suburban3

My dr. says I have a hernia where my port is. It sticks out almost like a third boob!! It shows under some of my shirts and makes me self-conscious. He says I need to have surgery to repair the hernia and he'll put in a smaller port and move it up some. Have any of you had a similar problem?

For about the past month, I've been coughing during my sleep and waking up strangling repeatedly. When I get up during the day, I don't cough. I've tried taking Sudafed at bedtime and it worked for a while, but not anymore. I've tried sleeping with a coughdrop in my mouth and it helps a little, but not much. I asked my regular dr. and he said to take Mucinex, but it can't be chewed, crushed, or broken up. I've taken it a few times, scared it would get stuck. It seemed to work, but when I don't take it, I cough all night again. I asked my lapband dr. about it this week and he said my lapband may be too tight. I have 1.8 cc (2 fills). He said to go on liquids for a week and come back in 2 weeks if not better. Have any of you had a coughing problem associated with your lapband?

I'm so glad to read about night coughing!! I thought I must be the only one with this problem...I've been banded for about 1 1/2 years, lost about 65 lbs., and have been holding the same weight for about a year. Need to lose 40-50 lbs. more, but can't seem to tolerate any more fill. Last year about this same time, I started coughing at night. Would wake up almost drowning, strangling, trying to catch my breath. Thought it was sinus drainage. Took all kinds of sinus medicine, cough medicine, etc. Couldn't get rid of it. Then overheard a co-worker say she had acid reflux that caused her to cough all night. She started taking Prilosec every night, per dr. orders, and her cough stopped. I tried that and got much better. In the meantime I had developed a hernia where my port was (I believe it was from all that hard coughing in my sleep) and the dr. took out all my fill until I had hernia surgery.During this time he sent me for a barium swallow and all was ok. I eventually was filled again, but in the last month I developed the night coughs again. I wasn't able to sleep much at all, threw up slime several times a night, etc. This time Prilosec, cough meds., etc. didn't help. Nor did sitting up in the recliner to try to sleep. Last week I had all my fill removed again, will have another barium swallow, let my system rest, and then hopefully get filled again. I was only at 1.4cc this year and last, and I'm afraid I won't be able to tolerate any tighter and can't lose any more weight.

yes, he's the same surgeon who did my lapband surgery

I developed the hernia after my surgery---Evidently the port caused the hernia!

My dr. finally decided the coughing and reflux at night may be due to my band being too tight. It had progressed to the point that I had to sleep virtually sitting up!! The antacids, Prevacol, and Mucinex all worked for a few nights each, but quit helping. Yesterday he took out all of my fill to "give me a rest." Then he sent me to the hospital to get a barium swallow to see if everything was ok. The Xray guy said everything seemed to be fine. I was able to get a solid night's sleep for the first time in two months!! But I'm scared I'll put some weight back on. I've lost 60 lbs. since my Aug. 25 surgery, have 40 to go. He said to wait 3 weeks to start getting filled again. At the time, I only had 1.8cc. I lost 45 lbs. on my first fill of 1.4cc.

I'm beginning to get worried that my port location is protruding so much that it shows when I wear thinner fabrics, such as t-shirts. The port is located about 6-8 inches directly above my navel. It's beginning to look like a third boob almost!! I asked my dr. about it this week and he said I may have a hernia there, and the port is a "floater." He said the hernia didn't have to be repaired right away, and that he'd fix it when he put in a smaller port, and would probably move the port to another location at that time. I didn't know we had to get a smaller port. Did any of you? Do any of you have a little hill where your port is?

Are any of you losing your hair? Mine seems to be coming out lately. When I shower and wash my hair, I have to clean hair out of the drain 3-4 times, quite a bit of hair each time. And my hair is short!! Help!! Does anyone know if this is caused by lapband surgery? Or does losing weight cause this? Or maybe I'm lacking something in my diet? I've lost 34 lbs. since my surgery on Aug. 25, 2004. I've had one fill of 1.2cc. Any help or advice would really be appreciated.

Yes, I was able to eat anything and everything after going on solid foods before my first fill at 4 weeks. I think I gained several pounds back that I'd lost on the liquid and mush stages. But after having my first fill (1.2cc) the skids have been put on my eating!! I have to eat very little, take very, very small bites, and chew, chew, chew, or it comes right back up. So, my advice is to enjoy eating right now, try not to overeat, and when you get a fill you'll be right back on track. I had no idea it would be so hard to eat regular food, but each day it gets a little easier. Good luck to you and hang in there!!

Hi--Can you tell me what pb stands for? Thanks.

Dr. Spiegel did my lapband surgery within the last week. He seems like a highly competent dr., but his office staff is really disorganized and haphazard. Do not wait for them to help you get approved by your insurance. I wasted a lot of time thinking they were going to handle that for me. I finally realized I had to take the bull by the horns myself. I had to make numerous phone calls to both my ins. co. and Dr. Spiegel's office to ever get any information and to get the ball rolling. He seems to have plenty of patients, but I wonder if he knows how many are just waiting or giving up because of the office staff.