singer1

I had surgery out of the country. I've seen many doctors. I've taken out all Fluid of the band, but can't eat solids. I struggle to get 900 calories a day. I live on reconstituted herbal green drink, some powdered Protein and powdered Vitamins in soy milk, and get vit. B shots. I've only lost 20 pounds and went through several months of fainting spells. Anyone out there experiencing the same thing. I choke on yogart!!! PS The Radiologist and another lap band surgeon say the band looks beautiful!

I found the Vit. B shots helped me. I was so emotionally drained that I couldn't ride in the car with my 16 year old driving. It just made me too nervous.

Dr. C: Please help me if you can. I was banded Sept. 9, 2006 with a BMI of 35, 197 lbs. and surgery was done with Dr. Joya out of the country in Puerto Vallarta. I have not been able to eat solids. I started the band that says I haven't been able to eat solids for 9 months. I can't get support through the medical community. My regular doctor doesn't know much about lap band, the surgeon that put it in, and the radiologist that does my follow up care, all don't know why my body is reacting this way. I have no answers. They all advice me to take it out. There is a lot to explain for you to possibly give me any help, but some of my private responses to other inquiries might shed some light on the situation, and then reading my thread: To someone that questioned if I choke on yogart was it getting stuck in the band, or not able to pass down the esophagus. My response: I say choke because it doesn't pass through the band and it also doesn't move down the esophagus. I do have a huge history of reflux disease, but have never had problems with swallowing before the band. I had a scope done with a gastroenterologist before the band and everything was supposedly normal. I do believe that that test may have been flawed and that the muscles in the esophagus might be damaged, but the gastroenterologist doesn't agree. I haven't seen him since the band and am considering involving him again. When food is too thick and doesn't pass through, I start to get light headed. I use to start to black out, but the symptoms have gotten better in the past month. I start having lost of mucous in the esophagus which is problem my body’s way to help it push down, but I have to go force the food out. I can help things by drinking hot liquids and at times I can open it up a little to get down a liquefied pouched egg, but this morning I couldn't do it. I chocked on my Protein drink. I swallow a little and have to wait ten minutes before swallow another swallow. It is frustrating, but since I am taking loads of Vitamins and getting shots, I don't believe that I'm hurting myself. I am having tests done to confirm this. Thanks so much for your comments. Another person suggested that I might be allergic to the plastic the band is made from or that I have other problems that involves the esophagus, or things that would need more testing to decifer. My response: wow, it looks like the band has really been wonderful for you. You only have 25 lbs to go. I started at 195 and now weigh 177, but that is only on a good day. My weight had gone up to 197 in the past, so I generously credit the band with 20 pounds, but I could have done better on my own. I don't look like I weigh that much because I'm very muscular, but I'm only 5'2" and my goal is 125lbs. I know that when you have less to lose that it is harder and many banded patients have 100s of pound to lose, but this has been a nightmare never the less. I am waiting on taking the band out due to a couple of factors. 1. I'm an opera singer and can't sing for 2-4 months after surgery. I had vocal problems after surgery for the first 8 months after, but I credit most of it from lack of nutrition. I recently got my voice back after I discovered Vit. B shots. 2. I would like to find out why this isn't working. I believe that something else is wrong and this has only complicated the reason why I couldn't lose weight before because I was very disciplined. 3. The surgeon that I believe can help me was just sent to Iraq and won't be returning until Aug. If I have surgery then, I won't be strong enough for an upcoming performance. I am trying to evaluate things as I go. It doesn't look good to do much until Dec. 2006. I am beyond needing food, or taste, or anything to do with food. My fainting spells have stopped and I believe that I am healthy with the vit. supplements that I'm taking. I am having test to back this up, and if I'm wrong, I will have to act sooner. I just want my old body back, and I am also afraid that if I take the band off, I will gain weight again. I was living off very few calories before the surgery and nothing would help. Thanks so much for your response. It makes this easier to feel there is support available. ------------------------ I share these responses with you because the thread with these responses might give you a more complete picture of my situation. Have you ever heard of another patient having problems with eating solids, also having heart palpitations, fainting spells, blood pressure problems, symptoms that mimic early and late dumping syndrome, yet they are a lapband patient? I need answers...thank you for your time.

wow, it looks like the band has really been wonderful for you. You only have 25 lbs to go. I started at 195 and now weigh 177, but that is only on a good day. My weight had gone up to 197 in the past, so I generously credit the band with 20 pounds, but I could have done better on my own. I don't look like I weigh that much because I'm very muscular, but I'm only 5'2" and my goal is 125lbs. I know that when you have less to lose that it is harder and many banded patients have 100s of pound to lose, but this has been a nightmare never the less. I am waiting on taking the band out due to a couple of factors. 1. I'm an opera singer and can't sing for 2-4 months after surgery. I had vocal problems after surgery for the first 8 months after, but I credit most of it from lack of nutrition. I recently got my voice back after I discovered Vit. B shots. 2. I would like to find out why this isn't working. I believe that something else is wrong and this has only complicated the reason why I couldn't lose weight before because I was very disciplined. 3. The surgeon that I believe can help me was just sent to Iraq and won't be returning until Aug. If I have surgery then, I won't be strong enough for an upcoming performance. I am trying to evaluate things as I go. It doesn't look good to do much until Dec. 2006. I am beyond needing food, or taste, or anything to do with food. My fainting spells have stopped, and I believe that I am healthy with the Vit. supplements that I'm taking. I am having test to back this up, and if I'm wrong, I will have to act sooner. I just want my old body back, and I am also afraid that if I take the band off, I will gain weight again. I was living off very few calories before the surgery and nothing would help. Thanks so much for your response. It makes this easier to feel there is support available.

