Hey everyone, I wanted to check in with all of you to let you all know Iam home from TJ and bandless. I'm doing amazingly well emotionally...physically however I do have some pain. I found out what caused my erosion....we all know they stitch the band in place..well when I had bowel obstruction surgery Dr. Ortiz was concerned about a stitch he saw which is why he was so adamant of me coming back in 6 months for another endo, sure enough after reading my endo report and viewing the dvd the endo doctor gave him there is no doubt in his mind what so ever that the 1 single stitch caused the band to erode, the good thing coming out of this is Dr. Ortiz said and I qoute " you will be saving alot of peoples bands with this info, Iam going to a lap band conference in Feb and I'm going to take your reports and submit and share this info with Dr.'s all over the world and with Inamed" .( he did not even let me take my reports home, he wants them for this conference) So me losing my band is not such a bad thing if it will help others to not lose theirs. I'm taking one for the team here I'm in a good place with all of this, I truly am. I'm ready for the challenge of maintaining my weight loss. For those of you who have not had an endo, go and have one, just becuase there are no symptoms does not mean everything is good. Dr. Ortiz reccomends an endo between 18 months to 2 years out. Having it done at a year is useless in his opinion. Thanks to all of you for your awesome support and love, It isso greatly appreciated

I will continue to be hear for support for myself as wel las offer it to others.

P.S. Dr. Ortiz and Martinez oth told me it wil lfeel like I still have abvand due to the ring of scar tissus that was produced while I had the band..So I will pretend to still be a bandster, eat like a bandster and follow the rules like a bandster.

So Glad To See You Back! I've been on pins n' needles waiting to hear from you, Michelle. Francesca sounds so much worse, and I'm really worried, but so glad you're okay.

As far as the stitch, can you explain how it caused erosion? Did it enter the band area, like a splinter? Please tell Dr. Ortiz that Billy found several floating stitches that had no business floating around my port area (when he removed the last port.) If stitches aren't supposed to be floating around there, then Lopez just left them swimming near my port????? Sheesh!

Heal fast and start showing the rest of us how it's done. I need to get back on the weight loss train with you. Welcome home

P.S. You helped me through my situation more than anything... your words kept playing over n' over, even while you were in surgery, so thanks for helping me let Kitty go so sweetly.

Praise God. I am so glad to see you post! Thank you so much for letting us know you are well and recovering at home.

I know you'll do fine! Please take care of yourself. Don't overdo it and just rest while you get your head in a place of peace to move forward in this journey.

Gentle hugs.. and thank you for being the sacrificial lamb, so to speak..

Leatha

Wow Michelle! That is really important! Please continue to be good to yourself, you are such a strong woman!

I have been waiting for this post! I am so happy you are back and fine. Thanks for sharing that information with us Michelle. Those nasty stitches sure have a way of coming back and haunting us sometimes.

I know you will do good with or without a band, you just have so much determination. You will always remain an inspiration to me.

Rest up girl, and big hugs to you!

So glad your home and have some anwsers.

I've been thinking about you!

Welcome home ! You will always be the # 1 bandster in my eyes, so keep up the good work. You truly are such an inspiration to all of us.

REST REST REST and get better real soon !

Thank you so much for coming and letting us know how you're doing. I hope you heal quickly and completely--you deserve an easier ride of it!

Was the stitch that caused the erosion one from your original banding surgery? Does this mean that every person who had the same surgeon (who presumably does banding in the same way in most patients) is going to end up eroded? Or was this something specific to your anatomy or medical situation? Sorry for all the questions, but as you say it's going to save future bandsters some heartache (and stomach ache!)

So glad you're back and on the mend. Take good care of yourself, sweetie--everyone needs you around!!

Was the stitch that caused the erosion one from your original banding surgery? Does this mean that every person who had the same surgeon (who presumably does banding in the same way in most patients) is going to end up eroded? Or was this something specific to your anatomy or medical situation?

Yes this stitch was from the original banding surgery. No this does not mean all who had thissurgoen will have erosion it was more specific to my anatomy, some bodies can not tolerate that stitch and it festers like a boild or a blister , just as some can not tolerate a foreing object in their bodies. Those were the same questions I asked Alex.

Michelle,

So glad you are home.

What did he say about getting rebanded?

Since you have the scar tissue, do you have any restriction from that? And will the scar tissue go away?

But my BIG question is... IF he noticed this "stitch" during your bowel obstriction surgery, and was somewhat concerned about it, why didnt he do something to it then? (((Maybe wouldve saved your band?)))

Ive really been worried about you. Everyone has.

you are very much loved!

Wow, I keep thinking about all those stitches floating around in me. Dr. Billy didn't even tell me (I don't think he had the heart to) but he told Penni, and Penni's the one that told me Billy found a bunch of floating stitches. And it burns me because Dr. Lopez had JUST BEEN IN THERE a month prior! So Lopez saw 5-7 floating stitches and just left them there? Did he forget his surgical triceps or whatever-the-heck those tweezers are called?

Michelle, you've really opened my eyes. If stitches can cause erosion, and Lopez leaves them floating all over the place... sigh.

Ortiz told me the mintue he cut the band the stitch popped right out just like he thought it would

What did he say about getting rebanded?

I can be rebanded in 5-6 moths if I so chose, he said erosion a second time is less likely since there is only 1 way to originally place the band but after erosion they use the scar tissue to adhere the 2nd band and he sees less cases of erosion. Yes he told me I will still have restriction from the scar tissue built up from where the band is and he left it in palce in the event I may want another band. I just took my antibiotics and trust me it still feel like I have a band.

I asked him why he left the stitch, he said he was not 100% suree if would cause erosion but after seeing my endo results and seeing the DVD the endo Dr. gave him he now truly beleives this is what caused it. No doubt in his mind.

Maybe removing that stich my band would of slipped? I should of asked that question, and Paula thanks for the hershey bar..you are a sweetie I hope you enjoyed it as much as I would of

I'm just happy to know my erosion was nothing I did, I was a good bandster with just a case of bad luck but again the band did it's job,. No way could I have lost 106 lbs in 19 months without it. It gave me my life back!

I am so glad to hear you are ok!! Here is to a speedy recovery and hopin the scar tissue will act like a permanant band for the rest of your life!!!

You are such a strong and brave women!! You have been so very helpful to me. I only hope I can be helpful for you now. Continue to stay positive and strong....you can do it!!

I am glad that you are home and on your way to recovery!!!