Saw my Doctor today.... Shoulder pain ...Not happy..............

I was banded 4/2009 lost 70 lbs went through allot of emotional stress and then gained it all back and then some ( in about 1.5 yrs time)

I got my **** together and re-started on 4/2012 I've since lost 80 lbs BUT have suffered with Left shoulder pain for appox. the past 6 months.   NEVER realizing that this might be connected to my band. ( diaphragmatic nerve pain referred) to the Left shoulder.

I realized that after a Severe bout of FOOD Poisoning ( Oct) the shoulder pain started.   I also started to have Heartburn issues,sometimes when drinking only water. 

So Today I go for an 8:30 am appointment but he doesn't show up until 9:30 ( OK I'm pissed because I know he's been out of the office for 2 weeks and this is the first day back So WHY are you late?)

 I explain to the Surgeon I have Stabbing pain and Burning in my shoulder when it's not stabbing pain I try to get him to see the connection to the band and shoulder since it started AFTER the food poisoning but he says: well I haven't had anyone with shoulder pain.. OK so this tells me you don't READ the literature!! AND because I'm what?1 out of 100 it can't be from the band?

I said my Internist and Chiropractor say it sounded like a torn rotator cuff so I went to the orthopedic doctor 5 X-rays, a steroid injection, Orthopod says: NOPE it must be inflammation.  The injection was useless, no improvement.

He wants to then know what I ate to get food poisoning,(salad) he says well when you go out to eat you need to tell them to WASH their lettuce again! even if they say they washed it already .REALLY?????????? (Nothing like treating your patient like an IDIOT)

 PRIOR to this on 02/8/2012 I was filled and as usual one can expect to be eating less and then gradually eat more as the month progresses after a fill.... WRONG!! since my last fill  I was limited as to what I could eat , I'd experience a very FULL feeling almost immediately so my caloric intake was maybe 500 calories a day. He wants to know WHY I'm counting calories.ummm I'm NOT I was just a little concerned since I was STARVING MYSELF especially since I've already been told my Vitamin -D levels are low and now I have a nasty metallic taste in my mouth and everything I do taste is salty (more signs of Vitamin deficiencies)

he says: well I've never had anyone with shoulder pain from the band so we need to make sure it's not your spine.  He said ok we will take some fluid out of the band, and you need to have a spine X-ray, shoulder X-ray and ENG

  UM ...HELLO I just told you I've had shoulder X-rays 

He says: I'll be back,  SERIOUSLY??? I just waited an hour for you WTF!!! He  goes and attends to 2 other patients...so I'm beyond LIVID and start to cry because I KNOW IT'S MY BAND AND I'm TIRED OF THIS PAIN

Then he wants to know why I'm crying and I say because I know it's my band and he's says FINE If we remove Fluid it will make the pain go away right? I said well I would hope so!! Hello your the Doctor right?

He takes out 4cc and  wants to know can I drink big gulps of water, and is the pain gone? Yes I can drink and NO the pain is still there,

So off I go to have a Spine X-ray, and ENG and back to see him 03/15/2013.. Next Visit I'm taking ANOTHER copy of the literature that  tells him about the LB and shoulder pain connection just incase he didn't bother reading the copy I already gave him

I've posted here and in Failed Lap bands hoping this might help someone ...anyone......

Wow, it seems you've been tight since 2/8/12.  That is a long time to hold out without adverse effects.  Sorry that you have a poor relationship with your medical professional.  We've got to be our own best advocates. 

Good luck.  Hope you feel much better after the unfill

THANKS ZEE

Problem is that each and every time I call for whatever reason to see him I get blatantly lied to about he's not in the office, he's out for 2 weeks..even when I called to correct this particular problem I was told he's not in (he was, I know for a fact because I have a friend that see's him also and she was there that week for an appointment.. but  was told that I needed to "just keep" my appt on the 8th because they were scheduling for the 18th as it was.

So I called back another day and asked about having surgery and they told me oh sure we can get you in on the 8th  Really? Can't take care of the patient's that you have but you have time for NEW patient's that want surgery? hmmm maybe because you want more MONEY?

The first time I had a problem with being over full I called  on a Monday and was told to go to the ER, I told them I can't I don't have insurance (at the time I didn't, now I do ) So they said well you can't come in until Friday , Since My Friend is Good Friend's with the Doctor I asked her on weds  what I could do about the heartburn until Friday even she said well you need fluid out of the band...When she contacted him Then all of a sudden they wanted to see me immediately on Thurs and then I was Chastised by the doctor on Thurs. What the problem seems to be in this office is that They have PLENTY of time to DO the Surgery just NO time for aftercare 

I'm not a whiner, I don't call unless it's necessary and it's just SAD that I or anyone has to be treated by people that call themselves professional (yeah right) I work in the Dental profession and this Treatment is sooooooo unprofessional for any office!! 

