Lap band erosion

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thank you for coming on here with some sense - that person makes the forums a miserable experience for everyone - she is mean and rude and she does not even have a lap band anymore she has a sleeve now so I dont know why she does not go on some sleeze oops sorry i mean sleeve site instead of trying to stir up so much trouble on here when she is not even a bandster anymore! and your doctor is a wonderful person for coming on this site and giving us free information - what doctor does that??? I may not ever agree with the pricing of fills but I have nothing but praise for such a kind man who is willing to give of his time and knowledge for free the way this doctor has.

Hey GuiyMontag...

Is this the kind of adult discussion you refer to?

Heh....

Amella...

Aren't you just miffed because you were called on the carpet by a number of posters and mods for your behaviors on another board? Want links?

You were throwing a fit about FillCentersUSA charging a whopping $150 for fills? Why aren't you throwing the same temper tantrum over $1K fills?

Darl'en, your colors are shining through. Not to mention your agenda.

Edited March 6, 2009 by WASaBubbleButt

[GuyMontag 1,264]

Thank you for coming on here with some sense - that person makes the forums a miserable experience for everyone - she is mean and rude and she does not even have a lap band anymore she has a sleeve now so I dont know why she does not go on some sleeze oops sorry i mean sleeve site instead of trying to stir up so much trouble on here when she is not even a bandster anymore! and your doctor is a wonderful person for coming on this site and giving us free information - what doctor does that??? I may not ever agree with the pricing of fills but I have nothing but praise for such a kind man who is willing to give of his time and knowledge for free the way this doctor has.

Amella,

I appreciate your kind words and encouragment. Some people are just angry at themselves and take it out on others. The best way to deal with them is usually just to ignore them and not let them drag you down to their level. The only fear I had is that someone might stumble across the erroneous information and slander found in the earlier posts and mistake them for gospel. That's why I took the time to set the record straight. I look forward to bumping into you on the forums now and then. Peace.

GuyMontag

[amella 0]

thank you - at this point it is evident that I need to ignore such animosity and accusatory behavior, I am not even going to bother to try to defend myself to such an individual, she is quite sad actually. peace to you too. :laugh:

[jms462001 9]

An erosion is basically where the band works itself inside the stomach.

This happened more in the early days of banding in Europe and fortunately, the European surgeons figured out how to dramatically reduce the chance for this.

They started stitching the stomach over the band to help reduce the incidence of band slippage. In the beginning they stitched the stomach over the band too tightly and they stitched stomach over the buckle and the taper (section from buckle to tubing). Whenever you have living tissue stretched too tightly over plastic, the plastic will end up eroding through the tissue over time. This pressure cuts off the blood supply to the small capillaries delivering blood and over time you get tissue necrosis and plastic inside the stomach.

Interestingly, the European patients didn't get sick, they simply stopped losing weight. They treated this by removing the band and replacing one later. Their knowledge and experience has brought the erosion rate from 10% to well less than 1%.

The easiest way to diagnose erosion is to perform an EGD (stomach scope) and you see white plastic inside the stomach. Sometimes you can see this on a barium esophogram as well when the barium passes outside the ring.

There was quite a lot of discussion at last year's ASMBS meeting that erosions were possibly the result of stomach injury during the procedure which is a newer theory behind erosions.

The good news is that erosions are now rare and are treated by simply removing the band. For a time some European surgeons replaced a new band at the same time as removing an eroded band and these nearly always re-eroded so the current strategy is to remove an eroded band, let the stomach heal and then consider later replacement.

Hope that helps

I will assume then that taking Ibuprofen daily would have nothing to do with band erosion as I have read a few times. I know that it is hard on the stomach if taken over a long period of time for anyone, but what particular problems does it cause or potentially cause for the band? Thanks!

[Boysaway 0]

Aspirin, Ibuprofen or any other NSAID should not be taken orally when banded. These drugs cause stomach irritation and because in your pouch they will tend to land at the same spot when swallowed, ulceration and bleeding can occur.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Aspirin, Ibuprofen or any other NSAID should not be taken orally when banded. These drugs cause stomach irritation and because in your pouch they will tend to land at the same spot when swallowed, ulceration and bleeding can occur.

Not all doctors agree that NSAIDs are out for banded folks. When I was banded I took Aspirin, the chewable kind. I took liquid Motrin with a Water chaser. What you are writing is not completely true.

[jms462001 9]

Aspirin, Ibuprofen or any other NSAID should not be taken orally when banded. These drugs cause stomach irritation and because in your pouch they will tend to land at the same spot when swallowed, ulceration and bleeding can occur.

I was told by the Dr it wold be ok and this is why I am so confused. I don't take them all the time. Some days I just can't take the inflammation as it gets really bad. I get the ok to do so and then I frequently read on this board that it is not permitted under any circumstances.

[allymitch 0]

What are the symptoms of your lap band slipping? And if you have symptoms of a mild slip are there remedies other than having to have the saline removed.

I fear my recent medications may have caused a possible slip. Now that I am off these medications, three days later, I am able to drink small amounts of clear fluids but am unable to eat any other forms of food, but its only been a day.

Please help!

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

You need to call your doctor. not being able to eat is a sign of a problem and you need medical advice.

[DontSignUp 0]

I have posted on the general forum about my experience. I was banded on 9/16/2008. On 1/31/09 I had emergency surgery to remove the band and repair my stomach - I had a hole along the bandline and I was leaking air into my body cavity. Luckily I had gone to just yogurt with probios because I though I had gaz so somehow there was no food to infect me even worse. This was followed by a second surgery on 2/2/09 to help stop a massive infection. I spent three weeks in the hospital - left on 2/20/09.

My symptoms appeared about a week/11 days earlier. I woke up bloated on my left side. No pain. I disregarded for another 6 days where I went to my generalist. She felt a mass. Called the bariatric surgeon and they thought perhaps a hernia. A cat scan was arranged another 3 days later. Two days later, Sat 1/31/09 I got an urgent message to get to ER because the Cat scan revealed air in my abdmoninal cavity. A lot of it.

I called the bariatric surgeon and got her partner. I was told by this surgeon:

" You dont sound like you have air in your abdomen (this is a critical situation), the Cat scan must have been wrong. You should have them redo it. It cant be the band, they dont erode at 5 months"

Luckily, I still went to ER and from there was taken in an ambulance to another branch of the hospital which did bariatric surgery. I was wheeled into the operating room and soon after operated.

I would have likely died had I not gotten to ER and been operated.

Out of the whole 3 weeks, I only remember about 12 days. I was delirious the first half of my hospital stay.

I was confined to a bed with a nasal gastric tube, and 24/7 Ivs pupping me full of antibiotics and hydration.

It appears more like a leaking staple or a staple that pulled? then erosion from what I have understood. I am unclear how that would happen. Anyone

Its taken me 3 more weeks to be able to take a shower without feeling faint. Two weeks before I could even drive/walk to my mailbox. I was exausted. My voice has been altered by the nasal tube and its gotten squeaky. I HATE it.

I am almost back to normal except I must eat very little to protect my stomach. In 2 days I will graduate to 5-6 oz 3x a day. I was on 2oz of food 3x a day the last 2 weeks.

Basically I must pretend I have a band though the scaring is so bad, I will never be a candidate for bariatric surgery again.

The original surgeon has not called to ask how I am doing. However they have been asking and trying to get my hospital records. That's been very dissapointing.

Finally, I think my insurance is picking the tab after I have paid my deductible but I am not 100% sure. If not, I am really concerned what 3 weeks, 2 surgeries, several cat scans and other tests with cost.

From what I understand I am now at a higher risk of intestinal occlusions. My stomach was attached to my abdomen and I feel it. I am no longer a candidate for bariatric surgery, and therefore at a very high risk of regaining the 62 lb I have lost.

I forgot, a very important thing. My surgeon told me that sometimes in obese people there is not always a fever to reflect an increase of white cell and an infection. That was my case. Zero fever until after the operation. So, if your stomach gets very bloated, call your doctor.

Oh, and I missed a 2 weeks 1/2 trip to New Zealand.

Grrrr.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Carolinela

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

Stories like this are exactly why I am getting a revision from band to sleeve. I want that band out before I have problems. I don't want to take any chances that I will not be able to have a different WLS if my band fails.

I keep hearing more and more stories like this.

[allielee 263]

I just finished reading all the posts in this thread and all I can say is "WOW" First off, I really appreciate the great information Dr. Watkins has posted on here. I was banded in Bridgeport, CT and payed $18,500 and plan on having my PS done here in the U.S. as well. I would do it again in a heart beat. No I am not "rich", but I value my life. I wouldn't buy a car that I wasn't sure was safe and I definetly wouldn't have surgery outside of the U.S. $18,500 was nothing compared to how many years I have gained. I got a great deal! I find it sad and frustrating that the angry sleeved patient continues to post rude and unnecessary comments on this banded thread.

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

I am not an angry sleeve patient. I still have my band but I am playing it safe and having it removed while I can because I know many, many, people who were happy with their bands until they failed them by eroding or slipping.

[allielee 263]

lol oregon I wasn't referring to you :tongue_smilie:

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I just finished reading all the posts in this thread and all I can say is "WOW" First off, I really appreciate the great information Dr. Watkins has posted on here. I was banded in Bridgeport, CT and payed $18,500 and plan on having my PS done here in the U.S. as well. I would do it again in a heart beat. No I am not "rich", but I value my life. I wouldn't buy a car that I wasn't sure was safe and I definetly wouldn't have surgery outside of the U.S. $18,500 was nothing compared to how many years I have gained. I got a great deal! I find it sad and frustrating that the angry sleeved patient continues to post rude and unnecessary comments on this banded thread.

I think you are confused about a few issues. Let me explain so you will understand.

First of all, going to Mexico isn't anymore dangerous than going to a surgeon in the US. Regardless of country it is critical to research your surgeon. My insurance would have covered my band and my revision to sleeve in the US. I didn't like those surgeons. Now, when I had my band I didn't want to jump through insurance hoops and wait a year to get my band so I did my research and I went to Mexico.

I hated the band, hated it with a passion. I had band intolerance. I got to a point where I couldn't wait any longer. I needed a revision. There are no revision surgeons in AZ that I was comfortable with. I am a nurse and it was my choice not to go to them. I wanted the best surgeon possible and for me that was Dr. Aceves. Yeah, he's in Mexico. I have news for you, just because someone is in the US does not make them good and just because a doctor is in MX does not make him bad. Open a book, do some research, you will see that there are fantastic surgeons in every country just as their are crappy surgeons in every country. I'll bet you a dollar my surgeon has better stats than your surgeon and I don't even know who your surgeon is.

As far as angry... Ok. Let me rephrase my comments about banding.

I have very fond memories of acid shooting out my nose in my sleep, it was an enjoyable experience puking acid in the middle of the night. I should have known better than to lay flat in bed. Lord knows, I should have slept standing up. My fault completely.

I was especially thrilled each morning when I would wake up so I could look forward to finding out if I could eat food that day or not. Or... if I could drink Water. It was nothing short of trippy discovering I couldn't drink water that day. Yet, on other days I could eat a steak in one sitting.

Social events were exciting! I'd go out with friends shopping, then we'd go to lunch and if I dared to eat anything solid I stayed in the bathroom puking and stoma spewing while my friends waited for me.

I could go on but no doubt you can see how much fun it all was. I have very fond memories of banding and ohhhh, I wish I could do it again! Just for the heck of it!

Do you know what Inamed's stats are? At the end of 5 years you can expect to have kept off 55-60% of your excess weight. Those are horrible stats. 30-50% of people have to bank on having a 2nd surgery before 5 years is up. Anything from a flipped port to repairing a slip (which is still on the rise, btw), to removing a band due to band intolerance, erosion, or a host of other reasons. Banding is the hardest procedure to lose weight, it offers the slowest weight loss and the lowest weight loss of all procedures. It has more long term risks and complications than the sleeve - hands down.

So before you start talking about how we are, those with problems, you keep that band and when you are at five years we'll see you here too, probably sooner.

Please don't assume you have the slightest clue what the people here have been through. Unless you have experienced what those posting here have, you have no room to talk as though you have any idea of what they have lived through.