Hi everyone,

This is the place where I can always find an answers to my questions. So, here is a strange one...

Has anyone ever heard of a person being allergic to the lapband? Here's my situation: I have had a rash since my surgery. It started two days after my surgery and has slowly increased so that I am now fully consumed in an all over body rash. The only places on my body that don't have a rash are my face and tops of my feet. Otherwise, I am covered in a rash and have open sores from itching my skin. I must tell you all that I itch SO bad and have woken up at night itching and bloody from cutting my skin open. I have seen two skin docs and they don't know what is wrong. (I won't list all the meds that have been tried on me but nothing has helped) I asked them if I could be allergic to the band and they said they didn't think so. I saw my surgeon and he says I'm not allergic to the band either. All my blood work and skin biopsies have been normal. (not Lupus either) I just saw a new derm doc on Wednesday and he thinks that being allergic to the band may be a possiblity but I would not know unless I removed it. So, has anyone experienced being allergic to the plastic inside them??? Or heard of someone that was allergic?

Thanks for any help.

No, first on me. But I was concerned because I am allergic to metal. Even some surgical grade metals break me out. Thankfully, no issues for me.

I have heard that this is very rare. I did a quick search and found someone else that has complained of this before. You might check out this thread. I hope you find out something soon. I can imagine it is really frustrating.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/allergic-reaction-band-76602/

Hey again - I found another interesting website. You might want to check your symptoms against what is written here.

Lapband Allergy Symptoms | eHow.com

I would contact the doctor! That sounds serious. :::hugs:::

The band is supposedly made of totally hypoallergenic substances and should not cause an allergy. to me the more likely explanation is that you have some kind of infection - possibly from the surgery. Obviously Dr's don't like to admit this so will always look for other explanations particularly ones which mean that they are not at fault.

However having said that these days it is possible to find someone who is allergic to absolutely anything. So although substances that cause true allergies are normally an amino acid and have to be of a certain molecular weight there are some weird allergies out there. e.g ice urticaria

Good luck hope you find an answer.

And the doctor does not have a clue?! It is highly unlikely you are allergic to the band its silicone and that is hypoallergenic.

Could it be a staph infection I wonder? You can google this and then click on images, see if anything looks like what you have. I hope you find your answer. Maybe use some dove soap for sensitive skin for a bit and use a very light detergent on your clothes. Maybe it will go away in time, you don't want to do anything to aggravate it into hanging around.

Best of luck!

Also consider that you were given medications during the surgery that you might be having an allergic reaction to. I actually broke out with a rash from the pain killers.

A couple of days after my surgery I noticed a strange rash on my hands and arms. The rash was blister-like. My pcp prescribed a cream to put on the affected areas but it took weeks to clear up. My rash was not itchy at all. I figured it was my body reacting to a foreign object in it. Luckily, once the rash was gone I had no other problems.

I sure hope you figure this out sooner rather than later and that you don't have to have your band removed.

Donna

it sounds like an allergy to medication not the band. Alergies are caused, so any medication you have always taken, can suddenly become a problem. Maybe check this out....

I have been dx with urticaria about 3 yrs ago long before my lapband surgery but when i breakout it is in raised areas if i miss my meds for one day i break out terible. I take zantac and zyrtec on a regular basis you might want to check this out