Erosion, The Real Facts

[Penni60 45]

gee i never woulda thought you were the type to go face to face !?! :bananajump:

:peace: my wife and i are like that with you :pound: :pound: :pound:

Too funny !!!

[Alexandra 55]

Well Alex, perhaps I "SHOULDN'T" think that but I do. That is all I need from my surgeon. Putting the band in place and helping me with any physical complications suits me fine.

What about fills? You certainly didn't expect to be banded and never see the doctor (any banding doctor, that is) again. That's what I'm talking about. It shocks me when someone who is already banded wants to know what a fill is.

In my (humble) opinion no one, no matter how educated, should think that the responsibility lies with anyone other than themselves to decide what is right for THEM.

I COMPLETELY agree with you on this point.

(Surely you don't think psych counseling is ANY guarantee of success? How many people do you think it has chased away? My guess is LOTS.)

I was talking about a psychological evaluation as a preop screening tool. I do think that's important and yes, will absolutely help in people selecting the right procedure for themselves. My screening exam was irrelevant because my mind was already made up--I'd already asked myself all the tough questions and been brutally honest with myself. MANY people don't do any such thing and can end up going in with unrealistic expectations, set up for disappointment and failure. I definitely think more than one conversation with a surgeon is important to the preop process, for MOST people. (You and me excepted, of course.) :becky: :cheeky :bananajump:

I am one of those people that WILL confront a surgeon, doctor, nurse if I think what they are suggesting doesn't really sound right to me. I want to know why they are suggesting an alternative and what are the ramifications and anything else I can think of. What got me so upset is that a surgeon just blatantly suggested I "get over it" and consider another WLS in it's place. That was all I was speaking about.

I'm not suggesting that any of us should take what a surgeon says at face value, but obviously respect and courtesy should rule the roost online. And online, unless one is confronting one's OWN surgeon about one's OWN health questions, everything has to be taken for what is it--a complete generalization. And FWIW, I don't think Dr. Pleatman's comment was directed to you personally. It's very easy for us to assume the comments directly following a post we make are personal, but I certainly didn't read his that way. I took it to mean he was talking to ALL people who have had their bands removed.

[Penni60 45]

If your band has eroded, get on with your life. Stop obsessing about your Band. You might consider having a gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy.

Mark Pleatman MD

www.laparoscopy.com/pleatman

Alexandra: I believe he was in fact speaking to me since I fall into the category of having eroded. So yes he was speaking to me. I took it that way. How else should I have taken his comment? I did in fact go back and read it just to make sure I read it right.

[Alexandra 55]

OK, Penni, try this:

"If anyone's band has eroded, they should get on with their lives. Stop obsessing about their band. They might consider having a gastric bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy."

Or this:

"If anyone's band has eroded, the best thing they can do is to get on with their lives since obsessing about their lost band is purely negative. If they're still concerned about weight loss, they might consider having a gastic bypass or a sleeve gastrectomy."

I prefer the second one, of course, but the first one is the same thing without the "nice" parts. Do either of those offend?

[Penni60 45]

If the second one had been said then maybe it would not have hit me as hard. But the second one shows compassion and understanding which was sorely lacking in Dr. Pleatman's statment. Which is my point all along. He appears to be lacking the sensitivity I think a doctor should have.

[Alexandra 55]

He appears to be lacking the sensitivity I think a doctor should have.

Fair enough. But until we've met him in person we shouldn't see anything other than a message-board-induced disconnect. Not everyone can be eloquent and expressive online. :bananajump:

[princess_n_thep 2]

But I do think there's a lot of sense in having candidates meet with a psychologist. We've seen many times that if someone isn't ready for the changes banding makes us embrace, they are going to fail or worse. An objective eye is very important, for everyone's sake but for the patient most of all.

And they can tell that from one session??? I doubt it. It's hoopla! If anyone is having depressing thoughts (and we all saw the results of the suicidal thoughts thread) then they definitely would NOT tell the Psych that. If so, they would not be passed. Case in point... my sister did her psych and did not get recommended, she returned for a re eval 3 months later with another psych and lied her ass off about the rosey aspect and postive outlook on life and VIOLA... she had her surgery. All bunk I tell ya.

I am so glad that I can have the choice to go to Mexico and make my own health decisions. Even if those decisions come at a price, medically or pocketbook. I would use my Mexico surgeon again as I think he is very competant and and expert in the field. However, I would not go back to Mexico for the surgery because I don't care how many of you say it, it is not the same medical and cleanliness standards. Let us admit one thing... if you went to Mexico and had the surgery, the appearance initially was appealing and clean. But after the surgery you spent a day or so just wallowing in the pain meds and didn't see any more than they wanted you to see.

I do feel like a ticking timebomb. I do obsess recently about the occurance of Mexico based erosions, very coincidental and suspicious. I do have issues about where I will get the money to pay for a removal. I do wonder what will I do for a "tool" in weight loss. I do worry about possible damage that can be done to my insides from the erosion. I do worry about being opened up yet again causing more scars. I do appreciate and admire those that have eroded and still participate in the boards. I respect the eroded bandsters courage and posititve outlook because if I lost my band, things would not be good and everyone around me should worry like hell if I will make it through it.

