my band was removed !!

[GeezerSue 7]

Originally posted by antonio

I HAD LABBAND FOR TWO AND HALF YEARS I KNOW WHAT TO EAT AND WHAT NOT TO EAT, IF YOU GO TO WWW.SSAT.COM/97DDW/DDW67.HTM IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THE SOCIETY FOR SURGERY OF THE ALIMENTARY TRACK ALSO GO TO WEBMD.COM YOU WILL FIND DOCTORS THAT ARE NOT DOING THIS SURGERY ANYMORE AND OLSO THE SIDE EFFECT . THE BIOENTERICS STUDIED 299 PATIENTS AGE 18 TO 55 IN USA IN A 3 YEAR STUDY AND 89% OF PATIENTS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE SIDE EFFECT, NOW I NEED TO KNOW I YOU DOCTORS TOLD YOU THIS ? NOT MY DOCTORS AND THIS IS IN BLACK AND WHITE.

This is a very old study. These are the very first U.S. doctors, who didn't have any experience with the surgery, doing their first surgeries with procedures which have since been modified. It is essentially worthless. I am glad that most of the doctors who stopped doing lap-band stopped, as they were apparently not very good at it. The so-called side effects included such things as one or more occurence of nausea...hardly worth mentioning...especially when compared to the frequent side effects of RnY surgery. The doctors didn't know how to deal with a steady ten or so pounds per month weight loss--they wanted immediate results. And they didn't want to deal with adjustments, because IMHO, those just cost them money.

Excuse me for not answering sooner, but I've had kind of a troll-in-the-house feeling.

The WORST side effect I've had from the band is reflux, and there are meds for that. Before the band, I couldn't climb the three steps into my house and had to move. But I'm wondering how your band could be going into your liver, since they are on opposite sides...or is your liver just moved way over from the usual location? (Or is my geography way off?)

Sue

[donali 57]

The link you list does not take me anywhere. I went to the main site, http://www.ssat.com/ and searched on 97ddw. That took me to the 1997 abstracts, http://www.ssat.com/cgi-bin/1997_abstracts.cgi?affiliation=.

Here is the article you are referring to, I believe: http://www.ssat.com/cgi-bin/97ddw/ddw67.cgi?affiliation=

This study was conducted on the ASGB, for a time period between 3/17/92 and 5/1/95 on a total of 40 patients, and concludes that of those 40 patients, 32 reoperations had to be performed, and also includes this info, "...and two had an ASGB removed and a LapBand implanted at the same operation."

Although I do not discount the results reported, I make the following observations:

1. The study is extremely small.

2. The study is old.

3. There is no information given about experience level of the docs, or the maker of the band.

4. The study does not follow the FDA approved Inamed LapBand.

I do not know if you are doing research for your upcoming lawsuit against your surgeon, or the maker of your band, or both, or if you are just venting.

I don't recall if my surgeon brought up possible complications himself, but I had researched the procedure and asked him about complications, and he discussed them openly with me.

As far as your statement that "89% OF PATIENTS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE SIDE EFFECT", I am surprised it is only 89%, as most studies consider PBing "a side effect", and I would guess that most banded people have PB'd at least once. Of course, 89% is "most", but I would have thought that number even higher.

I am truly sorry that you were not aware of the possible side effects of the band. I agree that should have been discussed with you prior to your surgery. Undoubtedly it is very frustrating to find out this information after the fact. I am grateful I was able to do my research prior to making what I feel was an informed decision. I knew all the things you are finding out now, and still felt that this was the safest and most effective WLS available to me.

I am well aware that I may experience further complications, up to and including losing my band. I hope I am able to keep my band always, but if not, I do not regret this decision.

[donali 57]

lol - Michelle and Sue, I think we were all answering at the same time!

Sue, I have to agree with you: I am on troll watch alert as well...

[donali 57]

Antonio -

You still do not say who your surgeon was.

Also, I notice in your first post you say,

Can you please tell me ho have had problems with this surgery or is only me

,

but in your next post you claim,

In Florida we have a support group 35 people and everyone in this group is having problems from nausea, vomiting stoma obstruction,esophageal dilatation, band slippage, liaking or twisterd band

So, you already KNOW you are not the only one, assuming your claims are true.

May I ask how exactly we can help you? You seem to have plenty of collaboration on the bad side effects of banding from your 35 people support group in Florida, so certainly you do not need more evidence that the band can have complications. Do you just need to vent? Are you trying to educate?

We would all like to offer support to all bandsters/ex-bandsters, and we're all willing to be educated, but I'm interested in learning what exactly you are hoping for from this board.

Wishing you all the best.

[BEBBLY 1]

I agree with Donali,

It seems Antonio is somewhat upset at everyone with a successful band! We are sorry that things did not work out for your and your daughter but you have to realize with every operation there is a risk. You either think it's worth it or not!

The procedure was explained in full to me and complications too. I was also told that complications are very rare and I mean serious complications not the occassional PB!

