Another one bites the dust... I'm eroded

[vkb13 0]

All bands can slip. No matter what your surgeon told you, all bands can slip. Did I mention that all bands can slip?

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND

DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

?dr. c what causes it? would like to come to u for band but i think i am going to be forced to mx, any suggestions. i hear u are a great dc and close to where i live. monroe thanks for help vkb13vkb@yahoo.com

[PamRN 0]

Thanks for the link Leatha, I've been reading through some of the posts there. I'm with Penny in the idea that 5-6 weeks just ISNT long enough to be rebanded. My difference is that I am having my band removed endoscopically and the port through a small incision, so I will be spared the more invasive lap surgery for this portion. I will however have repairs for the entrance and exit wounds where the band is through the stomach. So I'm thinking the month of liquid diet etc... will still apply.

I swear in the endo video that band is nearly all the way inside. It's really gross looking... alien like... <bleh> Every time I feel an ache or pain now I shudder and wish I could just have it out NOW. Waiting is getting harder and harder.

I researched and found some studies that show endoscopic removal to be the new method of choice for many Dr's outside the US. That's reassuring, to know my Surgeon is keeping up with the newest research and applications. I'll keep you posted. I return to Tijuana November 11th.

[carol134 0]

All bands can slip. No matter what your surgeon told you, all bands can slip. Did I mention that all bands can slip?

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND

DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Is there a way you can tell if you are stretching your pouch? Other than just over eating, I don't know to what degree over eating is. In other words over eating how much 4 cups, 2 cups, what?

[Delly 0]

Hi

Im really sorry to hear of your erosion and surprised because its a midband and its so unusual.

I noticed from your siggie that you had a 6ml fill at surgery time which seems a little odd?

I did a lot of research before I was banded so know that MID the manufacturers do not recommend any fill until 6 weeks post op and then the max they recommend for the first fill is 4ml.

Or am I reading it wrong:confused:

[vinesqueen 2]

Hey Pam, Just wanted to add my voice to the throng... I'm so sorry.

[sheree a. 0]

All bands can slip. No matter what your surgeon told you, all bands can slip. Did I mention that all bands can slip?

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

www.TheBandDoctor.com 877.442.BAND

DISCLAIMER: I am not your surgeon, any comments made by me are not meant to be taken as medical advice, just general guidelines. Contact your surgeon about your specific problem!

Dr. C Have you ever heard of having a bowel obstruction with the lap band? I recently had to go to the e.r. [ I think I had the flu] since i was having dry heaves and was worried about the band. They gave me a c.t. scan and said the band was the cause of a obstruction in the small intest. Put me in the hospital for three days to watch me ,then said I didn't need surgery and let me go home!

[anniemay 0]

So I finally get myself down to Tijuana last week,for the fill I thought I'd been needing, only to find that my loss of restriction was due to erosion. Luckily my surgeon uses fluoroscopy for all fills, and saw the contrast flowing out around my band. I was scoped later that day, and my band has eroded 70 to 80%.

Dr Verboonen's recommendation is that I have the band removed asap, take prilosec daily, heal for 5 to 6 weeks and then reband to prevent weight rebounding. He wanted to take it out on the spot, but United Airlines (yeah...united airlines...what a nightmare they continued to be... never again...) wanted nearly $760 plus $100 fee each for 2 tickets to change my flights by one day for one way home. Plus there's the cost of removal/rebanding, which even at a great reduction (cost of band/anesthesia only) was more than I had since I wasn't expecting this.

I'm glad for the postponed procedure though, because I really need to find out all I can before deciding what route I want to go with this. Since my band is all the way into my stomach on one side, the dr will remove it endoscopically, then take the port through a small laparoscopic incision.

I've been trying to find some research or literature regarding current practices in relation to band erosion, but there isn't a lot to be found. I'm wondering if a 5 to 6 week recovery is long enough? Do I want another band? I know I don't want to go back to obesity, but I still don't know if I'm ready for a more invasive surgery. I think the biggest worry I'm having is the 5 to 6 week thing...

I've posted before about some off and on abdominal aches and pains with total loss of restriction, so I am not surprised to find that something was wrong, but it still sucks. I can't for the life of me understand why something sawing it's way through the lining of my stomach didn't hurt like hell!

If any of you have any information, links to studies or personal experience with erosion, I'd sure love to hear from you. For those of you who don't, make sure you get your follow up endoscopes at least once a year!

Pam,

How do you know whether it has slipped or you have errosion?

I was banded in Aug. and my port is very low and I fill no

restriction. I have had 1 fill in Oct. I am surprized they gave

you a fill when you had your band put it, I was told my band

had no restriction at first but maybe the girl in Mexico in charge

was wrong. Also, I am beginning to feel a little soreness around

the port.

Anniemay

[PamRN 0]

I know it is eroded because they use flouroscopy to do the fill and we could all see the barium I drank flowing around the band, then the dr did an endoscope and could see the band inside my stomach. He gave me a videotape copy of the scope and the band is almost all the way inside. The band manufacturer's recommend no fill until a few weeks after surgery. When I woke up from surgery, they told me that they put in a 6 cc fill to make the band snug as I had a small stomach. Since then there have been several who have also gotten a fill at surgery. Most Dr's wont do it. It may well be what caused the erosion, but maybe not, maybe it was something else. Soreness at the port is something that may come and go. It is usually the last area to feel better after surgery. If your port is low and your clothing puts pressure on it, then you could be irritating it more. If it gets red, hot to the touch, oozes, turns black and blue like bruised or swells up then get to a dr asap as you could have an infected port.

