shaz59
10/10/08: Today was my 6 month check up with Dr. Syn. I was a bit uncertain if I was on track or not with his expectations. I know that after I left my 3 month check up I set a goal to reach and by my scale which is what I go by I reached it so I was happy. When I was weighed I had a 22 pound loss in 3 months. This is where I was not sure if it was good enough or what. Dr. Syn cam in and took a look at the incision site and said all is good but it is week and I can or should expect to develop a hernia. Okay I have been told this before but have yet to develop one so no biggie. Dr. Syn was absolutely elated with my progress. He says that I am blowing his expectations out of the water. He says that revisions do not loose as much or as quickly as the straight RNY's. So as of right now and by Dr. Syn's scale I am down in 6 months 69 pounds and 26 pounds from his goal for me. My goal is a bit different then his but we shall see how I feel and look when I get to his goal weight.
10/1/08: I have promised an update so here it is. After Having surgery on 9/12/06 to save my life to remove a full portless band which was cutting my poor stomach in half due to the incompatent Dr Frezza who left a full portless band in me the prior January of 2006 and never treated the infection he caused. I took the next 18 months to heal both physically and mentally. This was by far the hardest 18 months of my life. I felt like I was the failure in this journey but with the help of my family, friends and a wonderful theripist I was able to see that I was not the failure. In reallity I was a success even with regaining 70 of the 100 pounds I had lost. I decided that I still needed to continue my journey and contacted Dr. Syn's office to see if I he would consider me for a revision. After meeting with Dr Syn and after he preformed a test to see what my poor stomach looked like he did decide to take me on and do the revision. My rebirth date was on March 27th 2008. To date I have done wonderfuly well with a few minor incidents but for the most part I am loosing about 10 pounds a month and I am very happy with that. I started this new journey at 250 and Dr Syn's goal for me is 160. I feel that 160 is too high and I think I should between 125-130 but will cross that bridge when I get to 160 and see if I want to loose more going slowly in 10 pound intervals.
9/19/06...176 my home scale - 107
2/3/06…. 200 My home scale due to transition between Dr’s. -83
1/24/06... 207: Local Dr to remove staples from 1/9/06 surgery -76
1/9/06… emgy visit to Lubbock for port removal Surgery #6
12/16/2005: 213: emgy visit for port now exposed -70
11/16/05…222 (not happy about 1 pound in 2 weeks but better then a gain) -61
11/7/05… Surgery to remove scar tissue and infection Surgery #5
10/28/05...223 emgy visit issues at port site -60
9/21/05...230 2.5 fill all good port in place infection gone -53
9/7/05...233 surgery to secure port 3cc fills -50 Surgery #4
8/23/05...232 infection lanced -51
8/17/05...237 Port moved 5cc fill -46
7/20/05...243 after surgery follow-up -40
7/6/05...245 Second banding 7/12/05 -38 Surgery #3
6/10/05...243 floro test showing leaking band -40
5/18/05...241 after port replacement -42
5/6/05… Port Replacement Surgery #2
4/29/05...247 band empty no restriction -36
2/18/05...252 Third Fill -31
1/14/05...252 band empty No restriction -31
11/12/04:...256 Second Fill -27
9/24/04...261 First fill -22
8/11/04...266 after surgery follow-up -17
7/27/04...277 First Banding 7/28/05 -6 Surgery #1
2/19/04...283 consultation for surgery
10/29/06: At the moment this is to be my last post here unless someone complains to me that I need to update. I had my last surgery on 9/12/06 to remove my band. Dr Frezza refused to treat me after he caused infection after a 2nd banding where he damaged the first band in 7/2004. I have been very sick ill and in nasty pain from Sept 2005 till just a couple weeks ago. Dr Frezza could NOT be bothered with me forcing me to seek a new Dr. I was scheduled to be with Scottsdale until I took a deadly turn for the worst in July. My local Dr had me see Dr Driscal again and he insisted that my band be removed since the infection that started in Sept 2005 never cleared up and I was very sick. This surgery was to last no more then 1 hr to remove the band. It took however 4 hours. The infection had my insides and stomach all inflamed and swollen that the band which was left portless and full cutting my stomach in half. My stomach had to be repaired and stiched back togther and part of it removed it was so badly infected and inflamed. Dr. Driscal said I had 3-6 months left to live if I did not have the band removed when I did. I was in hospital for 1 week with all sorts of tubes running in and out of me. I went home for a few days and ended back in hospital for another week. I am doing well now and for the first time in a year I have no pain at all. I have lost 100 pounds but if I had it to do over again I would not do it. Anyone concidering surgery with Dr. Frezza should RE-THINK it. I wish you all luck. I pray that I have learned enough in 2 years that I can maintain my loss and continue as I heal to loose the remaining 30-20 pounds
9/9/06 It has been a very long time since I have last posted. There are many reason for this. Up dates will be forth coming after Sept 12th. On that date my band will be removed and all the nasty details posted.
