Erosion Myths?what Have You Heard?

[CRISTAN 1]

I have a friend banded last april who keeps telling me that shes heard that caffine and alcohol lead to the erosion of the band. I have never heard the such. Has anyone else heard this? I have seen nothing like this in all the complication posts, or erosion topics

Cristan

Banded 7/04/2005-ORTIZ

335-275 and losing!

[one gone dog 0]

this is just what ive heard ,

coffee,smoking,overeating,soda pop,spicy food, aspirin,pain killers with narcotics in them,orange juice (or anything to acidic).

i even heard (wish i could remember where) that to many SIT UPS will cause it. not spit ups i did mean sit ups.

[FunnyDuddies 6]

Yeah, I had a RNY friend go down the list of what she "heard" caused erosion, and actually chose RNY over banding because of these stupid things...

Sit ups (apperently you aren't the only one who heard that)

Spicy foods

Milk

Overeating

Smoking

Booze

straining when trying to have a BM LOL

twising excersizes in the first year

sicking up and burping

bad gas

*sigh* i hate when people don't research.

[SouthTX LapBand 0]

It's a shame as doctors and medical researchers STILL don't have any firm grasp on WHY erosions occur. There are guesses, but still no proof that any of those guesses are correct.

The main thing that IS known is that they most usually become EVIDENT at 18 months to two years out. This doesn't mean they happen overnight, just that it will take that long for the symptoms to show up.

Another thing that is known is that it is not an "allergy" or an "intolerance" or a "rejection" of the band, for rebanded patients are no more likely to have erosion than any other patient.

The things which I have seen most doctors tend to ascribe to is to the notion of too much or uneven pressure... Thus the technique of making sure the "buckle" is not under the stitches, but fastened on the backside, so to speak. And thus also the idea that "creeping up" on strong restriction may be a better idea than jumping rapidly to the sweet spot.

This second technique of trying to avoid erosion places more emphasis than ever on having good follow-up ------ being able to go as often as every week to be inched slowly to the sweet spot.

This would mean a greater need than ever before to be close to a surgeon, in terms of travel-time, and a greater need than ever for surgeons who include unlimited fills for the first year at least.

I am able to see, more and more, that going to Mexico can be a false economy in some circumstances if it means you don't have money left over to get regular fills, never mind contact with a nutritionist and psychologist.

I hope that eventually insurance companies reimburse only surgeons who offer "the whole package" to keep patients from trying to save money by not seeing the surgeon frequently enough, thereby losing the full value of the banding.

[CRISTAN 1]

I am finding out more and more about the aftercare issue. I pay $350 a pop for my fills with a Dr. that won't provide aftercare because I was banded in Mexico (by the Doctor that trained him)...A little ironic.. My choice to go to Mexico wasn't as much money based as it was I wanted a very experienced Doctor. Now I think my success rate would be higher I had the aftercare, the accountablitly to someone. someone tracking my progress. I hate the American Medical System, but if I had it to do over I would probably pick a less experienced Dr who offered a whole package.

Now about the erosion myths..should I pay attention? Is there anything backing them up? Where would you suggest I go for answers?

thanks for the input

Cristan

7/4/05

335/275...and going down........

[one gone dog 0]

if your doctor will "only" do fills and nothing else, such as some real answers to your concerns, id find a different doc.

i sent you a pm.

[DeLarla 22]

"This second technique of trying to avoid erosion places more emphasis than ever on having good follow-up ------ being able to go as often as every week to be inched slowly to the sweet spot. This would mean a greater need than ever before to be close to a surgeon, in terms of travel-time, and a greater need than ever for surgeons who include unlimited fills for the first year at least. I am able to see, more and more, that going to Mexico can be a false economy in some circumstances if it means you don't have money left over to get regular fills, never mind contact with a nutritionist and psychologist."

SouthTX, you actually just shut ME up for a change. Excellent post worth reading several times. Thank you.

[donali 57]

This second technique of trying to avoid erosion places more emphasis than ever on having good follow-up

I'm not sure what follow-up has to do with erosion rates. I had good follow-up, Michelle had good follow-up. I don't know about the others, but regardless, there is no way for anyone to know that the erosion has started, and there was nothing done at my follow-ups that had anything to do with avoiding that, as far as I know.

Yes, all my fills were done under fluoro, but fluoro didn't show my erosion. My last fill was in October 2003, and my June 2004 endoscopy showed my 40% erosion.

[DeLarla 22]

Donali, I took that quote to mean it's better to sneak up on restriction (the 2nd part of the sentence.) To me, squeezing the stomach shut all at once seems kinda risky, no?

[CRISTAN 1]

Thanks for all the input. Do you think avoiding the "Rumored" causes of erosion will make a difference. coffee, asprin, alcohol and all the others listed. I have learned that its a crap shoot and we need to have that checkup at 18 months! I am getting so many unsolicited dos and don'ts from friends and familys and other bandsters...that is why I posted the question because if I should be doing something to help avoid its occurance, I want to do it....

[donali 57]

I'm not sure sneaking up on restriction makes a difference in erosion - non-adjustable bands erode as well.

NEWBIES -

The title of this thread is erosion MYTHS. I'm not sure this was such a good idea, since real cautions are now being mixed in with fake cautions.

NSAIDS (aspirin) should be avoided. Most docs allow coffee/alcohol.

The bottom line is no one knows for sure. Do a search on erosion and find other threads whose sole purpose is to post factual/common practice information.

[CRISTAN 1]

I needed some direction, thanks....:couch2: I guess I could have asked for the facts...either way I obviously do not have enough information:faint: but I will find it ..thanks again!