"I am nearly 4yrs out and have lost a great deal of weight so the surgery itself went well. (BUT I give credit to that from my dedication to the gym, following the diet that I looked up, and the support of my family and friends.) In the beginning the office staff seems less then friendly which is frustrating with the amount of money it costs to go in and be seen. I know that when I had mine done there was no aftercare group at his office for me to join and when was formed I was told "if you dont know how to do it right by now you wont ever figure it out" So I was left to trial and error. For the most part Kuwada was a nice person (when I actually got to see him, most visits were conducted by PA) The last visit I was having issues with my band and as much as I didn't want it, i was very aware I needed a total unfill so the band could rest (I have a slight slip). I went in and a strange Dr came into the room and started talking to me, asking me questions that MY Dr should know (why did u get the band? how long have it? kind of band?) When I became leery about this person and asked him isn't all this in my chart? His answer to me, "sigh, we see alot of patients and if I read every chart we would never get done." I informed him he could leave now, he could go find Dr Kuwada and send him in. I wasn't letting anyone touch me that didnt even have the decency to look at my chart. Dr Kuwada came in, I told him about the issues I was having and the need for an unfill.....HE REFUSED.... saying needed to see it next week under fluro....(oh I'm throwing up everything I eat btw, everything).... So I go in for the fluro after a week suffering and guess what? its a slip...small slip he says. He refuses to take out 2cc because there is so little in my band atm (4.5cc) when I ask him why...he says..well we don't want you getting fat do we? we might as well let it do what we can until we have to take it out. When I asked him what he was talking about, there were things we could do to try to fix it. He said there is no fix, only removal. I have been suffering ever since, hoping it would actually fix it but it hasn't so now after months of gathering the courage to find a new Dr I am in the process of getting my medical information from them (harder than sounds) and setting up an appt. I can eat some things but many cause me to be sick or hurt and I have little restriction sometimes. I am successful with my band, my surgery was good, my aftercare......AWEFUL! Oh, and to make things worse, remember the visit they sent in some random person and then refused to take fluid out? I actually got charged for that visit too...bye bye $200 and hten the $800 for fluro :( $1000 gone and still not right....June 2012
ADDED JULY 13, 2013
As my time increases having my band I have figured out how to best take care of me, and it....mostly on my own, with very little consistent information from my Dr office. When I talked about my aftercare not being good...I was being honest, my band got tighter and tighter as time went on, and I was eating less and less. It got to the point that all I could eat were sliders and then ones full of sugar honestly seemed to go down better...The acid got worse in my throat and tasted aweful but I remembered what he said about "not wanting me to get fat..." what if I did? I mean what if I work up one morning and every pound was back? (Dont act like you never thought or worried about it, because you either have or you will....in time). Stopped sleeping at night, proped body straight up in bed to help prevent acid reflux (it was HORRIBLE at this point....I suffered through the first of hte year, but found myself having to plan my lessons so that I could dash out to the hall bathroom to throw up in between groups (even if all was having was water)...I finally got brave (guess I worried that they would tell me the same and want to simply take it out) but I got brave and went in....they had fluro in the office and there is no extra charge for appts that need it....what? AND I dont get a bill after I pay the $70 copay? wha? After seeing my poor stomach and band under floro I thought the PA was gonna cry....she just kept looking at it and looking at me....she pointed to the screen, see that pouch? Ya that's not suppose to be there...THATS why you have so much acid reflux at night. We ended up draining the band and giving it a break.....I cried all the way home... I just KNEW I would wake up fat in the morning...to my surprise it took several weeks before I noticed any difference, once the acid was no longer an issue I actually began to enjoy food again...but I waited to get a fill...I wanted to be sure the band had time to go back like it was suppose to be..... so it wasn't until 3 weeks ago I had any fluid put back in my band and while restriction is not at 100% at least I am not throwing up everything I eat. REALITY CHECK: Did I gain weight? I have an eating disorder like so many. But I can get myself back on track and start making the right choices for me and my band. Oh...if you are reading this and you are looking for a Dr ....NOT Kuwada.... I use Southeast Bariatrics....very nice group. :)"