2/3/06: Been at a plateau for a week now and it’s driving me crazy. The scale will just not move at all despite everything I do. BUT this morning I beat it and the scale moved. Since I am in transition and not seeing a Dr for regular weigh in’s. I will post my weight loss as per my scale.
1/26/06: Had the hearing today and I was wonderful. Got a phone call from Pres that my request to go out of network to Dr. Blackstone’s Grp in Az was APPROVED! This is a wonderful day for me as well as all Pres patients that feel that their needs are not being met by an in network Dr and this paves the way for them to go out of network.
1/26/06: Have appeal hearing today at 3pm. Have very bad pain in right side of belly but I guess that is still from the surgery of 1/9/06, or maybe something else. Will see what Ins decided now.
1/23/06: I have decided NOT to return to Dr. Frezza. I am going to the local General surgeon to have my staples removed. I called Frezza’s office and told them that I was having pain and I was told that it was normal. I let them know that I didn’t feel this was normal and the nurse refused to tell the Dr. that I called with concerns to this pain. With that, I refuse to return. I go to a hearing appeal soon, and hope that the Ins Co sees the light and approves the requests to go out of network to a different Dr. If not, well then onto the next step. Right now I consider myself a WLS patient with no treating Dr. and hope that nothing goes wrong.
1/13/06: Just got a call from the Ins Co. They in their wisdom are denying my request for a new Dr and to go out of network. Their reason is that they feel that the treating Dr I am trying to change from can meet my medical needs. I am wondering where they are getting this from. Have they NOT read my medical files?? Do they NOT question surgery every other month since May 05 excessive and the treating Dr. might not have a clue? I have moved to a Level II appeal now. I am so mad and upset that I can spit and now feel the need to go into therapy to deal with these issues. I have thought about therapy for a long time but have been able to deal with everything in a rational way up until today. My first apt is this Monday thank goodness to a friend that has given me her apt.
1/10/06: Home from Lubbock, port was removed. I hurt like hell. There must have been some infection in there since it feels like Frezza went very deep to clean something up. Now my fight with Pres will get stepped up a notch. I called Pres and spoke to Linda, she informs me that pres wanted a 2nd with a Dr. Drummond of which this is the first I hear of it. Is he a Specialist?? Now why? Why would they NOT accept their own in network Dr. I was told by Pres people that Pres wanted a 2nd by a specialist in the WLS field. This is really starting to stink very badly.
01/09/06: The port was re-moved, infection cleaned up. There is nothing like being greeted in the out patient surgical unit by all the nurses your back?? As well as being questioned by anesthesia as to having surgery every other month since May.
01/04/06: Dr Frezza called wanting to know what was going on. It seems that his staff never told him I called to say something was going on. We had a long talk about the infection and port. Pres called saying that my emergency appeal was denied. Why, am I not surprised? Going to Lubbock due to no choice to have port removed. Spoke with a Dr from Dr. Blackstone’s office. I went into great detail about the last 6 months with surgery’s and infections. They said not to wait any longer get the port out any way possible, IF that means going to Lubbock then do it, just get it out so I can heal.
01/03/05: infection back in force… the pain is unbearable, puss is oozing everywhere. I called Pres since they have denied my going to Blackstone in Az. I filed an emergency appeal. Filed a complaint against Frezza since to this date he has not called back. I am beside myself trying to fight for my right to good medical care. Dr. Driscal gave me a script for antibiotics. Dr. Eisberg out of town untill Jan 16th.
12/30/05: Left message for attorney to call me I need to push this case along to go after Pres. Still have a hole where the port is exposed, and the new wound opening.
12/28/05: check home voice mail for any messaged from Dr. Frezza’s office that I might have missed. Nothing has come in to home phone or cell. It seems to me that Dr. Frezza no longer gives a dam about my health issues that he created back in Aug. 2005. Still have a hole where the port is exposed, and the new wound opening. There is white puss like liquid draining from both openings and it is now very painful.
12/27/05: Called Dr Frezza’s office to let them know that I now have a new opening wound over the port and asking what do I do now? I was told by Benita the nurse that Dr Frezza was out till Wend and she would call me back wends or Thursday, and he would not be in office from Fri. on. Spoke back with Dr. Syn’s office they will not give 2nd opinion since Dr. Syn does not believe in the band. Called Dr. Eisberg’s office giving Kiko this information. Pres called me and we had a long talk. I informed them that I now have a new wound opening and that I no longer wanted to see Frezza due to he has done nothing to treat the last 2 times I was there to see him. I told them they need to do something quickly due to a new wound opening and infection starting.
12/22/05 Kiko called back saying Pres wants a 2nd opinion by Dr Syn in Lubbock. She aid to call Dr Syn’s office and get an apt and that sort of thing. Spoke with Chad and the office Mgr in Dr. Syn’s office, they will get back to me if Dr. Syn will see me. They think not since he does not do bands.
