Body rejecting the band?

[jigglypuff 0]

Hi Everyone--

Calling on anyone who can help me out. I am seriously wondering if I am developing some type of auto immune rejection thing toward my band.

I was banded in 7-05, since 7-06, I have had numerous issues--stomach/abdominal/pelvic pain, joint pain, swelling, ie. I have had numerous tests and labs. Results are still pending for some, but my band and stomach appear to be normal. No erosion, no ulcers, no apparent slippage. I have been unfilled since 7-06. I have a little bit of restriction in my unfilled state. Don't think I've lost weight--maybe a little, but am sure I've at least maintained my weight loss.

I've never felt so crappy, overall, though. I felt much better when I was fat, or rather fatter--at least in the physical sense.

Anyone else had this or suspected this?:cry

[Penni60 45]

You say that you haven't eroded, slipped, etc but no mention of tests being run for those complications. Did you have an Endoscopy (to diagnose Erosion), Upper GI (to diagnose Slippage)? If not then it might be warranted to have them done.

What has your band surgeon said about the symptoms you are experiencing? Has he mentioned other alternatives to the problems?

[shutuplena 0]

I don't think the band could cause an auto immune disease. If you're body was rejecting the band it wouldn't be affecting your joints. Just make sure you take all the tests to confirm the band is not eroding or slipping and then deal with the other problems after. Be safe.

[vederveder 0]

Hi there,

I wonder if you have ever been to the dr. for the purpose of ruling out fibromyalsia. What you describe is what I live with on a daily basis. I have it, and I am soo looking forward to getting this 6 month pre-diet thing over with for my insurance, then have the surgery just so I can lose enough weight to lessen the severity of my disease.

Hopefully you dont have it, and are just going thru something temporary.

Keep good notes of your symptoms, and see if a pattern emerges.

Warmest wishes from Florida,

Vicki

[juliegeraci 7]

Jigglypuff. I heard a similar story from a woman who was ill right after surgery and was chronically ill from that day forward. After removing the band she was like a completely new person. Not to say you are the same, but there are definitely rare cases or rejection. Best of luck.

[jigglypuff 0]

I have had an endoscopy, upper GI, and cat scan of the abdomen/pelvis. Except for the cat scan showing an enlarged ovary and a cyst on my other ovary, these tests were normal. I am waiting now to have an ultrasound to get more info about my ovary abnormalities. I am anemic, probably from the heavy periods I've had the last year. I'm on Iron supplements now. Also, my c-reactive Protein was high. My RA factor was within normal range. I'm going to ask for an ESR lab and a CA-125. It's very frustrating.

[sunflwermin 0]

My body rejected the band. I had severe abdominal pain and then an abscess developed around my port. The band itself was infected under the scar tissue that had covered it and when it was all removed I had an abdomen filled with infection. My fever spiked twice in the hospital to 104.4 and I had other fever for 5 days following. I'm 3 weeks out from surgery and am still not feeling well. I had massive doses of antibiotics while in the hospital and have experienced a lot of pain and nausea. If your body rejects the band, you will know it -- it's not just mild symptoms, it's symptoms that get progressively worse until you have to do something -- have it removed. I am not eligible for band replacement or any other type of bariatric surgery for at least 6 months -- but I won't be doing anything to this body ever again. I've lost over 50 pounds (and I am still losing weight) and still feel as though I have restriction. I have hardly any appetite at all even though I experience hunger. I still eat very small portions and feel full quickly - probably due to swelling, healing and some remaining scar tissue. Don't enter into this surgery lightly -- do a lot of research and please ask if there's any way to see if you have any type of allergy to silicone or plastic (or whatever material your type band is made of) before you agree to have a foreign body put into your body. Trust me, if I had known this would happen to me (and I was a very healthy person with no real co-morbidities other than weight) I would not have had the band put in. It's been a horrific experience and I feel as though I have lost about 4 months of my life because of it. For those whose bodies don't reject the band, it's a wonderful tool -- but for the rare ones like me, whose bodies will not accept it, it's a very painful and scary experience and definitely not worth the sacrifice to lose the weight.

Sorry to be so blunt about this, but I feel like masking over the truth can rob people of the information they need to make the best decision for their health and bodies. Please consider this a personal testimony of my experience and not an across the board opinion.

Thank you.