I so much appreciate your responses. I am looking at taking the band out with a USA doctor, but he was just sent to Iraq and won't be back until August. I would like to wait to see him, since he is an expert in weight loss and there is definately something else wrong with my scenerio. I appreciate the comment about possibly being allergic to the plastic of the band. Amazingly enough, this has never been suggested and seems to make total sense.

people responding don't realize, I won't feel better in a few day since this has been going on for 6 months. I could eat solids carefully after 5 weeks and followed doctor's orders precisely. It seemed to get worst a month later, but I realized that if I ate something hot or very cold before a meal I would be alright. Then it became worst and I could only eat solids with Water washing it down and small bite, with 30-40 chews. Then 50-60 chews...then I couldn't eat solids unless I mixed it with water before swallowing it. I hadn't even had a fill and it had been 4 months and no wieght loss and the caloric intake was getting worse. I saw a doctor for advice and he said he could give me a fill or take Fluid out since 2ccs were given at the time of the procedure in Sept. I said fill it to the max. The doctor said live on fluids for two weeks and your esophogus should heal and you should be fine with carefully eating solids, but it just got worse, then the fainting spells started. I took out all the liquid 1 1/2 months later, but the ability to eat hasn't changed. In fact it is getting worst. I now sometimes choke on soy milk in the morning and have to slowly work with it. I have to chew all pills, Vitamins, and slowly work with it in the morning to be able to eat a bowl of liquified oatmeal. It took me 2 hours this morning, but I finally got it down. I have also had a glass of "green drink" which is reconstitued herbs and two swallows of juice today. It is almost 5pm. This is how things go everyday and it is now 7 months since banding. I am shaky and weak and scared for my life literally. please let me know if anyone has experienced anything like this. I am looking at taking out the band. I was banded at the same time my sister was banded and she had a terrible slippage and almost died. She elected to have her band removed. Dr. Hansen in Utah removed it, and said it was the worst he had ever seen. My sister went 8 days without food or liquid. She survived by living on IVs since my brother is a doctor and she is a RN. I know that my situation may not be related to my sister's. My radiologist says my band looks good. I believe that my sister ate too soon and then she later choked on a Calcium pill. She went to emergency and the pill was forced through without informing them of her surgery (since she worked there and hadn't told anyone about her surgery in Mexico). She hemmoraged for days and was really in a mess. I believe that you need to know there are cases out there where this procedure has been dangerous. Obesity is also very dangerous for your health. Just know both sides before electing to do this surgery. My sister and I are not over 200 lbs, but I was approaching it.

I was banded Sept. 2005, and I haven't lost any weight. I live on pure fluids because I can't eat any solids. I am having fainting spells and blood pressure problems. I weigh 190, and have a BMI of 35. It hasn't changed since my procedure. I suffer from heart palpitations, and choke on yogart. I can't cheat, because I can't eat anything and haven't been able to for months. I have released all fluids from the band. I am scared for my life. Please let me know if anyone has any answers. My doctor was Dr. Joya in Mexico and seemed to be very good. He is also confused about my condition and has never had a patient with my symptoms. I believe I'm suffering from third spacing, and early and late dumping syndrome where food goes straight to the small intenstine without being processed in the stomach. The small intenstine counteracts by storing Water to liquify the unprocessed food. I have to pull over when I'm driving due to the fainting spells. I am very saddened by the price I'm having to pay and no weight loss. I believe something else may be wrong. Dumping syndrom is common after Gastric bypass, but not lapband. But it seems to match perfectly. I am living on 200-500 calories a day. How is this possible? Please Help... :help:

I am very aware of the rules for posting a message here. Please realize that I'm only looking for support. If there is anyone out there that hasn't lost weight with the lapband or is experiencing fainting spells, heart palpitations, inability to eat anything but full liquids even with the band fully deflated, problems with blood pressure. Then I need to talk. I was banded Sept. 9th, 2005. I have been through it, but I can't say any more due to the rules for posting. My BMI was barely 35. I weighed 190-195 in Sept. I weigh 190 now. I eat 200-500 calories a day, no lie. I realize that my case is unique, but I would never advise someone to endure what I have gone through. I've always eaten healthy and been an exercise fanatic, when I became sick at age 40 and gained loads of weight without additional caloric intake. I have seen many doctors and can't find the problem. I worked with a nutritionist for over 1 year and she said that she couldn't tweek my eating. Every one says I need to eat more food, then I got banded and I am suffering from all of the above. I am scared for my life. Please help singer1:help: