Pegsinthewoods

My insurance is making do the whole thing over again. (BC/BS Federal)

My doc says that scar tissue softens after awhile and with MY situation, he felt I had so much scar tissue it would be thick and unpilable (sp?) and would take a year to soften. What sucks now is it has been a year but I've been diagnosised as a binge eater and I am going through therapy to resolve before I get my sleeve. No one wants me to go through surgery and not resolve my eating issue only to end up in a similar situation a couple of years out. I am so looking forward to being post-op.

I had a very servere erosion and my doctor insisted upon a year. Since then I've had some other issues come up so I am still waiting. He also warned me that we would have to discuss the possibility of open vs. laposcopic when the time came. I think six months is the norm but I nearly died from the erosion and my stomach was pretty messed up so he was more comfortable with a year.

I have not had a leak from a sleeve but I had a very serious lapband erosion (nearly killed me). Since then I am trying to get sleeved and have been keeping track of folks who have had complications in case I need their help in the future. Below is the list. You might want to contact them directly if you have any questions.

1. Sandyd – infection from surgery (Reno) (VS Talk)

2. MeMeMEEE – leak (twice) (VS Talk)

3. Driver63 – leak

4. Tiffykins – leak (band revision)

5. Hansi – stomach ruptured

6. Dishdiva – leaks (Mexico)

7. YellowRose – infected incision (Mexico) & drain tube infection 8/5/11

8. Mommyinneed – seroma turned abscess (Mexico)

9. Sexypeaches33 – pancreatitis (Mexico) then gastritis

10. DivaDee84 – Infected incision (Mexico) leak (still @ seven months)

11. Honeyrubybee – splenic infarction

12. TKDBlackbelt15 (fiancee) – leak

13. Rblessed – leak

14. Jen Jen – leak (Mexico)

15. Ladiesassie – nicked liver (didn’t follow pre-op diet)

16. Moore37042 – leak

17. Jagator88 – leak & esophagus was destroyed and had to be rebuilt from muscle (Mexico)

18. Jsfound – leak (VS Talk)

19. Leisa815 – leak (VS Talk)

20. Jasleeve – leak

21. Joseph – leak Kuwait (VS Talk)

22. Peachqueen – leak (VS Talk)

23. Jcarelle – leak (VS Talk)

24. Jerseygirl74 – leak & spleen infarction (VS Talk)

25. Happylife – stricture (had a stent like a leak) (VS Talk)

26. Kookia – leak (VS Talk)

27. Nanaof5 – spleen infarction (VS Talk)

28. Jencomenz – spleen infarction (VS Talk)

29. Honeybunnyslp – spleen infarction (VS Talk)

30. Neese – spleen infarction (VS Talk)

31. Bedhead – erosion (ulcer) caused by an infection (VS Talk)

32. Donniej – leak (band revision) (VS Talk)

33. DogBone (wife’s cousin) – leak, tracheostomy, induces coma (Brazil) DIED

34. 4ALongerLife – leak

35. Minaleigh – twisted stomach, needed a stent

36. Mews – infected incision and blood clot

37. Laura74 – (husband, OH) stomach started to close up so had a stent (stricture?)

38. Victoria28 – leak (ThinnerTimes)

39. Happylife – twisted stricture (VS Talk)

40. P77tmy – blood clots (VS Talk)

41. CrazyCatLady – blood clot (VS Talk)

42. Karlij – leak (Obesity Help)

43. 1maryreigel – swollen

44. Gigglee – open wound? Vst

45. Twistedkitten25 – internal bleeding and abscess

46. Shane5958 – blood abscess

47. Cookies – blood clot

48. Wendyr – spleen infarction, leak, pneumonia (punctured lung when placing drain for leak)

49. Stephwb – leak

50. Irishgirlparisi – UTI (foley catheter) & MRSA from JP tube (Thinner Times)

51. Heidi P – leak (Obesity Help)

52. Moxy – leak (Obesity Help)

53. Cthompson580 – leak (Obesity Help)

54. Jsd2 – very sick also had blood clots, heart palpitations (VS Talk)

55. Abbybeep – stricture w/in first five days (VS Talk)

56. Lulugirl – bacterial infection & possible stricture (VS Talk)

57. Ready2Bthin – acid refluc & wasn’t able to get protein/vitamins in, developed problem w/balance & walking (VS Talk)

58. RawrrAshleex3 – leak (VS Talk)

59. Candice1222 – leak (VS Talk)

60. Cat_woman – leak (Obesity Help)

I haven't been sleeved yet, but I was banded. I think you are setting yourself up for a similar situation with the sleeve that you have with the band - not a lot of success. IF you are not doing what you should be doing (exercise, Protein, etc) you are not going to be successful long term with ANY WLS. They are just tools to teach us news ways of eating but if you don't change, you'll be back to your old situation eventually. I hope this didn't come across as being mean, I just am struggling with the same situation.