12/19/05 Called my PCP and requested a referral to Blackstone in Az
12/16/05: Only thing good about this visit is that I am down 9 pounds in 1 month. Saw Dr. Frezza and he was not happy that the port is exposed and said well, I still do not want to do any more surgery on you so continue doing what your doing keeping it clean and coved but now use some bedidine. Well, golly geez. I didn’t need to travel 300 miles in 5 hours for that response. This is now the 2nd visit to Frezza where he is refusing to treat me. He does not seem to care about this issue that he created. Never even suggested that the port be removed.
12/15/05: Went for follow up visit to Dr. Driscal. Not good at all. Port is now exposed through the wound that will not heal Dr. Driscal is of the opinion that the port needs to come out so the infection can clear up and heal. Told him I was going to Lubbock for apt in the morning with Frezza. I am scared more now that the port is now exposed.
12/5/05: Saw Dr. Driscal local General surgeon for Pres. The infection site looked better then it has in a long time for this visit. I will bet due to being on anti-biotic’s. Dr Driscal wants to see what everything looks like in another week after meds are finished. Lump is drastically smaller. He seemed concerned about the site.
11/28/05: Had the CAT Scan today. Gosh the test made me sick as a dog again. I made sure that Not only Dr Eisberg get copies of the results but Dr Frezza as well.
11/23/05: Dr Eisberg today. Boy was he not happy with what he saw. He is amazed at this mass that is growing. He understands why I don’t wish to go back to Dr Frezza. He as ordered a CAT scan of the area as well as a referral to a local general surgeon. Maybe I can get this taken care of here locally in Abq rather then going to Lubbock. Anyway Frezza was not even interested in exploring any further what was going on with me any way.
11/22/05: Depression has set in big time now and this time it is not due to the holiday season which always makes me a bit blue, but this Holiday I should be happier then normal. This is my first Thanksgiving as a grandmother. I am depressed so much about all these issues now. I called a Dr’s office in Las Vegas Nv, Edmond Ok, Norman Ok, and Scottsdale Az. No one has called back. I see the PCP tomorrow for a referral to someone here in NM that can help figure what this mass is. The area around the port where the open wound is still leaks and hurts bad and is all tender and red. I have been taking my meds but the pain meds make me tired and fuzzy. Gonna stop by Jeremy Pena’s office to get copies of my records to mail and fax to new Dr’s for help and follow up care for my band. Still thinking this was a mistake ever going though this process. I read back when I started out on Dec 2003 thinking how wonderful I would be 2 yrs later and guess what? Not so, I have more regrets now then ever. How stupid I was. I should have left well enough alone. My family and husband loved me the way I was, why couldn’t I love me the way I was.
11/21/05: Still in pain, area around port still red and painful and leaking, the mass now seems bigger and hurts more. I can not lie on my stomach at all and if I lie on either side it also hurts. Only place my stomach does not hurt is when I am sitting or lying on my back on the couch which is not comfortable at all. I called the office and spoke to Leslie, and she spoke to the Dr. and he called in 3 scripts for me, Antibiotic Levaquin 750 mg, Anti Inflammatory Toradol 10mg, and Pain killer Hydrocodone 500mg. Leslie said if my Friday I am still not doing well Dr. Frezza was on call in the ER all weekend.
11/18/05: The pain is unbearable now. I called Texas for help. I got a call back from a Dr Brown that wanted me to come into the ER. Informed her that I just got home from Lubbock and turning around for another 300 mile 6 hour drive was not an option. She got all nasty and told me there was nothing she would or could do for me. I requested that Dr. Frezza be called and she said that was not going to happen he was not on call. I was explaining to her that he saw the wound, and either she hung up on me or the call was dropped. I called back and the answering service refused to re-page anyone for me since someone already called me back. I was spitting made and insisted that someone be paged or Dr. Frezza be paged. I was told by this person that he was NOT paging Dr. Frezza or anyone else. I told them they better page someone or else, and then he hung up on me. Another Dr. called back and I explained what happened with Dr. Brown and how I just got back from Lubbock and the distance and all that and requested that Dr. Frezza be called since he saw the wound. He said he would try but would not promise me anything and that if it was so bad to go to my local ER. I was now considering going to the ER, when Dr. Frezza called. I told him what was going on and he asked if I had any antibiotics around and I told him yes, he told me what to start taking and if I was not feeling better by Monday call the office and he would call in stronger things for me. We also talked about the silver nitrate sticks and how to use them and I told him what Leslie told me to do. He said to stop using them altogether.
