Blaming the Patient

[donali 57]

Hi All -

I wanted to post a reply I made on the SmartBandster board regarding someone's strongly stated opinion that band erosion is almost always the patient's fault.

I think it is important to accept responsibility for our actions and their possible consequences. However, I also think it is equally important to be able to accept that certain outcomes of events may have not been under our control, or may have happened anyway.

Perhaps my occasional overeating contributed to my band erosion (frankly, I was doing a lot of that in the past four weeks). HOWEVER... erosion is a possible complication for ALL implanted devices.

**********

//It is actually the stomach that erodes or is damaged, not the band. Usually because the band is too tight or most often because the person is eating too much and trying to force too much through the band. Usually the fault of the banded person, and NOT the surgeon or the band itself.//

Dan, I realize that it can be reassuring to think that WE have ALL the control over what happens to us and our bands - if you NEED to believe that to have peace of mind, then I leave you to it.

However, if the erosion rates are indeed 1%-3%, I would be hard pressed to believe that only 1%-3% of bandsters ever eat too much. I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of bandsters at least occasionally overeat. I mean, that IS our nature, after all. BUT, the vast majority of bandsters do not experience erosion.

Do a google search on erosion of implanted device, and educate yourself on the realities of having a foreign object in your body, and what can happen to it. The following links cover products that range from heart implants to penile implants to ports - all of these devices list erosion through tissue walls as a possible complication. It is extremely unlikely that overeating (or patient behaviour, period) could be held responsible for these erosions.

You know - sometimes it just happens.

http://www.guidant.com/webapp/emarketing/compass/comp.jsp?lev1=prod&lev2=crtp_ifu

http://www.clevelandclinic.org/urology/patients/rsurgery.htm

http://www.medtronic.com/neuro/enterra/physician.html

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/mda/docs/p010020.html

http://my.webmd.com/content/article/71/81224.htm?z=3199_65247_2010_00_10

http://www.bostonscientific.com/templatedata/imports/HTML/infusion_therapy/devbsc_vaxptpsv_ifu_us.html

We should all try to avoid behaviours that increase our risk of erosion, but there are no guarantees that even if you do everything 100% correct that you will escape this particular complication.

Sometimes bad things just happen.

Donali

Dr. Lopez, 1/23/03

303/204.5/135

Diagnosed with erosion 6/19/04

Band removal scheduled for 7/2/04

[bbrecruiter2000 1]

Hi Donali,

I saw this too on smart bandsters and replied to you there.

I concur with you completely.

enough said.

Babs in TX

334/214/180

-120

6/23/03

[New Hope 37]

"Dan" is full of baloney. Hopefully that doesn't cause band erosion.that

[Alexandra 55]

Donali, you handled that with your usual grace and style. Thanks for the reality check and education, as always.

And I'm having fun imagining what could cause erosion with a penile implant!

[donali 57]

Alexandra - ROTFLMAO!!!!!

[MeganA 35]

Donali-

I guess I took his reply to you with a grain of salt. He's the guy who told the story about him insisting on a tight fill. He then ate a burrito and walked around with part of the burrito stuck for two weeks before he went back to the doctor to get some fill taken out so the burrito could fall through the stoma.

I wonder if brains can erode.

Megan

[donali 57]

Megan - lol

I shouldn't let him get to me, I know what he's like. I'm more concerned that the more impressionable people will be formed into "blame the patient" "support" type people because of reading all of his posts, and possibly taking his opinions as gospel.

I'm going to try and let it lie now, even though I doubt that my latest response will be allowed to be the last word on that subject.

If I absolutely cannot resist responding to his next back pedaling post, I will try to limit my comment to "Whatever."

Wish me luck!!! :)

[DeLarla 22]

I was analyzing medical records (part of my job) and a woman had problems with hardware erosion from back surgery, so the hardware had to be removed. She must have done too much hammering or drilled too many holes with an electric drill or the hardware wouldn't have eroded.

[donali 57]

I think she was overeating. That seems to be what causes that kind of thing.... lol

[La_madam 20]

Donali, I read that post on Smartbandsters. As usual you handled it beautifully !

[Rebeccalee 2]

I too am impressed with your gracious attitude toward an insensitive post. I admire you for sharing your experience for others to share. Shame on Dan for not appreciating your selfless contribution to the community. Keep up the good work. We are all here for you.

[marsha 0]

Donali,

When I read Dan's post it made me sooooo angry.

As usual, you handeled the situation with restraint and grace (far better then I would have done). YOU ARE JUST THAT SPECIAL!

Now, you must move on. Don't spend your time agonizing over his comments....consider the source!!!

You KNOW (and we do too) that you did NOTHING to cause your erosion!! It just happens! We support you and Love you...so just hang around here and forget about Dan! Erosion Just happens, it's no one's fault!

Just my 2 cents!

Marsha

[birdee 1]

Donali-

I am sorry I am late...first and foremost, I am sorry for what you are going through right now. If you ever need anything I am just a "click" away. Now as far as Dan is concerned you handled it wonderfully! He is one of the reasons that I only post my TRUE concerns here. I read a response that he gave to a new bandster and I wanted to jump throught the PC and whip his @ss. I mean this person was reaching out for help, and he pretty much told her she was wrong fro her felling and behaviour. The bottom line is this, we all have eating problems as well as the lack of self control....that's why we are all banded! No banded person is any better than another!

JMHO

Birdee

[DeLarla 22]

I'm really bored. Who is this Dan guy? I need some fun. Lemme post a thing or two! Game on!

[donali 57]

Who is this Dan guy? I need some fun. Lemme post a thing or two! Game on!

All right, WHO WOKE UP DELARLA?!?!?!?!?!?!?! lol

Aw, honey, he's not worth it. I'm still feeling bristly, but I'm not taking his bait to "let you have the final word." Even though my quoting him word for word as an example to him was purposefully interpreted as agreeing with what he said... sigh...

DOWN girl!!

You're feeling sleeeeepy..... sleeeepy.... your eyes are getting heavier..... sleeeeepppyyy...................

lol

You guys are so right. I never post there for the same reason. Thanks again for being the place and the people I really turn to when the going gets rough. This is the best board ever.