Awful Fill Experience with Fill Center USA IL

[Sherri]

I have had the worst week.. I drove 5 hours from Memphis last Tuesday to get a fill at the Fill Center USA in IL. Denise the Nurse Practitioner added 1 ml to my band at 4pm. By 6pm I was vomiting non stop and could not hold down any fluids or saliva. I called the local ER at 1am and they did not have anybody on staff who could unfill a lap band so I went back to the Clinic at 8am. The Nurse Practitioner took.7ml out. I still felt severly nauseated and had increased saliva that if I swollowed made me vomit. I was given a shot of Phenergan and a pill for my Gastrointestional distress. After about an hour I started to fell a bit better and held down a few sips of water so I began my five hour drive back to Memphis. Before I left The NP told me she was leaving town after lunch that day. To my horror uring the drive home I was so nauseated and could not even tolerate a small sip of water so I called back to the Fill Center. The clinic called me in a RX for Phenergan rectal suppositories and was told that it would be better in a few days...

I called the OCC and was told by Dr So to go to the ER and that I need to be unfilled ASAP. I went to the ER and I was admitted to the hospital for nausea, vomitiong and dehydration. My potasium level was very low and I recieved IV's with potassium and Zofran IV for the nausea. The ER Physician was unable to locate a doctor who would agree to unfill my lap band during that night. The Fill's Centers option was to repay the total price to go to another fill Center in Alabama to get unfilled. I was upset because it said that they will follow you for 72 hours after a fill and they did not provide that service. My ER doctor was able to find a Bariactric Surgeon in Memphis to agree to see me for $290 as a medical courtesy Thursday at 10am I had 4cc's removed from my lap band. I continued to be nauseated and unable to drink so on Friday morning I was unfilled totall. I am waiting for an Upper GI tomorrow to see if my band has slipped. I am still very nauseated and have not had solid food since last Tuesday. At least I am able to keep down fluids. Dr So has been wonderful talking to me by phone but I wish I was able to find a doctor close to Memphis to get fills and aftercare. All the ones here will not even TOUCH a patient who has been banded in Mexico.

It is all so frustrating.

[thinagainandforever]

I have had the worst week.. I drove 5 hours from Memphis last Tuesday to get a fill at the Fill Center USA in IL. Denise the Nurse Practitioner added 1 ml to my band at 4pm. By 6pm I was vomiting non stop and could not hold down any fluids or saliva. I called the local ER at 1am and they did not have anybody on staff who could unfill a lap band so I went back to the Clinic at 8am. The Nurse Practitioner took.7ml out. I still felt severly nauseated and had increased saliva that if I swollowed made me vomit. I was given a shot of Phenergan and a pill for my Gastrointestional distress. After about an hour I started to fell a bit better and held down a few sips of water so I began my five hour drive back to Memphis. Before I left The NP told me she was leaving town after lunch that day. To my horror uring the drive home I was so nauseated and could not even tolerate a small sip of water so I called back to the Fill Center. The clinic called me in a RX for Phenergan rectal suppositories and was told that it would be better in a few days...

I called the OCC and was told by Dr So to go to the ER and that I need to be unfilled ASAP. I went to the ER and I was admitted to the hospital for nausea, vomitiong and dehydration. My potasium level was very low and I recieved IV's with potassium and Zofran IV for the nausea. The ER Physician was unable to locate a doctor who would agree to unfill my lap band during that night. The Fill's Centers option was to repay the total price to go to another fill Center in Alabama to get unfilled. I was upset because it said that they will follow you for 72 hours after a fill and they did not provide that service. My ER doctor was able to find a Bariactric Surgeon in Memphis to agree to see me for $290 as a medical courtesy Thursday at 10am I had 4cc's removed from my lap band. I continued to be nauseated and unable to drink so on Friday morning I was unfilled totall. I am waiting for an Upper GI tomorrow to see if my band has slipped. I am still very nauseated and have not had solid food since last Tuesday. At least I am able to keep down fluids. Dr So has been wonderful talking to me by phone but I wish I was able to find a doctor close to Memphis to get fills and aftercare. All the ones here will not even TOUCH a patient who has been banded in Mexico.

