my band was removed !!

[Guest antonio]

I whant to know how many patient had this band remove? do to complications . I had this band for two years and has to be remove because my doctor sead it was going in to my liver I almost died, I had nausea and everything I eat was vomiting . My douther olso had the surgery and is going thrue all this complications with gastroesophageal reflux. Can you please tell me ho have had problems with this surgery or is only me . thank you.

[bbrecruiter2000 1]

Antonio,

I am sorry that this has happened to you. It is my understanding that 1-2% of bandsters have erosion, slippage or gastro/esophagus problems. It is not common, but it happens. Also, some of these problems can occur when a patient has too much restriction. It sound like your daughter might be suffering from this problem. If she is having extreme reflux, she should have an unfill and hopefully this will resolve the problem. I personally have not had any problems with my band. This is a very different journey for everyone.

Babs in TX

334/263/180

-71

6/23/03

[shellyj 5]

hi antonio-

i am so sorry you have had to go through these complications. i have not had any complications (a slight mishap with a fill) it does sound like your daughter may have a little to much fill. i know it is a very fine line- having the perfect fill and being to tight.

i hope things work out for ya'll.

michelle

[BEBBLY 1]

Hi Everyone,

I have been freaking out since I read about removing the band. I have the midband which my doctor said is a 9cc band. He gave me 5cc fill on my first and only fill - which after reading about other fills seems to be quite a bit-but he told me I would probably not need another fill to get to goal.

I pretty much have pain with lunch and dinner (Breakfast seems to be ok since I eat Cheerios), unless I have Soup or eat super slow. The pain is not too much and most often I can continue to eat after taking a couple of deep breaths and drinking some hot Water. I keep food down ok. And if I feel like the food is not moving I usually drink some hot Water and I'm fine.

I just want to know if this is normal? Is the band too tight? or does everyone feel this way? I am 16 lbs. away from my goal and would hate to have to remove the band. I thought about going to a radiologist to take some X-rays to make sure things are where they need to be.

Please put my mind to rest.

Mary:(

[shellyj 5]

when i am properly restricted and i eat 1 egg scrambled for Breakfast as the first bite makes its way down and reaches the band...pain- it is more like discomfort, like i can feel the egg sitting on my band.

i eat lunch 2 hours later and same thing when the food hits my band i feel it sitting there. its not horrendous pain just disomfort. when i eat dinner same thing.

it kind of keeps me from wanting to eat so i guess its a good thing?

since you only have 16 lbs till goal maybe you could get a tiny unfill when you reach goal. even a 1/2 cc can make a huge difference!

[Guest antonio]

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 in my case all my right side was num and had chest and back pain and liver, at the same time every 5 month you have to do a uperGi, I am very destroy over this that I am hiring a attorny.

[leo 4]

Originally posted by BEBBLY

Hi Everyone,

I have been freaking out since I read about removing the band. I have the midband which my doctor said is a 9cc band. He gave me 5cc fill on my first and only fill - which after reading about other fills seems to be quite a bit-but he told me I would probably not need another fill to get to goal.

I pretty much have pain with lunch and dinner (breakfast seems to be ok since I eat Cheerios), unless I have Soup or eat super slow. The pain is not too much and most often I can continue to eat after taking a couple of deep breaths and drinking some hot Water. I keep food down ok. And if I feel like the food is not moving I usually drink some hot Water and I'm fine.

I just want to know if this is normal? Is the band too tight? or does everyone feel this way? I am 16 lbs. away from my goal and would hate to have to remove the band. I thought about going to a radiologist to take some X-rays to make sure things are where they need to be.

Please put my mind to rest.

Mary:(

Its should be ok Mary, I tend to stick with Soups also. If I eat solids I have to eat and chew very slowly and eat very little and be full already. I think that this is called "restriction" lols... As long as your not having reflux or actual pain even while nothing is in the stomach, then everything is fine!

Wow, your only 16 lbs away from your goal, im jealous

Congrats!

