I just found out on Saturday that my band has eroded and must be removed. I am totally devistated. I have had the band for 2 years and have lost 85 lbs. I am terrified of regaining the weight. I am trying to do some research. I really do not understand what has happened. The doctor took all of the restriction out, but I do not understand why I am told that it will not heal itself. Any thoughts?

What do you suggest I do first to figure out if it is band intolerance? Should I go get an unfill just to see if that helps for now? I am throwing up a lot more because I don't know when I can eat and when I can't. I have pain after too. Do you think it is slippage? I'm so confused at this point. I was banded in Mexico and have a wonderful doctor in the US that does my fills but she is about and hour and half away. I'm unemployed now and can't afford to keep going back and forth. I'm not sure she has ever experienced a patient with this sort of problem. She is banded herself (she also went to MX) and she believes a lot band restriction has to do with the reaction our bands have to our hormones. So at first I was thinking my hormones were out of wack but after reading your posts, you sound very simlilar to me. What did you do about the problem? I know you're not a doctor but any advice you can give me would be really helpful. I'm getting really upset. Today is my one year aniversary... I should be celebrating, but instead I'm scared and frustrated.

Thanks

To me, my personal opinion... band intolerance is like this:

You know how some get more restriction during TOM? Mine was always an extreme, I'd obstruct. Some get tighter when they are stressed... I just had to be a bit edgy and I'd obstruct. What causes others to be a little tighter caused me to obstruct.

The last four months I was banded I could only drink liquids with an unfilled band. That's why I got the revision.

You'll have to work with your doc to see if you can find a solution. I never found one. But if you are vomiting a lot you really do need an unfill.

To me, my personal opinion... band intolerance is like this:

You know how some get more restriction during TOM? Mine was always an extreme, I'd obstruct. Some get tighter when they are stressed... I just had to be a bit edgy and I'd obstruct. What causes others to be a little tighter caused me to obstruct.

The last four months I was banded I could only drink liquids with an unfilled band. That's why I got the revision.

You'll have to work with your doc to see if you can find a solution. I never found one. But if you are vomiting a lot you really do need an unfill.

Thanks for that description and help. I made an appointment for the doc tomorrow morning. I am telling her the problem and absolutely getting and unfill. I guess I will start there. Your symptoms sound so much like mine. It's like my band is so fickle...like it has a mind of it's own and I can't figure it out. It drives me crazy. I can't eat at restaurants at all any more (even soup) because my band gets so tight. I was thinking that I get too much anxiety when eating out and my band reacts to it. I thought I was crazy until I read your description.

One more question...did you always have the problem or did it develop over time? Mine only started after several fills. At one time I had great restriction with little problems but after 2 months I lost it I guess because I lost so much weight. I went back for more fills and then I was too tight so I had 2 unfills. Havent been the same since I was too tight at one time. I don't know...I'm just trying to wrap my head around this.

Thanks for that description and help. I made an appointment for the doc tomorrow morning. I am telling her the problem and absolutely getting and unfill. I guess I will start there. Your symptoms sound so much like mine. It's like my band is so fickle...like it has a mind of it's own and I can't figure it out. It drives me crazy. I can't eat at restaurants at all any more (even soup) because my band gets so tight. I was thinking that I get too much anxiety when eating out and my band reacts to it. I thought I was crazy until I read your description.

One more question...did you always have the problem or did it develop over time? Mine only started after several fills. At one time I had great restriction with little problems but after 2 months I lost it I guess because I lost so much weight. I went back for more fills and then I was too tight so I had 2 unfills. Havent been the same since I was too tight at one time. I don't know...I'm just trying to wrap my head around this.

I had issues from the very beginning. I had no sweet spot, never. It did grow worse over time. Even with an unfilled band I could eat a porterhouse steak one day and I'd slime on a protein shake (at room temp made with water instead of milk to keep it thin) the next day. There was no logic, there was nothing I could ever figure out. It was just constant. I'd wake up in the AMs wondering if I that day was going to be a food day or not.

I never slipped, I never eroded, I went to two other doctors for 2nd and 3rd opinions... they both said the band was perfect, nothing wrong with it. I had an upper endo done and that guy said the reflux was doing a job on my esophagus but the band was positioned fine and not too small.

It was a very frustrating time.

Restaurants... yes! I couldn't eat in restaurants either. I'd worry that I'd have to keep excusing myself to go barf and that just made it worse... stress = restriction, for me stress = obstruction.

Thanks for all your info. I will keep you posted on my progress and I am sure I will have more questions. Hopefully I will have improvement after tomorrow's appt. and unfill.

Yesterday after my unfill, I felt great and was able to eat YAY! But today...not so good. I will see how the day progresses...

Yesterday after my unfill, I felt great and was able to eat YAY! But today...not so good. I will see how the day progresses...

There is a cycle here, an inflammation cycle. You are swollen from barfing and the unfill. You really really need to stay on liquids for a couple of days until the swelling goes down and then you'll be able to eat.

Barfing causes swelling, swelling causes barfing, it just gets worse.

Liquids today. ;o)

There is a cycle here, an inflammation cycle. You are swollen from barfing and the unfill. You really really need to stay on liquids for a couple of days until the swelling goes down and then you'll be able to eat.

Barfing causes swelling, swelling causes barfing, it just gets worse.

Liquids today. ;o)

Ok what seems to be the pattern since my unfill on Friday is I'm tight til about late afternoon. I can eat very little so I've been pretty much sticking to liquids for my morning and afternoon. I may have a bite of something for lunch or try some Soup. But every evening I am able to eat like I should. I can eat solid Protein and veggie etc. It is very similar to when I had good restriction without complications before all this happened. As long as I have some consistency and predictabilty, I'm happy. I can handle eating very little during the day and having a satisfying dinner. I just hope this is how things stay....

Just had mine removed 6weeks ago, how are you doing, i'm not doing so well physically and mentally

Why did you have yours removed? Mine, I have been told, has "expanded", is that the same (do you know) as slipped? It has not given me any trouble up to this point, they did take all the "fill" out in hopes it would correct itself.

i've had trouble for a year, first month and a half threw up at least once a day until I had all the fill removed. Then periodically had obstructions enough to be sick and had periodical stomach pains....went to the ER and they first diagnosed as constipation, but I guess that is a symptom of the erosion process...finally had stomach pain 24/7 went to the ER again and they compared the two ER visit cat scans and saw the erosion and performed the removal surgery....I had severe infection in my stomach and intestines, stayed in the hospital for 10 days on antibiotics. It has been almost 6 weeks and I'm still healing inside and out. Have no idea about the slippage of the lap band but I would keep your doctor informed of all changes that you notice.

Did you go back to Dr. Aceves to get the sleeve done? He did my lapband 3 1/2 years ago.

I am in New Hampshire and went to our local experienced doctor and it is too early to have any other procedure done, because I am still healing. Just trying to find someone that has had the Lap band removal because of erosion.....anyone out there????

I had mine removed just because when I had a fill, I threw up my dinner in my sleep. An unfilled band was worthless to me and I started gaining weight back. I didn't want a band that was doing me no good so I got a revision to a sleeve.

I love the sleeve. You get restriction immediately without worrying about fills and there is never a worry about being too tight or too loose.

I wish I had known about the sleeve to begin with. It works like the band is supposed to work. You can eat anything, but in small portions.

How was your recovery time for the removal of the lap band....it's been 6 weeks and my incisions are still leaking how long before you could even consider the sleeve after the removal?

Hi All,

I just joined the forum today because I went to the doctor yesterday and the PA told me I have band erosion. They recommend unfilling the band and going on a liquid diet for 4 weeks to see if that helps calm things down. They do not recommend an endoscopy. Does this make sense to anyone who's been through this? I, too, am devastated. I have had the band for almost 4 years and have lost about 70 pounds. I do NOT want to gain it back and I'm afraid that will happen....