Kim2BSlim Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I started back on solids today and my whopping 1.3 cc is still giving me no restriction. I am very upset and disappointed to say the least. I am angry with myself for paying this Dr. $1500 when I could have went back to the OCC or a Fill Center and had one or two good fills under fluoro and used my money there. I called my Dr's nurse today and talked to her for over 30 minutes about my concerns. She was very nice to me, of course because I was very nice to her. Anyway she said they have patients with Mexican bands come in alot that never get restriction so after the 3rd fill they do an upper GI to check your band. She said several people have their band just floating around (not on their stomach) or either they just have a port and no band. WTF??!! I explained to her that I know I have a band and I trust Dr. Ortiz 100% and that was not the case. I told her I just didn't understand why they have such small fills whether you have restriction or not. Why not just fill me a little more until I can actually tell I have a band? She was very nice and told me most foreign band patients call and cuss her out and since I was so nice she was gonna get me in on July 10th to fill me some more and make sure I don't have a port leak. I just needed to vent a little! I wish I would have saved my money and went back to the OCC or to a Fill Center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandgroupie Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 That's outrageous!!!! First of all if you had your fills with fluoro, they can see your band, your port, your tubing, and your little pouch. Sounds like that doctor's office might just take advantage of patients who were banded in Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willi333 Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 WTH ??????????????? I'm really sorry Kim, I know that must be frustrating !!! Hopefully you get more than "a little" on your next appointment !! I don't know where the other "MX bandsters" - she was talking about - went to, but I think this sounds sooo weird!! My 2nd fill is the "killer filler" and I think/hope I'm good for a while .... if you ever decide to come to Roswell for a fill, let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittycat Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I totally agree and said that to you when you mentioned the cost and little fills in a previous message. I truly think they are taking advantage of bandsters and milking them for money for little fills, so you have to continue to go back and that's not acceptable, but what do you do?! You need them. I hope she provides you with what you need and doesn't charge you again. Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrty835 Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I totally agree with Dawnie, This doctor is taking you for a ride sister girlfriend. If it was me I would treaten to take him to whatever board of medical etics and tell him you want you're money back. Thats why I'm going back to the OCC for my first fill and maybe for all my other fills if this is whats i'm to expect here in the so called good old USA. Ill pay the 300 dollars round trip and the 100 flouro charge. thats al least 3 trips. And I get to see all my favorite people at the OCC. I hope you can get this resolved soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I started back on solids today and my whopping 1.3 cc is still giving me no restriction. I am very upset and disappointed to say the least. I am angry with myself for paying this Dr. $1500 when I could have went back to the OCC or a Fill Center and had one or two good fills under fluoro and used my money there. I called my Dr's nurse today and talked to her for over 30 minutes about my concerns. She was very nice to me, of course because I was very nice to her. Anyway she said they have patients with Mexican bands come in alot that never get restriction so after the 3rd fill they do an upper GI to check your band. She said several people have their band just floating around (not on their stomach) or either they just have a port and no band. WTF??!! I explained to her that I know I have a band and I trust Dr. Ortiz 100% and that was not the case. I told her I just didn't understand why they have such small fills whether you have restriction or not. Why not just fill me a little more until I can actually tell I have a band? She was very nice and told me most foreign band patients call and cuss her out and since I was so nice she was gonna get me in on July 10th to fill me some more and make sure I don't have a port leak. I just needed to vent a little! I wish I would have saved my money and went back to the OCC or to a Fill Center. That is unbelievably shocking to me. I guess what's transparently obvious is if they truly believed that the surgery in Mexico was that aggregiously irresponsible and dishonest and they are still taking those patients, why would they not just do flouro right off the hop and ensure that the mechanism was complete and in place rather than messing around and charging $1,500 for something that potentially doesn't exist? I know that we have four doctors here that work right out of the hospitals that accept fill patients done in Mexico and in fact some refer via third party because the budget will not allow more surgeries than have been allocated. This year the number is 25 because of budget cuts. Last year it was 100. It's a FOUR year process to get banded here. YIKES! If this kind of dishonesty was rampant in Mexico they certainly would know and would warn people. No doubt there are some disreputable surgeons doing this surgery without proper qualifications or care all over the world but the lapband community is a tight one and they would be outted in about five seconds and hence no patients over time. I would be very uncomfortable with the lack of integrity and carelessness of your fill organization and ask for a refund but that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julieburns Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 yeah what Jann said and everyone else too. I just booked my first fill at the OCC after much deliberation of where to go. Locally is only with no fluoro. I've been watching flights and today they went down by almost $70-90!! So when I aded it all up to go to TJ and stay 1 night is only $349 more than having it here at home with no fluoro so I just made up my mind to go. I am so sorry for your troubles and hang in there Kimmy you are too cute to give up!