Lap band erosion

[DrWatkins 5]

Thank you for all the valuable info you contributed in this thread. I've read it all. I moved last year to a new state and had absolutely no trouble finding a band dr. within 20 miles of me. I was banded at a Center Of Excellence. I was told that once the doctors checked over my records and made sure I was banded in the states that it would be no problem getting me in. I was so worried about great follow-up, and I'm simply amazed at the wonderful dr. I had for surgery and the one I have for my fills. He accepts a Medicare plan, Humana PPS. I pay a small co-payment and Humana pays the rest. He has absolutely no problem with it and I know he isn't making any money off this. He is also a very prominent surgeon in this area as we only have a few that do the gastric banding. He spends about 1/2 hr. talking to me each time I go. I had a fluoroscopy a mo. ago just so he could check on things. I have 4 cc in my band and although that would be way to much for someone else it is my "sweet spot". I apparently have little fat pad on my stomach.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that I would have major problems had I been banded outside the U.S. because the follow-up care I have here would not have been available to me. I say "Thank God every day that I was banded in the good old US of A".

Again thanks for all your good info.

Thank you for posting this. People considering leaving the country for "cheap surgery" need to know a couple of things:

When you leave the country for "cheap surgery" you are not buying the aftercare. Most U.S. surgeons do not sell the surgery without the aftercare and that is one reason why it cost more.

Many people who leave the country end up paying more money in total and struggle to find aftercare. Also many people just have the surgery and no aftercare and end up spending money for nothing other than frustration.

The least expensive route, I would argue, is to find a great U.S. practice near your home. You have the greatest chance for success under this scenario and the least amount of frustration.

hope that helps

[midnightblue 0]

I went today for my checkup, and asked my dr. point blank why he is so adamant about not seeing Mexican patients, because I know they also need help. His answer is "When I lay hands on a patient and give them a fill, I have become responsible for that patient and what lies ahead. It puts me in a vulnerable position". He told me of people that come to the ER that were banded in Mexico and have ports and no bands, althoug he confirmed there are probably good surgeons also, he wasn't ever willing to put his career and good name on the line and see these people. I feel sad for them, but also know that they knew when they went to Mexico they needed good followup. He said what you did "For most of these people it would have been far cheaper to see a dr. in the U.S. in the longrun." I totally agree with him. He said that "what looks clean is not always as it appears in Mexico" and I agree with him there also. I've been to Mexico and know how most of the population lives there. They avoid those sections when taking you to the supposedly "nice hospitals", but infection rate is very high from there he tells me and so is the number of erosions he thinks from entry of bacteria at the time of banding. It is far higher then with a U.S. patient to be honest. I'm sure there are good and bad everywhere, but I won't take my money outside the U.S. when I know I need followup care that is pertinent for the band to work.

Again, thank you for giving me the opportunity to state how important it is for good followup for those who want to "save a few bucks and go the Mexican route".

Thanks,

Midnightblue

[akfralicks 0]

We are so alike, I have had my band 2 years 2 months and Aug. 4th had it removed when I had my gall bladder removed because it had also eroded into my stomach and my stomach also had a hole in it where stuff in my stomach was trickling out.(not a good thing). When I woke up in recovery and was told about my band all I could do was ask what I did wrong because I did everything by the book, never threw up after eating or anything. I was told I could get another band in 6 months but at this time I'm not saying yes or no that I will get another band. Dr. said I should be able to keep my weight the same if I stay on the same diet so in my head I still have the band and I still have to chew chew chew and follow the same rules as before and I hope it works.

Good luck to you on your surgery. I will however tell you that taking the band out was harder on my then putting it in so get ready for a little more pain.

I just found out on Saturday that my band has eroded and must be removed. I am totally devistated. I have had the band for 2 years and have lost 85 lbs. I am terrified of regaining the weight. I am trying to do some research. I really do not understand what has happened. The doctor took all of the restriction out, but I do not understand why I am told that it will not heal itself. Any thoughts?

[LastChance 0]

I'm in the process of picking a Doctor for the lap band. This information has been very helpful. thank you.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

You know, if my band were ever to erode, I would get a sleeve. There are so many less complications with a sleeve. I hope I never have to make that decision.

[RandyNJ77 0]

Hi,

I had my band put in in October of 2005 and have had a fill in November of 07(after many fills prior to that). I have restriction however recently, I have been waking up in the middle of the night and not to be gross but I'm coughing and it feels like stomach acid is being coughed in the back of my throat. Does these mean I have erosion or dialation? I read the posts and they suggested dialation, but I'm not sure what that is? Can anyone help???

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

It's not a good thing. Are you eating too close to bedtime? You should talk to your doctor about this.

Do you feel really tight in the day time? You might need a slight unfill.

[crsmom00 0]

I had my lap band since Feb 2008 and had it removed by emergency surgery on Oct 4 due to erosion. I was told that they no longer consider rebanding a person whose had an erosion. They told me at my hospital that they newest recommendations is not to reband an erosion because we don't really know what caused it.

[SalemSusan 0]

Traumatic Lap Band Erosion

Long story short, my primary care provider was incapable of diagnosing that I was suffering from a severe (almost total) lap band erosion, on Saturday, January 24th I admitted myself to the ER. Within hours an almost total lap band erosion was diagnosed with complications due to severe abdominal infection. I was scheduled for emergency surgery by a licenced bariatric physican. The procedure took over 4 hours and I spent the next 15 days in the hospital. I have a nine inch incision from my belly button to my breast bone and am now at home where I feed myself through an abdominal tube 16 hours a day. I also empty an abdominal drainage bag (surgically attached below my right breast) and a stomach overflow pouch that is strapped to my leg and surgically inserted into my stomach. If all goes well I will return to work in about 3-4 weeks and then will have all of the drainage and feed tubes surgically removed in 6 weeks.

