Penni60

I felt just like you when I heard the news (same Dr. by the way) I left the office crying. I didnt have the money to have it replaced so I have had the eroded band for over a year I am scheduled to have it removed on Friday and I am really scared. Can you tell me how painfull and difficult the recovery was I am devestated to have my band removed but I do get that over the last year I have maintained with out it working so I will continue I have decided not to have any other type of procedure mainly because with this economy I unfortunately have other issues to worry about. Please let me know how you are doing Thanks

Roasrio, I am so sorry to hear of your issue. My recovery was much better than the initial surgery. I was up and around the very next day. They took out the band the exact same way they put it in, Laparoscopically.

Did you mean the same doctor put in the band or the same doctor is taking out the band?

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but an erosion can't be diagnosed with a barium swallow. Only a slip or a stretch can be diagnosed with a barium. Well let me clarify this. The erosion can be diagnosed with a barium if it leaks to the outside of your stomach, but let's face it if it is that bad then off to surgery you go.

The erosion can only be definitively diagnosed with an Endoscopy (the doc takes a scope with a camera and light on the end of a flexible tube and puts this down your throat to look at your stomach and esophagus). And even then if the doc doesn't turn the scope around and look back at it's entry into the stomach an erosion can be missed. Mine was almost missed if the doc hadn't done this technique. I was eroded 50% into my stomach and had NO symptoms. I had the band in for 18 months.

I am one of the old bandsters that checks in every now and then. Don't feel the need to check in when you aren't banded anymore. And don't have the warm fuzzies that I used to when I came here so often a few years ago.

I wish you all well and happy losing.

I p'b several times weekly for months.. ate too fast and it got stuck and then i would stand at the kitchen sink and spit it up.. I even would have to spit things up in my desk garbage can at work. I was sooooooo scared. I went last week for the barium swallow and everything was perfect.. no stretching no erosion. I would suggest slow down.. i still have probs when i think i have eaten slow and it still comes up.. i went on liquids and mushies for about a week and felt better

From what I remember when I was banded my doc told me that the carbination in the drinks can cause discomfort like an overfill of your stomach due to the gas bubbles but it is short lived. If you drink alot of carbinated beverages then it could stretch the pouch but so can overeating.

He mainly did not want me to drink carbinated beverages due to the empty calories. That was his MAIN issue.

Just wanted to re-emphasize that listening to your body and your intuition is a GOOD THING. If something just doesn't sound right or too good to be true then it probably isn't.

Dr. Lopez was a greatly skilled surgeon and came highly recommended when I had my initial band placed in 2004. I had every confidence that he would take care of me and provide the aftercare. I was sadly mistaken in my assumptions. If you want to know specific details of my story just do a search of my name and you will find all kinds of entries about my story.

I have talked endlessly with Inamed (as it was called back then) about their practice of "certifying a surgeon". It was shocking as I am an RN and know the ins and outs of healthcare. If I had known then what I know now I would NEVER have gone to Mexico for the surgery. NEVER!

That is me not you. So if you are OK with going to MX and feel comfortable with that decision then go for it.

Hello to all my old friends here. I don't post as often as I used to and that is partly due to several reasons. The big one is I don't have a band anymore and don't feel I have a dog in this fight anymore. The other is I don't feel I can contribute to this site anymore. But I do check in every now and then.

"I think this poll is really flawed. There are a lot of people who have eroded in the past on this board that won't see this poll to respond. Some stick around, but most people who've lost their bands spend much less time here--if any."

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. That being said, can I vote for the 12 "Unbanded Due To Erosion" friends who no longer come here?

I am one of the 12 "Unbanded due to Erosion"

I should have prefaced my post to say that my information is from about a year ago. So Inamed/Allergan could have changed their policy since then. If so then I stand corrected. I still don't agree with the policy simply because of my past experience with the company.