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrty835 Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 yeah what Jann said and everyone else too. I just booked my first fill at the OCC after much deliberation of where to go. Locally is only with no fluoro. I've been watching flights and today they went down by almost $70-90!! So when I aded it all up to go to TJ and stay 1 night is only $349 more than having it here at home with no fluoro so I just made up my mind to go. I am so sorry for your troubles and hang in there Kimmy you are too cute to give up!!! Julie were are you from, and what airline did you get the low price from. Im going down on August the 12th but coming back the same day for 300 round trip from amarillo texas. when are you going down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C1BandedBabe Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Kim I really do hate this for you! I feel so bad that you have to go through this and its got to be so damn aggravating too! Did you ask him if there was anyway to cancel the contract with him and maybe gett a refund or that is not an option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Thanks everyone. I am still sick over the whnole thing. She told me I would have to contact the Administrator of the office to see about a refund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat2nrml Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 Kim, Did you ask about getting a partial refund? I sure would!! I don't blame you for being upset, that's alot of money! I got my FIRST fill at the OCC and got 1.8cc and unfortunatly THAT isn't enough restriction, I can still eat alot of just about everything. I'm trying to get the funds scraped together and go back..... flights are outrageous!! Good luck Kim, I sure hope they do right by you! Darlene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painter Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 That is unbelievably shocking to me. I guess what's transparently obvious is if they truly believed that the surgery in Mexico was that aggregiously irresponsible and dishonest and they are still taking those patients, why would they not just do flouro right off the hop and ensure that the mechanism was complete and in place rather than messing around and charging $1,500 for something that potentially doesn't exist? I totally agree with Jann. That would make me furious! Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistyband Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 I would be checking that doctor out! I get my fills without Fluro and my doctor knows exactly where to stick me everytime.....Especially since the nurse admitted to them having a LOT of complaints! That don't seem right...I've had 2 fills and both went very well! Good Luck...but I would check into the doctor and former complaints! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted June 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 He hits my port the first time everytime. Like I have said before, he has been our family surgeon for years until he started concentrating only on WLS. He is a dang good Dr...but not so good with giving a good fill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparetire Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 He hits my port the first time everytime. Like I have said before, he has been our family surgeon for years until he started concentrating only on WLS. He is a dang good Dr...but not so good with giving a good fill! Is he just being cautious then? I had a "blind" fill last week in Arlington and was almost blown away by "how much do you want?" That blew me away... I was not prepared for that... i figured she would somehow know by how much I was eating, how much i have lost over the last 6 weeks etc... anyways i got 2 more cc's which puts me at 5cc in a VG... also, she said " you don't lose any, it may be hiding in the band and we are unable to extract it all" but I dont believe her cuz I have seen ppl's stats here and how much they have in... even over 10cc's so it doesn't make sense to me. I sure hope you get a good fill > and that he realizes that being overly cautious also doesn't help one... although, this gal also told me that i had to make up my mind that this fill was "the sweet spot". btw, she does mostly Ortiz patients... and has a wall of fame there...so inpiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandgroupie Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Kimmie, I've thought about your situation a bit tonight. I wonder if the reason he's giving you smaller fills is because you're having great success with your weight loss so far. You're doing wonderful!!!! And, as long as you're doing great with the fill you have, I'm not so sure any doctor would give you a "huge" fill? You're continually showing weight loss and it's not been that long since you've been banded. P.S. I still don't like your doctor~~~~ He hits my port the first time everytime. Like I have said before, he has been our family surgeon for years until he started concentrating only on WLS. He is a dang good Dr...but not so good with giving a good fill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted June 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Dawnie..Yes you are right. His nurse even told me that today. The problem is that I am doing it all on my own. I am going on willpower and the determination I have inside me to get this weight off. It sucks because the band is supposed to help me but without a good fill it is not helping much..know what I mean? I stay hungry and could overeat if I wanted to. I have the willpower to work with the band, but right now I don't have anything to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandgroupie Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 I do understand. I also think that the doctors who have you pay one price for a full year are going to go about it slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwer than the others. Even though you're doing it on mostly willpower, the band is helping some ... even in the background! Dawnie..Yes you are right. His nurse even told me that today. The problem is that I am doing it all on my own. I am going on willpower and the determination I have inside me to get this weight off. It sucks because the band is supposed to help me but without a good fill it is not helping much..know what I mean?I stay hungry and could overeat if I wanted to. I have the willpower to work with the band, but right now I don't have anything to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim2BSlim Posted June 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Yep, I know the band is there and I think about it before I put a bite of anything in my mouth. Anyone think the band may just be psychological?? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat2nrml Posted June 26, 2008 Report Share Posted June 26, 2008 Yep, I know the band is there and I think about it before I put a bite of anything in my mouth. Anyone think the band may just be psychological?? LOL That's an interesting thought???? I guess it's one of those things, if it IS psychological and it's working, who would want to "fix" it? :-? :scratch_one-s_head: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now