Dr. Aceves - Leaks
I was browsing the forum on verticalsleevetalk.com and I came across this
http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/254-when-self-pay-who-pays-for-complications/page__p__111245#entry111245
If you are referring to the leak test they give you a couple days out, then yes maybe Dr. Aceves never had a leak in that time frame. But I can tell you that he HAS had patients who have had leaks later down the road. I am in the over 2% that have complications and mine were the worst case imaginable outside of dying.
Posted by lowkee00 on 26 January 2011 - 02:37 AM
Does anyone have any insight on the validity of that posting?
http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/254-when-self-pay-who-pays-for-complications/page__p__111245#entry111245
If you are referring to the leak test they give you a couple days out, then yes maybe Dr. Aceves never had a leak in that time frame. But I can tell you that he HAS had patients who have had leaks later down the road. I am in the over 2% that have complications and mine were the worst case imaginable outside of dying.
Posted by lowkee00 on 26 January 2011 - 02:37 AM
Does anyone have any insight on the validity of that posting?
On March 6, 2011 at 12:02 PM Pacific Time, XJudyX wrote:
Yowza. I have no reason to doubt the validity of this person's story. I am SO glad you posted this for us because yesterday I was all gung ho on going to Mexico. After thinking about it over night and now this....nope. Thanks.Leaks happen in the US as well. It's a risk of surgery.
Previously Midwesterngirl
The band got me to goal, the sleeve will keep me there.
See my blog for newbies: http://wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/
The band got me to goal, the sleeve will keep me there.
See my blog for newbies: http://wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/
On March 6, 2011 at 5:07 PM Pacific Time, XJudyX wrote:
Yes....but the problems that come from aftercare are a nightmare. One and a half million dollars later....The aftercare was done in the US where a leak was misdiagnosed for a month! I guess I don't understand your point.
Aftercare for us is a piece of cake, we do not have to depend on a bariatric surgeon with a sleeve. We can go to an GI surgeon or general surgeon as well. They also do partial gastrectomies.
Previously Midwesterngirl
The band got me to goal, the sleeve will keep me there.
See my blog for newbies: http://wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/
The band got me to goal, the sleeve will keep me there.
See my blog for newbies: http://wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/
On March 8, 2011 at 9:06 AM Pacific Time, XJudyX wrote:
I guess I was thinking that in the USA you can purchase BLIS insurance (covers complications of surgery for up to a year) where out of the country you can't.You'll be able to purchase it soon through Aceves. The hospital I believe is Joint Commission accredited now.
Well, I should say they had their inspection, I don't know the results or how long it takes to get them and that is a requirement of BLIS.
Previously Midwesterngirl
The band got me to goal, the sleeve will keep me there.
See my blog for newbies: http://wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/
The band got me to goal, the sleeve will keep me there.
See my blog for newbies: http://wasabubblebutt.blogspot.com/
This is the post...
If you are referring to the leak test they give you a couple days out, then yes maybe Dr. Aceves never had a leak in that time frame. But I can tell you that he HAS had patients who have had leaks later down the road. I am in the over 2% that have complications and mine were the worst case imaginable outside of dying.
I am going to post my whole story in the next week or so, but to sum it up quickly, I had the sleeve in Mexico, had a leak 3 months later, spent 5 months in the hospital with sepsis, 2 in a coma. My wife was told first night I would most likely die. Insurance DENIED all bills, 1.5 million to date. If I would have had the surgery in the US and had problems, they carry a separate insurance policy to cover problems after the fact. Keep this in mind as you pay the less expensive surgeries out of the country. As of today, I am bankrupt, lost my home and was denied even physical therapy to help me walk again after serious dropfoot and muscle atrophy. Oh yeah, and I developed a huge abdominal hernia a week after I got home. Surgery in 1 year to fix that. Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
LEAKS ARE A RISK OF SURGERY... EVEN THE BEST SURGEONS IN THE US, MEXICO, EUROPE, MID EAST.... CAN CAUSE A LEAK!!
2 years ago when I wrote my blog...on LEAKS and STRICTURES...US had 1.7% Leak and Stricture rate of total VSGs done. As more and more people get VSG in the past 2 yrs.. ya'd think that number would rise as well.
Europe had 9% rate of Leaks and Strictures....2 years ago
I dunno what Mexico's or other countries are.
I can't verify this person's claim, I dunno if he/she is on the VSG board....but he/she obviously has an internet connection! Hopefully he/she will respond here!
If you are referring to the leak test they give you a couple days out, then yes maybe Dr. Aceves never had a leak in that time frame. But I can tell you that he HAS had patients who have had leaks later down the road. I am in the over 2% that have complications and mine were the worst case imaginable outside of dying.
