Lap Band Problems

I've had my band for several years now, dealt with sliming until I figured it out, occasional vomiting and my dog always puts her paw right on my port somehow LOL My question is how are people discovering their band eroded, slipped, scar tissue etc? I want to know for my own sake what to watch out for as I have more years on my band. If there were to be a future problem I'd rather recognize the signs sooner rather than later.

 

That is correct, you do not have a band yet.  You have not read studies, your research is based on what you want to hear here and from the newbies at your support group.  Anyone that tells you their story about banding you insult, tell them you don't believe them, then call them stupid.

When it comes to you we are not bitter we are just tired of being insulted and told we have an agenda or are dishonest about what our own experiences were.  We really do not care to be called stupid because we don't agree with you or because we do not promote the band.  It is not us that are bitter.

Yesterday you were giving a vet advice on another board.  It happened to be incorrect advice.  You told someone they probably had a slip and proceeded to tell them what they were doing wrong.  Someone else called you on it.  That is not being bitter, that is correcting information that was simply wrong information.

I have a hunch you won't need to worry about vets answering your questions anymore, we wouldn't want you to think it is US that are bitter.  But that does not mean we are not going to stop correcting wrong info.

As I wrote previously, I can't think of a better person to have a band.  I think you should get one.  I think you are the perfect person to get a band.  I want you to have a band.  I think it's a great idea!  I don't know how to be more supportive of you than that.

So because we have had a bad experience, we aren't giving honest answers? Of course the band cheerleaders tell you that it was OUR faults that the band didn't work out! We didn't eat right, or do this or that. I call BS. I bet they will be singing a different tune when their time for revision comes up. I am not a band basher. I had mine removed but to each their own. I wish they would stop putting them in because I think at this point they are doing more harm than good, but some people have had great results. What I don't like is when people get on their high horse and tell me what I did wrong and that it was my fault that my band was crap. And how exactly does one "cut down your sliming and occasional throwing up and be more mindful of how you eat with your restricted band"? I was very mindful of how I ate with my restricted AND unrestricted band, yet it didn't change the frequency of me throwing up. As a matter of fact, the more "mindful" of it I was, the worse off I was. Dense protein never went down. I may not throw up every time, but if I didn't I would be miserable for hours, no matter how small of bites I took or how much I chewed. So until a.) you get a band and experience it for yourself, or b.) you do some actual research on the success, failure, revision rates of the band (and by actual research, I mean studies, not asking the "Vets" at LBT) comments like this are invalid because you simply don't know what you are talking about, and are insulting to others.

Nancy-

I have a question for you.

Why do you suppose the LBT band cheerleaders won't come over here to OH?  Think this one through for a moment.

If you have been on LBT for any amount of time you know as well as I do that only cheerleaders are welcome over there.  If someone is having band problems they are discredited, dog piled, chased away and if they don't leave on their own the mods over there will deactivate their account.  They leave on their own or with help.  Can you possibly imagine how they must feel?  They are reaching out for help and they are blamed, teased, and banned.  How would that make  YOU feel?

OH knows full well how much I disagree with 99% of their policies but... they do allow people to tell their WLS story regardless of what it is.  If they are doing well, if they are struggling, if they are failing, if their surgery type is failing... it doesn't matter.  We ARE free to be honest about our experiences here.

If a person here is having band problems and they are struggling if the cheerleaders do here, what they do on LBT, they are moderated and get their little hands slapped.  OH does not permit abuse of those struggling.  They completely and totally deserve credit for that.  It wasn't that way 7 years ago, but it is today.  They will not permit or tolerate abuse of those in pain in any manner.  Total credit there, I will defend that to the end.

If the cheerleaders come here slam dunking someone who has band complications they are moderated and not permitted to post their spew.  They have no control over here like they do there.  They are not permitted to run the boards here.  Don't you think there is a reason they aren't over here right now proving to me that I almost died from banding and it was all my fault?  Nothing about the band was my fault.  I was so thin and malnourished that I didn't have the strength to go shopping for clothes, I couldn't walk that far.  The final four months of my banding I was on watery thinned down protein shakes only made with water instead of milk.  My doc was an Allergan proctor and finally he believed me that I was following the rules.  He WAS just like your own surgeon, it can't possibly be the band, it has to be the patient.  He removed the band and finally apologized for blaming me for band problems, come to find out the scar tissue was growing under my band and that is why I couldn't eat any food or drink much nutrition.  I had malnutrition, my electrolytes were a horror, life was not good.  I was so thin my spine stuck out of my clothes.