11/16/05: Follow up from the surgery on Nov 7th. Not happy at all with this visit. First the wound over the port again had a huge at least to me a huge piece of flesh protruding out of it and another hard mass had developed just below the hard mass that was just removed 9 days before. Frezza has no idea what the new bulge is. He stuck it with a needle and tried to pull liquid out but nothing of any substance came out, so he thinks more scar tissue built up. He does not knowwhy. Does scar tissue even build up that fast? I had him look at this now bulging tissue out of the hole over the port and he sort of just shrugged his shoulders and had Leslie burn it out with silver nitrate and gave me some of the sticks to do the same at home. Well let me tell you this crap hurts like all hell, and I hurt more now then before seeing him. He said he did not want to do anymore surgery on me. I have had 3 since July 05. And he said if it hurts to call him. I asked about a fill while I was there and he refused a fill on me. Leslie is now trying to put into my head that I might be going through port rejection. I told her flat out that this was not happening since I have had a staple in my left leg since 1977, a total knee replacement in 2001 and the orig port since 2004. I am so mad, hurt, upset, depressed I can spit. So here I am now home with this huge hard mass that hurts and a hole over the port area that is leaking a yellowish watery liquid. One would have thought that Frezza would have sent me home with antibiotics?? or maybe have me sent to the lab of some blood work to check my white cell count to see if it was up which would show infection??? None of the above was done. So, I asked him when he wanted to see me again and he said never. I am more then sure he was kidding but I was not in a kidding mood. I was given an apt for 3 months from now and to call if I run a fever or am in more pain. I feel like a slab of meat right now and that I have a Dr. that does not give a dam.
11/7/2005: Yet another surgery. This time to remove what I am told is scar tissue that has developed and engulfed the port and tubing. I made a big stink about not going into the OR before getting all IV’s in and my pre surgery margarita as it is called, due to the experience I had from the Sept. surgery with going into the OR with out any IV’s and feeling every thing that was done. What has me very upset and concerned is I requested to talk to Dr Frezza prior to surgery and he never came down to talk to me cuz I wanted to show him the area over the port that developed a blister a few days before surgery. I called and told Leslie about it to let the Dr know in advance. I left the dressing on and it had to be removed while in surgery but nothing was done cuz after surgery the dressing was removed and the open wound not touched.
10/28/05: Emgy visit due to pain and hard lump at port site. Pain is extremely bad. Dr. Frezza thought it was an infection but upon inspection he thought otherwise and did not want to poke a needle to see. He feels that the tubing that runs from the port to the band could be involved. I agree with him 100% not to go and poke around with a needle. He ordered a sonogram which revealed scar tissue causing the problem which has involved the port. Surgery is scheduled for Nov 7th to remove mass of scar tissue and move port to a new location again. With luck this will be the last of the surgeries and I can get back to the task at hand of life. Weight loss has been good since Sept fill and surgery. Let’s hope this is the end and move on.
10/22/05 Just decided to update on how things are going and how I am feeling. It’s been a long and slow road but I think things are starting to progress. All of a sudden about 2 weeks after my fill on 9/21/05 I think I am feeling restriction. I now have that funny feeling in the back of my throat. I see a huge difference in the amounts that I am eating. They have dropped considerably and I am in awe of it all. Over the last week I watched the scale go from 227 down to 220. Each and every day another half pound is gone. Now this is either a good thing or my scale has decided to really lie to me. I guess time will tell when I go back for a check up Nov 16th. Until then…
10/1/05: I have not updated in a while so I might as well do it now. I am not in the best of moods and not at all happy with my progress. Here is the up-date: Went for a follow up after the surgery and all was so-so in my mind. Went back for the first fill on Aug 17th and low and behold the port flipped. Well I was cut into with an office procedure to move the port to a new location and a 5cc fill. What a joy that was. It was painful and I was not a happy camper. I went home and followed instructions and an infection developed. Had to go back to the Dr’s office to have the infection lanced and drained. Went back on 9/7/05 for a follow up to the infection and for a fill and low and behold, still infected and the port flipped again. I was rushed into surgery the next day to clean the infection and to nail the port down and a 3cc fill. Went for a follow up for the surgery on 9/21/05 and the port did NOT flip. Thank god if it had I would have hit the roof. Got another 2.5 fill but I do not feel any restriction and I can eat. I am not happy about this. I am starting to think I made the wrong decision on the re-band and should have bypassed. So to date I have 10.5cc’s in this new band and I am wondering if it is working. I am scared to death that there will be issues with this one like the last one.
