I've so enjoyed this journey. I have been on the verge of taking vacations, changing my wardrobe and strutting my stuff. But Lupus reared it's head, my kidneys are shutting down, and I have various infections in my body and maybe a dead bone, and maybe uterine cancer. Seems so unfair so be saddled with all of this now. So I've been thinking how greateful I am for having the band, even if I don't live long. Oh, bah humbug....I'm not able to say it genuinely. The operation was a success but the patient died...old joke. I just wish I had it longer. Never put things off that are core to you....nomatter what you weight at the time. My new, albeit late motto. Actually, I don't particularly need sympathy so much as irony and jokes, I think. I read an article recently that showed that lap band patients drop dramatically in their comorbid illnesses, but they they die faster because with their new bodies, they try higher risk sports and wipe out. I envision formerly morbidly obese bungee jumpers. Sad, but sort of funny, and definitely ironic. Sort of how I feel.

I've so enjoyed this journey. I have been on the verge of taking vacations, changing my wardrobe and strutting my stuff. But Lupus reared it's head, my kidneys are shutting down, and I have various infections in my body and maybe a dead bone, and maybe uterine cancer. Seems so unfair so be saddled with all of this now. So I've been thinking how greateful I am for having the band, even if I don't live long. Oh, bah humbug....I'm not able to say it genuinely. The operation was a success but the patient died...old joke. I just wish I had it longer. Never put things off that are core to you....nomatter what you weight at the time. My new, albeit late motto. Actually, I don't particularly need sympathy so much as irony and jokes, I think. I read an article recently that showed that lap band patients drop dramatically in their comorbid illnesses, but they they die faster because with their new bodies, they try higher risk sports and wipe out. I envision formerly morbidly obese bungee jumpers. Sad, but sort of funny, and definitely ironic. Sort of how I feel.

I don't really know what to say, other than posting this: :cool:

But none of that stuff is positively fatal. Gotta see the upside to things at least until you know what they are.

What makes you think it is unrelated? I have a deadly illness just one year after I had the lap-band put in, I started having symtoms and found out I have something very similar to Lupus called Scleroderma. It too is an autoimmune disease. I have heard of people who have had their bands removed and have recovered from these diseases... What about you?

I am looking for others might question health problems that have occured since the lapband surgery. I am not trying to frighten anyone. I know this is a miracle for many of you out there. However, I have questions as to whether my body did not like the band. I developed puffy hands, raynoads syndrome and arthritis. As it turns out, one year after my banding, I am diagnosed with Scleroderma. This is an autoimmune disease and is in some ways related to silicone. (I am not saying it is related to the lapband). I am wondering if anyone else has had any of these symtoms. I will probably die from the Scleroderma in the future. I am undergoing 12 months of trial chemotherapy for it.... Anyone ?

I know you said you want jokes but it's hard to joke when someone tells you something like that. when we spend years abusing our bodies this is sometimes our fate and may have been so with or without the band. not saying you abused yours or anything but most over weight people haven't really eaten right and so fourth. I'm with wasa you need to have faith, Do not except this as a death sentence. fight it all the way ! there is alot of people here that care and will be here for you in anyway they can.

You are absolutely correct! I have abused my body, probably not more than many others, but high fat diet is really bad. It could be that or stress or hereditary problems, there is not known reason for this disease. Thanks for the encouraging words though. Diane

From what the doctor told me the foreign object like the lap band doesn't cause autoimmune diseases like Lupus. However, people with Lupus and the other immune diseases, the patient doesn't show signs of the disease, or it the disease just goes undiagnosed, till they get the band and the disease reacts to it.

YOu could be right. I just know how it happened and if you will die with in 5 years of diagnosis one way or another, you look for opportunities that may save your life. I am now down to 1.5 years of life with no other possible options except that the band removal may only possibly be a key(probably not)...