Penni60

I just want to restate that an UPPER GI will not conclusively diagnose an Erosion. The only sure way is to have an ENDO. The procedure either needs to be done by your band surgeon or he needs to be in the room. Billy didn't see the Erosion at first and then turned the camera around so it looks back on itself and VOILA there was the Erosion hiding under a fold. So it takes a skilled person to know what to look for. I had no real symptoms other than the excessive PB recently. All I can say is when in doubt check it out. Yeah it might cost you some bills but hey what is your life worth? Do not hesitate at all. I think 18 months out is good to check but it wouldn't hurt to check after a year. If nothing else you have a baseline. Please guys don't mess around with your health.

Lisa: THat is right I am touched and overwhelmed by all this outpouring of love and compassion. I just love LBT. I will stay here as well. Just because I don't have a band anymore doesn't mean I won't bug the heck outta you guys. LOL!! Can't get rid of me that easy. No I did not have any symptoms other than I just didn't feel right. Nothing to pinpoint just didn't feel like things were ok in there. I am fortunate enough to have a doctor that is understanding and listens to me. He scheduled the endo right away and then set up the surgery before we ever left the GI Lab. He is awesome.

You know the thing about this board is it sure is addictive. I was going to not post till tomorrow but I was drawn in my drug induced state to come and post. LOL!! I love Dr. Billy. I think someone on her was curious if he was married. I gather he isn't but is divorced. He has two kids for sure. This puts him in a whole new light for me. LOL!!! I will post details of the surgery and what lead me to have it so fast in a day or two. I have to gather my thoughts. It all seems like a blur now. I am home and doing really well. I got my pain meds filled (dear sweet John did that for me). I think I have lost 10 lbs in poop so far. LOL!!! Billy used one of my old scars from my tubal years ago. He made a point of using my old scars instead of making new ones. He also kept the band. I guess he is going to send it to Inamed for all the good it will do. At least he kept it though. The upper GI the next morning after surgery was NOT fun. But necessary to rule out any perforation so I could drink my clear liquids. MMM MMM GOOD!! Long ordeal but it is done now and I can get back on the road to recovery. Gotta get my strength built back up for Christmas and my 3 yr old grandson. HUGS to you all. I just love you guys.

OK it is 4p here and I just got off the phone with Billy. I am shooting out the door now and heading to Ventura. Yes Donali is correct. The scope goes through the stoma and turns itself around in the bottom and looks back up at the stoma. Yes Donali my band is eroded through the lining of the stomach. Just so overwhelmed with all the love and compassion. My sweetie John wrote me this beautiful note and I will share it when I return. Love you all Later!! OK GOING TO KISS BILLY NOW FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys are all making me cry even more than I have been. Michelle I have your number and will be calling you tomorrow for sure. Can't even begin to speak to anyone right now. Too much emotions. And you know mentioning Dr. Billy twice is OK with me. And getting to see him twice in one day is a HUGE plus even if I have to lose my band. He is so easy on the eyes. (whispering here = I actually eroded on purpose to get him to see me again. shhh! my little secret!) LOL!! Laughing and crying over here. LOL!! Sniffle!!

Yeah well your guts are gross too. Remember I saw your insides. LOL!! UM, that is one thing I don't know how to do. So someone else will have to do that. The white looking thingy with greenish stuff on it is the band. Picture 10 shows it really nicely. LOL!!!

While in the midst of running around getting ready for my surgery I decided to call Inamed and report this erosion. I talked to Craig Arthur and just chewed his ear off. Spoke about accountability for the Mexico doctors and how they don't report complications and what is Inamed going to do about them not following through. He said there is nothing in place that gives Inamed the power to 'make' the Mexico doctors report any complication. SIGH!! No surprise there. I suggested that every 2 to 3 years EVERY surgeon be recertified to place the Inamed bands. He said he would pass along this suggestion but even if they did this it would not cut down on the rates of complications. I said it would be a start anyway. He said the suggested technique for placement is NOT the perigastric now but the paraplas something or other. He said they cannot INFORCE the surgeons to use the other technique even though it seems to cut down on the rate of erosions. HMMM!!! Interesting!! Anyway, I had to do something to burn off my steam before the surgery. I am just trying to find a reason for the erosion. I spoke with my daughter just a minute ago and she cried with me on the phone and said something very profound. "Mom, you are a strong woman and there is a reason you have to go through this right now. I think it is because you had to learn something and get stronger for YOU. Now that you have done that it is time to let the band go and stand on your own two feet." Isnt' that a wonderful thought? I will take that to the OR with me. Love all you guys and I am sure there will be lots more reflections to come.

Please see my post My Endo results -- NOT GOOD!!

Page two of the erosion.

Page one of the erosion. You can see the erosion on pic 10 really well. That white thingy is the band eroded into my stomach.