We will have to disagree on this point. Inamed most certainly does certify RNs to do fills. *I* personally have been invited to a certification class from Inamed. I will be going the next time the class is available. They have certification classes every few months. I was scheduled for the last one but was unable to make it at the last minute. I will be attending the next one.

I believe what you are referring to is that they won't certify just any RN. I have to be referred by a physician, and I am. A GI surgeon in my area is referring me. Matter of fact, he'd like to attend as well as he may consider doing fills. He is not a bariatric surgeon but a GI surgeon. He'd be great for fills, especially those not banded in the US or if someone's doc moves or retires. Their patients have a hard time finding a fill doc.

I have no desire to do fills, but I would like the education.

RNs access ports for a living for goodness sakes. Portacaths? Docs don't do it, RNs do. RNs are absolutely qualified to do fills with additional training, they typically have more experience accessing various types of ports than your average doc. When you go to an ER and the ER doc doesn't know how to do an unfill the best choice if your surgeon is not available is to ask for a chemo nurse because they have the expertise in accessing ports. It's what they do for a living.

Yes, I used to be one other those RNs that accessed Portacaths for a living. I also accessed Subclavian lines as well along with central lines, picc, etc. Just because I had the knowledge to access the line does not mean that I have the knowledge to give a fill or to handle an overfill. I just think it should be in a controlled environment in case something goes unexpectedly. Just my opinion.

Nobody should be accessing any port for any reason unless in a controlled environment such as an office setting.

I got my information and invitation from Bart Bandy (yep, that's his real name) to the certification class. He used to be the owner of Inamed. After he sold Inamed to Allergan he is now the Sr. VP for Allergan.

It is the sales manager for Allergan that was giving out bad info on who may attend the certification class. I believe Bart Bandy corrected him on this info quite some time ago, such as about six months ago.

There is an Inamed certified fill nurse in Arizona. She and her paramedic daughter are both Inamed certified, neither work for a doc (the RN is a RN Midwife and works out of her own office, no MD available in her office) and she went to the certification class.

I just hope they have really good professional consultation insurance. I am sure they are quite good at what they do and are very careful but it just concerns me that this is going on. Again just my opinion.

The information you received is quite frankly, incorrect.

Hey there YeS IT IS ME!!! I have been preoccupied with work and going back to school for my BSN lately.

How are you these days? How are your kids?

Question for you, when you eroded what were your symptoms? What led you to know something was wrong? Was it a serious erosion or the beginning of one? Would you mind providing more details?

I had no symptoms, I had a feeling something was not right and wanted the doc to do an ENDO. He reluctantly did but supported me in the decision. He was just as surprised as I was the it had eroded. I was 50% eroded into my stomach. I can post some pics if you like.

Also, do you think there is any chance at all that your band was too small for your stomach or did you have a fill that in looking back... might have been too tight? Sorry, I really want to gather information on erosion so anytime I have an opportunity to ask, I do.

My doc said he thought it was due to a stitch irritating the stomach wall on the outside that allowed the band rub a hole in my stomach and make it's way into my stomach from the outside.

The thinking used to be that NSAIDs caused erosion, then they discovered that wasn't true. Then they thought it was coffee and caffeine, that wasn't it either. Then they thought it was smoking. Nope, not that either.

Now they think it is caused by a band that is too tight. Either the surgeon put a band on that was too small for the patient or that the patient got a fill that was too tight for too long. This is the theory that makes the most sense to me.

Erosion is just too difficult to diagnose right now. In order to say for sure what causes it you have to get it at the beginning and that is just too difficult to do at this point. There is NOT one definitive cause for erosion.

Ever see an abused dog that has a collar on that is too tight? After months of this the collar starts to erode into their neck and it has to be surgically removed and repaired. The same thinking could apply here as well.

Also, why is it that some docs have such a high erosion rate (7-10%) and other docs have such low erosion rates (my doc is 0.0016%)? That kind of a difference can't be the patient base the doc attracts, that sounds like surgeon issues to me. The numbers lead me to believe that.