It is all so frustrating.

Sherri, I am so sorry you are going through such problems. I hope it gets better from here.

Lisa

[Lindsay]

I've only heard negative feedback regarding Fill Center's USA -

It seems to the same issues, regardless to which centre & city you visit.

What a beyond terrible thing to go through.

I hope new banders are keeping this mind, prior to making the decision of getting banded 'over the boarder' - please track down a fill doctor, who has a great reputation, PRIOR to the surgery.

No doctor will touch me in Canada, either.

It's a lot harder than it sounds.

[peaceandlove]

I've only heard negative feedback regarding Fill Center's USA -

It seems to the same issues, regardless to which centre & city you visit.

What a beyond terrible thing to go through.

I hope new banders are keeping this mind, prior to making the decision of getting banded 'over the boarder' - please track down a fill doctor, who has a great reputation, PRIOR to the surgery.

No doctor will touch me in Canada, either.

It's a lot harder than it sounds.

It's because of stories like this one that i might decide to go with the sleeve plication , rather than the lapband which was my original choice.

In tryng to find a reliable and experienced fill doctor, before I get banded in Tijuana by dr. Ortiz, I experinced the same thing in Canada:nobody want's to do fills for people who after careful research decide to have the operation in a modern facility , surrounded by friendly , helpful staff, to be operated a highly experienced doctor that taught many other doctors how to do the operation and ...here it comes: at 1/3 of the cost (aproximately)

[EricaG]

I'm sorry to hear this. I have a friend in New Albany MS or somewhere around there... she was banded in the US, but I'm going to ask her for the details to her doctor. I know Memphis is only like a 2 hr drive from her or less. I'm going to ask her for her doctor's info and i'll let you know. I fortunately live in Los Angeles and it's a 2hr drive to the OCC... I can only imagine the frustration you are going through. I hope for your speedy recovery.

Did you have a blind fill? 7cc's seems alot for a blind fill. either way... take care of yourself and again, so sorry you had to go through this.

[SusieO]

I am so sorry you had to go through hall that mess. I hope you feel better soon.

[Regena22]

Good to know I live in Illinois and I was wondering. I guess I will make my trip to Mexico every time.

[MyNext30Years]

I have to drive 2.5 hrs each way to Frederick, MD but I guess I should consider myself lucky it's not any farther than that. My fill Dr. is very good - she is actually banded herself (from MX).

[Sherri]

I'm sorry to hear this. I have a friend in New Albany MS or somewhere around there... she was banded in the US, but I'm going to ask her for the details to her doctor. I know Memphis is only like a 2 hr drive from her or less. I'm going to ask her for her doctor's info and i'll let you know. I fortunately live in Los Angeles and it's a 2hr drive to the OCC... I can only imagine the frustration you are going through. I hope for your speedy recovery.

Did you have a blind fill? 7cc's seems alot for a blind fill. either way... take care of yourself and again, so sorry you had to go through this.

Erica,

Yes it was a blind fill. That rural clinic was the only place I could find that I could drive to and could get me in on a day I was off work.

The Nurse Practitioner ended up putting 1'cc in the band for a total of 8.5 cc's on Tuesday afternoon. The next morning she took out .7cc's so it left me with only .3cc's added at that fill. .

I was still nauseated but able to drink water so she told me I would be OK after the band rested a bit .

She kept filling it and taking fluid out over and over.. I think it was almost 1/2 an hour with the needle in my stomach..

Dr So finished my fill at the OCC in only a few minutes because he had the floroscopy.

