Bungle69

Can't say anything too much on this topic except my doctor is OK with liquid Advil Liquigels! Go figure. There are so many conflicting things about this band and every doctor seems to be so totally different (that's definitely something I have observed). I think moderation is definitely the key!!

Went to see my surgeon yesterday afternoon and he and I discussed my long hospitilization with pneumonia, pleural effusion and enlarged spleen. He agreed with my hospital physician that there was a bleed related to my surgery, though he has never had one happen after being closed. I feel sure that he checked me throughly to make sure all was intact after surgery, it was just one of those things. Just wanted to make everyone aware of this as it took a long time for them to look below my diaphragm for anything besides just regular pneumonia, and it could make a differerence for someone else in the future to have heard of my case and maybe have a quicker resolution-rather than almost a month and two hospitilizations later. Remember, mine started about three weeks after surgery with pleuritic pain, unbearable to pain meds and then progressed quickly to signs of pneumonia. No hard feelings to my surgeon nor any other physician, just a long month of medical procedures. I guess I was the mystery of Dec. 2005!! I feel better today than I have in a month. Funny thing, I have lost 50 lbs since my surgery on 10/10/05- don't think it was meant to be quite that fast!!!!

Well to continue with the ongoing saga of my illness, I was re-hospitalized last Friday with continued fever and unrelenting Fluid on my left lung. So, after a bronchoscopy, another thoracentecis (with about a liter of fluid removed), and an abdominal CT that showed I had bled into my spleen recently and it is swollen- I am left with a host of physician's opinions that have left me quite confused. The latest from the a surgeon regarding the spleen bleed- which has left in quite enlarged- he is possibly relating to my band surgery and subsequent repair of a small hiatal hernia I had at the time of surgery. In theory this spleen swelling was and is irritating my diaphragm, pleura on my lungs and not helping me heal this pneumonia. I have had two hospitilizations and stilll not feeling the best!! Mainly want feed back on the spleenic bleeds with lap-banding, has anyone heard of this as a secondary risk of banding. The good news I guess is that my "band" in theory looks fine. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers that the fluid on my left chest does not come back, otherwise I am headed for surgery. Sorry to be such a downer-trying to stay positive and have a healthy return to my life!!! Thanks for all your help.

One more thing...the pain from this has been enormous, my pain was unrelieved essentially for 2 wks. taking some very strong pain medicine. So... if you ever have symptoms like this- please continue to consult a physician until the source of the pain is determine.

I know that not many of you know me yet on LBT and I have been missing in action, but I have some information to share that may be helpful to new and future bandsters. Some of you know that I have been sick with pneumonia; however, instead of getting better, it got worse and I have been in the hospital for about 3 1/2 days (got home last night). The doctor is not blaming my band but reminded me that just entering a hospital (that are filled with germs) and opening up your airway during general anesthesia is like an open highway to your lungs. I did everything they told me to after surgery, used my "breathing machine" regularly, started walking the neighborhood about day 3, and had returned to work in a week. Just remember to do everything your doctor says and maybe use that "breathing machine" a little bit longer than recommended. Also, my pneumonia presented very atypically and wanted to just throw out there the symptoms I had. My pneumonia ended up being in both lower lobes, just above the diaphram with fluid build up on the left. My pain was similar to that of gas pains in my left side, chest, and very specifically in my collar bone, just like after surgery. So after much testing and doctor's visits it was decided that it was not a "band" problem, a pulmonary embolus- but a serious pneumonia. I am feeling better, but not great. Hope to be of more help here in the future. Sorry so LONG!!

Not to be negatitve, but if my full time job was to exercise and diet, it might have been a whole lot easier to jump start a weight loss and life change. They have all done wonderful and it definitely is not just becuase they were on the show, they all wanted to change and have made it happen.

Well to make everyone feel better, my doctor did unfill me yesterday, before I also had an x-ray of my chest and another "yummy" swallow study. I followed up with my PCP today and she seems to think that I have some kind of virus causing pleuritic pain (the pain I was having with my chest and collar bone and the fever. She started me on a medrol dose pack today. I feel better. The question is now is... How do I tell me doctor next time if I don't think I need a fill? I was actually kinda telling him last visit that I hadn't started solid foods yet, because I had reallly only been hungry a couple of times. So... I trusted his judgement, I guess maybe I had better trust mine more. I have definitely been successfuly in the weight loss category. Anyway, thanks for your thoughts and opinions. This is a great place to hear lots of different things.

Interestingly I really haven't been hungry, and my doctor pretty much says in his material to move onto more solid foods when not full on mushies. So...once my fill was going pretty good I decided to make the big step and try some solids. I really did try to chew, chew, chew, but maybe not enough. I know that I am going to call my physician's office first thing in the a.m. and get an opinion from them. I still fill full and temp!! Afraid to take anything for a temp, all I have is children's motrin and Advil liquigels which is what the doctor and suggested after surgery. EEK, this is a little frustrating.

Questions, Questions, Questions!!! Today after eating a very minute amount of canned tuna with mayo, I felt like I had eaten a whole 20 lb. turkey. (I still feel that way, but may be a bit better). I feel like there is a bowling ball sittin on my stomach. Coincidentally, I had my first fill last week on 11/1 and this was only the third time since banding on the 10/10 that I had tried "solids". Also I seem to have a temp, not quite a 100. So what is the consensus- do I have some food stuck and happen to have a temperature due to another cause? Or can being stuck cause you to have at temperature. I already called my doctor about the full feeling, however no temp then. They said to go to liquids for about a day and if I don't feel better call back. Any input to being stuck?

Swollen and delayed gas pains for me. I am on Day 7 of being banded and had my worst gas pains yet! I was at church and was laughing quite heartily at my 2 year old singing, mouth wide open some religous tunes, when quite soon after that I thought someone had stuck an ice pick in my collar bone. I know that folks always talk about gas pain in the left shoulder blade, but realize it can also be in the collar bone area too !!! Hang in there and feel better!!

Thanks, I just switched back to liquids and things seem to be doing better. So thanks for all of your advice.

Can someone please try to explain to all of us new bandsters how our new stomach should feel? I am having a hard time trying to work with this new tool. I have very strictly stuck to liquids the first three days post surgery, and only yesterday added "mushies". This a.m. I had a 1/2 cup of applesauce and a bottle of water and somehow I now feel a very fullness in my chest. I am thinking that I need to drink a protein drink or something since it is mid-day. So... describe some of the sensations that you have felt and maybe some remedies. Thanks for your advice in advance.