mbz

"I have no use for an entire stomach, it has done nothing but hold too much food. It just hasn't been a good friend to me." <br><br> MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!!!!!!!!:clap2:

I had no symptoms of erosion except for no restriction, and therefore, weight re-gain. My removal was an emergency...I would think all erosions would be, due to the chance of leakage into the abdominal cavity, which is deadly. The insurance company should COVER this!!!! I would FIGHT on that one. I never even considered another band, as I was afraid this would happen to me again. My surgeon did not recommend it, either. I had to heal for over 6 months before they would even consider me for another surgery. My band was over 1/2 eroded in my stomach.

I would suggest scheduling an endoscopy for as early in January as you can....those sound like my exact symptoms of erosion. I had no restriction, and they could not see the erosion in 3 upper GI's under fluoro with barium. I gained half the weight back I lost. THen when they found it, they had to do emergency surgery to get it out and fix the hole it made in my stomach....please schedule an endoscopy, better safe than sorry!

Hi Penni, almost my exact story!!!! Except my doc rolled me into emergency surgery an hour after endo. THere was basically NO discussion. I had a cruise with my family planned the next day. Cancelled. The band was over 1/2 inside my stomach. Life-threatening. Left a huge hole, very painful recovery! Also, no discussion on another band. He said no way, plus I was afraid it would happen again. I researched the VSG and DS. I got the DS after over 6mo of healing, and (knock on wood) doing great! PLEASE research! Go to obesityhelp.com and look at the VSG and DS boards!! Good Luck!!!

Bands are really great, but unfortunately, not for everyone! My doc said absolutely not to another band after mine eroded. If it had slipped, I dont think I would have kept it either, call me pessimistic, but I see it as a sign of worse things to come. I know there are lots of people who were rebanded after a slip and are doing fine, though! I would seriously consider VSG, or DS, (duodenalswitch.com) The doc can tell the insurance co that the band is not working for you and causing you bad complications and request a medically necessary revision to another surgery.

Hi, and I am so sorry to hear your mom's story--. I think that she should look into a revision surgery. When my band failed, not only did my surgeon tell me he did not think I was a good candidate for another one, but quite frankly, I didnt want another one, to always be scared that the same thing would happen. Even if mine had been a slip, I would have taken it out, do do something else. I only need to loose a little over 100 lbs, but I still want something more permanant with less room for mechanical errors...good luck to her!

lila/Amanda, are you fills done under fluoro? I think perhaps, could you schedule a fluoro so that your docs could do a swallow, to see what position the band is in? It is better to do this earlier, than later. I know the maintenance can be a pain, but it does lead to a little better piece of mind, that, if its ok-great, if not, get a plan to fix it. Good luck!

There are 2 other options I can think of, other than RnY--I am going to DS (Duodenal Switch), but there is also a less-extreme version (no intestinal bypassing) called the VGG (vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) You can read posts about them on obesityhelp.com, good luck!

HI Harley, I never had any symptoms, or issues, except gradually being able to eat more easily, and more amounts, then I began to regain. I only had one fill, and it was wonderful--a lot of restriction. I told the doc to please do something cause after I healed from sugery, it was like I didnt even have surgery, and under fluoro, he said my opening was large. So, after that, I learned what/and what not to eat (some sliming and PBing, but not a lot) and the weight just dropped. I was never hungry and even forgot to eat! I thought I died and went to heaven. Then I went to get it checked under fluoro again, I seemed to be plateu-ing (sp?) for a few months, perhaps get a little more fill..? He said I had planty of fill, the band looked ok, but that it was perhaps a few degrees below the optimum 45° angle it should be at. And that maybe the pouch had stretched, a little. So, I left feeling fine, just telling myself to watch the head hunger and I would lose more. But, I was bad at that, and gradully started gaining more and more. I was in denial, and embarrased. There was no pain or any symptoms of something wrong. THen, finally I go the courage to go to my current doc, who did 3 fluoros (could not see anything except the pouch looked like it was drooping(??) a bit...he was very confused) and then one endoscopy. He was going to schedule me for surgery the next week to go in and fix it or replace it. In the endoscopy is when he saw the band halfway into my stomach, and they put me back under almost immediately for emergency removal. I cried for weeks! THey told me that most are lucky, and some are very unlucky--it could have been as small as a stitch in the wrong place, or the fill was too aggressive for my stomach, or it moved and then got itself into a weaker area....they really dont know. I would say, that no matter what they probably would not have caught it unless they did an endoscopy on me every few weeks-! (Which is really unrealistic) I would just say, dont worry, and do gradual fills. If something goes wrong, there will not be anything you did, and they will probalby be able to fix it. Slips have many more symptoms and are more easily fixed! My case was rare and extreme, you will be fine, keep an eye on it...good luck!

yes, wheetsin is right--the band was fine, but the wall of my stomach was not! When I got the band (2003) they said erosion was less that 1% of lap band people. So, that was PRETTY low! Now, I am hearing the numbers are higher, like 3-5%, however, at the same time, I think they are learning from us, perhaps so that it will go down again...updating procedures, stitching, fills, etc. He also told me that the band would be permanent, too, that I could very well have it the rest of my life....I was very happy to hear that! I am sure it is true, in most lap banders today. I dont think erosion is easy, in most ways, I think it is kindof a crap shoot, most are lucky, some are not. They told me it could have eroded for many reasons, one stitch could have been in the wrong spot, it could have slipped a bit and gotten itself into a spot that was maybe weaker, more prone to erosion, maybe my fill was too much, they dont know. But, it was working great! I looked great, and felt great! Never hungry! I even had fluoro check ups, (especially when the restriction stopped) and they said you look fine, but no more fill. They could not see the erosion in 3 or 4 fluoros, that I know now that it was already eroded. It kind of just looked like a bit of my stomach was sort of drooping over the band, or that my pouch had gotten slightly bigger. the only way they saw it for sure was in the endoscopy (camera down my throat). I am fine now, thanks! I had an upper GI, they said everything looks just like it was before. I am sure I have scar tissue that they might have to cut around in my next surgery, but otherwise I healed fine....its been a crazy few years!

When a band erodes, it must be removed immediately, it can kill you. It basically means there is a hole in your stomach that they also have to sew up, if you leak, its deadly, just like in any of the other bypass surgeries. When eroded, as far as I know, they can NOT replace the band right away, since they must fix the stomach and this must heal for a good while. Insurance may pay for a new one later, I guess mine would have, cause I did end up gaining all the weight back with a bmi over 40 again, but my surgeon advised against it, and I dont want it because I am just afraid it will happen to me again. Perhaps my stomach was not the right one for the band! When a band slips, it can be fixed and put back in place surgically, or replaced if needed when they are in there. I think insurance covers that, cause it can become serious and is definitely medically necesary!

Hi 4 timer,I am so sorry for your problems! It really sounds like you are having a bad time. When they woke me up from my endoscopy, and my doc showed me the picture of more than half of the white shiny plastic band inside my stomach...I cried....and cried!! I said, please, dont take my band away!...THen they had to put me back under--emergency removal. I have healed for over 6 months and gained all my weight back, horribly depressed, but still fighting. PLease dont make yourself be in danger, with this continuous open wound! I know it is horrible to think of removal, but there are other options. I made myself SICK thinking of if I would ever have to get removal. I knew I would gain every pound back without restriction. I am ALWAYS hungry....so, consider your options, it wont take that long! Most are the lucky ones with the band, some of us are not, good luck!