Edited March 12, 2009 by sunflwermin
typing errors

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

My body rejected the band. I had severe abdominal pain and then an abscess developed around my port. The band itself was infected under the scar tissue that had covered it and when it was all removed I had an abdomen filled with infection. My fever spiked twice in the hospital to 104.4 and I had other fever for 5 days following. I'm 3 weeks out from surgery and am still not feeling well. I had massive doses of antibiotics while in the hospital and have experienced a lot of pain and nausea. If your body rejects the band, you will know it -- it's not just mild symptoms, it's symptoms that get progressively worse until you have to do something -- have it removed. I am not eligible for band replacement or any other type of bariatric surgery for at least 6 months -- but I won't be doing anything to this body ever again. I've lost over 50 pounds (and I am still losing weight) and still feel as though I have restriction. I have hardly any appetite at all even though I experience hunger. I still eat very small portions and feel full quickly - probably due to swelling, healing and some remaining scar tissue. Don't enter into this surgery lightly -- do a lot of research and please ask if there's any way to see if you have any type of allergy to silicone or plastic (or whatever material your type band is made of) before you agree to have a foreign body put into your body. Trust me, if I had known this would happen to me (and I was a very healthy person with no real co-morbidities other than weight) I would not have had the band put in. It's been a horrific experience and I feel as though I have lost about 4 months of my life because of it. For those whose bodies don't reject the band, it's a wonderful tool -- but for the rare ones like me, whose bodies will not accept it, it's a very painful and scary experience and definitely not worth the sacrifice to lose the weight.

Sorry to be so blunt about this, but I feel like masking over the truth can rob people of the information they need to make the best decision for their health and bodies. Please consider this a personal testimony of my experience and not an across the board opinion.

Thank you.

I agree with being blunt, totally agree with blunt honesty.

One thing though, rejection and infection are two totally different things. An infection requires bacteria and from what you are saying you had an infection. The bacteria had to come from somewhere. Sadly, infection is a risk of this surgery as well as fills.

I had major band problems as well and I reached a point where I knew it had to come out. I had a really hard time deciding on another surgery type. I know me and if I can eat, I will. I knew I'd regain. I didn't know if I wanted to risk another surgery type or get fat again. I never wanted to experience again, what I did with the band.

I finally decided that I did not want fat, more than anything. So I revised to a sleeve. Best freak'en thing I ever did. I'd never suggest a band to anyone for a first WLS. I would for a failed bypass, but not a first surgery. For restriction only sleeves rock. But, some need the malabsorption aspect of surgery so for them, RNY or DS. But once you have healed if you start gaining you might want to consider the sleeve. The long term risks and complications are MUCH fewer than banding.

[sunflwermin 0]

Well, honey, as much as I would like to agree with you on the infection, you are incorrect. My surgeon told me it was clear that my body was rejecting the band. I had no bacteria growth at all -- He said there was no evidence of any other cause of infection except the body rejecting the band. So, I'm going to have to agree with my surgeon on this one because he saw it first hand, regardless of what it may sound like. Sorry to be sensitive about it, but I know personally what happened and I know firsthand what it means to reject a band -- no amount of debate or argument will change what my surgeon and his team saw at removal.

As far as any other type of surgery goes, I'm done. I have choices now - I can eat less and continue to lose weight, or I can gorge myself, like I did before and gain all this I've lost back and abuse my body once again -- I won't subject my body to any other foreign body ever again -- it is just not worth the risk to go through what I've been through again. I don't care about having a model's body -- I am no longer morbidly obese -- and if I can live out the rest of my life without ever having to go under the knife again, regardless of the size of my behind or any other part of my body, that is what I will do.

Other people may do just fine, and I hope they do -- but the pain and recovery of this band rejection has just not been worth the loss of 4 months of my life. I'm glad whatever you are doing is working for you -- I hope you continue to be successful. But please use caution when making assumptions about what others have been through. My body rejected the band - it wasn't just infection - and I responded to this post based on what I know, not what I think I have been through.

[Jaffa 5]

I think you are either mixing terms or someone is bull shittting you to avoid a lawsuit.

You should definitely get a second opinion from another surgeon, this smells of a surgeon telling you half truths or intentionally letting you misunderstand something in order to avoid a lawsuit.

Or you or just flat out misunderstanding something they are saying. I can't believe you really think an infection came from your band. It isn't like plastic spontaneously generates a bacterial or viral infection. It has to come from somewhere, and frankly it is more likely from the surgery itself.

You are the one that is saying the surgeon says you had infection everywhere???

The skeptic in me says "follow the money trail, and you will almost always know the real answer".

Edited March 12, 2009 by Jaffa

[Nanook 2]

sunflowerw....,

Sorry you had such a traumatic experience with your band. When I had mine removed I was too afraid to attempt a revision because I was afraid that it wouldn't work and that I could just try to lose on my own. At first I was able to lose but it turned around within a month. My stomach had shrunk before so I ate little but soon was back to my old self and now working on my RNY approval. I don't have to eat a lot to gain anymore because my metabolism is so screwed up from so many years of dieting and then the lap band. I feel I have no choice but to take another risk again! Good luck to you though, Nancy.:w00t:

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Well, honey, as much as I would like to agree with you on the infection, you are incorrect. My surgeon told me it was clear that my body was rejecting the band. I had no bacteria growth at all -- He said there was no evidence of any other cause of infection except the body rejecting the band. So, I'm going to have to agree with my surgeon on this one because he saw it first hand, regardless of what it may sound like. Sorry to be sensitive about it, but I know personally what happened and I know firsthand what it means to reject a band -- no amount of debate or argument will change what my surgeon and his team saw at removal.

