CAN I GET MY LAP BAND PUT BACK IN - AGAIN?!

I had a lap band put in february 2009. it was removed in febrary 2010. an emergency surgery removal. my stomach was found to be 2/3 eroded and a perforation (hole) was found. the doctor thought it was due to the lab band. i don't know.

a few visits after starting the nurse gave me the injection claiming it was going into the port. but she was way off with where she thought the port was. i kept trying to tell her she was in the wrong place, that the port wasn't there. but she insisted it was and injected me. 

immediately after i became severely nauseous and sick, i started shaking all over and became dizzy when i sat up. i had to stay on the table for about 10-15 minutes before i was okay to get up and leave. i asked the nurse if that was normal. she said yes, that it was.

later i spoke to my family doctor who said absolutely not. that my reaction was not normal and something was wrong.

i think the nurse, who has a cruel streak to her anyway, put the injection straight into my sttomach. thus, the erosion and perforaction down the line.

anyway, since then my weight which was good has gradually been creeping up on me. now i've gained back about 35 pounds and wish i had my 'tool' to get it back down with. 

i have moved to another state and i went to see a new doctor. but he told me i could have had the band put in if i was within that obesity range. i told him that i had the band and it was supposed to be put back in after my stomach healed. but that i had moved. he said doesn't matter. if i want the band i have to gain a whole lot more weight and qualify for it all over again. 

i feel so screwed. 

my question is - if i had the band and it was surgically removed till my stomach healed can't i now have it replaced again? put back in again? i mean it's not like i am applying for it for the first time. i've already gone through all of that. 

Sorry you had such a bad time.

I have no personal experience but everything I have ever read says that having a band erode the stomach tissue is a definite contra-indication for replacement. I would imagine that there is simply too much scar tissue.

Kate

honestly - i doubt you'll find a surgeon to re-band you after an erosion.

you might want to see if your eligible for another type of surgery - but i just thought an erosion was an automatic NO NO for re-banding.

sorry for what your going thru.

If the band eroded into your stomach, you REALLY don't want another lapband. I mean, if you want to stay alive, anyway.  The tissue that was damaged has now formed adhesions, most likely. If you place another band on this tissue, it will either degrade the tissue or have adhesions form around it, causing the band to move into a position that will be dangerous to your well being.

Regarding the fill you believe was botched...even if the nurse had missed the port, it's only saline and it would have been absorbed into your body. It wouldn't have come anywhere near your stomach.

It sounds like you were experiencing a vasovagal syncope reaction with the nausea and shakes. It IS normal. A lot of people have this happen when a needle punctures the skin. Maybe your family doctor wasn't quite aware of this being a fairly common occurrence.

Common triggers for vasovagal syncope include:

• Standing for long periods of time
• Heat exposure
• The sight of blood
• Having blood drawn
• Fear of bodily injury
• Straining, such as to have a bowel movement

You might want to look into different WLS. Research VSG, RnY and DS.
Good luck to you. I hope you find something that works for you.

i think the nurse, who has a cruel streak to her anyway, put the injection straight into my sttomach. thus, the erosion and perforaction down the line.

I'm sorry but I find that hard to believe.  Locating a port in an obese patient would not always be easy to find.  And saline being injected has nothing in the world to do with your band eroding into your stomach.  Saline is used to flush IV lines, saline is perfectly safe to the body. 

There is no way  you should get a band again.  Please look into other surgeries.

I doubt an insurance company would want to pay for the band AGAIN,  since it caused serious damage to your stomach.  I sure wouldn't be gaining weight to get to the obese range just to qualify for surgery. 

I have to agree with the last two posters... A Registered Professional Nurse would not sacrifice her licence and her livelihood to stick a patient in the wrong place on purpose.

And saline would be absorbed.. Whenever I get needles or have blood drawn I vasovagal a bit..
quite acommon thing!...

Sorry you had such a bad time!  Good luck

I'm just NOT understanding here. Why the hell would you want another Lap-Band???

My husband said it's like an overweight person getting lost in the wilderness and losing all his excess weight and then getting rescued and gaining some weight and then asking to be dropped off back in the wilderness so he could lose that weight again.  Duh.

Lol. Yeah, it makes about as much sense. Mr. Cal Culator understands the band mentality I see. ;-)

Oh no Honey, no more Lab Bands for you.  You are done, cooked, finished with those things . . . like me !  SERIOUS  you can't ever have anything wrapped around your stomach ever again.  And saline is not harmful to your body at all.  a missed port injection of saline will do nothing to you  . . . sure it wasn't arsenic .

At 60 something why aren't you looking for something more permanent?  The sleeve is absolutely awesome.  Much easier life.  I kid you not.  Get yourself a great surgeon and see if there is anything you can do after an erosion.  An erosion is very serious!!!

Best,
L