Lap band erosion 18 months after surgery

Question Below Submitted By:  

Henrik Frokjaer (a patient from Denmark)

Approx 18 month after my lap band operation I started to experience stomach pain and went for check up at the hospital. It was then found out the band cut through the stomach and could be seen from the inside, also known as lap band erosion.

I now have to have the band removed, but at least I lost 42kg since my operation so it was not a total waste to get the band in the first place, just a shame i have to go trough surgery again to have it removed.

I had the lap band operation in the Philippines and not much information was given on the risks in connection with the procedure.

Related Pages:
Lap Band Problems & Lap Band Complications
Lap Band Surgery Failure – 2 Types & How to Avoid Them

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Patient Responses to the Question Above

Get the real Lap-band!!!

by: Candice Reyes

The Lap-Band comes in 2 sizes the APS and the APL, the former being small and the latter being large. I have had my LAP-BAND for more than 6 years and I am very happy with it.

I had the APS. My husband who was morbidly obese diabetic with fatty liver had the APL and is also doing very good with it.

We learned about the Lap-Band from my female friend who had it since 2004 and that was 11 years ago! There are a lot of detractors saying bad stuff about the Lap-Band without facing the fact that they refer to all gastric bandings as lapband. Go only for the real Lap-Band manufactured by Allergan. Tell your bariatric surgeon to show you the sealed box and give you the box after the surgery. Look at the box. Hope this helps.- Candice Reyes, Quezon City, Philippines

had the same problem

by: Anonymous

I had it for about 16 to 18 months. lost about 100 lbs. paid 9000 usd to get it put in, Paid another 7000 to remove. Got a lung infection from the removal. All the in the phils. From dela santos. Got it fixed in st lukes for 7000. So just for a lap bank it cost me 25000 usd. Its been 3 yrs since i had the band remove i gained most of the weight i lost back,

Band erosion

by: Alicid

I feel for you 100 percent. I had my first surgery in 1999 and within a 7yr period only lost 70 lbs. I was constantly getting scoped, having band stretched, vomiting, food getting stuck. I had in 2008 conversion to RY. I ended up on trauma ICU due to vomiting and I weighed 110 lbs and I'm 5'9. I was so scared.

I've had several problems since: my teeth are literally eroding and falling out, constant back pain, stomach pain. I go to ER with pain and they feel I'm drug seeking. It was/is horrible ordeal.

Please be very careful I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I did and still am.

Advise on how safe is bypass after Realize band erosion

by: Tammy

Julie,

I too had erosion...mine was the Realize band! It was put in July 2008 but emergency removal Sept. 2010. I had lost 183 lbs. and felt wonderful until 4 days prior to being rushed to the hospital. That was the beginning of my horrific nightmare. Long story short I was left with an infection in my body and remained very very sick until May 2011.

Since removal of band I have fought a losing battle to try keeping the weight off. Nothing works!!! I'm now left not only with all this weight gain but a spleen that has dead spots in it, and a liver that doesn't function apparently causing me to gain weight even eating very small meals. I keep thinking I just couldn't possibly be stupid enough to go through a surgery again, but truth be told I'm so about to look for a surgeon. I've been told by my surgeon that removed he didn't advise weight loss surgery for me but he's just one person. I've gained close to 100 lbs. to date and it's March 28th/ 2012.

I'm writing in hopes someone will read my story and have some good advise for me. Was wondering if you experienced weight gain as I did before your recent bypass, how are you doing with the bypass, and how bad was your erosion? Did you experience any spleen and/or liver enlarging? Was your band eroded all the way through as mine was? I have two children (boys) age 24 and 18...sad to say but it almost took me away from them forever...I was literally on my death bed two different times. I'm so scared of putting them through something like that again...myself though I'm as good as dead already because of the mental stress of gaining so much weight.

I just need advise please! Also in advance to all rude people that might consider commenting something ugly, please don't! Until you've been through something like this you don't have a clue of the pain I'm feeling!!!

Consider a Conversion

by: Lap Band Groupie

Henrik, I'm so sorry this has happened (and congrats on your WL).

Although erosions are rare, they happen and you should have been informed of complications by your Doc.

I was lucky enough to have three Bariatric Centers of Excellence in my city to choose from, and the Doc I chose had very good statistics (only one slip, no erosions, in all his procedures).

I'd encourage you to at least look at having a conversion operation (depending on your circumstances/the erosion, some Docs will do it all in the same operation/save you some cost, some wait for you to heal).

I know several Banders who've had conversions (I know I would if I lost mine).

If you haven't had an unfill yet on your journey, just a note to be mentally prepared for the hunger to come back with a vengeance…if we could have done this without WLS we would have.

Best wishes!

Almost at my goal

by: Henrik Frokjaer

I had the surgery done in the Philippines because I was stationed there for several years and was living there. The costs in the Philippines is actually the same as in the states, so not much to save there, and for sure you will find better and more experience doctors in US. I only need to loose approx 40 lb to reach my goal, so i got close.

I'm so sorry....

by: Yvonne McCarthy

I feel so badly for you. I hope some banders will offer you some support. When you go out of the U.S. you never know if you're getting a good place or not but when you don't have the money to pay for it in the U.S. what do you do? I hope you'll be OK and I wish you didn't have to go through the surgery.

Best of luck, Yvonne

Sorry about your problem

by: Julie

I too, had an erosion after 2 1/2 years. I am sorry this happened to you. I know how hard that can be on you. I lost a bit more than you (113 pounds) and I was just devestated with this loss.I had the band removed and 10 months later (3 weeks ago) I had a bypass.Hoping you do well without your band. Do you still have a lot to lose?

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