stomaphyx did not work for me

 had stomaphyx done Sept 14th and it has now been 1 month. I have gained two pnds. I had no problems after. But do not feel satiety or a fullnesss at all like I used to after the bypass.  I feel that it or I am unsuccessful. I am eating soft foods, protein puddings, and protein shakes and alot of unsweet iced tea, But I am depressed. My Dr., Dr Schlessinger says to give it another 2 weeks, but  it's been another week and I have not lost a pound . He said that he may have to look down there again and that my insurance will not cover it as I lost my job August 22nd. So now I spent the eight thousand dollars and have nothing to show for it. Plus it's not working and I feel the Dr. should do something about it. Atleast find out the cause. I don't know anything about the pouch or stoma or which needs to be smaller for thr satiety, so I'm hoping he will do something even without the  insurance coverage. Any ideas or thoughts from anyone? Has anyone else had it done and it failed?

You said you had surgery on Sept. 14th??? Do you mean August 14th???  Why would you need insurance coverage for the Doctor to look at you again?  He already got paid to do the surgery, and now there's a problem.  Doctor's don't get paid again to look at a complication especially when its right after the procedure. He already got paid.  Now if you were going to a different doctor, that would be a different story.  What I find interesting is that the people on this site that had Stomaphyx complications all have the same doctor. I believe Kaci's had the same doctor as you. I would have to check again.   Did Dr. Schlessinger say he would have to charge you?

Yes, I'm sorry, I meant August 14th and Kaci's was Dr schlessinger. What worries me the most is that he is saying that I need insurance for him to go back down there and look at what is wrong  and I don't have it.  Also he doesn'nt seem to thonk that anything went wrong because the stomaphyx people were there that day and were observing and he saaid it was perfect when he finished. In a way it's minimizing what I know, and that something did  not take..  thankyou for talking to me about it. I am beside myself. I wish he'd schedule to look down there and see what is happening. I am getting so frustrated because I'm not working and could use the money that I'd spent. Now, it seems its all been a waste.

I"ve never come across any surgeon who guaranteed results.  Even the plastic surgeon that did my TT said that I'd have to pay for the hospital  and anesthesia to have my fixing done.  The surgeon doesn't know what you are doing when you leave their care.  It's like the cardiologist who makes a patient sign a form that they'll stop smoking.  If that patient has more heart problems is the cardiologist at fault or does he wonder if the patient started smoking again or did that patient just have more issues unrelated to the heart surgery? Something as new as this and with very little data to go on is a risk for any of us.  I don't think it's really fair to blame a surgeon.  It sounds like Pat is as unhappy as Rachel and her surgeon is on the other coast! This is a nice place for us to chat with each other about our results and get and give support but I think we too often want to blame someone.  It sounds like Stomaphyx is the problem.....not really who has it or who did it.  What do you think?  Maybe it's a great tool to use along with a revision where additional malabsorption is in place?

I'm not blaming the surgeon but I think he has a responsibility to his patients, to find out what went wrong.  I have lost no weight at all and I am 1 month post op. I will go back one more time to Dr. S and see if he will go back in and see how everything looks back there. I had been too embarassed to tell him I had lost my insurance, but i will have to tell him that fact and hopefully he will do some post op care and find out why this has happened.  I will let you all know what happens and I hope this doesn't happen to any more people. It is very frustrating, and humiliating. it just feels like I've failed.  This has got to have happened more than we know and I'd sure like to hear from anyone else who had it done and the surgery was unsucessful.

I hear what you are saying, but this is not cosmetic surgery asking the surgeon to make us look like a beauty queen.  This surgery is not about making magic happen.  You should no tbe gaining weight right after having your pouch and stoma reduced.  That doesnt make logical sense, and the surgeon should be willing to go look at the patient to figure out why. He got paid already.  Surgeons are not supposed to take your money or get paid by insurance, and then say okay bye.  If their are complications after the surgery, they should be willing to have you come back so they could examine you w/o getting paid again. Its all part of the same procedure. 

Dazzling Eyes, I am with you on this issue.  I will go further to say that even if it was cosmetic that a doctor has a responsibility to address a patients concerns.  They have gotten paid.  It is the same as going to have your car fix and the next day you are still having problems.  After reading these post I am for sure going to start asking the doctors what is their after care policy.  I think we all should ask this upfront because you never know if there will be complications.

It didn't sound like he wasn't willing to take a look.  My guess; (from knowing this surgeon) is that he offered the insurance option for the endoscope so that he COULD take a look and do something without any additional expense to the patient.  Insurances will cover an endoscopy procedure but NOT the stomaphyx. Stomaphyx involves hardware and technique that is not recognized by any insurance comapnies.  If someone is getting it covered, it's because they are coding it as a revision.  Revisions generally require  criteria that few stomaphyx candidates can qualify under (like proof of a failed surgery and a BMI over 35).  Surgeon's are employee's of a system that involves nurses, anesthesiologists, O.R. expenses, hospital, etc.  My guess is that he could offer his services without extra charge and maybe even refund his portion;  but can't volunteer other's services.  And since it can't be done in his living room then there aer expenses to consider.  I work for a plastic surgeon and have patient's sign 6 feet of consent forms before they ever have any type of surgery.  That doesn't mean we are not promising the best job possible.  It just means that everyone takes a risk when they have surgery of any type and everyone reacts differently to everything in life but especially to surgical procedures.  The surgeon's would LOVE to guarantee 100% satisfaction and perfect results with all of their post-ops.  Obviously they would get happier post-ops and better publicity. I'm still planning on having my own stomaphyx.  I'm still hopeful that the longterm results are positive.  It sounds like many patients having the phyx still  have small pouches so feeling some new restriction would probably not be evident, but since most of them have open stoma's then what I"d really like to know is if they stay satisfied longer once they are over their liquids and mushy stage?  That's my main problem.  I still am limited with how much Lean dense protein I can eat; but it seems like I'm back eating an hour later!  ....  I'm still considering Distal.....I don't think I can go to a DS.