Destroy tissue around Band

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Well, but....you could say that about almost everything, no? The "sleeve" is a pretty new procedure (the modern incarnation of the sleeve), but eventually somebody somewhere at some time will get sleeved and die. That's just the statistics of any surgery. Now I'm not belittling the sleeve, because you've kicked ass with it, and Mac seems very happy with hers.....nor am I asserting that the band is superior to (fill in the blank). I think we need to be careful when throwing the annecdotal horror stories around, because they are statistically pretty rare.

Well Plain... that's why I wrote "several" cases. It's not like I claimed this is the norm. Considering the number of revisions from band to anything else (just like there are revisions from bypass to band) I don't think "several" cases indicates I was referring to a significant number of people.

I don't think we need to be careful when throwing around examples. How many times have you seen it written on LBT that the reason people are getting the band is because it is reversible and when you remove the band your stomach goes back to exactly how it was before surgery? It NEVER goes back exactly how it was before surgery. There is scarring and adhesions and there just isn't anything wrong with letting people know of potential risks.

It is possible to have damage done to the stomach from a band where the end result is no revision to anything. It's the staple line that is an issue in a revision. So sleeves, bypass, or DS are out when that happens.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

That is sad. I wonder if she was having any symptoms at all, other than wanting the band removed "because she wasn't losing weight". I'd like to think that should something go south with my band, there would at least be some indication, no matter how small, that something wasn't right.

The only symptoms were that she had no restriction, but if she got a fill, she had reflux.

that is the case with a lot of people.

[bethm 0]

It NEVER goes back exactly how it was before surgery. There is scarring and adhesions and there just isn't anything wrong with letting people know of potential risks..

What does this mean? Does this mean that basically we're screwed and/or going to die from stomach rot at some point? Because it seems a rather drastic statement to me and it makes me super nervous. If anything went wrong with the band I would hope I can have it removed and my stomach may not be pristine but I wouldn't be totally gimped and ill the rest of my life. Is that is what your'e saying when you have scarring and adhesions?

It is possible to have damage done to the stomach from a band where the end result is no revision to anything. It's the staple line that is an issue in a revision. So sleeves, bypass, or DS are out when that happens.

I don't understand this? Are you saying it is possible to get the band removed but if you don't get a sleeve or gastric you're damaged?

Sorry.. litle confused. I did tons of research. Spoke to lots of happy people and felt I was honest with myself on the risks but they were very slim and far less then me dying from diabetes etc. But now this makes me feel ilke it's a done deal I'm going to be sickly and axed my lifespan because of the lapband.

Dramatic I know.. but i'm 7 days out so cut me a little slack. I'm kinda all over the place emotionally right now. It'll settle soon I'm sure. lol

[Jachut 487]

Beth, erosion is a RARE complication. It happens in a teeny number of cases - the stats vary but they're uniformly low. But alarmingly, lower for some doctors than others, so you would want to speak to your own doctor about this and get a clear picture of it.

You are absolutely correct - you have more chance of dying of an obesity related disease than of having major complications with this surgery.

Complications when they do occur are not nice, and they can be very serious and they CAN leave lasting damage to your body. But of those small number of erosions that occur, people dont always end up damaged and unable to have further surgery either - people also heal completely and get rebanded several months down the track, or convert to toher surgeries. The way it is being discussed here makes it sound like a common, everyday event which is not the case.

However, these things should be known by people considering the band.

Put in perspective there can be complications or unexpected outcomes for ANY surgery.

[bethm 0]

Thanks Jachut. When i got my band I was roomed with a woman who's band had slipped then had a major organ knicked and almost bled out when they tried to fix it. My doctor has a good track record and I trust their expertise I guess that experience just made me more nervous then I thought.

[TQUAD64 9]

Specifically he told her that he's had to do a lot of reversals because the tissue around the area where the band is.

Why would anyone select a surgeon who places bands into clients only to have to do a reversal later? Makes you wonder if this doctor is qualified to insert a band.:shades_smile:

[Locomotive Engineer 0]

That doctors statements would leave be to believe that he is pushing the sleeve and bypass surgeries over Band surgeries because he makes more $$$$ doing sleeves and bypasses. Sad, but there are people like that in every profession. I might be wrong, but isn't the Band the least expensive surgery out of the three?? Just a thought.

[HeatherO 7]

It does sound like the doctor might have been referring more to erosions and they are indeed extremely rare. It is certainly not a common place thing that we have to stress about (although if you end up being one of those in the less than 1% who ends up with it, it is a tough break).

A very small minority of people have problems. However, most of us do not and find great success with the band. The risk of lapband complications is so incredibly miniscule compared to the risks that I would develop co-morbidities or a shortened lifespan as a result of obesity that I don't doubt that I made the most rational choice in being banded.

What does this mean? Does this mean that basically we're screwed and/or going to die from stomach rot at some point? Because it seems a rather drastic statement to me and it makes me super nervous. If anything went wrong with the band I would hope I can have it removed and my stomach may not be pristine but I wouldn't be totally gimped and ill the rest of my life. Is that is what your'e saying when you have scarring and adhesions?

Any surgical procedure will leave you with some scarring or adhesions . . . it is usually minimal and normal and nothing to be extra paranoid about.

Even something as simple as a doctor removing a mole is going to leave a little scarring. We can even see it on our own bodies - we don't look the same as we would have had we never became obese, or had babies, or fell off our bikes and scraped our knee, etc.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

That doctors statements would leave be to believe that he is pushing the sleeve and bypass surgeries over Band surgeries because he makes more $$$$ doing sleeves and bypasses. Sad, but there are people like that in every profession. I might be wrong, but isn't the Band the least expensive surgery out of the three?? Just a thought.

With banding a doctor can pump out 10-12 a day. That's a LOT of money. With sleeves and especially bypass they can only do a few a day because a sleeve takes twice as much time as a band and bypass... probably 5x as long as a band. But they cost more.

I don't know exact numbers so I can't say for sure but I would think the bands afford them faster and easier money.