[donali 57]

Antonio -

I am so very sorry you and your daughter are experiencing such problems, and that you have/had to have your band removed.

I am very curious - were all 35 people in your support group banded by the same surgeon? Who did your surgery?

One of the groups I belong to is a local group that meets once a month. There are about nine of us or so, and out of that number who have been banded from about two years to present, there have been two cases of port revisions (I'm one of those), a band slippage, and a stoma obstruction (food was stuck) out of three different banding surgeons (CA, TX and Tijuana). There may be additional complications that I am not aware of, or have forgotten.

I have also met a person who had to have her band removed in an emergency procedure from vomiting due to food poisoning. She was rebanded about a year after her unbanding. Her original banding was done by a surgeon in Mexico City, I believe.

At my doctor's office I have met at least two people struggling with reflux who have had to have their fills removed multiple times, and then been refilled after they've had a chance to heal.

I believe that most of us have PB'd at least once, but as far as I know it is not the normal occurence for any of us.

It is unfortunate that there does not appear to be any kind of reliable information on the complication rate/success rate with the band. Bandsters will tell you that certain problems are "rare", but I've read posts from people (and met some live) who've experienced these "rare" problems, so they certainly do exist amongst the small handful of people I know personally, as well as in the larger subset of the people who are online and have joined the groups I belong to. I know there are people who do not have access to the internet, and undoubtedly there are those who have access, but do not join these support groups.

Except for my port revision, which was required because I tore a port suture 7 months out from surgery stretching for something, I have had no complaints about the band. I do have the occasional weird pain that I blame on the band, and my first couple of bites must be done cautiously or I experience some pain, but these are all minor inconveniences to me on a daily basis. What I have gained from the band has been worth these minor side affects. I have had 3 incidents of mild reflux (two weeks ago), and have PB'd 5 times in the past 10 months.

I am aware that reflux tends to be a problem, particularly in the second year and on - I intend to follow the suggestions made to avoid that from happening, and will seek medical attention if I am not able to control it.

Best of luck to you, and again, my condolences. I agree with others here in that it sounds as though your daughter is too tight, and may likely need a slight unfill.

[BEBBLY 1]

Michelle: Thank you I feel better knowing that I am not alone. I feel exactly the same way except sometimes mine really hurts. But I did notice that the first few bites set the tone for the rest of the meal. I have to pay more attention and take it easy when I start to eat. Thanks.

Leo: You're jealous of me? That's funny because I am jealous of your weightloss! I read your site everyday and think why can't I lose the weight as fast as Leo. But you're doing great & you will definitly meet your goal before the end of December! Maybe we can meet in TJ one day. Do you plan on going back anytime soon? I might go after I reach my goal to take out some of the fill but have not decided yet. :cool:

Donali: You always give such detailed information. I learn alot by just reading your responses. This may seem like a stupid question but how is reflux different from a PB?

Mary

[Alexandra 55]

Antonio, I agree with the others who have said that your daughter very likely needs LESS restriction, which may help resolve the problems she's having. Have you asked the doctor about releasing some of her fill? What has the response been?

I find it shocking that of 35 people in a support group *all* of them are having these serious problems!! Is there something you aren't telling us? I haven't met many bandsters face to face, but certainly online the percentages of problems aren't as high as what you've experienced.

My mantra is the following: Repeated problems or ongoing pain mean that something is wrong. But the band is eminently fixable, which is the great thing about it. What really needs our attention when these problems occur is our own habits and whether we are getting proper care from our doctors. We can address the first and must insist on the second.

Please keep us informed about your daughter, and let us know how she is doing.

Edited to add: Mary, reflux is a really bad heartburn-like pain caused by stomach acid burbling up into the esophagus. Loads of people who are not banded suffer from it. PBing is just a physical reaction to eating something that doesn't pass through the stoma readily; I gather it's defined as the actual expulsion of the food that was stuck. No stomach acid is involved.

[dishdiva 5]

Antonio,

So sorry about your problems and those of others in your group.

