First Fill Cancelled!

. I just sent Diane an email with my concerns. It all depends on the person on how often we need a fill. I know it can be two to four weeks from reading the Lap Band board. The thing is, without a fill the Lap Band is useless. I waited long enough to have my surgery and now I have to wait this long for fills.

No they don't treat the RNY patients better. I have not been back in over 1 1/2. So don't feel its just you. If you feel you can't wait I would move on to a new doctor. Kim 11/04 268/153

Maureen, I can see you are extremely fustrated but saying they treat RNY's better than LapBands is also ridiculous. (Sorry, but just being honest) Dr. Blackstone does bariatric surgery to help people start a better life, not to play favorites, if she wanted to "treat" RNY's better, then why do LapBands at all? I think Melissa was saying that she was happy she had RNY because she didn't want to go for fills for the rest of her life... I totally understand that (my hate for needles), not that RNY's get treated better. Believe me... after dealing with 2 strictures and seeing my friends deal with them and get ignored at times. Call them and get your fustrations out, yell at them... I have. I think we all have at one point. Even thou you had a rough road overall with the office, you still decided to have surgery with Dr. Blackstone. You could have changed your decision like you posted earilier, but hindsight is 20/20, can't do anything about it now. Hopefully a new doctor will get you in sooner. Dr. Blackstone is only one person and that office is growing at a rate faster than they ever expected and they are trying to adjust as quickly as they can. Good Luck!

I did call, no one called back yet. I sent Diane an email and got a gernic answer with no real concern for me. I don't think it should be my problem that they are growing too fast and can't handle it. I paid my money to have my surgery and now I need follow-up and I can't get it. Maureen

Maureen, I am glad i don't need the type of follow up that is required as a lapbander. Perhaps that is why it looks like they treat the RNY better. Because we don't require the follow up you do, so it seems like we get better treatment when in fact we just aren't getting treated. You are not the only person who has waited in a waiting room. The excuse as to whether your insurance will move over falls flat with me and i'm sure plenty of other who had to figure out a way to pay for this surgery out of pocket. And no we are not rich, many of us sacrificed everything we had to save our lives so that is not a valid excuse as far as i'm concerned. You are angry at them that you should have had 2-3 fills by now. I think you are more angry at yourself for allowing it to get to the point where you should have had your 3rd fill without taking some type of action to protect yourself. i understand that. We have all been in the position where we should have reacted sooner, taken more initiative, not allowed ourselves to be put aside by others. We can either grow from these experiences, or we can remain victims. Hopefully you can move to another Doctor, and learn from this experiences, become a stronger person, and not just harbor the anger. The anger isn't good for you. It really isn't.

Melissa, Your right about the follow-up. I think it's because you guys have Randy to follow-up with and the Lap Banders don't have anyone except Melissa and she is always in surgery. As far as my insurance, you have no idea what medical bills I have had this past year. I had spinal fusion surgery last Aug. and my husband had heart failure last month, and even though we have insurance we have to pay a lot of money out of pocket and a large deductible. I am not rich either. I contacted Dr. Simpson and it will cost me $500.00 to join his support group and then the cost of fills. Also, my ins. told me I would need another letter of medical necessity if I change doctors.  Yes, I was angry, and yes I am mad at myself for not switching doctors in the beginning when my gut told me to. But like Nicole said, 20/20 is hindsight. I didn't think SBC's problems would last this long when I decided to go ahead and stay with them. And, I stayed with them mostly because of all the good things I have read here on this board. Maureen

I'm curious if you were given any reason for the last minute cancellation? In my mind, it's one thing to cancel if there was a personal or patient emergency (they don't need to tell you the details); it's another to overbook and know the day before or at 8:00 a.m. that they'd have to cancel. How quickly did they offer to reschedule?

Hi Connie, Yes, they did tell me it was because the person who does the fils was still in surgery with the doctor. But, I think they knew this would happen since they were overbooked in the OR the day before.

HOLY COW!!!!! Gee Mo - I think you were just trying to get out your frustration and it turn into a Lapband/Rny debate! Not everyone can understand your frustration's and thats a shame with Doc DImpson's office having to charge a switch over charge, for now I would see what SBC has to say on Monday, maybe if you stress the importance of you needing this fill they can get you in sooner?!?!? I guess we can be thankfull that we are able to forever have our bands adjusted/filled according to our lifestyle changes over the years, and I'm sure with these adjustments will be of course the dreaded Office Visits and office waits.......... I do beleive Doctors are getting out of hand with scheduling app't, I know my Primary Doc here in Cottonwood makes app't every 15min???? Meanwhile I just waited over an hour in his office and then spent close to at least 20-25 min with him, I worry that the OMITY $$$$$ has taken control. You HANG IN THERE!! and I would FOR SURE be on the phone with SBC first thing Monday am, could you imagine being ALLI - her whole surgery got posponed!?!? I'm sure that was beyond frustrating for her!! Take care MO!

Maureen, I understand your frustration and I have spoken to Melissa who assured me you were called and told to come in today, Monday, at your convenience. We are working diligently to hire another fill expert to accomodate the large number of band patients who are coming to SBC for their surgeries. Let me know if I can assist you in any way. Diane Giammarino Practice Administrator SBC