Lap Band Erosion...till death do you part...

[MelindaB83 0]

Hey everyone. I wished I could have came across this forum years ago. It may could have possibly helped save me from the misery I'm going through right now. I know that the lap band is a huge deal and very popular, mainly because I have...had one. I really wanted to share my story. Not to try to discourage one person, but to try to help gain a little more knowledge for those that are thinking about having this done and are looking into these forums for a little more answers than what our surgeons give us. Which, in the beginning, seems to be a lot of knowledge and a lot of information! It all seems too good to be true.

In 2007, I made the decision to have a lap band. I found a surgeon and he seemed very nice and knowledgeable. I had confidence in him because you're supposed to, right? He told me about a few risks and such, mainly with the surgery itself due to the anesthesia. I was already well aware because I'm in the medical field, myself. I work in pre and post op. Knowing my health outside of my weight problem, I was pretty confident I would be just fine. On October 08, 2007, I had my band placed. All went as accordingly! It was almost too good to be true. I was sore in the beginning and I basically had to learn to eat all over again. We all did, right? My food seemed to get stuck right in the beginning. I blamed it on not chewing good enough, too much bread, Pasta, etc... it took me awhile before I even got my first band fill. Probably 6 weeks! By that time, I already lost quite a bit of weight! He filled it quite a bit. I ended going back and getting some Fluid taken out. I think I honestly had it filled a whole 2 times!

Let's fast forward.

I had eventually lost 129lbs. Wonderful! But, NOTHING had really changed. My food was still getting stuck,. The first few bites I took, I would always have to get up and either go purge or walk around...the first few sips of anything to drink or if I even swallled my own spit...it was just awful.

Here it is December 2010. I'm getting very sick. Fever of 104-105, severe abdominal pain...I went to my local ER and they gave me, I believe a pain shot and antibiotics and told me it was just a viral infection. Keep in mind, I'm used to telling everyone that I have a lap band. It's just what we get used to! Especially when we order from a kids menu and we get funny looks! Lol

I get better after a hard week of antibiotics but a week later I'm as sick, if not sicker than before. Back to the ER. At this point, I know what they're thinking and I reassure them I'm not there for pain meds! I insist on a CT and to call my bariatric surgeon. They see my lap band and had no idea what it was, I was slightly amused but angered at the same time. Immediately I was transferred to the hospital that my surgeon as rights at.

I had my port, ONLY, removed January 2011. Which, he left it to close from the inside out. Talking about painful. My husband had to pack that twice a day....

Fast forward

After my port was removed I transitioned to a new norm. I still got sick, but not near as often. I learned new ways to eat, or not. It seemed if I took the first bite or two slowly and sat and waited...I could start my dinner basically when everyone else was done. Sometimes, it hurt when I ate. I got where I didn't eat too much because depending on where we were or what we were doing, I'd end up purging if I didn't have the hour or two to sit and take my time. I've never ate inside of a subway or firehouse! Cannot eat bread...I have to bring it home and sit there for over a good hour to eat a 6 inch! And steak, haven't had one of those in forever!!

The last few months have gotten a little weird for me. A little more difficult to eat. Not as painful, just strangely difficult. Yes, I knew I should have went back to the doctor but you see, I have seen so many hypochondriacs and attention seekers that I figured I could handle it. DO NOT DO THAT!!!

The last week or two were just AWFUL. And by awful I mean my husband said if I didn't call and make an appointment then he would. He's not one tocever get involved in that kinda stuff...I always make him his appointments! Well, it was so bad that when I took a single bite of anything...it really sunk in when I made homemade chicken and dumplings and I couldn't even eat the broth, but, it was so bad that if I did take a bite the upper abdominal pain was so severe that I seriously thought someone was ripping my abdominal wall open from the inside. So, that next morning, which was Wednesday November 2, 2016, I called. He made me come in that afternoon for a barium swallow test. He said it wouldn't tell if my band had eroded my stomach but we could see if it had slipped. So, I got there, checked in, he came in and since I have t seen him since 2011, and he had again, switched clinics, he didn't have my records. He doesn't have them from the beginning, 2007, anyway, they said. Why wouldn't you?!

I know, you're supposed to keep records for 10 years of DATE LAST SEEN.

Anyway, he asked why we took out the port but left the band. I looked at him a little funny and said "umm...because my port was infected but I don't know about the band. I really don't remember those few days in the ICU"... he mentioned that usually when your port is infected it is because your band has slipped or eroded and the infection and "juices" travel down your tube and land on your port. And that's what causes the infection in the port...(he had a new nurse and was telling her all of this...I was paying careful attention).

We did the barium swallow test...it looked funny as hell (excuse my language). The Fluid went through and around my band. Weird huh? He scheduled me for 6:45am EGD for the next morning. I said okay, left and all was well...except I still couldn't eat bc of the pain!