There is some questions about whether my insurance will pay for everything or not since the original surgery was optional. I don't have the final bill yet, but in addition to the 4 hour surgery, just the hospital stay was around $5000 per day (so I've been led to believe), I had 3 CT scans, 3 seperate series of x-rays, round the clock medical care, meds, dietician, home health care and weekly follow up visits for 6-8 weeks.

A quick history of how I think it could have gotton so bad...

Following my Tijuana Lapband in Jul07, I routinly lost about 5 lbs per month. A weight I was happy with since other medical conditions make it difficult to exersize. FEB/MAR08 I got a bad case of the flu followed by a severe cold. I think it might have been during this time that my band sutures came loose and the band began slipping. I did lose the constriction that I had, luckily I didn't gain any more weight, however I totally stopped losing any weight. I started to be short of breath expecially when undergoing any exertion (like stairs or even walking fast). 3 trips to the ER, followed by a complete heart work-up, including an angiogram revealed that my heart was in perfect condition and my artieries were fine (over $20k of procedures-). Thank goodness my insurance had no problem paying for most of this. AFTER the huge heart tests the DOC said that all of my symptoms could be caused by severe anemia, and yes, it turns out that all of my pre-angiogram blood work DID reveal that I was severelly anemic (caused by loss of blood OR malobsorbsion). We set about trying to find out the cause of the anemia.

I had a barium swallow test that was unable to identify for sure if there was anything wrong.

I had an endoscopy and colonoscopy just months before my trip to the ER and a non-bariatric-trained doctor gave me an Rx for nexium to treat heartburn.

From the time of my angiogram (APR08) until my ER surgery to remove the lapband (26JAN09). I had 3 massive abdominal attacks that left me bedridden for days. The quality of my life was so bad that the Army (i'm full time) actually placed me on written orders that I was not to participate in ANY type of exersize and that I wasn't medically eligible for deployment or retention and that I was going to be discharged following a medical review board.

The week before I went to the ER I had been running a fever for 2 weeks straight and had missed a whole week of work. I went to my PCP on Tuesday and had x-rays done. He "suspected" that I had a partial intestinal blockage, but offered no medical care or self-care suggestions. I was back in his office on Thursday (104 degree fever) and he agreed to schedule a CT scan for "sometime" the next week and agreed to send me to a surgical consult 9 days away. On this day he diagnosed me with probable gastric-interitus. I specifically asked him if it could be lap-band related and he said he didn't think so. I also asked him if I was experiencing a medical emergency and he said absolutly not. Thank God I didn't wait and I went to the ER that Saturday. The absess in my belly was almost the size of a football. Bariatric Surgeon Dr. "B" had to scrape pus off all the surrounding organs and all of the nooks and crannies of my abdomen.

I would NEVER replace the lap band that they removed. My physician in Mexico who I contacted this past week said that some people just tend to be sensitive to them, and it is quite likely that I would suffer errosion again.

If there is a bright side to this story, it's that I wasn't able to eat anything for 2 weeks and have lost 20 pounds since January 10th. I'm sure I'm in for some more weight loss since i will continue with my tube feedings for another week or two and then I get to slowly begin a liquid diet by mouth for another 2-4 weeks.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thank you for posting this. People considering leaving the country for "cheap surgery" need to know a couple of things:

When you leave the country for "cheap surgery" you are not buying the aftercare. Most U.S. surgeons do not sell the surgery without the aftercare and that is one reason why it cost more.

Ohhhh, I missed this when you first wrote it.

Soooo, if someone slips, erodes, experiences band intolerance, needs fills and unfills for life, this is all part of the cost of surgery, you never charge the insurance company (or patient if self pay) another dime after banding?

Your staff disagree with this stance.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Unfortunately, Dr. Watkins hasn't been around lately. I would like to see his answer to your post.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Unfortunately, Dr. Watkins hasn't been around lately. I would like to see his answer to your post.

He left when I asked him about his $1,000+ fills for Mexican banded patients and their cheap surgery. He said someone needed to punish them for having cheap surgery so I guess he felt it was up to him to punish them and reap the rewards of his punishments.

My "cheap" surgery was done by a surgeon with 4x+ the experience of Dr. Watkins and far better stats for less than half the cost. It's a no brainer in my mind. Skill, experience, and stats first, then price.

Oh... and no attitude! ;o)

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Someday your surgeon will be my surgeon!

[cwalters 0]

And also, the symptoms of an erosion are simply weight regain because you have no restriction.

Erosions don't typically cause any other symptom.

I have some questions. My husband had the surgery sept 5 now he had it removed feb 6 (5 months) He had noweight gain he lost 68 lbs total but he was sick for the 5 months. 4 days after the surgery he had a 102.5 fever and ache all over his dr. said flu same 4 times for the next 5 months 2 times in the hospital high fever Fluid in lower left abdomen pain on left side and left shoulder. take the fill out in about 4 days fever gone but alittle less pain not much. Get a fill and fever would come back within 3 hours (102) take fill out get alittle better. Now Feb 6 go in to check things out (surgery) had to remove said the port, band and everything in between was cover up by the lining of the stomach and had to repair a 1 1/2 hole. The Drs called it the erosion of the band. Everything I can find out when erosion happens it it usually years down the rd. My question to you is do you think this erosion can happen in only 5 months? Or even 4 days? I think they cut his stomach during the surgery for the lap band. Just wondering Thank you for your time.:thumbup::confused::thumbup:

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I hope someone comes in here to answer your question. I am not in the medical field, so I don't have an answer. Maybe you should start a new thread to ask this question . This question needs a thread all it's own. It's an important question. It does sound like something went wrong with his surgery.