I am going to post my whole story in the next week or so, but to sum it up quickly, I had the sleeve in Mexico, had a leak 3 months later, spent 5 months in the hospital with sepsis, 2 in a coma. My wife was told first night I would most likely die. Insurance DENIED all bills, 1.5 million to date. If I would have had the surgery in the US and had problems, they carry a separate insurance policy to cover problems after the fact. Keep this in mind as you pay the less expensive surgeries out of the country. As of today, I am bankrupt, lost my home and was denied even physical therapy to help me walk again after serious dropfoot and muscle atrophy. Oh yeah, and I developed a huge abdominal hernia a week after I got home. Surgery in 1 year to fix that. Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
LEAKS ARE A RISK OF SURGERY... EVEN THE BEST SURGEONS IN THE US, MEXICO, EUROPE, MID EAST.... CAN CAUSE A LEAK!!
2 years ago when I wrote my blog...on LEAKS and STRICTURES...US had 1.7% Leak and Stricture rate of total VSGs done. As more and more people get VSG in the past 2 yrs.. ya'd think that number would rise as well.
Europe had 9% rate of Leaks and Strictures....2 years ago
I dunno what Mexico's or other countries are.
I can't verify this person's claim, I dunno if he/she is on the VSG board....but he/she obviously has an internet connection! Hopefully he/she will respond here!
I think they are a member here as I recall seeing this story. There is more to it than just developing a leak.. he/she posted this on the forum to, it appears the leak developed some months after surgery, possibly related to other issues as well:
http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/user/1658-lowkee00/
"I was told a week after surgery that H Pylori was present in my stomach and that I should go on antibiotics to get rid of it. I also had an incisional infection at the time so antibiotics should be perfect to handle both issues. Here is when I think my problems started. I am allergic to penicillin, so I was given Bactrim and Tetracycline. Bactrim is very large and Tetracycline tastes very nasty. Just out of surgery it is impossible to take pills whole, so they have to be crushed. Bactrim is okay to crush but the Tetracycline capsule's taste would make gasoline taste bad. After surgery, many people get a huge gag reflex and bad flavors can make you throw up. I took about 5 days of my antibiotics and then just could not stomach them. I had to stop taking them altogether. My incision infection did heal and time went on okay for about 3 months. Lost lots of weight, was feeling okay.
However in the 3rd month, I could not eat, or drink, was taken to the ER and then released. 5 days later I passed out with Sepsis. I had developed a leak in the stomach. My wife was told that I would not live the first night.
Now there is a lot more to this story, but I was hospitalized for 5 months, 2 in a coma. I suspect that the H Pylori issue might have caused the breakdown of my stomach lining and the fact that I might have developed some superbug or something because I could not take all my antiobiotics to clear the H Pylori. My suggestion is to take antibiotics and get rid of this H Pylori BEFORE you have surgery. Because if you try to get rid of it after the surgery, it might not erradicate it. And remember if you get surgery outside of the US, most insurance companies will not cover a dime of your complications. Feel free to contact me with any questions."
And yes, leaks can happen to anyone, getting surgery anywhere. The best thing to do is really read up on your surgeon, their history & how many procedures they have done.. the odds are still very low overall.
http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/user/1658-lowkee00/
"I was told a week after surgery that H Pylori was present in my stomach and that I should go on antibiotics to get rid of it. I also had an incisional infection at the time so antibiotics should be perfect to handle both issues. Here is when I think my problems started. I am allergic to penicillin, so I was given Bactrim and Tetracycline. Bactrim is very large and Tetracycline tastes very nasty. Just out of surgery it is impossible to take pills whole, so they have to be crushed. Bactrim is okay to crush but the Tetracycline capsule's taste would make gasoline taste bad. After surgery, many people get a huge gag reflex and bad flavors can make you throw up. I took about 5 days of my antibiotics and then just could not stomach them. I had to stop taking them altogether. My incision infection did heal and time went on okay for about 3 months. Lost lots of weight, was feeling okay.
However in the 3rd month, I could not eat, or drink, was taken to the ER and then released. 5 days later I passed out with Sepsis. I had developed a leak in the stomach. My wife was told that I would not live the first night.
Now there is a lot more to this story, but I was hospitalized for 5 months, 2 in a coma. I suspect that the H Pylori issue might have caused the breakdown of my stomach lining and the fact that I might have developed some superbug or something because I could not take all my antiobiotics to clear the H Pylori. My suggestion is to take antibiotics and get rid of this H Pylori BEFORE you have surgery. Because if you try to get rid of it after the surgery, it might not erradicate it. And remember if you get surgery outside of the US, most insurance companies will not cover a dime of your complications. Feel free to contact me with any questions."
And yes, leaks can happen to anyone, getting surgery anywhere. The best thing to do is really read up on your surgeon, their history & how many procedures they have done.. the odds are still very low overall.
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