The next morning, my mother in law took our kids to school and we left for my EGD. It was right on time! Hallelujah! That never happens in a hospaital. Little known to us, I was g leaving just yet. After my EGD, apparently it was a little worse than he had expected and it needed to come out today( that day). I was scheduled for emergency surgery just a few hours later.

I had my surgery and what I was told the next day, because I dont remember much that evening... was that it was much worse than he had expected after the EGD. My band had not just eroded the side of my stomach wall and part of my esophagus, but had completely eroded my stomach. My barium swallow test looked funny because the fluid I drank was going all around my band, literally. Anything I was drinking, partially was going into my body cavity. Most was not because the band was blocking the opening in the lining of my stomach, but we won't know how much was leaking out. He patched my esophagus, and had to cut open a bigger hole in my stomach more than what the band had made because it was so compacted and scar tissue was all around it that he had to take the clips and band out in pieces. Like I said, he patched my esophagus and ended up stapling my stomach together after he pulled my band out of it because he said there was no way sutures would have held it together...I can't live without my stomach. I honestly like food too much. I just haven't been able to eat it. I'm sure I have staples in the double digits... I'm thinking between 20-30. I really would like to know because I think this could have been avoided had he took it out in 2011 when he took my port out and left a hole in my side.

So, that brings us to today, Monday. November 07, 2016. I'm laying here. More sore as I have ever been. My parents, husband and in laws have been wonderful so have our friends. Made sure my husband hasn't had to cook, and they keep trying to make me eat...I'm not really hungry. I have ate a few bites but what no one understands is that once you've been accustomed to eating a certain way for 10 years, it's going to take a bit to change...especially having staples in your tummy toldong it together and your afraid if you eat it'll rip apart and leak into your body cavity!

So, there's my story. It's a long one. But, it's mine. Would I have this done again if I could redo it all. Knowing what I do now about the statistics (I don't know where they get their statistics from) because all of the friends and people that I've talked tocthat has had this done...something has went terribly wrong...but, would I have it done again. No way. A few pounds lost isn't not worth my son losing their mother or my husband his wife or my parents their daughter. I know how to lose weight and we all try to eat healthy now. My husband goes to the gym, my son drinks Protein every morning. We're all in the healthy track... and now, I can put all of this behind me.

So, please, if you do decided to possibly get something g like this done, make sure you know all of the risks involved. Not just complications of the surgery but of the start to finish everything. The life of the band, etc. did you know a band was made to last 10-12 years before erosion? I didn't! I just leaned that. My surgeon told me it was made to be permanent even though it's removable. Just do your research.

[violetsmum 6]

Hi I read your post with interest. I had my band put in Aug 2008. In April 2014 I had further surgery to readjust it as it had slipped.

I am no longer losing any weight. Almost back to where I started. But I can't swallow properly. Everything you described is how it is for me. 2 hours to eat a meal. Rushing to the toilet to purge all the time. Sometimes even fluids hurt like hell. Im thoroughly miserable & fed up with it now. I've had 2 episodes of the severe pains under the ribs that you described. I was crying in agony. It's got to point where I'm avoiding solid foods completely. I'm living on Soup.

Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you & wish you a speedy recovery.

I have an appointment tomorrow with my Bariatric nurse. For the second time in a month. Last time she removed 2ml but it made very little difference.

[MelindaB83 0]

Hi Violetsmum,

I hope you get checked out and figure it out, soon. I wished I would have a whole lot sooner! No one ever really thinks about it because you're still "able to function" or go about your daily routine. It's terrible because we're really not able to function but adjust how we have to.

Please get checked out soon. By your user name, it looks like you have a daughter. Be proactive and make sure that you are 100% comfortable with the answers given to you! That way you can stay healthy for her! And you!

Just make sure you get checked!!!

Please keep me updated! Praying for your health!

Melinda

[violetsmum 6]

Hi Melinda. Yes.. I've got an appointment tomorrow... so we shall see!! I too have been burying my head & blaming myself for not chewing enough etc.

Deep down I know something is not right. It's not like when I had the slippage as I'm not bothered with acid reflux. But I just can't eat properly, and as you so rightly say.. we adjust accordingly as this band has taught us to do that.

Trouble is i have all of the drawbacks & none of he benefits at the mo.

Are you still in hospital? Please keep me updated.

[MelindaB83 0]

No, ma'am. Fortunately, I have got to come home, although, I have been running fever. I do have to call and get out on antibiotics, I assume. I'm not sure why I never got antibiotics after surgery anyway. It's definitely been an ordeal. I wish I could tell people my story, everywhere. Maybe it's just my surgeon I had, which I do not recommend!! That's an entirely different story!