I recently had a conversation with someone seeking a Gastric-bypass. Her provider warned her against the LapBand; stating that over time the materials corroid and breakdown, resulting in the need for more surgery. Has anyone else been told this? :phanvan

Hi Penni,

Have you posted the pictures online or anything, cause I'd be really interested to see what it looks like!

mandi

Here is a link to my Erosion story complete with pics. The first page shows the pics. The Whitish thingy with green goo is the band eroded into my stomach. It was really bad actually.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=12385&page=11

Sorry Penni, this isn't a slam on you (or on anybody for that matter, but . . . ) I'm surprised when people say they would have done better with a different choice. What makes them think so?

I'd be thinking, I had a problem with the choice which was repairable - thank God I didn't have the problem with the choice which could have been life-threatening.

Half empty vs. half full. Unlucky vs. lucky.

There's plenty of people around in Australia who have been banded for 10 years.

However it was made very clear to me by my surgeon that there is no longer term data, they simply do not know whether the band will last us our lifetimes. Silicon supposedly does not degrade and is non reactive in the body but who knows.

Sorry Penni, this isn't a slam on you (or on anybody for that matter, but . . . ) I'm surprised when people say they would have done better with a different choice. What makes them think so?

I'd be thinking, I had a problem with the choice which was repairable - thank God I didn't have the problem with the choice which could have been life-threatening.

Half empty vs. half full. Unlucky vs. lucky.

Hey Donna I don't see it as a slam at all and it isn't taken that way. I guess my statement was just expressing my feelings of "if I had known then what I know now" kind of thing. Ya know? LOL!!

I don't want anyone to see my comments as a slam on the lapband. That is NOT my intention at all. I just feel like in my particular case I might have done better with a Bypass instead of the band. I made an informed decision to get the Band in the first place. I knew the complications upfront and that Erosion was a possibility. Just like I know death is a possibility with Bypass. But honestly isn't that a possibility with any surgery?

Anyway, Just venting here. Sorry sorta got off track.

((( Hugs, Penni. )))

Sorry Penni, this isn't a slam on you (or on anybody for that matter, but . . . ) I'm surprised when people say they would have done better with a different choice. What makes them think so?

I'd be thinking, I had a problem with the choice which was repairable - thank God I didn't have the problem with the choice which could have been life-threatening.[/quote=DonnaB]

Yep, that makes sense to think that way since if one has luckily never had a major complication. But when you are facing an issue, you don't measure it in degrees of "Gee, this is life-threatening and dangerous, but luckily it's not fully fatal."

It's more like:

"Dang it, if I had known this, I would have zigged and not zagged." :huggie:

Or, like "Wow, I could have a had a V-8 instead of a Coca-Cola."

Most of us, if given the choice, would make the best decision we could for our health.

I think Penni's response was right on target, and of course, she didn't take offense at all.

But whew, I totally clearly understand her mind set about having made another choice, especially at times when my goal weight seems farther every day.

I know one person, who was part of the original FDA trials, who has experienced something kind of like this. I don't know the exact details/composition specifics, but essentially the integrity of her band failed and, long story short, her band shrunk to where even unfilled, she was unable to pass her own saliva.

Her sister was banded on the same day, same surgeon, etc. and to date has no problems. [/quote=Wheetsin]

As for the original FDA study, the biggest issues with that weren't erosion per se, but more lack of knowledge with the new device, insufficient (or no) fills, and inadequate weight loss due to the newness of the technique and surgeons performing it. As far as I know, the vast majority of unhappy patients were based on not enough loss versus actually having a potentially life-threatening issue like the band eroding into the stomach.

{ It's interesting though because as abysmal as the early band FDA trial results, the earliest Bypass surgery results were even worse. The only difference was since the RnY is not a device (like a LapBand) but a surgical technique, there wasn't the same level of accountability and scrutiny like the LapBand had to undergo. Not only were the complication rates with the early Bypass surgeries very troublesome, but the mortality rates were not encouraging. That's one issue the early LapBand trial didn't really have a problem with... the patients by and large did.}

My Mother has had the Lap Band for 5 years and has lost alot of weight. However, now there is a hole in her stomach where the band has corroded and rotted. Her stomach is now black & yellow and looks like snake skin. Another woman I work with, her band has slipped and they were treating her for lupus due to all the anitbodies showing up. Her insurance does not cover removal and she has now gained all her weight back. At first we thought it was a weight loss miracle, but me not having my Mother is not worth it. I don't think any of us are made to have a band around our stomachs. Good luck.

I was banded in Oklahoma in 2003. This past January my same doctor went back in to re-position the band that had slipped and found that it was black and corroded. After three surgeries, I am still recovering with an open incision. There was so much black debris all throughout my abdominal cavity that it has taken this long to get it all cleaned out. Multiple doses of double antibiotic’s and I think I’m finally recovering. Incision is 3 inches wide and getting more shallow by the day. Dr. did not close the incision so that I would heal from the inside out. He said it was the worst case of corrosion and recovery he had ever experienced in his over 40 years of practice.