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(Long - Sorry) I have posted before about this. I was banded on 4/4/08 with no problems until September. I started having a "stomach pain" which my doctor said I had a UTI and put me on 3 different antibiotics finally went to Gynecologist and had ultrasound for female stuff - all okay and she started me on 1 more antibiotic because she said I still had UTI. Beginning 3 weeks ago I started having shortness of breath. Went to an internist, they did catscans, xrays, bloodwork, etc. everything came back normal. Still was having shortness of breath and stomach pain (on right side kinda high). I have already had my gallbladder out in 2003 - so its not that. I went to my lapband doctor thinking if I had a slight unfill it might make a difference - no such luck. He ended up unfilling me completely and said "go see a medical doctor". I have been to a pulmonolgist and he could not find anything wrong with my lungs. As I sit here now, I am having to position myself so I can get a deep breath - its awful! I came across some info. on band tubing resting on the diaphram and causing some problems. I asked my lapband nurse about the tubing. She said they wrap it around and under the ribcage - well, hello, that sounds like it could possibly be the problem. My lapband doctor is acting like "not my problem" - I feel so hopeless about all this. Also, with the stomach pain - could it be scar tissue pulling? Because it is like a pulling sensation. Someone please help with any info. you have or have heard on this.:drool: Thanks!

Thanks I will do that!

Thanks! I just wish my dr. would give adjustments of only .1 or .2 because that may be all I need.

I am having a similar problem with getting the right fill level. I have had my band for 2 1/2 yrs. You would think by now I would have everything worked out - but this band can be so fickle! I had lost 68 pounds and then suddenly it became too tight on its own. I had some removed and then it was too loose. My doctor will only add and remove in .5cc Right now I have gained 26 pounds and am so discourged. My band is too loose now - but is too tight if I add .5 more. Don't know what to do. I am hungry all the time - any advice??

Did you fly to Florida? If so, when we flew to Hawaii last summer my band tightened up so much I could barely eat. The good thing is I lost 20 pounds in a month!

I had the same thing - my body tried to throw up, but nothing came up and then I had the violent diarreah instead. Totally miserable! I used the Phergan suppositories and it was over in about 12 hrs. What other anti-nauseau meds are people taking and are they suppositories?

Could it be your appendix? Are you having fever? I think that usually goes along with the vomitting and right side pain.

I went on an 8 hr. flight to Hawaii back in July and ever since I returned, my band has remained a lot tighter. Go figure? I have lost 17 pounds since July - so I'm okay with it!

Thank you.

Thanks Kiz for the info. I am eating slider foods more than before, but I know there is a fine line between too tight and too loose. Not sure if I should just stay on liquids for a couple of weeks and lose the weight (not stress the band by PBing) and then have a tiny amt. out. The funny thing is, I haven't had a fill since January. My band became tighter after a long flight to Hawaii in July. Weird, huh?

I think I may be too tight now, but I am finally losing weight again. I was banded on 4/4/08 and had plateaued for months at 40 pound weight loss. Now, I'm down 53 pounds and I can only have liquids for breakfast, lunch is only a few bites of salad and grilled chicken and dinner about 3 bites of meat and 2 bites of veggies. Is it dangerous to be too tight?

Well, I hate to hear that you might lose your band. Actually, things have changed for me. I went to an internist and he found out I have hypothyroidism and put me on Synthroid and my breathing problems having pretty much gone away! It is so weird that my thyroid could have been making me feel so bad. Have you had yours checked? Just curious - the thyroid is a very complex thing! Good luck to you. Deidra

Tania, I went to the dr. and he thinks my side abdominal pain might be scar tissue and isn't convinced that the band has anything to do with my breathing problems. However, it happens everytime I eat - I kinda feel breathless and when I move around too much I get winded. He said he could go in laproscopically and remove the scar tissue (adhesions) and then look around to see if he could find anything wrong. He did a flourscopy and everything looks good and normal. At this time, I think I'm gonna wait it out and see. My insurance is really bad - and I was self-pay for the band, so I really don't want to have surgery if he doesn't think it will help. Keep in touch about your situation. :wink: Deidra

Could it be scar tissue connected to the port? Or maybe the tubing is pulling on it - I've had similar problems to the right of my port - a pulling, dull achey feeling. I have a dr. appt. Tuesday and will have a flourescopy to see what is going on. My lapband nurse said the tubing is "free-floating", maybe it could get hung up on something - I don't know just guessing??? Let us know what you find out.

Bojamison, Thanks for replying. I have been to a lung dr. and he said my lungs are clear. But I will research that microaspiration because I am glad to have a possible answer to this. Did you have any burning like it was reflux or just the sweet sickly taste? I don't have any signs of reflux and I have been completely unfilled for 3 weeks. But I still have some restriction - weird, huh? I'm going to lapband dr. on 12/2 and am demanding answers. Thanks!