I love my surgeon and think he is a fantastic bariatric surgeon and I do recommend HIM to others but I do warn others about possible pitfalls of going to Mexico the country for their surgery. It just isn't the same and it is a risk you assume. We all knew that risk when we had our surgeries there. Some heed my warning, others have had their surgery there with him.

My thoughts reflecting: I have the band and love my band I have now. If I had to do it all over again, I would not have chosen the band and would have opted for a more permanant and solid weight loss surgery. I am seriously contemplating having the band removed now before problems arise and converting to another form of weight loss surgery. If I find a doctor who will do that with me 20 lbs from goal, then I shall start planning. I just don't feel that the band is the "for life" option it was touted originally.

Off topic: I too am intensely irritated by people who are banded and then ask a question that is obviously supposed to have been covered before surgery, either from the surgeon or the research they did to make an educated opinion. I am also irritated by postings that ask a question that can be covered by a simple search.

Grrr, damn it I posted again.

[Alexandra 55]

Hey, sometimes we can tell things about others that they can't see for themselves. How many times have you thought that about yourself and other people, even strangers? And psychologists are trained to ask the right questions and read the truths behind the answers.

I definitely believe it's a very important step that we all should take when contemplating something as life-altering as weight-loss surgery. Not necessarily ongoing therapy, but at least one additional conversation with someone who (we hope) has no vested interest in the outcome.

[princess_n_thep 2]

So are they supposed to make assumptions about how they think I should feel or act? I think personality is such a delicate thing. Just because someone does not exhibit the traits, characteristics, or ideals that the psychologist feels they should have does not mean that they should be able to exclude them from making a decision about their body.

I agree that is doesn't hurt to go and talk to someone to just have the additional thoughts but when that someone has the option and leisure to either promote or stop your approval for what you want done with your body, THAT I have issues with.

[I'llsucceed 1]

Well I finally read the entire thread that is/was in question. I am sorry that people's feelings were hurt & that compasion wasn't used in many many statements. I have spoken to my dearest friend which was the most important thing to do & what I care about the most. With that being said & done I only have one other thought left & that is:

"Men are from Mars & Women are from Venus" Go figure- lol lol

I hope we all can regroup & respect & for those of us that are from Venus ((hug)):bananajump: ;0)

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[GeezerSue 7]

1--I am not eroded.

2--My band has been removed. (The dysmotility is greatly improved.)

3--I'm no longer all that supportive of the band, but will try to help those who have made a decision contrary to what I'd choose.

4--I have observed Dr. Pleatman offer reasonably-priced adjustments to those whom other US-based surgeons won't touch--or those who were going to be charged mucho--because they were banded in Mexico. I've also seen him catch hell for his manner of expressing things...not unlike this episode.

5--I didn't say one bad thing about Ortiz in this thread, because now you can all read how wonderful he is in his own post.

[DeLarla 22]

"5--I didn't say one bad thing about Ortiz in this thread, because now you can all read how wonderful he is in his own post."

That's funny, I don't care who y'ar.

[Penni60 45]

Just some FYI: I got a personal apology from Dr. Pleatman. It restores my respect in Dr. Pleatman that he acknowledges he could have said something that hurt my feelings.

Thank you for the apology.

[one gone dog 0]

Just some FYI: I got a personal apology from Dr. Pleatman. It restores my respect in Dr. Pleatman that he acknowledges he could have said something that hurt my feelings.

Thank you for the apology.

very very nice.

[Desi80 1]

just a few thoughts.

1. While i appreciate Dr.Ortz taking the time to talk about the erosions, what i would like to know what his thoughts are about the number of erosions in a two month spand. Are you contacting other people who were banded during this time and requesting endo's to make sure that indeed this is just some weird unexplainable fluke and there aren't other patients walking around eroded? I am rather disappointed at both the dr. and Inamed for just kinda shrugging it off, and not being more proactive about making sure there aren't more eroded patients who are showing no symptoms and don't know to get a regular endoscopy. what i want to hear is " we are as concerned about this as you, and we are doing everything possible to figure this out" not "gee erosions just happen, we don't know why several people banded months of each other are eroded.........next patient please"

2. to down plays ones "grief" in uncalled for by any person. No nobody died, and no loosing the band should not be compared to loosing a loved one. But think about loosing something material that meant alot to you, such as a wedding ring or family photos, an old family heirloom. yes they are just things, but there is a sentimental value to them and i know i would be devestated if i ever lost my wedding ring or my daughters photos. Would i get over it? yes with time, material things are not the be all end all, but there is something that we value more. I know i would be devestated if i lost my band, i have alot of hopes and dreams invested in this band, and having it yanked away, would take me some time to "get over it" and plan for the road ahead.

3. There are people from all sorts of stages of banding in this community, from those who are investigating getting the band, those waiting for insurance approval, new bandsters who are adjusting to their new lives, veteran bandsters giving advice, and yes even those eroded. It provides a well rounded and ACCURATE AND REALISTIC picture of the banding community. I think all are welcome no matter where they are in their journey.