de-banded and feeling better!

[kellymoos 4]

Hey Elizabeth......Glad all is going well. We need to be "diet" partners. Pretty weird that we were banded the same week and then unbanded the same week....We need to keep in touch!! Good Luck to us!

[wssmith 0]

It has been my experience that anything removed from the body in surgery, the ER, etc. is normally sent to the pathology lab for at least a gross examination. I know this is true for bullets, knifes, and such. I’m not sure about medical appliances though. I do not remember ever getting an old pacemaker for example.

[NewSho 20]

Elizabeth -

Glad you're doing so well.

Continued Success!

Happy Band (and UnBanded) Journeys to all,

NewSho

[Jonathan 5]

I was told by my dr. that should my band ever erode or slip to the point it had to be removed that under no circumstances could I keep it. It must be returned for testing and to see if the experts can figure out what happened. I doubt the same is true in Mexico, as I've heard of people keeping their bands, but I've never heard of anyone who was banded in the US getting to keep the band once it was removed. If I'm wrong, please chime in and let me know.

I was banded in Richardson, Texas, on January 31st, 2005. I had my band removed in Dallas, Texas on March 14th, 2006, and at my request they sent the band home with me in a specimin cup. It is cut to pieces, and unusable, of course, but it's all there; band, tube, and port.

Jonathan

[GeezerSue 7]

Dody:

Your surgeon is bullshitting you. As a surgeon, I have never been asked to return eroded or slipped bands to Inamed. I've got a drawer full of them.

Mark Pleatman MD

Thank you, Dr. Pleatman...you Silver-Tongued Devil...for the direct approach. My band is sitting in a baggie with my Bio-Enterics (pre-Inamed) "owner's manual."

[tamayack 0]

Hi,

My name is Tammy and I was banded 7 days ago. I cannot even eat a bite of Jello without severe pain. All I can do is sip broth and gatorade. Will this get better?...............Help!

[the best me 6]

Hi,

My name is Tammy and I was banded 7 days ago. I cannot even eat a bite of Jello without severe pain. All I can do is sip broth and gatorade. Will this get better?...............Help!

Tammy, I PM'd you. Top right box, click Private Messages link. Good luck!

Oh, did your doc say you can have protien drinks at this stage? That will help, too.

[Bell 0]

Dr. Pleatman, have you had so many bands errode or slip? Do you normally replace those bands, or do the people chose to go without?

[DrPleatman 3]

I've never had a band erode, though I recently took care of a patient with an erosion whose band was placed in Mexico. I removed it and 6 months later did a gastric bypass for her. I've had my share of band slippages. They generally don't need to be removed, but can just be fixed. A few patients chose to have them removed, and they regain their weight. I try to encourage them to have a conversion to either sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass.

All the conversion patients have done well, and were happy with their decisions.

Mark Pleatman MD

[DrPleatman 3]

Let me clarify that a bit more. Most patients with slipped bands can undergo successful repairs, and then continue to do well. I only encourage conversion for patients whose bands can't be salvaged.

Mark Pleatman MD

[chameleon 0]

Happy Birthday Dr. Pleatman and thanks for taking the time to visit us!

[Morsaille 4]

Happy Birthday Doc!

It's good having you around. Wish you'd consider a practice in... say... Seattle?

[Kathi 0]

Why the heck doesn't Inamed have to pay for somebody's replacement/removal if it was due to faulty equipment, ie; a leak???

I can understand them not paying for a slip or erosion, but why not a leak?

[GeezerSue 7]

Why the heck doesn't Inamed have to pay for somebody's replacement/removal if it was due to faulty equipment, ie; a leak???

I can understand them not paying for a slip or erosion, but why not a leak?

There was a time, about three-and-a-half or four years ago or so, when Inamed...then BioEnterics...changed manufacturers for the port and there were lots of problems. I was never TOLD exactly what the situation involved, but I was able to figure out from observation that ports were being replaced, and the patients were not paying for the surgeon or replacement port. And I also noticed that patients were keeping track of mileage and even going for the port change-out to doctors who did not do the original band. There was even a Yahoo group for people with screwed-up LapBand ports.

But the problem went away, and I suspect, that in the then relatively early life of the band in the US, the problems were resolved without fanfare but with a confidentiality clause. Betcha!

[BandsterHopeful 1]

Inamed DOES pay for defective bands - surgery for replacement and all other fees. They even paid for my friend's plane fare back to her surgeon. There are very few truly defective bands. most leaks are tubing leaks caused by bad fill technique.

I know of one leak around the band itself that was a true defect, and again all costs were paid for the patient to be re-operated.

Inamed also DOES ask that eroded bands be sent back to them for study. Renee