7/12/2005 Starting weight 245.07/28/2004 starting weight 283.0 ending weight on 7/06/2005 245.0 down 38 pounds
7/25/05: Okay time to update back on the other side, or am I here for the first time? Not overly sure but I did make it through the new surgery from July 12th. From what I am told it was rough. What should have taken less then 1 hour took 3 hours. I was kept in hospital 2 days; I think I should have been there 3 but what do I know… I feel good. Sorta. Have a few complications now. Went for a 1 week checkup on July 20th, and since surgery I have had a pain in my left lung and under my ribcage on the left side. The Dr ordered a CAT scan of the area, and from what I was told today, there is fluid in my left lung and I was told to contact my PCP for a referral to the Lung Dr., of which I have done, and the pain under my left ribcage is “normal” but could be something but nothing really shows up on films. I will keep an eye on this and it could be nothing or something. I go for my first fill on Aug. 17th. So from July 28th 2004 till July 6th 2005 I have lost 38 pounds with a bad band and I start new from July 12th and on. I went and bought a new scale since I knew the old one lied like a rug. I think this new one does too. When I got it said I was at 242.5. Okay that is cool that is what I weighed at the Dr’s office on July 20th so I sorta believe it. But I got on it the next day and it said I lost 4 pounds. How? That fast? Where did it go? Now I am thinking I am out 40 bucks for this thing and it lies. So, I got on it again today and it said I was 2 more pounds lighter! I do so not believe this thing is telling me the truth. But who knows. As long as the numbers are going down I should be happy right? I will not know if the new band is working until I get fills and see what kind of restriction I have. I am thinking that it will be fine since I have noticed that I am not hungry all the time like before, and that when I do eat, I have a sense of feeling full and I stop eating. Time will tell however like I said after fills and I can feel what type of restriction I get since I never had restriction with the other band.
6/27/05: I never expected to post today but after the time I had with Dr Frezza’s office staff I could NOT help myself. With all the crap and BS that I have been through with this office you would think that when I called they might jump through a few hoops. Well, guess again. I called as always looking for information. My last conversation with them was on June 17th with them calling me and telling me that the Ins. Co approved the new surgery. I was thrilled and happy with them that they called to tell me and at that time I spoke to Amy, and asked her to see if I could have any of my pre-op tests here in Albuquerque ~vs~ having to make a trip to TX since my time is very limited right now and to please send me the instructions that I know I needed before hand. Well, I was promised that someone would get back to me, and yes I believed what I was being told, thinking that since I had this big blow out with them that maybe just maybe there would be a change. Well, NO CHANGE! I called there to ask about my pre-op tests in Abq, and I was told no I needed to go to Lubbock. Okay no problem I asked when I needed to be there and I was told that I had an apt for this Friday July 1st. I asked Amy, as nice as I could cuz by this time I was starting to loose it, WHEN was the office going to let me know of this apt? Her answer to me was didn’t someone call you to tell you? Keeping my cool and some of you who know me by now, know that is hard for me to do when I get upset. I informed her that this Friday was not doable for me that the apt needed to be changed to some time the following week. She went on to tell me that if I could not come in July 1st, then my surgery date would need to be pushed back. Okay Houston now I have hit the point of no return and I let them know what was NOT going to happen! I told her that they BETTER get me in and when I could get there and it will NOT interfere with my July 12th date. I was slammed on hold and she came back and confirmed it was okay to come in on July 6th for pre-ops, and they said that my surgery was for July 11thth. WOW! HOUSTON WE HAVE ANTOHER PROBLEM! I said calmly, how I did that I don’t know, said to her that she told me 2 weeks earlier on the 17th of June that the 11th was booked and I was confirmed for the 12th. I asked her to please double check. Well, again slammed on hold and she comes back and says yes it’s the 12th. I started to ask another question and BOOM I was hung up on. OH MY GOD, I am ready to hit the roof. Thank goodness that it was time for me to go back to work otherwise I would have called that office and gone ballistic. I am still very upset. I think that after this re placement surgery I will contact my Ins Co. and file a formal complaint with them about this office as well as put in a written complaint to Texas Tech University Hospital.
6/26/05, Time to update. Got a call from the Dr’s office that they submitted the paperwork for the re-banding and it was all approved in 1 day. I am all set for a complete re-do of my banding for July 12th. I am hoping to the stars above that this goes better and everything goes right and I get on the right track to where I wanted to be last year. I feel that I have had a wasted year of my life but oh well, not much ya could do about that. It has not been a total loss or waist of time I am down between 35-40 pounds. So that is a good thing. Will update after the new surgery in July, wish me luck…
6/10/05: Was in Lubbock today for the test that they inject that stuff that shows up in x-ray into the band to pinpoint the leak issue, to confirm that the band itself is in fact leaking or there is something else wrong OR I’m crazy. Well, I am NOT crazy and the band IS leaking. Not just a little but big time. Dr. Frezza did not perform this test. He had one of his associates do it. I do not know why he was not there but I was a bit put off by his not being there, but his associate is very nice and that was fine. I just wanted to get this test over with and get answers. Anyway, the Dr. goes to measure what is in the band if anything and low and behold its bone dry nothing comes out. Then he puts in 10cc’s of this stuff and boy I felt the band get tight, then after a moment my left should started to hurt. Something I have never felt before. Then the tightness from the band eased up. Now you can see this dark film cover my insides. The Dr. calls in the head of x-ray to confer with him that this is in fact what he is seeing and they chat, and while they are looking things over and talking I start to get violently sick to my stomach and start to throw up really getting the heaves. They come back look more, turn me here and move me around and low and behold both agree that the band is in fact failing due to it leaking. Not just leaking a little but completely empty in a matter of 15 mins. Now I wait for Dr. Frezza to see the results, get his letter to the Ins Co. for new approval for an entire new surgery for a new band. So, I now wait. I am confidant that all will be approved and the rest will all fall into place and a new band will do the trick. At least I am hoping for all that. Nothing but time will tell.
6/3/05: I am totally disgusted with Dr. Frezza and his office staff. The office staff at this time in my OPINION is incompetent, inefficient, and does not know how to treat and handle people that are asking questions and upset. It is very well documented that my banding in July 2004 has been a failure. There has never been any restriction. The Dr. never did any testing that the Mfg required seeing where the failure was. I went through another surgery on May 6th to replace the port because that is what everyone told the Dr. that needed to be replaced. He followed and did not lead and get the correct answers needed for the best treatment of his patient. I went through this surgery for nothing. It did not fix the problem but made things worse for me. I am in a constant state of depression now, full of anxiety of a new surgery with a whole host of new complications. After the port replacement I contacted the Dr’s office on May 12th 2 days after a full fill and left a message that I felt no restriction. On May the 21st the Dr’s office calls to change my apt due to the Dr going to be out of town and again I tell them to give the Dr. a message that I have no restriction. I am assured that he will get the message. Ya would think that SOMEONE would call you back?? Nope not a single phone call, no one cares. I sent the Dr. an email on June 1 stating I called the office 2 times and who I spoke to and that I was still in band failure and to please lets get the paperwork started and sent in for Ins to do a total band replacement, for a certain date since my time is as valuable as anyone else’s. Not a single reply to the email that I know was read, not a phone call, not an ounce of concern on my mental condition which has slipped to a dangerous level, NOT A WORD FROM ANYONE! I called the Dr’s office on June 3rd to check up if the paperwork for the Ins Co. has been started. Well I cannot tell you the miscommunication, misinformation this office now has. I was told that the Dr. was going to or was trying to call me, and that no one knew anything about paperwork to be sent to Ins. I was rather upset and let them know this. I was told that the Dr was in surgery and the office manager was not in and someone would get back to me. Not more then 3 mins later the Dr. is on the phone. (What happened to him being in Surgery?) I have no idea what his office staff said to him (since they LIE, cuz he was NOT in surgery) but he was angry with me! I told him all I was calling about was to check up to see if the paperwork was submitted to Ins for a re-do of the band. He went off on this tangent about how I was not getting this and that and suggested that he didn’t want me as a patient any longer. I am now so confused, upset, in tears, I had no idea what the heck he was talking about that he needed to get his staff in order cuz it seemed that no one knew what they were doing. He admitted that he gets lots of complaints about his office staff, but what is he to do about it? I informed him that this call was NOT about him, his staff or anything other then me. This was MY life and I am at the end of the road with the ultimate failure and what were we going to do about it. He was more then hesitant to want to do anything with out INS. Approval and it went back to him, which really upset me more. A test is scheduled to see where the leak is for June 10th. This is the test that should have been done before the port was ever replaced to see if that needed to be done in the first place. I have called my Ins company and asked them while in tears what are my options? My options are now clear. I can find a new Dr., which will be out of my Ins network since Dr Frezza is the ONLY Dr. in Pres network. I am thinking of doing just that. Finding a new Dr. I no longer feel that Dr. Frezza cares about his patients mentally or physically and I feel he cares only about the bottom line. Dr. Frezza needs a reality check on what is really important. From all the papers he writes you would think it is the welfare of people but it is more then apparent to me now it is all about him and not helping people. 5/19/05, Back from my post op check up from having the port replaced on May 6th. I am not overly happy and back to square one with my frustrations with this whole thought and idea that I could have found a way to help me loose weight that seems to be failing. I have a band that should hold no more then 5cc of liquid. From what I watched Dr. Frezza do and how much he put in and out of this band there is still problems and leakage. So since we know it’s not the port but the band I now have 2 options. Neither option I am overly thrilled with. Take a look and please send me a note with your thoughts. They would be greatly appreciated.
Option1: Go back under a general remove the entire band with a new one, with luck does not leak. There are lots of risk to this with tissue growth around the band and all the complications of bleeding out and that sort of thing.
Option 2: Have a full bypass done removing the existing band. Same bleeding complications arise but that would end any band failures and open me up to a new set of issues.
