Hi all. My band has been persnickity lately, with a complete loss of restriction and a lot of pain. The surgeon filled it some today but says if it doesn't resolve he will need to do an EGD to look for erosion. Has anyone had this happen and if so, what was your experience like?

What is this pain like?

I had erosion but we caught it really early. It was 3mm in size and I didn't even really know I had it.

How I got to the point of getting an endoscope check was I had acid reflux one night, my tubing hurt ( which can mean infection or erosion) and I had some weird stomach pains sometimes at the top of my stomach. My doc decided right away to check and sure enough there was erosion.

I was completely unfilled for 2 weeks and on meds. After 2 weeks we checked my stomach again and it was healing really well ( photo here http://alienbanditinkorea.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/home-from-the-hospital-and-photos/) so my doctor said I had 2 choices. I could have my band removed, wait 3 months and get a new one or he could keep me unfilled and stitch my stomach on the inside and wait for me to heal before giving me a fill.

I decided to have my band removed and waited a few months before gettng a different one. I am now 7 months post op my second band and no problems of erosion

What is this pain like?

I had erosion but we caught it really early. It was 3mm in size and I didn't even really know I had it.

How I got to the point of getting an endoscope check was I had acid reflux one night, my tubing hurt ( which can mean infection or erosion) and I had some weird stomach pains sometimes at the top of my stomach. My doc decided right away to check and sure enough there was erosion.

I was completely unfilled for 2 weeks and on meds. After 2 weeks we checked my stomach again and it was healing really well ( photo here http://alienbanditin...tal-and-photos/) so my doctor said I had 2 choices. I could have my band removed, wait 3 months and get a new one or he could keep me unfilled and stitch my stomach on the inside and wait for me to heal before giving me a fill.

I decided to have my band removed and waited a few months before gettng a different one. I am now 7 months post op my second band and no problems of erosion

Thank you for your reply! I was beginning to worry. The pain is a burning gnawing sensation. It never stops it just aches all the time. If I eat I get a little relief but then it hurts even worse. The fill has led to restriction, which is nice because it means that there is no complete erosion, but the pain is still there. I have to take a lot of NSAIDs and took steroids for a few months this summer. Those both can cause issues, so I am concerned. I am glad you replied and that they didn't need to reoperate on you. It gives me some hope. Can just irritation hurt like this all the time?

Hi all. My band has been persnickity lately, with a complete loss of restriction and a lot of pain. The surgeon filled it some today but says if it doesn't resolve he will need to do an EGD to look for erosion. Has anyone had this happen and if so, what was your experience like?

Hi,

I actually had a complete erosion. I was banded November 2010 and lost weight like the band was made for me. It was going great until February 2011. I went in with severe pain and high fever. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. I was sent to my lapband doctor for a upper GI. Everything checked out. I had severe lower abdominal pain, after about a month of complaining about the pain and having it get worse instead of better, they did a ct scan with contrast. They spotted a small hematoma where my lapband should be so I was sent back to Dr. Eldridge with the ct scan results to see what he thought. He actually spotted an abscess below the port site and ordered it to be drained ASAP! He also did an endoscopy. He said that my stomach was eroding and it was so bad he could actually see the lapband through my stomach lining. He had to take the band out because by this time I was sceptic and fighting for my life. Before he had taken out the lapband I had lost 40 lbs. It was great! Now I have no lapband and he won't reband me because he has never heard of anyone's stomach eroding/or lapband eroding that fast. I am devastated! I don't know what to do! He said I would be a good candidate for the gastric sleeve but how do I get my insurance to pay for that now since my BMI is not in the 40s? I am doing my best not to gain the weight back by exercising daily but I have already gained back 10 lbs.

I'm not sure if this helps you but I hope you do not have an erosion! It is heartbreaking to lose the band I worked and waited to get for so many years!

Misty