My opinion on this is that some docs have a low rate because not all patients return to the same doc to have the band removed. So their rates will be low. My doc probably has a high rate because he removes lots of eroded bands from other docs patients. His personal rate is low because he watches his patients closely. He requires you come in for a visit every month or two months to get a check up and check in with him. He always returns phone calls and emails. He is a very hands on doc. I have seen some docs at the first sign one of their patients is having complications they bail on the patient and ignore their phone calls and emails. That is just unprofessional now.

Of course, then there is infection. Poor sterile technique during a fill can cause a port infection and the infection can travel up the tubing to the actual band.

My doc has one eroded patient. The patient had her band for a few years and went to a US RN for a fill. The fill was clearly too tight and the patient knew it. She could barely drink liquids but she refused a slight unfill as she was losing weight like crazy and wanted to get to goal faster. So she went for months and months with a fill where she could hardly drink Water. I suspect her "too tight" fill is likely what caused her erosion from hearing her story on the boards but clearly, nobody will ever know for sure.

An RN should NEVER EVER access a lapband port unless under the direction of a band doc, in the office, and in a controlled environment. Contrary to the information out there Inamed does not certify anyone to give fills. There is no certification process, according to Inamed, for giving fills. I asked them about this once before when there were alot of supposed certified people out there giving fills in hotel rooms. Inamed told me they did not offer any certification classes to anyone for this. Only docs are cleared to do fills. It is under the docs supervision and his discretion to allow an RN to do a fill.

But this begs the question... is it the patient or the doc? How is it that my doc has one erosion in 1600+ bands and some other docs have a 4-10% erosion stat when according to Inamed global stats are 1.3%? If their infection stats were that high in comparison to other docs we would blame the doc. I'm not so sure it is any different here with the exception of fills that are too tight and the patient won't get a slight unfill.

I really question if you might have misunderstood this. I think you might have it backwards. Erosion is currently thought to be the doc's fault in general. Slips are typically the patient's fault. Not always, but usually. People that don't chew well, take bites too big, PB a great deal, keep fills that are too tight, etc... they are the folks that tend to slip more than others. I think there are some slips that nobody knows why it happens. But many times slips happen in people that didn't follow the post op diet, they don't chew food well, they eat things they know they can't tolerate, overeat, etc.

Another reason I suspect you might have the slips/erosion backwards is that it isn't the sutures that really hold the band into place, it's the scar tissue that forms around the band. The stomach is sewn up and over the band but the scar tissue that forms during the post op diet is what really secures the band into place. Theoretically, you should be able to remove the sutures after the scar tissue has formed and the band should stay in place.

Just to clarify something, I think it is wrong to say it is the patients fault for something and it is the doctors fault for something. Fault should not be placed for a complication unless it is blatantly obvious. No one knows for sure what causes slips, erosions, etc. It is just too grey an area. There is speculation as to what MIGHT have caused the problem but to say it is the patients fault for this but not this is unprofessional and immoral in my opinion.

I was disbanded due to erosion not rejection. I think you sent me a PM on this same subject. LOL!!

I still have friends on this site and I love to help if I can.

Something to consider here (by the way I am an RN and have accessed many Ports for cancer patients), the ports cancer patients have are similar but not the same as lapband ports. The other thing to consider is when RN's access the Ports for cancer patients we are injecting Fluid into a large cavity and volume is not as important an issue as injecting into the lapband port.

The last time I spoke to Inamed they made it clear to me that they do NOT certify anyone to give the fills. ONLY doctors are acceptible personnel to give the fills. There are people out there that claim to be certified and just to give everyone a head's up there is no such thing out there.

Please call Inamed and verify this information before having someone touch you. If you use someone that is not properly trained and you develop complications then you are out the money to correct your problems. You have no recourse.

I personally would NOT want to inject for a fill simply based on my prior experience accessing ports for cancer patients. There is a whole different procedure, access sites, complications that can arise, not to mention putting too much saline in and causing more issues.

JUST MY OPINION!!

