:cry Thank you all for responding to my original thread. I have my date for having my band removed. I am going on Dec. 7th. I am a little nervous because it is the first one that this doctor has had to remove. I am so worried about how I am going to be successful with my weight loss after it is gone. I am especially angry to see that there have been at least 7 people who have had to have theirs removed that had their original surgery done by Dr. Lopez. I have contacted Inamed, and they asked a lot of questions, and they want me to send them my and after it has been removed. I also notified Dr. Lopez's office, and I got back one email saying that it needed to be confirmed by an endo, I emailed them back and told them I had one done, and it was definitely eroded. Not that anything can be done about it, since he is a Mexico doctor. My doctor here said it ma well have been the way the band was placed. However somone mentioned that Dr. Lopez has trained others and they are not having any problems. So what if it is a problem with the band itself. Will Inamed do anything about it???? I imagine if I send them my band they'll look it over and say there was no problem with it. The guy on the phone that called me from Inamed, said the ones that they have seen that have been sent in after removal, have only shown signs of the destruction of being removed,and some discoloration due to stomach acids. I think what it all boils to is that I am out of luck. I paid all that money to not get to my weight goal. I will have to go back to trying it on my own. Obviously I was soooo successful at that the first time around. Well wish me luck. Keep me in your prayers. thanks, chrissy

Chrissy,

I am so sorry to hear of this. I really do hope that you get some support from Inamed. I would continue to correspond with them. They seem to be really nice folks. When I had slippage they wanted to know everything that led up to it and what I went through to resolve it. Unfortunately, there was no monetary help as far as replacing the band, but I have heard in the past they they did do this. It doesn't hurt to ask, right? Maybe you can take a 6 month break and have it replaced?

This is a very personal issue and I know a hard one to go through. Please know that you'll be in our thoughts and we definitely want you to keep us posted on how things go.

Chrissy, have you "talked" w/ Donali? She is a LBTer (and sweetheart) that had to have her band removed in 07/04. She has done an awesome job maintaining her weightloss since then. Perhaps she could give you some much needed advice. Especially since she's been through this too. Best of luck to you for a successful surgery and a quick recovery!

CHrissy: Has Lopez contacted you personally via either phone call or email? I mean have you spoken to him directly? And has he offered to help in any way via support or alternative options?

I am so sorry to hear of your removal. I faced the same fear in July but thankfully I did not have erosion. I was devastated with the idea of needing my band removed prior to learning it was not needed. I was simply a basket case and did not know how to deal with it all.

Please do come back and visit and keep us informed of how you are doing. Where are you having the surgery done to remove the band?

Chrissy..I am so sorry to hear this. I could only imagine how you are coping. I'm having some issues with my band and am going to TJ tomorrow to find out whats wrong and I am scared that something is wrong with my band and if I lose my band I dont know what I would do.

As far as your Dr. telling you it is how the band was placed in the original surgery. I asked my doctor the same question just 2 weeks ago about Lopez and all of his erosions and he told me the exact same thing..funny thing is my Dr and Lopez used to be partenrs but my Dr. has not had many erosions, it is very interesting. I wish you the best..you will be in my thoughts..please keep coming here for support band or not we all have the same goal. Let us know how is goes..

Good Luck with your surgery, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Please keep us posted.

Chrissy, I understand why you are so disappointed and worried about your continued weight loss. I hope that Inamed can offer some support.

Nancy

Thank you all so much for your support. No I have not heard from Dr.Lopez directly, only from his patient coordinator. It was only the one time when she informed me that I needed to have an endo done to confirm an erosion. I did that, and emailed her the results, and now I have not heard anything from them. I got a letter from Inamed just telling me they have made a record of my complaint. I will keep you all posted. Thank you, chrissy, oh yeah I am having my band removed in Kansas. Hope all goes well, this will be his first one to remove. Thanks, Chrissy