vbg, band erosion and migration. Ge Doc and Surgeon say subtotal gastrectomy...

Hello, I had a VBG in 87, lost 110 pounds. I had two pills obstruct the pouch in 88, rendering the surgery ineffective due to distention of the pouch. I now have Systemic Lupus, I am totally disabled. I have been receiving treatment for gastroparesis, rather severe case with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Was in the Hospital Feb 10 thru 14th due to these complications.. dehydration, pain, etc. I was awaiting a referral to a Surgeon at Shands Hospital. I saw him on the 18th. I was so upset after leaving there. He was very grumpy, had no bedside manner at all. He looked at me and said " you are diabetic" i ask what he based it on and he said he just knew. I then explained that I had been checked numerous times for Diabetes and that I am not Diabetic. He insisted that I was. No labs to make that judgement on. I left there with referrals to weight loss mgmt center, nutritional support, psychiatrist, pain med assessment, Dept of Endocronology to prove that he was right that I am Diabetic, and for another Endoscopy, just had one Dec 30,03. He wont consider any revision of the operation says it is too dangerous in my case. That he has to go in, take out the band that had migrated into the stomach wall, remove a portion of the stomach, that It will be major risky surgery and that once I have all of the things done that he ask for to call him back and ask to get back in for an office visit to reassess me for a surgery date. He was emphatic that he would not do a revision. He raked me over the coals about a nineteen pound wt gain in six weeks. I showed him the four plus pitting edema in my legs. I am on diuretics now because the Saline I was given IV in the Hospital feb 10 thru 14th caused me to retain a tremendous amt of fluid, saline is sodium or salt so it makes sense and I go to a very capable Internal Med Doc. I have low blood pressure, Low heart rate, low cholesterol, low triglycerides. I know that Lupus is a concern. This Surgeon lead me and my Fiancee to believe that I was at Deaths Door due to the band. It was in the same place 2001 that it was Dec 2003. The Doc raised his voice and said that I had a contaminated abdomen for previous wt loss surgery, ie the band. I need some names of surgeons that are good. Due to disability I only have Medicare Part A and B. I introduced my fiancee as my fiancee and the Doc kept referring to him as my roomate... he is not my roomate he is my fiance and I think the Doc was very rude to refuse to refer to him by name or that he was the important person in my life that he is. He assumed we lived together... DUH....there are some Docs out there who have that God like complex... I found one..... I need support,,,, I need a surgeon.... Thanks for listening... Bev R. Moultrie,Ga. Four hours south of Atlanta One hour south of Tallahassee, Fl. One hour away from Valdosta, Ga. Two hours away from Macon, Ga.

Bev, It sounds like that doc is a jerk. So sorry. As if you don't have enough worry about. I also have had a VBG in 89 and it has now failed. I am in Phoenix, AZ and I know that there are docs who will do revisions. The doctor that I have spoken to here is very well respected and very good at doing revisions. His name is Terry Simpson and he is very gracious about answering questions from people who live elsewhere. He actually does a chatroom on Tuesday nights. Go to doudenalswitch.com and look around for information on his website or that chatroom. I bet he could recommend someone in your area. Carrie