It sounds as if you're well prepared! I agree with you... the more informed, the better. You can't learn TOO much, right?

I'm back to "normal." I had the band removed back in 2005 and was doing O****il I had a hysterectomy. I gained quite a bit back after that. BUT, I feel SO SO SO much better and I work out like a crazy person, which I couldn't do when I was in pain with the lapband, so I guess it's one of those "live and learn" situations, right?!  I am not a candidate for any other type of surgery right now because of the amount of damage done by the lapbanding surgery.

I wish you the very best! I hope all goes perfectly well for you, Jill!

Nicci

Hi Jilli,

My parents still live in the area, too. I do like Omro. I think it's a cute town. I come through every couple of weeks or so! I graduated in '86, so you're a little younger than I am. We  probably knew each other, though! 

As for Kemmerling,  I was one of his first lapbanding patients, I went on TV and let Channel 2 News follow my story up to the point of the operating room... and when I had complications, Kemmerling actually got angry with me... and then just ignored my complaints until I found a surgeon in Chicago who told me I was only days from dying due to a twisted stomach and kinked intestines. When I had called Kemmerling, telling him that I hadn't had a bowel movement in 2 weeks and was in absolute agony, he said, "What do you want ME to do about it?"  The doc in Chicago was a specialist, from Argentina, and one of the first docs to do the lapband procedure in the US. I quote him verbatim when he saw the fluoroscopy X ray: "What the F*CK did he DO to you?!"  It took 5 minutes to diagnose me, but Kemmerling never bothered to actually try to HELP. He just would tell me to "find a hobby." He implied that the horrible referred left shoulder pain I had was "all in my head." Turned out that my diaphragm was badly damaged and leaving the band in for an extended period probably damaged it even further. If I had left my well being in his hands, I wouldn't be here today, I am sure of that.

He also ripped my nostril by shoving an Ng tube in without any lubrication... told me, "This is gonna hurt and you're NOT gonna like it." Then he left me to sit in a hospital hallway, bleeding from my nose, crying AND I got my period during the whole Ng tube insertion, so I was bleeding all over. He had no compassion for me at all.

When I was only there for a consultation, they called my name and I followed the nurse into a room and she started telling me all this personal information, like weight, vital statistics, etc... and I said, "Wait a minute. I haven't even HAD surgery yet. I'm not sure what this information is about." And then she realized that she had another patient with a similar name to mine... and she just happened to be in the bathroom. So I was privy to all her personal information due to their error. I should have probably realized then that I should find a different doctor! HIPAA Laws, what're those, right?! 

I'm sure Kemmerling knows that I have no respect for him and hold him in such low regard because I've told him as much. What he did to me was inexcusable and I don't care how many people claim to have had good experiences with him, I know what he is really like.

I have heard good things about Dr. Chua AND it is well worth your time and effort to possibly look into having surgery in Milwaukee and then doing follow up closer to home, if possible. What surgery type are you choosing, Jill?

Sorry for the book. I just don't want anyone to go through anything like I did.

I love Dr Chua he did my rny July 28, 2009, hernia repair June 2010 and now he is taking out my gallbladder this Thursday Oct 14th my gallbladder is disease so needs to come out. One thing I can say he is thorough on finding out the problem. Several test which show nothing finally the last test show that my gallbladder was disease. Also blood work show my liver enzymes were high which was a red flag something was wrong. Same when I had my hernia never show up on the ct scan but when my pancreas enzymes were 4 times higher than normal it was a big red flag to Dr Chua so he admitted me and went in to explore and found my intensines on the other side of my body. Which was the hernia.

Hi Jilli!

Omro is my hometown! 

I can tell you which doctor to AVOID... Kemmerling in Green Bay. You may have seen his ads on TV... sounds like an extra from the movie "Fargo?"  I had the worst experience of my life with him. My botched lapband surgery almost killed me, actually.

If you have any questions or if I can help you with anything, please PM me.

Nicci

hi i have been comming to this site for about a month now and agree with you it seems like no one comes here. i hope to have my sugery in november by dr chue  in milwaukee. so far i have been reading up on everything i can so i can be prepared as much as i can when i have my surgery.