Option 3: Screw the entire thing, leave the band in me and go one with my life and take this as the ultimate failure and just accept things as they are and stop trying to be something that I will never be. I go back to Dr Frezza on June 29th for a finial decision on the band. If there is not 5cc of liquid in it then there is a leak in the band, not the port which has been my and the Dr’s gut feeling all long, and I have been forced through months of anguish and hell for nothing due to the fact you have to follow step to rule things out and your guy feelings mean nothing. Oh yes, I have an attorney and I am saving ALL my receipts cuz someone will have to take responsibility for this band failing, my mental anguish, my husbands anguish and many other things.
5/9/05, Back home from having my port replaced and a 2cc fill. It was an in and out deal. I went in Friday the 6th at 8am and I was back on the road home by noon. I was awake during the replacement, which was sorta interesting since I was not even awake for both of my C-Sections all those years ago. Still sorta sore, and starting to get the effects that I never had after the original surgery. I was not even remotely hungry until today, and was only able to eat a very small amount We had a big Mothers day meal last night and I had some homemade chicken soup broth with 1 small carrot which was very soft, 2 matzoth balls which were very soft, and a teaspoonful of veggies, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and turkey and a sliver of fruit pie. For me that was amazing and I was surprised and proud of myself. My husband even told me that he was proud of me as well. I go back to the Dr’s for a follow up visit on May the 18th and will update any weight loss and how I am doing. I think I am on track and this repair of the port will do the trick. Still keepin my fingers crossed. Prior to the repair I was only down 37 pounds since 7/28/05. Let’s now see how it goes.
4/30/05 Okay, back from Lubbock. Feeling so much better about the Dr’s staff and how things are progressing. I am now slated for surgery on May the 6th to have the port of my band replaced. I can understand Dr. Frezza’s frustration since I am his first patient to have any sort of problem with the band. Now he will have had the patience that is needed for the future if he needs it he can now say that yes, there has been 1 band failure and yes he has repaired it. I now cross my fingers that it is successful. We have known for several stressful months that something was up and wrong since by now 9 months out I should be down more then the measly 37 pounds that I am down of which 5 more from Jan till now. God how I have not blown my brain out by now with frustrations is beyond me. I am looking forward to a more rapid loss once the band is fixed. I just have to stay focused at the bottom line and that is a thinner me. Wish me luck on May 6th.
4/23/05 So, I am a tad frustrated. Yes, still having band failure and also getting the royal run around from the Dr’s office. If I were to say any thing about the Dr’s office now to anyone it would not be positive. I find that they have gotten sloppy in their customer service with patience and that they seem to now leave things to the last moment that is a major inconvenience for the patient. You get spoken to in double talk and I no longer feel that they care about you. All they seem to care about now is the bottom line and how they will get paid and by whom, and that you tell the world about them. I have sent to them 6 or more friends that are about to have their surgeries all with in the next 6 months. Yet, my issues don’t seem to mean a thing to them except to get approval from the Ins co to get paid. I would think that they would go to the Ins co in plenty of time and to the mfg of the band as well. If by the time I have my Dr’s visit on 4/29/05 and I don’t have the answers that I want, I will be obtaining an attorney to go after the mfg of the band for many damages. Till I get back from my visit on the 29th.
1/24/05 Up date time. Not all that wonderful the last few months since my last weigh in and fill. In the time from Nov till the first week in Jan I had not been feeling up to par. I started getting tired, listless, and depressed along with other things. But why??? I thought with all the holidays upon me, it was that time of year again. I mostly get depressed but never tired and listless and feeling generally crappy. I was to have my blood work prior to my apt on Jan 14th of which I had done on 12/30. Dr Frezza’s office called me Jan 6th telling me that all blood levels are at a critical level, lower then low and that I must get more vitamin’s, specifically calcium, Iron and B complex in me or something serious could and would happen. Well I dragged myself to the store and got what I needed and started taking what I was told. Dr’s office basically gave me 1 week to get everything up to normal or it was hospital time. That does explain all the feelings I had over the holidays. Arrived at the Dr’s office for my apt on Jan 14th and so-so reports. Best result was my blood work had improved enough not to warrant a hospital visit. Only lost 4 pounds since last visit, but was told that could also be attributed to the imbalance in my blood but not bad considering holiday’s and medical issues. Biggest and hardest issue is that there could be a problem with my band. Dr went to put 1 more cc in the band and I didn’t feel the band get tight. Dr. went to withdraw what was in the band to measure it, but less was in there that should have been in it. Dr. tends to think that there might be a band leak which is not good, or a port leak which is still not a good thing but might be repairable. So I was filled to capacity, which I felt, and we are now going to monitor the band. After the band was filled up I could not eat for a couple of days and now I do not feel that restricted feeling anymore like I felt last week. I now have another appointment to have an upper GI in TX on Feb 18th and for the band to be looked at and re-evaluated. I am also now at the weight that is a stumbling block for me I have trouble getting down past the 250 mark. Crossing my fingers that this too will pass and that I am not getting overly worried that the band needs replaced and that everything will be all right and fine again.
