Help.....Covered in hives!!

Sunny112 · 06-13-2007, 11:26 AM

I woke up yesterday morning covered in hives from head to foot! I took Benadryl all day and the hives went away on the surface. Now my joints are swollen and I'm so stiff I can hardly move. I'm retaining fluid and ache all over. I was banded almost 3 weeks ago and have done fairly well with only the normal gas issues until now. Is it possible to be allergic to the band material? Has anyone else experienced this? Any helpful advice? Thanks!

:help:

cyndilou29 · 06-13-2007, 11:42 AM

You should call your doctor asap. It appears as though you are definitely having a reaction to something. While I'm not a doctor, I doubt you would have a reaction this severe after 3 weeks. It doesn't follow the typical progression for an allergy.

Keep us posted. I hope you are feeling well soon!

judymarie · 06-07-2008, 01:29 AM

has any one had lap banding at loyola

TXXANGEL · 06-07-2008, 02:24 PM

I had the band done a year ago and have had nothing but complications i have called the dr i have emailed him Dr Carlos Alessandrini and the band has never worked from the start he wants me to come back but pay to have it removed or for them to check it out i also have broke out in the last week in hives and swollen all over i went to my regular physical doctor she can not find anything wrong she believes its the band but since she does not do anything with lap bands she cant do anything but suggest i go back to the dr that did it i do not feel i should have to pay again to have them check it out or fix the problem why it has never worked. Around the port has always been red and sore i have told Dr. Carlos Alessandrini this many times he wants me to come and pay more so they will check it out.....

snowbird · 06-07-2008, 03:02 PM

TXXANGEL,

Why do you think the hives are band related when they appeared a year after you were banded? Are you allergic to anything else? Are you taking any medications? Has your diet changed? I developed hives suddenly last summer after eating some blueberries from South America. Who knows what was sprayed on them! In other words, it could be anything you recently came in contact with.

Have you had any fills?

What do you mean exactly, when you say the band has never worked? Are you talking about your appetite? Your ability to eat? Again, what is your fill history? Bands don't work unless they are filled. (except very, very rarely)

I'm not familiar with your doctor, but usually there is some aftercare included in the price of your banding. Did you discuss this with him at the time? If you don't like him and he is going to make you pay anyway, you might want to look for another doctor. If you haven't seen any doctor since the time you were banded, it is no wonder things aren't working out for you. You might want to try the Local Support thread for your area to see if anyone has suggestions on another doctor near you. Hope you are feeling better soon!

TXXANGEL · 06-07-2008, 10:01 PM

Ever since i had the band done May 2007 i have never felt that full feeling even after i had fills. I had it done in Mexico and found a great doctor here in Texas that does the fills she has done the fluroscopy and and i have had the dye done and she can not see where the leak is every time she did the fill the next time what she put was not in there. You sound like i do not know what i am talking about or have not done or had it checked out. I have been to two doctors and had them do dye and both under the fluroscopy and nothing so they both have said i need to go back to the doctor that did it since they did not do the band they only do fills...I have emailed my doctor Dr Carlos Alessandrini from the start that around the port area it is red and sore and the problems i have and keep having with the unexplained swelling of my body to the hives to the sick at my stomach and his responds is come back and pay for an endoscope and whatever else needs to be done to fix it...I am trying and have been trying to find a doctor locally but no so far the drs i have contacted will not do anything since i had it done in Mexico....

snowbird · 06-07-2008, 10:23 PM

That's a real shame that after going through the pain and expense of surgery you are not having any success with it. I'm sorry if I came across as talking down to you, but some people haven't done enough research to understand how the band works. You obviously are not in that position. It does sound like you have a leak, and maybe an infection.

I liked my surgeon in Tijuana, but that is a long way from you, if you are in Texas. There is another excellent surgeon in Mexicali, but that's still far away. Again, I would suggest you go on your state's forum under the Lap Band Support Groups and maybe someone knows of a doctor who could help you that wouldn't be very expensive and would be close to you. So sorry!