Penni60

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.

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 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.

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?

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!!

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.