I believe people with complications post less frequently on message boards -- for whatever reason -- disappointment, failure, frustration reading about so many who are doing well, who knows? It's just my personal opinion that there's an "under-reporting" of complications.

You have provided valuable information to people considering the surgery -- they need to know the good and the bad.

I have had minor problems, especially with acid reflux. And, it's been a surprise to me that the "feeling of fullness" that I had expected is more one of discomfort and minor pain. The unpredictability of restriction has also been a surprise. Compartively speaking, I am blessed. I am 23 pounds lighter, have more energy and think I am healthier overall.

Like many responders to your message, I also tend to agree that your daughter may require an "unfill."

Best wishes,

Elizabeth

8/28/03

[quakergirl 2]

Antonio, sorry about the troubles you experienced. I hope you're feeling better now that it is removed.

Complications do happen sometimes, but it's not normal for EVERYONE in a support group to be having trouble. Did you all get surgery with the same doctor? So many complications makes me think the doctor doesn't know what he's doing!

Shelly: I've read on Smartbandsters that drinking a little bit of hot Water before eating might help with the "first bite pain". Have you tried that? I hope you find a way to get rid of it!

[Guest 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.

[shellyj 5]

i could not use the link provided do you have to be a member? i went to site and did a search. most of the studies i came across were referring to the banding but they dont CLARIFY what type???? the article below reffers to an adjustable gastric band but in the last paragraph it says 2 patients who were in this study had the AGB removed and a lapband placed. im a little confused! this is the article i found:

Abstracts

1997 Digestive Disease Week

Prospective investigation of complications, reoperations and sustained weight loss with an adjustable gastric banding device for treatment of morbid obesity.

C Doherty, JW Maher, DS Heitshusen. Department of Surgery, University of Iowa School of Medicine, Iowa City, IA.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This investigative study reports on the complications, reoperations and sustained weight loss observed over a 5 year experience with an adjustable gastric banding device. Methods: The adjustable gastric band was placed at laparotomy around the proximal fundus and tightened to create an outlet channel of 12 millimeters using a pressure sensor. The upper gastric pouch was sized using a peroral 25 ml balloon on a calibration tube. The adjustable bladder of the band was connected by tubing to a small reservoir implanted in the rectus sheath. Results: Between March 17, 1992 and May 1, 1995, 26 females and 14 males entered the study. Mean age was 34 years, (range 19-51 years). Mean height 171 centimeters, (range 152-190 centimeters); mean weight 147 kilograms (range 100-214 kilograms); mean Body Mass Index 50 (range 39-75). There was no operative mortality. Weight loss observed during the followup periods were the following:

Time Preop 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years

Mean Wt. 147 kg. 113 kg. * 112 kg. * 119 * 121 kg. *

Mean BMI 50.0 38.5 38.0 40.2 42.4

Number 40 39 34 23 10

Followup 100% 97.5% 100% 95.5% 90%

*p < 0.001 by paired t-test compared to preop.

Thirty-two reoperations (12 intrabdominal procedures and 20 abdominal wall procedures) have been necessary to maintain efficacy or correct complications. Problems identified include: reservoir leakage 37.5%, posterior hemiation of the stomach through the band 30%, aneurysmal dilatation of the inflatable bladder 7.5%, enlarged pouch 10%, infected reservoir 5%, inaccessible reservoir malposition 7.5%. After fifty-seven months 28 subjects remain in the study. Twelve individuals have withdrawn from the study. Three did not want an ineffective ASGB removed operatively; two had an ASGB removed operatively; five had an ASGB removed and a vertical banded gastroplasty performed at the same operation, and two had an ASGB removed and a LapBand implanted at the same operation. Conclusion: Forty severely obese adults have had an adjustable silicone gastric band safely placed by laparotomy. Weight loss has been acceptable, but 32 reoperations have been necessary to maintain efficacy of the adjustable gastric band or correct problems associated with this implantable device.

[shellyj 5]

on web md the this is what i found it is the announcement that the band approval is delayed...i could not find anything about doctors refusing to do surgery anymore...