Minaleigh, just for the record (list) what type of complications did you have? thanks

May I ask what complications? I am trying to get my head ready for anything.

I'm an eroded gastric band survivor trying to be sleeved. I have been following sleeve forums for the past year and have compiled a list of folks and the complications they had.

1. Sandyd – infection from surgery (Reno) (VS Talk)
   
2. MeMeMEEE – leak (twice) (VS Talk)
   
3. Driver63 – leak
   
4. Tiffykins – leak (band revision)
   
5. Hansi – stomach ruptured
   
6. Dishdiva – leaks (Mexico)
   
7. YellowRose – infected incision (Mexico) & drain tube infection
   
8. DivaDee84 – Infected incision (Mexico) leak (still @ seven months)
   
9. Honeyrubybee – splenic infarction
   
10. TKDBlackbelt15 (fiancee) – leak
    
11. Rblessed – leak
    
12. Jen Jen – leak (Mexico)
    
13. Ladiesassie – nicked liver (didn’t follow pre-op diet)
    
14. Moore37042 – leak
    
15. Jagator88 – leak & esophagus was destroyed and had to be rebuilt from muscle (Mexico)
    
16. Jsfound – leak (VS Talk)
    
17. Leisa815 – leak (VS Talk)
    
18. Jasleeve – leak
    
19. Joesph – leak Kuwait
    
20. Peachqueen – leak
    
21. Jcarelle – leak
    
22. Jerseygirl74 – leak & spleen infarct
    
23. Happylife – stricture (had a stent like a leak)
    
24. Kookia – leak
    

Even with the complications, I think most of the above had said they would do it again.

I beg to differ with the insistance of a fever. I did NOT have one. I was not septic when I was admitted but was in kidney failure. I had a very low BP and a low body temp. Docs said it can go that way too. So, please DO NOT rely on a fever as being your only guideline.

Hey, Jsfound, thanks for chiming in. It sounds like your leak was a little different from the classic “fever-type”. Could you please tell your story? I am in the process of a revision from a SEVERELY eroded lapband. My doc tells me with my excessive scarring; I’m at higher risk for leaks so I am trying to learn as much as I can about symptoms, etc before my surgery. You speak of kidney failure, how was that determined? How did they finally discover it was a leak? What did they do as far as getting the leak fixed? Would you do it again? There is a forum on complications; if it is not too painful, it could really benefit others if you would share your story. Thanks, Pegs

5DogMa, I have had drain tubes before and they have ALWAYS hurt! Like you said, milking the line was the worst! It hurt for just a moment when they removed them and that was it.

Sandyd - thanks again, for sharing and keeping us updated. From your posts, I take it you didn't have a leak, you had an infection at the drain site? I'm still pre-op (revision from lapband) and trying to gain as much knowledge as I can. thanks

I, too, am an eroded lapband survivor. Being without my band sucks! I have already gained 28 pounds since April. My band was severely eroded and I had a bad case of peritonitis so my doc is having me wait until next April to be sleeved. Due to the peritonitis, he expects lots of adhesions and he has found he has better results when adhesions are at least a year old. They become more pliable so there's less chance for leaks. Anyway, I am hanging on the best I can until April.

My band was severly eroded (I was super sick with peritonitis) and my doc required it to be done in two procedures. He is making me wait a year for the adhesions to soften up.

I haven't been on the board lately because I am what is called a lapband failure (no fault of my own, I'm just one of the lucky statistics that failed). I was as banded Aug 2008. I had good success for the first two years but then started having mysterious fevers, night sweats, and pain in my abdomen. After battling this off and on for several months, I ended up in the ER with a 102+ fever and I thought I was dying. My band had eroded and was leaking causing severe peritonitis. The band was removed and I spent ten days in the hospital on seven different antibiotics 24/7. I am in the process of trying to get a sleeve but with the adhesions from the peritonitis, my surgeon is making wait a full year (April 4, 2012 will be a year) until we consider it. I had forgotten how hungry I was before the band.