.. She had filled my band to as much as 9.5 cc's.. I was worried because Dr So told me the average third fill should be .5 cc - 1cc. I told the nurse what Dr So said and was kind of scared about her putting 2cc's in .. Even thought the water was able to go down. She took out another one cc out because I was concerned.

She had me drink 4 glasses of water just to make sure.. I was nauseated from that amount in the band. Was it the ice water that shrank my stomach? ... Who knows what happened...... I don't think the Fill Center USA should book appointments where the Fill Center can't provide aftercare with the same person who did your fill. They should unfill you if it happens to be too tight within 72 hours .. I told them I am sending them sending them my ER bill and the $290 for my unfill. Not sure if it will help. I wanted to talk to the president of the company and they told me she does not speak to patients.. LOL

Last Friday I had to have my band unfilled all the way... The Memphis doctor did it as a "courtesy" to the ER doctor who took care of me on Thursday night. The "mean" Surgeon told me that I needed to go back to my "original surgeon" for any aftercare..She would not accept me as a patient... It makes me mad that so many Doctors in the US have this problem with Mexico and even with Dr Ortiz but what can we do about it?..

I wish I had the money to open a Fill Center with a good doctor not like the ones who will accept us if we are banded in Mexico..

The Gastric Sleeve may have been a better option for me after all.... Darn Darn Darn...

Dr So said I have to wait 4-6 weeks to go back to the OCC since my stomach is still irritated from this awful experience....

Last night I tried some meat and I felt like it was stuck in my throat for a few hours.... I had an upper GI that looked ok, the band had not slipped... Thank goodness...

Thank you all for your concern and replies to my ordeal.... I would love any suggestion to where I might get a good fill near Memphis if anyone has one....

I would love the information about New Albany... 2 hours sounds wonderful especially if I have problems again.. 4-5 hours it too far to drive if you are vomiting and nauseated from a bad fill....

[Tiffany1972]

Sherri!

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Sending you hugs. I hope you're feeling a little better.

Tiff

I have had the worst week.. I drove 5 hours from Memphis last Tuesday to get a fill at the Fill Center USA in IL. Denise the Nurse Practitioner added 1 ml to my band at 4pm. By 6pm I was vomiting non stop and could not hold down any fluids or saliva. I called the local ER at 1am and they did not have anybody on staff who could unfill a lap band so I went back to the Clinic at 8am. The Nurse Practitioner took.7ml out. I still felt severly nauseated and had increased saliva that if I swollowed made me vomit. I was given a shot of Phenergan and a pill for my Gastrointestional distress. After about an hour I started to fell a bit better and held down a few sips of water so I began my five hour drive back to Memphis. Before I left The NP told me she was leaving town after lunch that day. To my horror uring the drive home I was so nauseated and could not even tolerate a small sip of water so I called back to the Fill Center. The clinic called me in a RX for Phenergan rectal suppositories and was told that it would be better in a few days...

I called the OCC and was told by Dr So to go to the ER and that I need to be unfilled ASAP. I went to the ER and I was admitted to the hospital for nausea, vomitiong and dehydration. My potasium level was very low and I recieved IV's with potassium and Zofran IV for the nausea. The ER Physician was unable to locate a doctor who would agree to unfill my lap band during that night. The Fill's Centers option was to repay the total price to go to another fill Center in Alabama to get unfilled. I was upset because it said that they will follow you for 72 hours after a fill and they did not provide that service. My ER doctor was able to find a Bariactric Surgeon in Memphis to agree to see me for $290 as a medical courtesy Thursday at 10am I had 4cc's removed from my lap band. I continued to be nauseated and unable to drink so on Friday morning I was unfilled totall. I am waiting for an Upper GI tomorrow to see if my band has slipped. I am still very nauseated and have not had solid food since last Tuesday. At least I am able to keep down fluids. Dr So has been wonderful talking to me by phone but I wish I was able to find a doctor close to Memphis to get fills and aftercare. All the ones here will not even TOUCH a patient who has been banded in Mexico.

It is all so frustrating.