Erosion....how Long Did You Have To Wait?

[DebInAZ 76]

My Dr. said he wants me to wait 5months...my band had eroded into my stomach tissue but not into my stomach. He also stated that I didn't have much scar tissue to speak of.

I would like to hear any story's of how long you had to wait after erosion and if when you were sleeved did you have any complications?

[SylviaMom 83]

I had an erosion and after removal, I need to wait 6 months. VSG surgery scheduled for December. I know it can be rough waiting. Best of luck to you.

[Pegsinthewoods 8]

I had a very servere erosion and my doctor insisted upon a year. Since then I've had some other issues come up so I am still waiting. He also warned me that we would have to discuss the possibility of open vs. laposcopic when the time came. I think six months is the norm but I nearly died from the erosion and my stomach was pretty messed up so he was more comfortable with a year.

[DebInAZ 76]

Silviamom, We have talked before,was your erosion to the interior of your stomach?. I have been looking for stats on this, and find in some journals that some say we should be healed by 6weeks to 3months. I'm having a hard time understanding why I was told 6months?. When they staple and remove your stomach you are completely healed within 6 / 8 weeks. I'm a nurse and to tell you the truth I can understand 6 months, to a yr if the erosion was to the inside of the stomach and Dr had to retrieve the band and then repair the damage, and in those cases there would most likely be infection, which is life threatening. I have read about this very thing, but mine was just under the band and not to the interior of the stomach, and no infection. I have read that when they make their staple line its up to the placement of where the band was and then around it they go anyway, because scar tissue is porous and not very viable tissue (its not fed with much of a blood supply).

Pegsinthewoods, I did read about your troubles and man you had it ruff, I think I touched on it slightly above, and I surely sympathize.

Somehow I think in my case my Dr was / is just overly cautious? Any other thoughts? maybe I'm trying to hard to reason this, because I'm impatient?

[donniej 35]

I had a severe erosion and I had to wait 6 months. Do not be impatient, even after waiting 6 months I still had some complications. After an erosion your chances of complications are much greater. I recovered from the complications and have lost 80 pounds and am only 15 pounds from goal. Follow your doctors advice. Goodluck!

[DebInAZ 76]

donniej, how severe are we talking here? was the erosion to the inside of your stomach? did you have infection? I can't help myself, sorry, I'm just so curious, it's just my nature to try to figure things out LOL!!!

[SylviaMom 83]

Silviamom' date=' We have talked before,was your erosion to the interior of your stomach?. I have been looking for stats on this, and find in some journals that some say we should be healed by 6weeks to 3months. I'm having a hard time understanding why I was told 6months?. When they staple and remove your stomach you are completely healed within 6 / 8 weeks. [/quote']

Hi Deb. I understand the erosion was about 2cm right under the band near the area that would remain even after VSG. Dr. said 3 months minimum but 6 months is better. Apparently I had a lot of swelling. Dr. is still pretty concerned about the risk of a leak (as am I) and thinks, based on the location of rather erosion that a bypass would be less likely to spring a leak. For a lot of other reasons, I won't do the bypass.

[blondie1007 51]

I waited a year after my lap bad was removed before I had the gastric sleeve. It was the worst pain that I have ever endured. I went to Mexico to get my sleeve (Dr. Aceves) and I as very pleased and coiuld not be happier. October 7 will be a year and I am 20 pounds away from my goal.

I was very impatient and did not want to wait but now looking back i am glad that I did. My body needed that time to heal. Also, if I had not of waited I am not sure my sleeve would have been such a grea success.

[Pegsinthewoods 8]

My doc says that scar tissue softens after awhile and with MY situation, he felt I had so much scar tissue it would be thick and unpilable (sp?) and would take a year to soften. What sucks now is it has been a year but I've been diagnosised as a binge eater and I am going through therapy to resolve before I get my sleeve. No one wants me to go through surgery and not resolve my eating issue only to end up in a similar situation a couple of years out. I am so looking forward to being post-op.

[DebInAZ 76]

Thank you everyone for your input :wub: I'm going to ask the Dr. to call me and try to get a more detailed answer, also ask more detailed questions. When I woke up from surgery and also the next day I was so devastated and depressed I neglected to ask the correct questions. We will all get there soon!

[donniej 35]

Sorry I didnt reply sooner Deb, I just saw your question. I did have a severe erosion. 90% of my band eroded inside my stomach. I had no infection that I was aware of. I had no idea I had eroded and no symptoms other than being able to eat without any restriction.

[DebInAZ 76]

Sorry I didnt reply sooner Deb, I just saw your question. I did have a severe erosion. 90% of my band eroded inside my stomach. I had no infection that I was aware of. I had no idea I had eroded and no symptoms other than being able to eat without any restriction.

Thank you donnie for getting back to me, since I originally started this post, I have come to my senses, spoke with my coordinator who spoke with the surgeon. He says he always states the outside number of months and I should be fine to have my revision anytime in Nov, so I pushed the envelope and am going to be in San Diego the last week of Oct and have decided to have the surgery then, Oct 29th to be exact, as I have chosen a surgeon in TJ. I'm so glad everything worked out for you, I just can't imagine 90% of your band in your stomach. I guess I should be thankful that mine was just to the exterior.