11/19/04 Looks like I am getting better at up dating, it’s only been a week since I was at the Dr’s for another fill and weigh in. I now have 3cc's in my band and I am down another 5 pounds. It has been a stressful 2 months with having to go cross-country 2 times in 4 weeks and deal with people and food out side of my normal routine. Dealt well with Halloween. Not even a bit of candy nor was I tempted. What a major improvement for me. I even surprised myself. Now for the Thanksgiving and the rest of the holidays. I really don’t foresee any issues or problems. I have my mindset and a goal of a wedding in the spring to work towards. I still curse the scale when I get on it cuz I know the darn thing lies to me and laughs at me. It teases and taunts me until I make a trip into town and go the Dr’s office and get on their scale and get the real lie. I like my PCP’s scale, it lies the best out of the 3 I get on. Everyone at work now calls me baggy pants and friends that have not seen me in a while have really noticed and are building my little ego right up with how wonderful I am looking. Went shopping with my husband to get him clothes, the skinny so and so that he is.. size 31 waist… I decided to just look around and I did buy 2 sweaters, after all it is now wintertime. I still do not feel comfortable shopping and never go in to fitting rooms. I am hoping that this phobia will go away as time moves on and more weight is lost. Any one else have the same phobia about going into a dressing room and trying on clothes ?? Till the next time I jump on a scale…
10/24/04 Okay, it has been brought to my attention that I have not updated my profile in a long time… MY BAD.. I am sorry to all that have been looking for an update. So now that I have kept you waiting for so long here it is. I am doing WONDERFUL!. Had my first fill on Sept. 24th. Minor set back was that my port somehow twisted and the Dr. had to go and fix it. Then he filled 2cc and poof..New feelings and eating to get used to. Lots of folks have now noticed and are asking how I am doing and how much I have lost so far. Now if I go by Dr. Frezza’s scale I have lost up until Sept 24th 24 pounds. If I go by my PCP’s scale then I have lost 29 pounds. So since I think all scales LIE! I will go by the one that lies the best, which is my PCP’s scale. My next fill will be Nov 12th, so I will weigh myself prior to that fill at my PCP's office to see how much more I have lost. I have noticed that my clothes are bigger; my jewelry is bigger so something is going right. My husband even says he sees a difference, and I even see that I now have a waist again. I am still not going out to buy new clothes unless I stumble upon something like I did at thrift store the other day. I tried on a size 24 dress that was too big and a 3x skirt that was also too big and shot for a pants suite I found in a 20w. Well I was able to get into the 20w to my surprise, so I am pumped. Still have yet to exercise like I should but I have to become one with my bow flex which is a struggle. I know if I get on that bloody bow flex my weight loss will be more, however now that I see skin that needs to be toned up, I will do my best, (coffs, coffs) to get on the bloody bow flex.
8/12/04: 2 weeks post op now. Went to see Dr Frezza yesterday for my check up. All is going well. I am now down 11 pounds and on my way. With the band the weight loss will be a bit slower then with the bypass, and I am okay with that. I had a good time with the surgery. Not too much pain, and out of hospital with in 24 hours, which shocked me. Minor complications with fever and a slight infection, which is clearing up. I return to work on the 16th. Still sort of tired and like to sleep late but once back in a working routine I am sure all will get back to normal. 283/277/266
7/24/04: Well the time is now here. This is my last post on this side of the fence. Tomorrow I get together with family and friends for the last dinner. I am excited and scared all at the same time, and I think that is normal. At least I am hoping that these feelings are normal. I have had many surgeries in my life and never have I been as scared then now. I hope and pray that I come through this alive and well and on my way to a new me. I went to my GP’s office this past Thursday and he says I am healthy and in good shape. I am so looking forward to this and am more than sure that I have made the right decision for this drastic change. I am more than ready for it. < Fingers crossed all comes out well> I will post again when I return home and from the other side.. Hugs to everyone that has wished me well and has been by my side through my long ride to this place.
7/17/04 Time to update.. I must be feeling a bunch of different things right now cuz I am taking a day off from work for no real good reason other then I really didn’t want to go in and deal with it. I did call the Dr’s office to let them know that all was set on my end with my job for time off for surgery and recovery and that sort of thing and I was told that they still did not have all my medical test reports. I completed everything months and months ago and this has been an ongoing battle. My PCP says they faxed everything all the offices that tests were done at says they have faxed all the papers to them so I am really wondering about the surgeon’s staff. I bit into them and had one of them in tears. How could they allow this to go this far where I need to be at my calmest right before this surgery and today I am on fire and really mad and pissed off. We shall see if they get it all today. Sighs… Just breathing in and out to calm down.10 days to go. Yes, I am starting to feel it. Nerves on edge excited and scared all at the same time. Determined however to get to the other side 6/3/04 Have not updated in a very long time.. Due to so much going on and still is. In a nutshell my surgery is no