MacMadame, Thanks for replying - I will ask my lapband dr. about that (he is out of country until 12/2/08 and that is when my appt. is)- my internist wants me to see a gastroenterologist next and possibly have an endoscopy - I sure am dreading that! It just seems that the catscans I have had should have shown the tubing. The radiologist did state that I had a lapband and it was placed correctly, no mention of the tubing. I am trying to hang in there - its just hard when you can't catch your breath!

I have been having a lot of mucus (drainage) for the past week and I have been miserable (constantly swallowing). What are ya'll taking? I've been trying Claritin but I haven't noticed any improvement. Thanks!

How did they move the tubing down? Did you have another surgery? Well, I ended up at the pulmonolgist yesterday because my shortness of breath hadn't gotten any better. He explained that it wasn't exactly "in my head", but that I truly probably had some shortness of breath but had since been hyperventilating because I have been having tingly hands and lightheadness (symptoms of hyperventilating). He sent me home with a small dose of valum "to take the edge off". He said my lungs sound fine, etc. I am trying to relax and believe him, but I know my body and something is still not okay. When I eat, I start having this shortness of breath sensation I am going to try to wait it out and see what happens.:thumbup: Keep in touch with your progress.

TM12- I hope the revision surgery works - do they think you are just swollen from the surgeries? Or do they just not know what to do? How experienced is your dr.? Mine actually has 9 or 10 yrs. experience with the lap band (first dr. in Texas to perform lapband). So I would like to believe him when he says my band is not responsible for shortness of breath, but since no one else knows either - I don't know what to think! I had a CT on Thursday and I am awaiting those results - this all gets kinda scarey when no one seems to know what to do for me. Cond- Have you looked at out-of-state doctors? Have you had any CT scans or MRIs? I know you have to be beyond sick of it by now! I have really loved my band and done so well until now - I hope this is not band related, I don't want my band out yet. Keep in touch with what you both find out.

I have had something similar since last Thursday. I was banded on 4/4/08 and have no problems at all, then in September I had right abdominal pain kinda above the belly button. My dr. kept saying it was a UTI, but I never had any of the classic symptoms. But after being on 4 different antibiotics, last week I started having shortness of breath. Went to lapband dr. they took out all of my 4.5 cc (sigh!) but surprisingly my appetite is still in check, maybe it is the 6 months of eating so little. Unfortunately, the unfill did not help the shortness of breath. Next, I ended up in E.R. with catscans of chest and abdomon, x-rays and blood work. So far they can't find anything wrong. My internal dr. thinks something is irritating the diaphram - so that is why your post caught my attention. Let me know what you find out! Have you had any infections which required antibiotics? Good luck - hope you get some answers too.

I have been having an ache - not quite a pain- on my right side just above my bellybutton for about 6 weeks now. I went to my lapband doctor and had flourscopy (sp?) and he said band looked fine. I have been doing my own research and they say abdominal hernias are more common after abdominal surgery. Anyone have experience with this? I'm really concerned that it could be something else. Oh, by the way I was banded on 4/4/08 and have lost 41 lbs and almost to my "sweet spot", I think.

Are you still on pain meds? I have had that happen to me on the pain meds. Hope you are doing well!

Hi! Sorry to hear you are having trouble - but congratulations on your 80 pound lost! When I went in for my third fill, they pulled out the fluid in my band and there was on 3.5 when it was at 4.5 a month earlier, so my doctor filled me with opaque sp? fluid this time. It is supposed to be thicker and if you do have a small leak it is kinda like a fix-a-flat. I have great restriction now. Good luck!

Gigem, I was actually at this same doctor's office today getting my 4th fill. They asked if I wanted the nurse or doctor and I opted for the nurse because she has always got it on the first try. Well, in walks the doctor, he said they were running behind and needed to catch up so I would have him and not the nurse. Well, he also hit it on the first try. I have the low profile port that he said he put it deep so that eventually when I got thin it wouldn't stick up - so far no trouble! So, it is hard to say why she didn't do good for you but always has done a good job for me - go figure.

I was banded on 4/4/08 and have lost 28 pounds. I lost 20 in the first 3 weeks and have slowly lost a pound here and there. I will admit that I am not "dieting". My doctor says most people can eat normal food - just a lot less of it and still lose. The positives are: 1. I do not have cravings like pre-band. 2. I eat alot less than pre-band. Negatives: 1. I can still eat too much - like a whole grilled chicken salad and I could top it off with something else but I choose not to. 2. I am hungry within 3 hours. Do I need a fill? I am at 5.5 in a 10 cm band. I thought I had slight restriction because I sometimes "feel" things going down - but maybe I am eating too big of bites or too fast??? Thanks for any responses. Sorry this was so long!:biggrin: