Big Medicine Episode 8 Tonight!

Just another reminder :)

You will also get to see previews of next week's episode...that I will be on!  I don't know if I'll be in the previews, but maybe!

I really enjoy this show.  My case a bit differant since I had a differant procedure.  But it is still helpful.  I will watch for ya. Linda

I never miss an episode! I will be on the look out for you next week!!

I just love this show.  I seen you on tonight also!! You poor girl, I felt so sorry for you. Your lips were just a quivering! Glad he took care of ya though. Oh and by the way, I think both your dad and your brother are awesome, but that brother of yours is quite handsome ;) You take care.

I saw the episode last night.  I also live in Columbus.  I have to ask what hosptial you were at that did not know how to take care of a lapband issue?  Do you think that the situation was made worse because you have no surgeon in Ohio?  Do you have a surgeon to follow-up with in OH?  Was he/she not available to help?

My brother sent me to a follow-up surgeon, Dr. Needleman, at Ohio State. I had seen him a couple times for fills.  When I called his office (it was a Friday morning) to tell them the issue with vomiting and being unable to drink liquids, they told me that he was "unavailable" and to go to the Emergency Room at Ohio State.  I sat there for several hours, and the on-call attendings and residents did not even know what a lapband was.  I had to ASK for an upper GI.  They finally found one of Dr. Needleman's fellows to come check it out.  This guy swore that he had done fills before but admitted he usually jus****ched them. I thought it would be easy enough to just access my port and take out the fluid.  He poked me many times (as you saw) and then told me that there was probably something wrong with my band and that I'd probably need surgery.  As you can see, that was clearly not the case.  I called my dad/brother several times that day - as soon as the guy said that I might need surgery, my dad was like, No Way, get home!  The problem took 1 minute to fix - as soon as I was unfilled, I felt 100% better.  It infuriates me that I was in the ER for so long and that the doctor I had seen for follow up did not have an on-call physician available to help with such a situation.  I am not sure if he was less interested in helping me because he did not actually do my surgery, but he is a colleague of my brother's so you'd think there would be some motivation.

Pretty scary that the hospital you went to has a bariatrics program.  I was hoping to hear that you went to St. Ann's or Mount Carmel East - two hosptials that do not advertise WLS. This was a wake up call for me.  I am going through RIverside for RNY.  I would expect that my surgeon or partner would be available if an issue came up.

Dr. Myers(Fresh Start, Riverside) is always available and even will give you his personal cell phone. He is an amazing surgeon and the most truly caring doctor I have ever met. Kim--I was hoping you were NOT in Columbus, but in some small town somewhere. I jus****ched the episode tonight. Sure did not make Ohio look very good--hopefully you will find a new doctor and a hospital you trust.

Hi Kim! I'm also a patient of Dr. Myers at Riverside. He does lots of lapbands and he is awesome.  If you need a doc in Columbus to do your fills and be available 24 x 7, he's your man.  As Stephanie mentioned, we all have his cellphone number and the Riverside Emergency Department has strict instructions to contact him immediately if any of his patients come in.  I will see him this week (8/2) for my 6 week check up and would be glad to "introduce" you if you still need a reliable Columbus doc.  Good luck! Alex

Kim, You didn't tell us you were going to be a movie star.  I know it's a pain going down to Cicinnati, but what about Dr. Curry?  If you want a LapBand doctor, he's the one. Peggy