Over all I am thrilled with my band and wish I had done this sooner. God willing I will not have any complications in the future either.

Just out of curiosity, is there anyone in this group that has had their band longer than 5 or 10 years? I would love to hear how things change with time.

Mary

[Guest antonio]

I respect the way you all fill , I also please need you all to be inform, today I call the fda and they gave me a web side to see all report of people ho have had problems with the Lap-Band if you want to surch go to www.fda.gov , go to medical devices, medical device reportng (mdr), maude, half down put in Lap-Band, then put in 500 records per report page and hit search there you will see all complaine and more. I will be open my Imail if sameone need to talk to me in private because I can right to you and only say everythin is ok because is not . If you want to right to my own Imail www.quack613@aol.com Thank you

[bbrecruiter2000 1]

Antonio,

I am sorry to say this, but there have only been 9 known complaints about the Lapband reported since February 2001. I followed your instruction and typed in adjustable lapband and every single listing that included INamed, Bioenteric and lapband as well as adjustable came up and it was only 9!! Since the band was approved in June 2001, that would make 8 since FDA approval. Of the 8 people, only 1 had their band removed because they could not tolerate it and had reflux. The other patients all kept their bands and the problems were relatively minor and had to do with punctured tubing due to improper fills or port replacements. So really only one person had the device removed. Now if you are talking about people that had issues before 2001, that number will be greater but definitely will not substantiate any case you have against the manufacturer if you were banded after FDA approval, since your doc should have told you about the potential yet small amounts of problems you could have after surgery. Since there have been more than 15,000 people banded with the Inamed FDA approved lapband since June 2001 in the US, this is a very very small number who had any significant problems, so you are part of a really really small statistic. I agree with Donali. You sound bitter and are looking to vent. Now I know that people have side effects, but band removal is not common unless there is erosion or esophagal irritation that cannot be relieved with an unfill or other medical issues that could not be identified or known to the surgeon prior to surgery. But if you feel comfortable to keep looking and you feel compelled to give us information, please be sure you have correct updated information about the product you are slamming!

THere are just too many happy bandsters here and unless you are really looking for help, you may find that we are all just too happy with our bands to focus on the negative.

Babs in TX

334/261/180

-73 pounds

6/23/03

[donali 57]

I found the 500 results, which go back to 1/03 in the 2001-2003 grouping. 500 is the greatest number available, and there are too many to show, and no way to get the others without narrowing the search (according to the MAUDE database).

It would be quite a task to read each of the 500 reports - there is no easy way that I can see to see the contents without opening each report and scrolling down to the bottom.

Perhaps you could successfully narrow the search by using "lap-band" and then another problem you were interested in, although when I combined "removal" with my "lap-band" search I only got one result, which I know is not correct.

There have been many removals, for various reasons. The percentage of bands that need to be removed is reportedly a small percentage, but I have no idea what that figure is.

Thank you, Antonio, for posting the information to get to the database.

You STILL have not answered my question, though -

Who was your surgeon?!?

[Alexandra 55]

I wonder if some of his confusion is caused by the fact that English is clearly not Antonio's first language?

I too am very interested in hearing more about the surgeon with this terrible track record. Please, Antonio, share that information so that others may be educated.

[Guest antonio]

Alexandra you are rihgt english is not my first language, some of different cases is not the doctor fault is the band , is not to keep for rest of you life, also gastyroesophageal reflux that most of you are having can cause can lead to cancer and is very bad for you teeth. Please be safe.

[kellymoos 4]

You are right and we appreciate your concern. We are very sorry that you and the people you know are having problems. We wish all of you the best of luck:-) However, we are all very happy with our little friend. So the best of luck to you and keep smiling! We all are! By the way, who was your doc?

[BEBBLY 1]

Antonio,

You seem to be dodging the million dollar question....

WHO WAS YOUR DOCTOR?

If you don't want to answer just say so!

[ashanti2 0]

Michelle,

Thank you for the leg work as far as looking up all the information and posting it. I think that a lot of the information that people are seeing out on the web is old infor and being misunderstood. Also I am sorry that a lot of people are having problems with there bands and I wish them all the best.

Some of these incidents are scary and its good that we know of them, but because its not working for others I think its used to freighten or scare those that the band seem to be working for or those that are just starting out with the band.

[Guest antonio]

BEBBLY, I am not dodging any question, I said before that some times is not the Doctor is the band, I will not say who is the Doctor becouse he still my doughters Doctor.

[Alexandra 55]

Hi Antonio,

I can understand your reluctance to identify the physician in question. I hope you can understand the reaction that you received here is not hostile, just curious. Your first few messages sounded like you were making gloomy predictions of failure for a majority of banded patients, and that has not been the experience of most of the people here.

I wish you and your daughter luck, and hope that we can all take away from this the lesson that unusual symptoms cannot be ignored. Have you gone back yet to see about getting your daughter's band loosened a little? We'd really like to hear how she's doing. Please stay in touch.