Yes, erosion sucks. Yes, paying for a band and going through painful surgery only to have more painful and uncomfortable surgery to remove the band sucks even worse. But there's way too much erosion-anxiety around here, and I'm afraid I caused a lot of it.

People, being unbanded isn't the end of the world. Honestly, I'm happy to have the foreign object out of my stomach. Maybe if I'd been banded locally with good aftercare things would be different, but we all have to TAKE OUR LUCK AS IT COMES AND FIT OURSELVES TO IT.

I was not meant to have the band. I can't explain why, but maybe there's a reason some of us aren't supposed to be skinny. Heck, maybe I'll crash on a deserted island one day and be the sole survivor because of my layers of fat. Or maybe I was supposed to get raped and murdered but the guy passed me by because I was too large to fight. Heck, I don't know the reasons, but there has to be a special place for us in Heaven. Living obese sucks in this life, but there simply has to be a reason in the end.

Sometimes I actually feel sorry for skinny babes with awesome bodies. Maybe our layers of fat have provided us with "real" friendships and "real" relationships instead of those based just on a great rack or a nice ass. When people talked to me at 315 pounds, I knew they were interested in ME, not sex. I'd rather feel thin and healthy, I'm on the top of the world now strutting my hot little ass around the office in my size 18 jeans and new shitkicker boots. I'm feeling amazing and very attractive, but maybe we can't force fate, so chances are that I'll gain all of my weight back. Maybe even more. Maybe the Universe wants me to be a heavy Plain Jane.

I just want everyone to accept that erosion happens. It's not the end of the world though. AND I DO NOT REGRET MY DECISION TO BE BANDED... MY BAND CHANGED MY LIFE AS DID THE FRIENDS I MET HERE!

I was not meant to have the band.

I'd rather feel thin and healthy, I'm on the top of the world now strutting my hot little ass around the office in my size 18 jeans and new shitkicker boots. I'm feeling amazing and very attractive, but

Yes you were meant to have the band...even though it did not work out for you, your above comment would not be true without the help from your band..you strutting around in your size 18 jeans would not of been possible most likely without the band..so even though you eroded..it did something for you..I can hear it in your voice..I see it in your attitude..dont sell yourself short..and yes..you were meant to have the band, you have made some amazing new friends in your life that without your band you would of never met..Like me

Your attitude and determination you have now without your band seem stronger then ever to continue this happier healthier lifestyle..

But you are right erosion is not the end all...still though for us eroders we have come to far to fail..not again..not this time! We will succeed

Amen sister!!! I

For those of you that have exp. band erosion I wish you would email me so we can converse more easily. Or if you have yahoo that would be great too. I'm still sitting here with drains and a hardness around the port incision that is open cuz pus gushed out of it like I had never seen before. The hardness I was told after the port removed was umm what was it..scar tissue around the cut allowing it to heal. Well, it turned out that it ended up being the beginning of another absess. I don't know about you guys that have had your bands erode, but my exp. has been a nitemare so far. Knowing I had a 3 inch hole in my stomach that was leaking food particles and bacteria into my abdomen thus causing the abscesses to form for the past 4 months makes me very scared. Is it going to be over after I heal? Am I healing? Was the opening sutured closed completely or is it still leaking inside my abdomen? All kinds of frightful thoughts are going thru my head and my dr. wanted me to go back to work yesterday. NOT! I don't need that stress added to the stress I already have. I was banded in Mexico so finding a dr. here to look after me NOW could be tricky. I'm thinking I may just go into the ER and tell them what I've had done and tell them about the hardness around the former port incision, and that I fear the abscess is still in there forming and that I fear my stomach could still be leaking through the hole that was there. The dr. said I should be able to remove the drain Sun. or Mon. but when he called yesterday I told him how much it was still draining and he said to leave it there and he will call me again Wed. At least he is looking after me from afar as best he can. Am I a worry wart? I don't think so. Not normally. But, this isn't normal crap. So...YEAH, I'm worried! I'm worried as hell. I want some proff that the hole was sutured closed VERY WELL! I want some proof that the abscess is NOT there nor is it growing again. I NEED these things! It's not that I want them. I NEED THEM for some peace of mind.

Anyway, if any of you have exp. band erosion and would like to talk with me more...I would appreciate it. My email is topsyturvy57@hotmail.com and my yahoo is o_lilangel_o. Those are halos on the sides! :xena_banana: But don't let 'em fool ya!

Yea...you were spose to get the band so you could meet all us wonderful people from all walks of life all over the world.

You are an inspiration.

OOPS, Michelle was right! I WAS meant to have the band, I just wasn't meant to have it forever. My point was supposed to be that there's life after band removal, but I tend to ramble (imagine that?)

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

But Jack, a tattoo? Are you nuts? You act like I'm a biker or something

Topsy, please PM me your phone number. I will pay the long distance charges. I understand what you are going through after having FIVE band related surgeries (plus 3 minor ones in Urgent Care.) I think I can help with some good suggestions.

Maybe the Universe wants me to be a heavy Plain Jane.

I appreciate this post alot. Thank you. But my guess is, there is nothing Plain Jane about you! You seem like a fantastically fun and strong gal to me. Good luck to you sans band.

Erosion is NOT the end of the world!

thinking about life after erosion (band removal) -for me- is like thinking about stuffing a butterfly back into a cocoon.

I never wanna go back to where I started.

So Im just as scared as anyone else... and Ill do what ever I can to not gain it back.

nutrasystem or whatever else it takes!

I went to the doctor today, and on the wall was a poster about stomach disorders. Erosion was on there. I looked at the picture... no band on there. Came home and looked it up. There are several types of erosion, most often they are called "peptic ulcers".

The band is a foreign element that can cause an erosion, but you can get one with or without the band.... and if you get it the other way you have to figure out how to get rid of it. At least this way you can remove the band.

If you had the band, or are able to get the band, then you were meant to have the band. Treasure the gift and learn from it.

And thank you... for being here, sharing your experiences good and bad, and having such a wonderful attitude. We are all blessed to have you here.