PB - oh, gross! But good to know!

Penni, I've seen you around the boards and I'm wondering how you are doing. Are you going to get banded again? Did you lose much weight with it? Did you like it while you had it? Are you keeping the weight off now without it. What did you think of the whole thing? - just interested if you want to tell me.

Linda

Wow so many questions. LOL!!

Not going to get banded again. Surgeon said there was too much scar tissue from the initial surgery and risk of erosion is higher with a second band. He suggested a bypass instead. NOT interested in that.

I lost 70 lbs when I had the band. I have since gained 50 of that back. But have maintained this weight for 6 months now. SO that is something.

While I had the band I hated it and loved it. I really wasn't in the right mind set at the time for the band. I saw it as a quick fix and didn't use it as a tool to LEARN the right way to eat.

I have mixed feelings about the band now. It does work and it did work for me, but if I had to do it again I just don't know if I would go that route again.

I am struggling every day with my weight. I am educating myself on the proper way to eat and exercise. It is hard and will be a forever battle for me. I can't take a day off to cheat. I will spiral down into that well again and I don't wanna go back there.

Lots of luck and I wish you well with your journey.

I had some kind of reaction right after I had the band placed. I questioned if I was rejecting the band but my surgeon said it was rare and because of the kind of material the band was made of it was highly unlikely anyone would be allergic to it.

Hope that helped.

BY the way, my symptoms was a rash. Nothing else.

Erosion is not always the banded persons fault. I take exception to any doc that says the patient is at fault. I am an RN by the way. I also eroded after having the band for 18 months. The surgeon that took out my band was not the surgeon that put it in. The surgeon that took it out said there was a stitch that irritated the stomach wall and over time caused the outer lining to erode and allowed the band to enter my stomach. So it CAN be the docs fault too.

There are no real definitive reasons someone erodes. Even the band manufacturer told me this. The surgeon that took mine out told me this.

Just my opinion.

I had the same reaction when I would get a fill. I took pics and showed my band doc and all he could think was that I was sensitive the saline and some could have been injected as he removed the needle causing the allergic reaction.

I will include a pic of what mine looked like and let me know if this is what yours looked like. Mind you this is larger than what you mentioned but the same reaction was evident. We first thought I was rejecting the port but since found out that wasn't the case.

I talked to my band surgeon and he said to just take a benadryl prior to my fills and see if it helped. IT DID!! So maybe try that. I would have to put Hydrocortisone cream on the site to ease the itching and rash.

I was banded by Dr. Lopez Corvala. Had nothing but complications from the beginning. He didn't do follow up with me when I ran into issues about two months into the surgery unrelated to eating or following band rules. I had an infection that was not followed up by him after repeated phone calls to his office. My tubing almost protruded through my abdomen to the outside of my body because he screwed up the initial surgery. Mind you this was over two years ago so things might have been settled now.

There were at least 4 of us on here that were all banded by the good Dr Lopez with a month of each other and we all had to have our bands removed due to erosion. My band surgeon that removed the band for me told me that he suspected a misplaced stitch during the initial surgery caused the erosion.

So beware of going to MEXICO for any surgery because there is NO recourse for botched surgeries, they don't have to follow US standards of care, some US docs won't touch MX patients, if you have complications then you have to come to the states to get adequate care, etc. Just be a cautious patient and ask lots of questions prior to surgery.

Hey there Babs: Glad to hear from you. Sorry for all your issues. My insurance stated they would not pay for the removal either when I had erosion but the doc coded it as an emergency and the insurance paid all but $1000 of the procedure. I think your insurance would cover it if it was deemed an emergency. Just a thought.

I am very concerned about your band health. When they did the endoscopy did the person doing the procedure know to look for erosion? Just a thought. Mine wasn't easy to spot since it was under the lip where the band is placed. The doc had to turn the scope around and look back at itself to diagnose the erosion.

I too have thought about the sleeve. My band doc won't do the procedure because he considers it half a surgery. I would want that one over the bypass myself.