[anniemay 0]

I know it is eroded because they use flouroscopy to do the fill and we could all see the barium I drank flowing around the band, then the dr did an endoscope and could see the band inside my stomach. He gave me a videotape copy of the scope and the band is almost all the way inside. The band manufacturer's recommend no fill until a few weeks after surgery. When I woke up from surgery, they told me that they put in a 6 cc fill to make the band snug as I had a small stomach. Since then there have been several who have also gotten a fill at surgery. Most Dr's wont do it. It may well be what caused the erosion, but maybe not, maybe it was something else. Soreness at the port is something that may come and go. It is usually the last area to feel better after surgery. If your port is low and your clothing puts pressure on it, then you could be irritating it more. If it gets red, hot to the touch, oozes, turns black and blue like bruised or swells up then get to a dr asap as you could have an infected port.

PamRN,

My port sets about 1in. above my waist, I think this is abnormal, it has

always set low, I can remember feeling it everytime I bent over when

I first came home from surgery, my girlfriends sets much higher. I do

not have redness or brusing, so I will watch for it, I am going for another

fill, I will find out then.

Thanks...........Anniemay

[Bettina 0]

Bettina YES IT CAN!! Vomitting can make it slip. ALL bands have that piece sutured around the band and you can still slip. It has decreased the incidence but it is still possible. And the actual procedure is not done all the way around because that is known to increase erosion!!

Pam Good luck to you!!

I would think that the band is no longer a good option-

I would consider another WLS if you feel it is warranted. PM geezer sue.

My band can't slip...my doc guaranteed it. As long as I follow what I am supposed to do, it won't. I won't vomit, no reason too if I follow the directions. I could see where you might have a problem if you eat too much and the pouch pulls on the larger part of the stomach and pulls it thru the band...but slippage? no.

[PamRN 0]

My band can't slip...my doc guaranteed it. As long as I follow what I am supposed to do, it won't. I won't vomit, no reason too if I follow the directions. I could see where you might have a problem if you eat too much and the pouch pulls on the larger part of the stomach and pulls it thru the band...but slippage? no.

Did I mention that I chose the midband because I researched my options thoroughly and found that the chance of a midband erosion is very very small? yeah... look where that got me.

Bettina you are right in the idea that if you follow bandster rules perfectly, the chance of slippage is pretty small... but food mastication is not the only reason a person pb's or vomits. The flu is pretty prevalent, and flu vaccines only protect you from a certain strain of flu... say type a for instance... if you then get exposed to type b...well... you're probably gonna get very sick. If you forcefully vomit, you could have a slip... there's always food poisoning, travel/motion sickness, vertigo... etc. Your dr may also believe that if you're a perfect bandster you won't slip, but there's always a small chance, and a small chance is not so small when it happens to you.

I hope your determination protects you and you have a long healthy banding experience. As your support friends, we just want you to be clear and educated. If you never believe it could slip you won't have checks to make sure it hasn't. That could be band suicide.

I am one of the nearly nonexistent group of people on this planet that has had an erosion with a midband... so, never think never...always be aware of the possibilities and keep your eye on them. Good Luck to you.

[Betsyjane 2]

I'm pretty sure My Dr said if the band erodes, he doesn't replace it. It's on to gastric bypass.....

[mtred 0]

Forgive me if this question has been answered before, as I am new and waiting for my band. Would drinking Maalox or taking Pepcid on a daily basis reduce the risk of or even prevent erosion? When I went to the informational meeting, they just kept saying if you "follow the lap-band rules", you'll be fine.

[anniemay 0]

Mtred,

I doubt it, cause errosion I believe, starts from the outside of the stomach. As for drinking pepto bismol or any of those things, I'm not

sure that's a good idea before surgery because those interfere with

your natural stomach acids and too much of anything unatural is not

good. Check with the dr.

Anniemay

[Bettina 0]

Did I mention that I chose the midband because I researched my options thoroughly and found that the chance of a midband erosion is very very small? yeah... look where that got me.

Bettina you are right in the idea that if you follow bandster rules perfectly, the chance of slippage is pretty small... but food mastication is not the only reason a person pb's or vomits. The flu is pretty prevalent, and flu vaccines only protect you from a certain strain of flu... say type a for instance... if you then get exposed to type b...well... you're probably gonna get very sick. If you forcefully vomit, you could have a slip... there's always food poisoning, travel/motion sickness, vertigo... etc. Your dr may also believe that if you're a perfect bandster you won't slip, but there's always a small chance, and a small chance is not so small when it happens to you.

I hope your determination protects you and you have a long healthy banding experience. As your support friends, we just want you to be clear and educated. If you never believe it could slip you won't have checks to make sure it hasn't. That could be band suicide.

I am one of the nearly nonexistent group of people on this planet that has had an erosion with a midband... so, never think never...always be aware of the possibilities and keep your eye on them. Good Luck to you.

Thank you for your concern and support. I do appreciate it.

I am totally clear and completely educated when it comes to the band. (i don't mean to sound mean about it, but I wasn't sure if you were telling me that I don't know what I am doing or not.):cry

I have checks all the time with the doc, it is required by him and my insurance. I also know that I don't have the same food issues as others, so does my Doc and that is why we are 100% that I won't have problems. Hmmm...flu and such, yeah its possible, but I never get sick so I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will remain in the same good health. I have only thrown up once in my life and was a kid. I am lucky and just dont' throw up....looking for wood to knock...lol. I don't eat out-ever- so food poisoning shouldn't happen..Motion sickness--don't get that either.

I am not saying that nothing bad could ever happen to me--but as far as doing what I am supposed to --all will be perfect. Outside of that, I can't control and I will just keep my fingers crossed.

Take care! :)