Msjtimmins

I was diagnosed with lupus and scleroderma 3+ years after I had lap band surgery. I would like to hear if anyone else has had this happen and if removal of the band helped? Thanks, Karen

I don't even know where to begin but I have spent the last year doing extensive research on this subject. I was banded 4 years ago and was fine for the first 2 1/2 years. I suddenly began having major health issues and six months ago was finally diagnosed with ...you guessed it...systemic lupus and scleroderma. No problems before and no family members with autoimmune diseases. I nearly died last August and I was very close to suicidal by October from the complications before any doctors could figure out what was wrong. I am now on long term steroid treatment, immune system suppressants and collagen suppressants. I have destroyed my skin, blood vessels and tissues with the steroids. I cannot tolerate ANY, I repeat ANY sun exposure without developing a full lupus rash all over my body and vasculitus from the scleroderma. My quality of life is horrible. I am scheduled to have the band removed on June 21st and I am praying that at least some of my symptoms resolve and I will be able to reduce the medications. Now for those of you who wrote in that you think this is just a coincidence...my husband had lap band 6 months before me and about 6 months before me he started having medical issues and guess what...he has been diagnosed with scleroderrma as well. While I was getting an EEG recently I told the technician that I had recently been diagnosed with lupus and scleroderma but before I could tell her anything else she began talking about her friend that also was just diagnosed with lupus 1 year after she had lap band surgery. I hadn't even told her about my lap band! Coincidence??? Hardly, I think the risk of silicon to the human body is as big a coverup as nicotine in tobacco was several decades ago. Am I angry? You bet but not at my surgeon; he did a great job. I'm angry at the people who managed to blame all the problems of silicon on the gel form in breast implants and got the FDA to claim that solid silicon is inert. Dr. Douglas Shanklin did lots of research in the field of silicon poisoning and actually treated (and cured) a coworker of mine in the early 90's. He retired from University of Tennessee Medical Group in Memphis last summer and from the cold shoulder I got when I tried to get information from UT, he must have stepped on a few toes with his research. Anyway, Daemon you are on the right track...see the rheumatologist. If you don't get any answers, try a different one. You will be your own best advocate. I would also recommend that you think bat getting that band removed. Good luck!