I know it is frustrating to go through all this. And to have gained some of your weight back is even more frustrating. I can relate.

Have you called Inamed to get some recommendations for surgeons? They might be able to at least give you a list.

HUGS

Thanks Betty and Patty. I have missed all you guys. I was thinking about all of you the other day and thought I would post an update. So what has been going on around here lately?

Thanks Betty for the comment. He is a doll and I miss him so much already. I am just too far from all my grandkids.

Dr. Helmuth Billy in Ventura, Ca is wonderful. He took care of me after my Mexico lapband placement. He is great and so compassionate.

I can give you his phone number to get more info if you like. Just let me know.

Hey there Alexandra: Yeah I stayed away long enough and just had to peak here for a few. Plus I had to share my news with my new grandchild. Anyway, here is my update.

I am still unbanded and haven't had any other weight loss surgery to date. There are none foreseen in my future either. I have gained back 50 of the 70 lbs I lost with the band. I am maintaining at 278 right now.

That is both good and bad.

I am 20 lbs from my start weight prior to lapband placement. BAD!!

I am 20 lbs under my start weight prior to lapband placement. GOOD!!

I am taking it one day at a time. I have had some minor health issues to deal with since gaining back the weight, which slows the losing process. I am struggle with it every day. I have done some more soul searching and am just trying to get through a 24 hour period without eating something I regret. SIGH!! Man is that hard.

My mom has had some major health issues and my sister now is going through some health issues as well. My daughter just gave birth to my newest grandchild. (see my thread "New Grandson - From old lapbander" for pics.). I started a new job in Feb this year. We have had some financial concerns. My son has started college. SIGH!! Lots going on.

Still fighting the battle. Some days I win some days I lose. But I keep fighting. I don't think I want another surgery. At least not anytime soon.

HUGS

I just realized I had not updated this thread since a year ago. OOPS!! Sorry about that. LOL!! Life kinda got in my way.

I am still unbanded and haven't had any other weight loss surgery to date. There are none foreseen in my future either. I have gained back 50 of the 70 lbs I lost with the band. I am maintaining at 278 right now. That is both good and bad.

I am 20 lbs from my start weight prior to lapband placement. BAD!!

I am 20 lbs under my start weight prior to lapband placement. GOOD!!

I am taking it one day at a time. I have had some minor health issues to deal with since gaining back the weight, which slows the losing process. I am struggle with it every day. I have done some more soul searching and am just trying to get through a 24 hour period without eating something I regret. SIGH!! Man is that hard.

My mom has had some major health issues and my sister now is going through some health issues as well. My daughter just gave birth to my newest grandchild. (see my thread "New Grandson - From old lapbander" for pics.). I started a new job in Feb this year. We have had some financial concerns. My son has started college. SIGH!! Lots going on.

Still fighting the battle. Some days I win some days I lose. But I keep fighting. I don't think I want another surgery. At least not anytime soon.

HUGS

Annabeyta: I am so sorry to hear you had such a difficult time with your surgery. That is just awful and I feel for you. I hope things are better for you now.

I am sure some of you don't even know who I am but there are a few old lapbanders out there that still remember me.

Anyway, my youngest daughter just had my 8th grandchild and I just had to share pics. He is a doll and it killed me to leave him when I flew home. SIGH!!

Austin Wade Donaldson

Born: July 18, 2007 at 6:34pm

Weight: 6 lbs; 15 oz

Length: 20.5 inches

My most successful weight loss whether with the band or after removal was when I counted calories. It made me accountable and I had to face what I put in my mouth at any given time.

It just keeps us honest with what we are actually eating. It can be an eye opener when you actually count those pesky little critters. SIGH!!

WOW!! So glad that you are recuperating well from the removal. My removal was a walk in the park compared to the initial surgery to place the band.

So I assume the dr. visit to discuss the VG band has taken place. So what was decided? When is that surgery?

Prayers and warm fuzzies heading your way.