My BIGGEST fear of the sleeve is that "we" are doing that again. I hear very few negatives and I that is exactly how it was with the band in 2001. Sure, we knew about erosions, but that only happened to people who kept their band too tight (who knew that ALL the bands made during that time were probably too tight for most people!). Sure, Slips happened, but that was only to those people who "didn't follow the rules". There was alot of blaming of the people that these things happened to - it was a way of deflecting the real risks I guess.

Reading forums is very informational, but it is also a poor way to know how things go over the long haul. People tend to move on after awhile AND people who were never successful tend to post less hen the ones who have done well. It tends to bias the impression you get.

anyway, I am glad my band is gone, and I do plan to revise to the sleeve, but I do wish there was another path that actually works.

WHEW! My thoughts EXACTLY!! Please, please, please veterans help us who are pre-op understand your lives. I am scared. (lap band erosion survivor)

Possibly if you ran the oats in the blender for awhile before mixing might help?

Great thread for those of us pre-op. You guys are great!

I, too, had a lapband erosion and was terribly sick with peritonitis. I’ve never been so close to death but my weight gain since the removal has me scared into getting the sleeve. I am currently going through a six month supervised diet, etc. I am looking for surgery after the first of the year.

Thank you all for the great input! My revision surgery is still months away but the more information I have, the better. Your posts have added some questions to the list I have for surgeon. All good stuff. Thanks again.

I too, WAS a slow looser. I found out I had an eroded band and it was removed April 9, 2011 (installed Aug. 4, 2008). I was very ill. Please watch yourself if you stop loosing, it could be a sign of a complication. I do miss my band. Without it, I struggle even more and wrestle with unnecessary guilt over eating. I am currently checking into other WLS because once you have an erosion, you cannot be banded again.

My band was placed in Aug 2008 and eroded and removed in April 2011. Since I was so sick, the surgeon opted to do the revision in two seperate surguries.

I was banded Aug. 4, 2008. I lost 48+ pounds my first year. I had instant restriction. The next year, nothing. I still had restriction but wasn't losing any weight and then I started feeling sick. April 9, 2011 my band was removed due to erosion. I was very sick with peritonitus and hospitalized w/pick line, etc for a week and a half. Every night I had a nightmare I was going through an obstacle course and that if I didn’t make it, I’d die. Anyways, I am presently w/o and trying to get a sleeve. I long for my band only because I had forgotten how out of control I feel w/o it. I constantly feel hungry and want to eat. I’m back to hating my lack of control.

Yes, I had a very BAD experience with my band but right now I wish I still had it. I hope I can get a sleeve. I've started the six month required diet and I am having the required shrink appointment in two weeks. Hopefully shortly after the first of the year, I will be joining you all as band to sleeve resisionite.

Well I've been banded for 5 yrs and only lost 35 lbs and have been sick as a dog from day one, and then nothing but lies and run-arounds from the doctor, so now I am having the stupid thing removed, what a scam ,,these guys are making a killing off the insurance companies.

Scam? I'm not sure I'd be that rough on my band. I agree the docs are making a killing off insurance but I'm still glad I have been banded. Even if I have only lost a portion of the weight, not being morbidly obese is a good achievement for me. I may never be thin, but at least I'm heathier than when I started. :thumbdown:

I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. That would make it rough to keep.

I just want you to know you are not the only one. I've been banded just over two years and have been stationary the last year. I'm pretty frustrated because nothing seems to be able to jar me from this plateau. At least I'm no longer morbidly obese but I was hoping for a larger weight loss. I'm not quite ready for a by-pass, yet.

We sound similar. Banded about the same time, lost about the same amount, etc. I'm thinking "the honeymoon is over." The first twelve months, I lost weight without trying. Now I've been wrestling with the same four pounds since July! This week I decided that I need to get back to my roots. I pulled out my old food/exercise diary and committed myself to eat and exercise like I did when I was first banded. I've learned more about slider foods than a bandster should know. :sad: Let's toughen-up and eat our lean Protein first and then some veggies. Take your Vitamins and go for a walk. Please, Lord, if I can't do it for myself, let me do it for those who love me. :wub: