What are the signs of erosion? Can it be treated without surgery?

[Guest kgilman]

I have had 2cc's in for over 9 months and doing GREAT. I have had some small amount of coffee ground material in the mornings (after a few social drinks, which I do not do anymore) several times now. Last week I could not keep anything down, became dehydrated and went to see my doctor. My doctor took ALL of the saline out and told me to stay on mylanta or maalox for two weeks and come back and he would start my fill again slowly and see if I had problems again and if I did he would have to check for erosion. Has anyone had this and does anyone know if an erosion can be cured by deflating the band and large amounts of antacids for two weeks? I am scared to death. I have had excellent resutls and have lost 120 lbs and have only 16lbs to go to my goal. I was banded 22 months ago. Also, I have been having some kind of spasams all the way across my upper abdomen/lower chest since all the saline was removed. I can drink ice Water and the spasams stop. I know I am rattling on and not making since but I just found this board and need information from people who have had the experiences. Please Help.

[Lynn B 0]

I have had some small amount of coffee ground material in the mornings

Sorry your not feeling well. Are you throwing up stuff that looks like coffee grounds? If so does you doctor know that this is happening - that would be blood - and I don't believe throwing up blood is a good thing. On my post - op release if I throw up anything that looks like coffee grounds I need to call my surgeon immediatly.

Good luck,

[chichigirl 1]

Lynn is so right about what looks like coffee grounds is actually blood. If you have an erosion I wonder if Nexium would be beneficial. I would certainly ask my doc about it as it not only stops reflux but it also aids in healing. I would imagine that this would be more effective than antacids, but I am not the doctor, just a thought though. It couldn't hurt to ask him anyway.

Congradulations on your magnificent weight loss and being so close to your goal, do you feel that you could continue your new lifestyle with the inflation of the band? I hope so, I would hate to see you give up when you are soooo close to your goal.

Take care, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Cindy

[La_madam 20]

Erosion can not be fixed, the band must be removed, erosion means the band is eroding into the walls of your stomach. You could have something as simple as gastritis which is what I had,I had my fill 2.5 ccs removed for 2 months and took peilosec and Nexium and it cleard up, now I have a fill again op 1.5

Does your doctor do your fills under fluoro? If so you will see if there is a chance of erosion under flouro because the liquid flows over the band with possible erosion and with no erosion the liquid flows through the band. An endoscopy will tell you if you for sure if you have either erosion or gastritis. I had the pain in my chest, no vomiting coffee grounds though. I had no sypmtoms of gastritis until my fill was removed. I only found out I had gastritis from an endoscopy my doc did for a different surgery I had to have in April.

The symptoms you described are exact symptoms of gastritis. Gastritis is common among bandsters. Its treatable and does not require surgery

read this

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/10487-3.asp

Keep us updated and good luck

[Alexandra 55]

That sure doesn't sound good and an endoscopy is probably in order. You may not have erosion, but whatever you do have is clearly causing some problems. Good luck, all our fingers are crossed that it's not serious!!

[Guest kgilman]

Thanks for your comments. If you don't mind me asking why was your fill removed?

Thanks

[Guest kgilman]

I was throwing up coffee ground material several weeks ago. But since my deflation last week I have not thrown up anything. Yes, I told my doctor that plus the fact I could not keep anything down is why he deflated me. I am feeling much better, I guess I will just have to wait and see. I am going back to him in 2 weeks.

Thanks

[Alexandra 55]

Thanks for your comments. If you don't mind me asking why was your fill removed?

Thanks

If you're asking me, my fill was removed in August because I'd been having reflux and regurgitation that wasn't going away. (Though to be honest, I probably wasn't babying myself enough to let it go away.) Once I had the unfill everything resolved immediately and about three weeks later I was able to have the fill replaced. The re-fill was done under fluoroscopy and all checked out right as rain.

[PamRN 0]

coffee grounds are definitely blood, and could be caused by an ulcer, for which prilosec or prevacid could be beneficial. Also there are medications that coat an ulcer, sucralfate or cytotec, to protect it while it heals. I haven't seen where erosion causes visible bleeding into the stomach, but I suppose if it's severe it could.

Signs of an ulcer:

Feel better when you eat or drink and then worse 1 or 2 hours later (duodenal ulcer)

Feel worse when you eat or drink (gastric ulcer)

Stomach pain that wakes you up at night

Feel full fast

Heavy feeling, bloating, burning or dull pain in your stomach

Vomiting

Weight loss

Signs it's getting worse:

You vomit blood.

You vomit food eaten hours or days before.

You feel cold or clammy.

You feel unusually weak or dizzy.

You have blood in your stools (blood may make your stools look black or like tar).

You have ongoing nausea or repeated vomiting.

You have sudden, severe pain.

You keep losing weight.

Your pain doesn't go away when you take your medicine.

Your pain reaches to your back.

If it is an ulcer:

Don't smoke.

Avoid anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol (or have them only in small amounts and on a full stomach).

Avoid spicy foods if they cause heartburn

I've read that erosion is generally asymptomatic (no symptoms) & is generally found with a ct scan.