Emergency Lap Band Removal

About 3 weeks ago I created a blog concerning the problems I was having with my lap band. Well, things turned for the worst and I wanted to let you know of my experience.

Starting on 9/17 I started stressing out over a new job and started throwing up every day. After 2 weeks of that I went back in to see my doctor only to be seen by his physician's assistant. She saw on the scan that I couldn't swallow the barium and she told me that I was "swollen" from throwing up and that I should have warm liquids for 24 hours and then have protein shakes after that. Then things will get back to normal! WRONG!

Her suggestion didn't work for me and I continued throwing up every day. On Saturday 10/16 I threw up everything, nothing would go down, even water. On Sunday night 10/17 I called my doctor's answering service and told them that I was dehydrated and that I'm taking myself to emergency for IV fluids and can the doctor call me. I waited and waited to hear back only to get a call from his nurse (he didn't even have the compassion or care to call me himself). She said that the doctor agreed that I should go to emergency but suggested I go to where my doctor has privileges so he can remove the band. I told her that I'm not traveling all the way to their hospital when there's a great one 10 minutes from my home.

I received the IV fluids I needed in the ER and met caring and compassionate people that actually cared about my health and well-being. The on-call doctor spoke with their bariatric surgeon and he agreed that the band should come out IMMEDIATELY and offered to perform the surgery. I said yes and I had the surgery last Wednesday 10/20. Still, to this day, my original doctor has not called me to check up on me. Also, my new doctor removes more bands than he puts in.

I couldn't be happier that I no longer have the band but now I have to be very careful about keeping the weight I lost off. The loss needs to be a reminder of the almost 4 years of hell I went through with the band.

If you know anyone that's thinking about having lap band surgery and need a different perspective please have them contact me.