Believer

Hi Newbie, I understand and agree to your point to some extent. I need more time to explain and I am in Portland with family... I will write back in a day or two... Thanks for responding to me. Diane

Hi Maygetbanded. Thanks for the suggestion, You have a good point and I believe it is valid. The problem is that I am in a 12 month trial program to take the Chemotherapy to see if it is helpful to other people with fatal systemic scleroderma. If I bail out 3 months before it is over the world will not have the valuable input needed to complete this trial and see if anything I have done can help others... Diane

YOu could be right. I just know how it happened and if you will die with in 5 years of diagnosis one way or another, you look for opportunities that may save your life. I am now down to 1.5 years of life with no other possible options except that the band removal may only possibly be a key(probably not)...

You are absolutely correct! I have abused my body, probably not more than many others, but high fat diet is really bad. It could be that or stress or hereditary problems, there is not known reason for this disease. Thanks for the encouraging words though. Diane

I was on cellcept for about 3 weeks and it was the worst time in my life. I was taking it for an autoimmune disease and was already banded at the time...

I have been on 5-15mg of Prednisone since about Feb of 2005. As far as I know my band is still in good shape although I have it deflated since about the same time. Diane

Hi to everyone, I am Diane also new to this site with problems. I was banded September of 2003. I believed it would save my life and still believe it does for most of you. I am just one that it did not work for. I had the chest pain with each bite. I finally had the band deflated and have not been throwing up, but in July of 2004 I began to have other health problems. My fingers swelled up, I became extremely exhausted and had arthritis to the point of not being able to pick anything off the floor. November of 2004 I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. Most docs say it is not related to the Lap-band, some feel it (could be related). I have been afraid to have the band removed as the disease I have caused scar tissue mostly in the skin but also in my other organs... I am afraid that the band is now burried and that it might be surrounded by blood vessels. My disease is very rare and I am on a TRIAL 12 month chemotherapy regime to save my life as it has progressed to my lungs. I guess I am looking for others with Lap-band/autoimmune problems or support to have the band removed. Thanks for any comments you might have. Diane

I am looking for others might question health problems that have occured since the lapband surgery. I am not trying to frighten anyone. I know this is a miracle for many of you out there. However, I have questions as to whether my body did not like the band. I developed puffy hands, raynoads syndrome and arthritis. As it turns out, one year after my banding, I am diagnosed with Scleroderma. This is an autoimmune disease and is in some ways related to silicone. (I am not saying it is related to the lapband). I am wondering if anyone else has had any of these symtoms. I will probably die from the Scleroderma in the future. I am undergoing 12 months of trial chemotherapy for it.... Anyone ?

What makes you think it is unrelated? I have a deadly illness just one year after I had the lap-band put in, I started having symtoms and found out I have something very similar to Lupus called Scleroderma. It too is an autoimmune disease. I have heard of people who have had their bands removed and have recovered from these diseases... What about you?