And with the unfill, now I can eat anything, my hunger is back and I have no restriction at all. So there is something wrong here and instead of looking for solution, he blames the patient. I went to a therapist, as he suggested. The therapist said it wasn't in my head either. I have been so super positive about my lapband and so excited about the weight loss and how great I feel. I have no mental illness or reason to make myself throw up everyday. it hurts! And now I feel like he just emptied my band and I am now on my own. No support from him. There is a PA at the clinic who I am still talking to but she can't do fills or unfills. I have never been so upset and disappointed by the behavior of a doctor. The disrespectful way he has treated me is just unbelievable. And I am not abusive or weird! I am very diplomatic, a good listener, I am open to anything that could help the situation. The PA says we can slowly add back saline trying to not trigger the throwing up problem. That makes sense but now I am wondering if I even want to go back to that clinic. I may need a new doctor. Any opinions or advice? Tracy
Melissa, I forgot to mention, I have 1.7 cc s in my 10 cc band. I was up to 2.1 cc's and couldn't keep down any solid protein or most other solid food. I could eat cereal, chili, crackers and tuna...but no meatloaf, even my soft moist meatloaf.....and the removal of only .3 cc's made me wide open. It doesn't make sense. I am thinking maybe something is wrong with my band but on flouroscopy, which Dr Benn uses every fill, it looks normal. Of course, on Flouro it only shows your stomach when you are drinking a liquid, which has never given me trouble at all. But there is no option from the Doctor of any possible problem except that it's "all in my head". That has always been used by doctors who are too lazy to solve a complex problem. So frustrated!!!! But I still love my band. Tracy
Tracy-
Nice to meet you. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with the band and your doctor. I'm fairly new to the band and up until my 2nd fill never really had any issues...that was until lat week. It hasn't been bad, i think they are finally finding restriction for me which I am happy about but I have discovered I now really have to stick to the program and chew chew chew.
I now have I guess 5.4 cc's in my 10 cc band.
I would suggest looking at the lap band forum here on OH at well....they will have some good advice for you possibly? As far as your doctor, I would say if it just isn't working for you perhaps look for another clinic and doctor? I have been very happy at PNC at Meadowbrook in St. Louis Park. It's a little bit of a drive, but they have been great and very supportive so far.
Stay in touch!
Nice to meet you. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with the band and your doctor. I'm fairly new to the band and up until my 2nd fill never really had any issues...that was until lat week. It hasn't been bad, i think they are finally finding restriction for me which I am happy about but I have discovered I now really have to stick to the program and chew chew chew.
I now have I guess 5.4 cc's in my 10 cc band.
I would suggest looking at the lap band forum here on OH at well....they will have some good advice for you possibly? As far as your doctor, I would say if it just isn't working for you perhaps look for another clinic and doctor? I have been very happy at PNC at Meadowbrook in St. Louis Park. It's a little bit of a drive, but they have been great and very supportive so far.
Stay in touch!
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