Antonio: could you tell me what words you used in your search? i did lapband, lap band, Lap band doctors, lap band complications, WLS , Weight loss surgery

FDA Panel Rejects New Obesity Treatment

By Ori Twersky

WebMD Medical News Archive

Jun. 19, 2000 (Washington) -- While recognizing the need for a less invasive type of surgery to treat severe obesity, a panel of FDA advisors decided Monday against recommending approval of the LAP-BAND System until more information is available about possible long-term complications.

BioEnterics Corp's LAP-BAND System consists of an adjustable silicone band that is placed around the upper part of the stomach via a scope inserted through a small opening in the belly. This forms a small pouch that slows the passage of food so the stomach feels full for longer periods of time.

An estimated 30,000 people a year could benefit from a surgical procedure to help with weight loss. But a mere handful of these people actually have such surgery, largely because of the complications of current invasive procedures such as a gastric bypass -- which requires a large abdominal incision as well as the cutting, stapling, and bypassing of the stomach.

While everyone agrees that a less invasive option is needed, "history has taught us that we must have as much data as necessary," says Mark Talamini, MD, a member of the panel and a professor of surgery at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. Talamini, along with several other panel members, wanted results from 36 months of follow-up study in the U.S. before deciding whether to recommend approval of the LAP-BAND system.

The application for the device's approval was based on results from one U.S. clinical trial that followed 300 patients 24 months after the surgery, information from international studies looking about 450 patients up to 36 months after surgery, and an analysis of the existing literature. The researchers looked primarily at weight loss but also measured changes in body mass index (BMI) as well as in the patients' quality of life, as measured by their mental condition and other factors.

BMI is a measure for roughly determining a person's ideal weight that is derived by dividing their weight by their height. A normal BMI is about 25. Patients included in the U.S. study were required to have a BMI of 40 or more, or a BMI of 35 or more with at least one other condition, such as high blood pressure. Study participants were also required to be at least 100 pounds overweight, and to have failed with a more conservative weight-reduction program.

Participants in the U.S. study saw a mean 38% loss of 38% of their excess weight at 24 months after surgery, and a mean decrease in BMI from approximately 47 to about 38. In the international studies, patients lost up to 50% of their excess weight in 24 to 36 months. The weight loss in both studies peaked at about 12 months, and stayed fairly consistent for up to 36 months, the longest time frame for which data was available, according to the FDA's analysis.

The FDA expert committee was primarily concerned about the high rate of complications, rather than the device's effectiveness. About 88% of the U.S. study participants had at least one side effect, and about 33% of these were severe. The study also indicated that complications continued to occur more than two years after the surgery was done.

Complications included slippage of the band, expansion of the pouch, and blockage of the stomach. Further, about a third of the patients needed additional surgery, and about half of these patients needed to have the device removed, either because the band slipped or because they did not lose enough weight.

In answer to these concerns, representative of BioEnterics Corp. said that the rate of complications varied widely from hospital to hospital, suggesting that physician training and the selection of patients were largely to blame. The rate of side effects also decreased over time, indicating that the procedure became more manageable as physicians got more comfortable with it, said David Munjal, PhD, RAC, director of clinical research for BioEntrics Corp.

But considering that some complications, such as dilation of the esophagus, are just now becoming apparent, it is imperative to wait before approving the device, says Harvey Sugerman, MD, FACS, who served as a clinical investigator and who supported the panel's decision. "Early approval, prior to three-year follow-up, would be reasonable if there were no complication," Sugerman, a professor of surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University, tells WebMD.

Still, some people will undoubtedly regard the decision as bad news. Patricia McGraw is a mother of two who has a family history of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. At 31, she weighed 260 pounds. Despite her family background, McGraw says, she rarely -- if ever -- visited a doctor. But after she had LAP-BAND surgery, she was able to lose 97 pounds, she told the FDA panel.

"I was never satisfied and always frustrated," she says of her life before the LAP-BAND system.

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