I remember sitting on my bathroom floor in tears trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.  For a long time I believed my surgeon that I was not following the infamous rules.  I remember being in tears heaving my guts out trying to figure out how to ge****er down with an unfilled band.  Maybe the day before I could eat an entire porterhouse and all the trimmings, the next day I couldn't keep saliva down.  This is with no change in fills.  Do you have any clue at all what it feels like to be soooo thirsty, you have a glass of water in your hand and there is no way it will stay down?  Can you imagine that?

How do you suppose I could have had control over this?  In the end there was no food, none.  I was on thin liquids the last four months of my band. For some it happens in a year and others 8 years.  You just never know.

My whole point here is this, if the band cheerleaders could hold their own and post with honesty and integrity, why aren't they here?  Wouldn't they want to take over this board as well?  Wouldn't they want the whole world knowing what a fantastic tool the band is?  Do you think it is that they can't control this board and chase away people with band issues?  Insult and degrade them?  They can make the whole world think the band is the best thing for fat folks yet they don't dare come here.

Why do you suppose that is?

Next time you call us bitter, angry, caused our own problems, went to chitty surgeons... just remember, there will be a day when you have issues albeit temporary bumps in the road or serious complications.   I can promise you the cheerleaders won't be there for you.  You are burning bridges with vets who are telling you their truth, posting articles, studies, facts, stats, what are you going to do?

Please be verrrry clear here!  I want you to have a band.  I support your decision 100%!  I think it's the best surgery type for you.  This is what you want and therefore that is what I want for you.  I can't think of a better person to have a band.  I am not trying to talk you out of a band in the least.  I just want you to explain why the cheerleaders aren't over here doing their thing.  Most banded people seem to be on f/b.  There are cheerleaders there, too!  I used to admin the band pages even though I was sleeved.  I hated it, I felt like a 2nd grade school teacher and left.  Most of the pages there are fairly balanced.  They are not pro band, they are not anti band, they are not over moderated, they do a pretty good job most of the time.  Sure, there are pages like OH and pages like LBT in the manner they are run.  But most are fairly balanced.

Why aren't they here running off those with band problems?  Surely you can answer this, right?  Maybe ask them and see what they say.

Great post! I was considering the lap-band...I was even going to self pay. My cousin had one put in last year and is doing great! I hope he doesn't suffer these horrible complications. Fast forward to May...I got a new job and to my complete and total joy (I work for a teaching hospital), all WLS are covered! So, I began researching all the procedures. I didn't want my guts rerouted. I was scared to have most of my stomach removed...but after I saw studies with band failures rates way higher than what I was comfortable with...I compared leak rate with sleeve vs band complications/failure. I decided I want a lifetime modification. I am happy to say I will be sleeved in 6 weeks! Just finishing up my preop tests. I'm glad people like you post your stories! Its not to say that the other surgeries don't have complications but basically Allergan is saying these are not lifetime products. People need to know that down the line something will have to be done.

Thank you Nancy, I thought the same about the bitterness but so far I love my band. If anyone fails its me not the band and I very rarely have issues with slime anymore no throwing up. Thanks for your imput

I had a band for 4 years, 2009-2013 I'm only Negative because of what I have  read since I developed complications. 

What I have found is that people NOT having problems.. DON'T POST.

If they are having what they consider typical band related problems  slimming, productive burping, reflux, vomiting those people also just tend to deal with thinking that is what they have to suffer with because they chose the band as their WLS.

From my personal experience/ NO TEST told the doctor that my band had slipped or WHY i had developed a Severe Pain in my left shoulder Pain/burning/ constant discomfort. No Cat Scan, no Endoscopy, no Chest X-ray, no spine X-ray.

From reading others experiences , the same thing tests DONE no results, finding anything. 

Now , post operatively many have been diagnosis with slippage, erosion into/of  the stomach, dilated esophagus, migration of the band into other organs (liver, intestines) 

I can only repeat what is a constant for most PAIN.. In the shoulder, stomach, port any area. Nothing is going to be exactly the same for everyone . but I will provide a useful link that describes complications of the band A SURGEON' S GUIDE of what to expect as I imagine this is what most doctor's should rely on BUT Don't.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038361/

I find it interesting that someone that states they don't have a band comes to critize the "negative" people here? I don't  wish a anyone a band or the problems that can come with it, I do say research the other options, decide what is right for you, and just remember YOU WILL NEED another form of  WL surgery if you chose the band.

