soulsis78

Hi there. I was banded on April 25, had my first fill on June 1. I haven't had a whole lot of success yet with my weight loss, only about 15lbs. I go back to the dr. next Friday for my 2nd fill and am keeping my fingers crossed that it increases the restriction to my desired amount. My question is, when I am sitting down, sometimes I get this uncomfortable pulling sensation on my left side. I figured it was my port, but the pulling feeling has progressively moved higher over the last few weeks. I had my first fill, and being that I have sensitive skin, the needle left a mark. I can now feel my port and it is several inches higher than the needle mark where they went in for the first fill. It actually feels like it has moved closer to my rib cage, and maybe even over them a little bit. Is this normal? I have only lost 15lbs, so I don't think I'm feeling the difference from weight loss. Has anyone else's port moved, and if so, is this to be expected or should I be worried that they'll have to go in and correct the issue? Thanks, any guidance is appreciated. I'd like to have some idea before I go in a panic to the dr. next week. Kelly

Hey there. I know its hard, try not to get too discouraged. I lost 12 lbs in two + weeks after surgery and have only lost another 3 since then. I had my first fill on 6.1.07 and have only lost 2lbs since then. It is extremely frustrating. I've just about thrown the scale out the window. I am looking forward to seeing my dr. next Fri. for my next band fill. Hopefully that will do the trick. Just remember, it could be worse, you could've gained 9lbs!!!

I too had a lot of gas pain in my left shoulder. It ached terribly and even felt like it shot up into my neck. I swear even my earlobe hurt!!! I get it when I eat too much or eat too fast.

Although I hate to hear that people aren't having success, I have to admit, I am a little relieved. I thought it was just me. Like others, I had my first fill and although I am dieting and trying not to eat anything bad, I can still eat just about anything. A few things I have tried go down a little rough, but once it is down and I stop eating it, I'm fine. I am not feeling full at all. It is a mental game of looking at my plate and saying "I shouldn't be able to eat more than this," but my body isn't telling me to stop. I feel like I could keep eating. It is really frustrating, I keep bouncing b/t 12-15 lbs lost. I haven't lost anything in 3 weeks since my first fill. My dr. schedules the fills 7-8 weeks apart! I still have another month before I can have my next fill. I'm already at 2.5cc in a 4cc band. Like others, I've been afraid there is something wrong with my band or that I stretched out the pouch. I am trying really hard not to get discouraged. Next week will be 2 mos. since my surgery and I lost all my weight so far before the fill!!! Anyone else out there that has experienced the same frustration and moved on to success after their second fill?

I had my surgery on 4.25.07 and it was preformed laproscopically. After surgery my dr. came into my room and looked really surprised with how well I was doing after such a short time. He said my surgery went beautifully with no complications and that he was sending me home. I had surgery around 8am and was home (I live 1/2 hr away from hospital) by 5pm. After a few days, I asked my sister who is a nurse to change my bandages. She removed the last one and asked me why they had to make a larger incision? I had no idea what she was talking about. I've had laproscopic surgery before and imagine my surprise when I looked in the mirror and see the 5 small incisions (1 inch or less) and one that was over 4 inches. The dr. never even mentioned to me that he had made a larger incision. It may have explained why I was in more pain on my left side than I had expected and I probably would have opted not to go back after 4 days off from work. I have tried numerous times to get an explanation from my drs. as to why the larger incision? They keep acting as though it is completely normal, as though they cut all their patients in such a way. No one ever mentioned the larger incision before surgery. One of the drs. on the surgerical team told me that some times they have to cut a little longer to place the port. But again, he didn't act like my incision was abnormal. Everyone else I know who has had the lap band surgery is shocked when I show them the incision. None of them have one so large. Regardless of whether they had to do it or not, I still think that the Dr. should have mentioned the larger incision to me before I left the hospital. Its been almost 2 mos. and that area is still really tender. It was really uncomfortable when they were feeling around for the port for my first band fill. Has anyone else had to have a larger incision at their port site?

My fills were also done by feeling for the port. I too got a shot to numb the area before the needle. The first fill is usually the hardest. I still had a lot of belly fat for them to move through. My dr. also has me lay down with a big pillow under my head and drink water as they are filling the band. You are supposed to tell them when/if you start feeling any restriction. I didn't and was fine the rest of the day. The dr. says it is better to start out slow, which I am sure it is, but I have to admit, it hasn't even been 2 weeks and I looking forward to my next fill. I don't feel the restriction and fullness I expected.

I had surgery on 4.25.07 and sometimes I still get gas pain. It was pretty bad for about 1 1/2 weeks after surgery. I get the pain in my left shoulder, it even shoots up into my neck and I swear sometimes even my earlobe hurts!!! It's normal. Don't ignore symptoms, but don't panic. After experiencing it myself, I can understand why some people think they might be experiencing symptoms of a heart attack.

I had my surgery on 4.25.07. So far, I am down b/t 12-15lbs. I had my first fill on 6.1.07 and so far I am a little disappointed. I expected to be able to eat a little more during the period before the fill, but not after. Even though I followed the diet and lost weight, I really had hoped to experience more restriction and weight loss after the first fill. My dr. asked me to drink Water as he was filling my band and to let him know when/if I felt restriction. I didn't. I have a 4cc band and he got up to 3cc. He decided to back down to 2.5 b/c he didn't want to make it too tight my first time. I sort of wish he had. I am not feeling barely any restriction and I am really not experiencing a full feeling. I can also pretty much eat everything I've tried without any problem (breads, meat, always well chewed of course, etc). I have been dieting and excersising, but I have seemed to already plateau. Is that possible so soon? My fear is that maybe there is something wrong with my band. At one point since my fill, I ate a good size bowl of dry shredded wheat with no problem. (I was having a major sweet tooth and tried to tame it with something that wasn't too bad). I have an acquaintance who had the surgery almost 2 yrs ago and she is amazed that I can eat the types of food I can without any discomfort. Anyone out there have any similar experiences and who may be willing to share? All I keep hearing is "everyone is different," but I'd like to hear from some people with similar experiences who has since gone on to successful weight loss. Thanks.

I had my surgery on April 24th. The first few weeks I had restriction and lost 12 lbs. Slowly, my appetite returned and even though I was eating less than I had before surgery, it still was more than I had expected to be able. I had my first band fill on June 1st and so far, I've been a little disappointed. My dr. asked me to drink Water while they were filling my band and to let him know when I started to feel restriction. I didn't. I have a 4cc band and he got up to 3ccs. He decided to back down b/c he didn't want me too tight for my first fill, down to 2.5ccs. I am eating significantly less, and trying not to eat anything bad. I eat about 7 x a day. Cup of Cereal (high fiber), nutragrain bar, cup or apple sauce, child size yogurt, cottage cheese, a couple of oz of chx and veggies, etc. But I'm not getting full. Mentally, I stop b/c I assume that I shouldn't eat that much, but my body isn't telling me to stop. Also, the scale has stopped moving. Is it possible to plateau this quickly. I feel like my body is fighting all my attempts at diet and excersise. I know everyone is different, but again, so far I am a little disappointed because I really thought I'd notice a difference with my first fill. I thought I'd have restriction at this point and that I would feel more full. Also, I didn't expect to bounce b/t 12-15lb weight loss. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Thanks.

Hi there. Every one is different when it comes to their pain tollerence. It all depends on what type of a job you have. Are you lifting and moving, or chained to a desk? I had my surgery on Wed. and went back to work the following Tues. morning. I was able to function, but in retrospect, I should have taken that week off. I had a lot of discomfort with gas pains and I also had diarrhea that lasted about 2 weeks after surgery. It was extremely watery stools with no cramping, so I didn't have a real heads up when I had to go, it was a pretty sudden urge. As quick as I had started getting the diarrhea, it went away. I definitely didn't need the dr. recommended 3 weeks off from work, but I would have at least taken a week and a half or so. Best of luck. Its all worth it.

I don't seem to have any pain when I burp, but the first time I had a hiccup, I jumped up out of my seat. Very uncomfortable and not expected. I dread them now!!!

If you really have severe pain in your arm, shortness of breath, or pressure in your chest call your dr. or head to the ER just to be sure. Don't worry about being embarassed if its just gas. Better safe than sorry. To be honest, I get gas pains on my whole left side. Shoulder, back, arm, neck, even my earlobe hurts. I know how weird that must sound, but it's true. Don't panic when you feel pain, but don't ignore it either. Once it starts, stop eating or drinking, get up and move around. If it doesn't help to lessen the discomfort, or if it starts to get worse, than go to the ER. Also, regarding the lump near the port site, do you by any chance have any medical tape or steri strips still on you? I only ask b/c I started to have a severe allergic reaction to the medical tape that started to cause large hard blistering. I actually thought that maybe I had given myself a hernia, but turns out, thankfully, it wasn't. If you think that the reaction may be the case, call your dr. asap and get that tape off of you! I left it on and it literally ate away my skin. The incisions themselves were fine and healing beautifully, but the itching and burning where there was tape was worse than the surgery itself! It's been almost 5 weeks since surgery and I still have pink skin all around the incision sites because of the allergic reaction. Best of luck.

I had my surgery on 4.25.07 and also experienced the shoulder pain. Often it is paired with back discomfort on my left side. For myself, I find that it is usually associated with eating or drinking too much, too fast. I'm pretty sure it's gas pain. The first 2+ weeks, it was pretty severe. I find that when I start to get it, if I stop eating and drinking immediately and start moving around (stand up and walk around), then it usually doesn't get so severe. It's been over a month since my surgery and I still get it sometimes, but not nearly as often. Best of luck. If the discomfort continues, make sure you discuss it with your dr.

It is completely normal to have the fear of anesthesia during surgery. My father was put under for a kidney stone procedure 3 years ago and suffered a heart attack and several other major health concerns as a result of undetected health issues combined with the stress of anesthesea. So I was completely overcome by fear of not waking up or waking up with more serious complications. The fear was so great, I honestly considered not going through with the procedure. You have to weigh the personal benefits of having surgery against not having it and continuing to live life at a high weight. Remember, the people who are the most successful in life are those who took risks. As soon as they put the drugs in my arm, I was out. I woke up several hours later feeling so happy that the worst of it was over and I was ready to start my new life of health and well being. I can only speak for myself, but I'd take the risk again in a second. Best wishes in whatever choices you make.