Lifestyle Family Fitness Cancellation for medical reason and other issues Lutz Florida

I agreed to join in November 15, 2007 via phone. I was told that the fee was $29 and they needed a credit card. My first bill was over $100 and I called and was told that I had to pay for 2 full months in advance even though my billing date was the 26th. I ended up in the hospital the end of November with kidney lithotripsy, and a week later with problems relating to it, and was told not to exercise until I had healed. I called them, explained my problem and told them I hadn't even been in to pick up my paperwork yet, and asked to be put on hold. They claimed that because it was the 27th, I would be billed until through January as they couldn't stop it. I told them to stop the bleeding and remove me from their membership. I went in January to pick up the paperwork so that I could see what they had set me up for, and found they were charging me for a full memebership, which I had only agreed to their minimum. They said it was because of the starting fee I had paid. No one ever said that on the phone, just that I would get basic membership. They would not refund anything. I felt I had no where to go because it was just a few hundred dollars for nothing. Four months of payments to a company for what? Medical issues with a "Fitness" company ought to be understood. I had never belonged to a gym before and had no idea that their phone sales people were liars. I got sick before I had a chance to go in. Where do they get off doing this to people. Is their no recourse that isn't expensive?

Kate
Land O Lakes, Florida
U.S.A.