Erosion- the biggest symptom is a lack of restriction.  People keep getting fill after fill and no restriction.  Some have pain but most of the time people have no idea.  Nobody really knows what causes erosion.  There are times it is known for example if a person keeps their band verrry tight for a LONG time that can cause erosion but most people cannot tolerate being that tight for that long.  Another cause of erosion is a port infection.  Anytime you get a port infection it is critical that you get an endoscopy about 3 months later.  Bacteria travel up the tubing and erode the band.  But, most times nobody knows what causes erosion.  This is a risk of fills and unfills.  Bacteria are pushed through the skin with the needle and sometimes the bacteria win, again... not under your control.

They used to believe it was NSAIDs, they discovered that wasn't it.  Then they thought it was smoking.  That wasn't it either.  Now they are back to not knowing.  I can tell you what Aceves thinks MIGHT cause it.  He thinks it might be the caustic chemicals used to sterilize instruments.  The residue on the surgical instruments might burn the back of the stomach and over time that causes erosion.  He just doesn't know.

Many times the band grows adhesions and sticks to the liver.  You might feel nothing or you might feel vague pain.  It does not usually show up on diagnostics, they have to go in and look at it and see what is happening.

Esophageal damage- the band is a high pressure device under your esophagus.  The band is pushing food up and your esophagus is pushing food down.  Your esophagus can only take this for so long before it becomes annoyed with you.  The symptoms are difficulty swallowing, esophageal spasms, maybe you find yourself choking on your food.  The problem is that by the time you see the symptoms the damage has already started.

Vagus nerve damage- The vagus nerve is a MAJOR nerve in your body.  If you find you have a lot of left shoulder pain and it seems to get worse when you eat food that is not a good thing.  If it goes on too long the nerve becomes damaged.  Google -left shoulder pain lap band- and you can read more about it.

All you can do is make sure you are not too tight, do your best not to get stuck, and do not overeat.  Baby your band as long as you can and that is really all you can do.  Most band problems are not the fault of the patient.  The only people who make that claim are newbies.  You have no control over most issues.  You can't wish away scar tissue, you can't prevent esophageal damage, you can't do a thing about erosion most of the time.  You have no control over what the band is doing to your vagus nerve, the stomach damage is not under your control.

You are right to be proactive, just do everything you can to prevent the problems you do have control over and don't blame yourself for what you do not have control over.  Don't listen to the utter nonsense that 95% of the band problems are the patient's fault.  That is silly.  We have no control over most issues.

What chemicals is Aceves thinking about?  As far as I know autoclaving or EO gas don't leave any chemical residue on instruments or equipment.  If there was a residue that could damage tissue it seems like that method of sterilization would not be approved for use in the OR.  There are some liquid things used in "cold packs" at vet clinics for instruments that are not used for surgery (stuff like pulling porcupine quills out of dog noses), but I have never heard of caustic chemicals being used on instruments.  Seems like anything caustic would damage the instruments as well.  

 

There are many ways to sterilize instruments.  Everything from chemicals to gas to dry heat to humid heat.

Here is a really basic example, there is a hospital in Phoenix you couldn't pay me to work for let alone go there as a patient.  The reason is how they sterilize some instruments.  If someone has TB heat alone does not kill the spores.  So what they always did traditionally was to wash the used instruments, soak them in bleach, rinse, and then sterilize with heat.  Those instruments are notorious for leaving the residue that I referred to earlier.  That is why 99% of hospitals only use disposable instruments on TB patients today.  No sterilizing them later.

There is a guy that used to post here, he became an on line friend of mine, TJWood.  He is a prime example.  He went to the very hospital I refer to and had a band done.  His incisions were contaminated with TB because the bleach/heat thing didn't do the trick.  There is more to the saga about his doc misdiagnosing the infection, the hospital missing the sky high white count, etc., but the point is, he got TB because they do not use disposable instruments, they do use bleach/heat.  It didn't work.  He was one sick puppy for about a year.

I asked Aceves one time why he had such a low erosion stat.  He point blank told me he didn't know.  He wasn't sure and that is why he won't let anyone change anything in the OR.  He won't let them change their sterilization techniques, nothing.  Everything stays the same.  He is not positive but he believes it is the residue on the instruments that is responsible for erosion and it kinda makes sense it is something in the OR.  Some surgeons have a sky high erosion stat and others have almost no erosions.  Bands are the easiest surgery to do so I really doubt erosion is the surgeon, I also believe it is something in the OR.