Gosh that sucks Annie!  I got a terrible deal years ago too with my original band doc.  I was left in an emergency situation - obstructed for 8 days.  No kidding 1 hour at midnight where I was able to drink water and muscle milk.  My current surgeon really truly rescued me from that situation.  That was a different time with Bands though - no one would touch you if they didn't do your surgery.  Now is a different time.  Find a new surgeon and report the *******!  it is unacceptable that he would treat you as he has.'

Best,

L

Well duh doc of course the pain didn't immediately go away, it's been there inflamed for months. Not to mention often it never goes away, ask Nicci! I would try to find a new doc if at all possible, one that is actually educated. I'm so sorry you are having to go thru this!

OMG! You have been through hell and you don't need to whine, you need to scream! Hislady is right, ask Nic. The "girls" at the desk that think they are the gatekeepers don't get that when a band is too tight it is an emergency. If he did not totally unfill you he is crazy. The next time you need to get in or are having a problem leave a message for his nurse. Ask that they speak to the surgeon and get back to you as to what he says. If you get the run around or he blows you off at your next appointment start a war then fire the sucker. In fact, make some calls right now to other practices to see if they will take you as a patient so you will have something started.

Many of the complications we see now were only theoretical or rarely heard of back when you were banded. If your surgeon has not kept up he will not know that there are now far more complications than earlier thought. As I last discussed with my surgeon the stats have gone up dramatically and there are all kinds of problems for some of us. No everyone ever has problems but with the increases we have to advocate for ourselves if we feel that something is not right. This goes for any type of surgery, but as bandsters we especially have to maintain alertness.

I am sorry you are having problems but since you are having them it is time for a total unfill and get that thing out. I loved my band and was heartbroken when I found I had to lose it but my surgeon patiently explained that when your tool is hurting you it is no longer a viable alternative. If you have to drive for hours it is better than being mistreated.

Good luck

Sue

My doctor (kemmerling of Green Bay, WI) totally dismissed me, too. Told me I needed to find a hobby. The left shoulder pain IS from the band. It's not uncommon at all. And for a doctor to tell you that he hasn't had anyone report shoulder pain has nothing to do with YOUR having shoulder pain.

I had steroid injections directly into the left shoulder joint... OF COURSE it didn't work. It's not orthopedic in nature. And the injections added to the pain.

I went through all these tests and BS that you're going through. It's the nerves that run through the diaphragm. The band is damaging them and your doctor wants to just leave you with it. That's how I ended up with STILL having left shoulder pain today... a loooooong time after removal.   It's VERY VERY common to have left shoulder pain with gastric banding. I've watched it happen over and over for the past 10 years.

Good doctors know about this and are on top of the information. Mediocre ones bru**** under the rug.

Find a GOOD doctor. It's very important to not have permanent nerve damage, Annie.

Wow- to put it bluntly- your doctor sucks.  When I have called because a fill made me too tight I was seen that day, or the next.  It happened several times.  He came in on a day he's not usually in the office to do an unfill.  This is the kind of care you should expect.  If at all possible, I would find a new doctor.  I hope you feel better soon!  You have been through a lot.

I am so sorry you are going through this. If I were you I would want a new doctor!

You need to bring this up with the doc and make sure he knows this is an ongoing problem to get in when needed. I got a gal fired for this years back, I have clotting issues and had just had foot surgery a few days earlier. I woke up one morning and literally couldn't walk even with my crutches because of the pain in my leg, it was all red and hot, swollen up 2" bigger than the other leg. I called my primary and the "gate keeper" said 2 weeks to get in,m I tried to explain that this was urgent and life threatening, nope 2 weeks!! So I called my foot surgeon and his nurse said I'm calling the ER, go in NOW, you are scheduled for a leg scan. I did and oh guess what? A huge clot in my leg and a week visit at "club med" on blood thinners! I wrote a letter to my primary at his home address and told him what had happened and that I wasn't even allowed to talk to his nurse by the office staff. Never saw the gal again at his office and hes said he spread the word to other city docs and wouldn't give her a recommendation anywhere! I easily could have died if that big clot broke loose and hit my lungs or heart, I knew it and wasn't taking no for an answer. We have to be out own best advocate!