As far as any other type of surgery goes, I'm done. I have choices now - I can eat less and continue to lose weight, or I can gorge myself, like I did before and gain all this I've lost back and abuse my body once again -- I won't subject my body to any other foreign body ever again -- it is just not worth the risk to go through what I've been through again. I don't care about having a model's body -- I am no longer morbidly obese -- and if I can live out the rest of my life without ever having to go under the knife again, regardless of the size of my behind or any other part of my body, that is what I will do.

Other people may do just fine, and I hope they do -- but the pain and recovery of this band rejection has just not been worth the loss of 4 months of my life. I'm glad whatever you are doing is working for you -- I hope you continue to be successful. But please use caution when making assumptions about what others have been through. My body rejected the band - it wasn't just infection - and I responded to this post based on what I know, not what I think I have been through.

I think you got a load from your surgeon. Instead of admitting you were infected to the max, he's calling it rejection.

You do realize you should contact the FDA about this as you are likely the first to reject the band. I don't think they are gonna buy it but since you are the first to actually reject the band, they should be aware.

Look, I'm no fan of the band. I hate the thing but what you are describing is INFECTION, not REJECTION.

You claim in your first post that there was an abscess and infection under the scarring yet now you claim there was no infection.

I gotta tell you, I believe your surgeon is giving you a load. That is my personal opinion.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I think you are either mixing terms or someone is bull shittting you to avoid a lawsuit.

You should definitely get a second opinion from another surgeon, this smells of a surgeon telling you half truths or intentionally letting you misunderstand something in order to avoid a lawsuit.

Or you or just flat out misunderstanding something they are saying. I can't believe you really think an infection came from your band. It isn't like plastic spontaneously generates a bacterial or viral infection. It has to come from somewhere, and frankly it is more likely from the surgery itself.

You are the one that is saying the surgeon says you had infection everywhere???

The skeptic in me says "follow the money trail, and you will almost always know the real answer".

Completely agree.

[sunflwermin 0]

To those of you who have been so kind and understanding for what I have been through, I want to say thank you. To those of you who seem to know so much more than the doctors do, I would ask that you let it go. There is no way to completely explain all the in's and out's of what this band rejection was or how the docs explained it without someone on here offering their expert opinion that will always contradict what the real professionals saw or did. The truth of this whole situation is my body rejected the band -- they didn't find any type of staph infection growing or any "Live" growth in the infection from taking cultures every single day that I was in the hospital and also culturing the band. There was infection around the band itself and all along the rest of the mechanism -- yes that is true. I've seen the doctors notes and while I may not understand it all or be able to put it in laymen's terms the nutshell version of the situation is this -- MY body rejected the band - it's rare but it happens. Believe what you want to, doubt my surgeon if you want to, I don't care really.

This is my last posting -- and any more know-it-all comments will result in termination of my membership to this site. You all may have bands, but you are not doctors -- and while they are humans and are not perfect they are not all quacks or kooks and as for 2nd opinions -- there were about 8 doctors who consulted on my case because my surgeon wanted to be absolutely sure of what he was seeing and diagnosing -- so I'm going to trust their judgement over people on a web site.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

To those of you who have been so kind and understanding for what I have been through, I want to say thank you. To those of you who seem to know so much more than the doctors do, I would ask that you let it go. There is no way to completely explain all the in's and out's of what this band rejection was or how the docs explained it without someone on here offering their expert opinion that will always contradict what the real professionals saw or did. The truth of this whole situation is my body rejected the band -- they didn't find any type of staph infection growing or any "Live" growth in the infection from taking cultures every single day that I was in the hospital and also culturing the band. There was infection around the band itself and all along the rest of the mechanism -- yes that is true. I've seen the doctors notes and while I may not understand it all or be able to put it in laymen's terms the nutshell version of the situation is this -- MY body rejected the band - it's rare but it happens. Believe what you want to, doubt my surgeon if you want to, I don't care really.

This is my last posting -- and any more know-it-all comments will result in termination of my membership to this site. You all may have bands, but you are not doctors -- and while they are humans and are not perfect they are not all quacks or kooks and as for 2nd opinions -- there were about 8 doctors who consulted on my case because my surgeon wanted to be absolutely sure of what he was seeing and diagnosing -- so I'm going to trust their judgement over people on a web site.

Whether or not you choose to post here is certainly your option. Nobody is forcing you to stick around or hit the road.

The problem here is that many people get infections and it would be a shame if they had a treatable infection and fretted that they were rejecting their band.

You have to realize that when people are posting on a message board they have the right to state their opinions just like you have the right to state your own. If you leave every message board where someone disagrees with you, you'll not be sticking around any of them for any amount of time.

Good luck to you!