Just got home from the Endo test. I have cried and now all I am is numb. TO those that I have already spoken with thank you for your words of encouragement. Yes, I have eroded as well. I am enclosing pictures of the erosion. Dr. Billy seems to think mine eroded due to all the problems I had with my port issues. That makes lots of sense to me. He also said he didn't see the erosion on the initial pass through and only caught it after the turned the camera around and looked back on itself. It was hiding the little bugger. You can see that in the second page of pics Number 16 shows the slight white area to the right. SIGH!! I am making this short as I am rushing to get everything in order before I go back to Ventura and get checked into the hospital for surgery which is tonight at around 7p. I will be in the hospital for tonight, tomorrow, and be released the next day if all goes well. We are not anticipating any complications. He is doing the surgery laparoscopically. Thank goodness I don't have to be cut wide open for this surgery. At this point, I am just wanting to get this thing OUT and begin to heal and then get through the holidays. After that I will think about what my options are regarding anything else. I will be out of touch for a few days. I will call Christina or Lisa and let them know how I am doing and they can post for me. I love you all. PS: Take care of your bands people. FOLLOW the rules. If you are too tight get an unfill and learn to cope. PLEASE!!!!!! This is too much to deal with right now. I am a mess. HUGS Pictures to follow.

John and I saw Billy and Elton when they toured together. The show was awesome. I am so thrilled I even got tickets. WHOO HOO!!!!

Diamond Necklace? I want one night with Billy. LOL!! JUST ONE!! LOL!!

OK everyone pray that my band is a good band. I go in the morning for my endoscopy. I have to leave the house at 5;30am to go to Ventura for an endoscopy with Hunky Dr. Billy. I will update you when I get home.

Ok as I sat at the computer and intently stared at the Ticketmaster screen waiting for 10am when the tickets went on sale, the excitement begin to swell and over flow. The 10am ticked on the computer clock and I hit refresh on the home page for ticketmaster. I entered the number of tickets and where I wanted to sit. Hit send. Waited while the computer scanned the seats to see if they were available and all the while I was praying to get good seats. VOILA!! I got tickets I got tickets!!!! HOORAY!! I am so thrilled. April 5, 2006 at 8pm in Staples Center, here in Los Angeles. HERE WE COME!!!

Yes I do sell my jewelry. I also make one of a kind pieces. PM me if interested.

Beautiful hands. I love them. I did a sketch of hands one time in High School. The picture is 36 x 40 I think. Too big to scan but I will take a pic and post it in the next week. I also mentioned earlier that I do jewelry making. Here is a sample of my work.

Haven't seen ZOE online lately. Anyone heard from her?

Don Mills following statement really pisses me off, "It is true that patients banded in Mexico seem to have a higher percentage of issues with the band when compared to US patients. I am sure that this is due to less frequent follow-up care and motivation from a near by surgeon's office." Let me clarify, Don Mills cannot even begin to assume much less be "sure" of what causes erosion or not in either a US or a Mexico bandster. He cannot be "sure" or even question it because the data Inamed collects is HIGHLY inaccurate. The Mexico doctors are not bound by the same guidelines to report problems like the US doctors. The Less frequent follow-up care and motivation has ZERO to do with whether a band erodes or not. Look at Michelle for instance, she is one of the best bandsters I know and had very good follow-up care and she still eroded. Don Mills can kiss my, ___ well you get the picture.

Ok everyone this thread is for pictures. There is a separate thread set up for comments. Here is the link to that thread. Comments for Before and After pictures

Will get right on it.

Before my unfill I could eat this with no problems. I love oatmeal anyway so this was just one more option for me to get in some protein and fiber. YUMMY!! I do suggest for those with alot of restriction in the morning when you fix this oatmeal add some extra water to make it thinner. Goes down much easier. I love both the cinnamon and banana bread flavors.

Patty here is an avatar for you. Plus directions on how to post it. TO post the Avatar follow these instructions: Click on the USER CP located at the top left of page. Then click on the Edit Avatar link located on the LEFT side of page Under the SETTINGS & OPTIONS box. Scroll down the page past the cartoon avatars and you will see CUSTOM AVATARS. In the box that says CUSTOM AVATARS FROM YOUR COMPUTER click on the BROWSE box and find the pic you want to use for your new Avatar. When you click on Browse it will search your computer looking for all your pictures. If you have saved it to your computer then find it and click on the picture. The http:// info will fill in automatically for you. Then click Save changes.

HOLY MOLY Rene look at those cheek bones. WOW!! I agree you are a beauty. The hat is a adorable as well.

Love that hat Rene. TOO CUTE!!! OK went to one of my favoritestestests restaurants today. HOUSTON'S!! THEY ROCK!! They also have the bestest spinach artichoke dip. MMM MMM GOOD!! I had two chips. I swear. Then I was a good bandster and ordered their Veggie Burger with monterey Jack cheese. NO TOP OF THE BUN! I didn't even eat the bottom. I also had a slice of avocado on it. MMM GOOD!! I hate it all. I also had a couple of their shoestring fries. All in all I was a good bandster. The calories I don't even wanna think about. LOL!! Tonight I had a medium size apple with a tablespoon of Peanut Butter, a cup of Soup, and some carrots with Light ranch dressing. That also was pretty good for me. Now I am starving over here. Actually it is head hunger I am experiencing but man is my head screaming. LOL!! SHUT up NO YES NO YES!!!! See what I mean!! OK I am getting tired so I will drink a LARGE glass of good ole Water and off to beddie bye for me. TOmorrow is another day!! Love you guys.