I am one of those people who has not had any success with the lapband. I know it is my fault because too many people lose. My question is how many lapbanders have come down with an autoimmune disease after the lapband implant? It wasn't six months after that I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. I am now on Embrel and Methotextrate injections every week. Doctors keep telling me NO NO NO this cannot cause thiese kinds of problems but it seems so wierd how right afterwards I started getting sick with this disease. Waiitng for replies.

Cheryl

Well, assuming you were born in 1970 (from your handle) you are at the prime age for autoimmune diseases to present themselves. A whole host of them such as lupus, scleroderma and fibromyalgia are well known for showing up in the late 20s and early 30s, and they tend to do so quite rapidly too. It sucks but welcome to the club. While I won't declare it's impossible the two are connected, I'd tend to side with the doctors.

In the months after I got my band, my pre-existing autoimmune disease went into a tailspin. It's possible that you already had the disease, but the stress of the band just brought the symptoms more to your attention.

I also had a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis after my band was placed, however I think I had it years before the band, just didn't recognize it. I also take mtx and folic acid. I had foot problems, tendon issues, surgeries to correct, etc, that were all probably my first bouts of PSA, but didn't know it, until it started affecting the joints in my hands, when I went to a rheumatologist for a diagnosis. It doesn't just affect joints, but tendons and ligaments that surround the joints.