SunnyUT

I posted this in another thread, but I think that was the worng place,lol. I had my lap band almost 2 years ago, never had any problems, I am within 10 lbs of my dream weight- I hit my goal weight a good year ago. I had my surgery in Mexico, Dr Huacuz was fantastic- no issues there, but I have nobody to go to in the states and I'm a little concerned about something. A few weeks ago Dh and I were wrestling with the kids and I stretched and arched my back and felt a sharp pinch where my port is. Sharp enough pain that I stopped playing with the kids. It was tender and sore there for a few days and has kind of been tender ever since.A little tender to the touch and I get the pinch feeling if I stretch. I can feel my port pretty well, it is in the same position it always has been. I have no bruising or swelling of any sort- just a pinchy pain that isn't "knock me on my rear" painful but enough to make me notice. Everything about my band is functioning the same. Anyone else experience anything like this? Ideas as to what happened? I'm not too worried about it, just wondering if anyone else had this happen.

If it doesn't stink or feel hot and you have no fever you are probably just fine. Some wounds heal different than others on your body. the port incision is one that was manipulated a lot during the surgery and I remember mine stayed sore for longer than the other ones and healed slower. I'd put some neosporin on it- the kind with lidocaine so it will help if it feels sore or starts to itch, you may even do some gentle cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and a q-tip. It does not look infected. I had a c-section incicion that got infected years ago and even opened up and the OB had me use neosporin and hydrogen peroxide to keep it clean. That wound smelled funky, oozed bad smalling gunk and was red all over and hot to the touch all over. Your redness seems to be about where a 2 week old incision would be. Make sure you are keeping it aired out and dry after a bath or shower and you are not soaking in a tub. I dried my incisions with a hair dryer- no heat-- after showers until they had completely sealed. I let them air out as much as possible, when you are at home, I know it's hard to let it all hang out, but clean it and give it some air. I'm not a doctor, but as someone who has had many abdominal surgeries, I think it looks fine. It is totally sealed in the middle, which is great and the ensd will close up soon, just keep it clean and dry and use some neosporin. Hang in there. :party:

When my band is tighter I cannot burp, either. It took some getting use to but I got use to it I guess. I have to be careful of not sallowing a bunch of air when my band is tighter or I feel uncomfortable pressure in my chest that just has to go away on it's own, without a burp. I avoid soda because it will hurt and come back up anyway. My MIL recently had the surgery and her Dr. told her to avoid chewing gum and drinking with straws to avoid trapping air in. Some people can burp and it's not an issue, some cannot. Different bodies react differently to restriction. I will say it is much less of a problem for me at nearly 2 years post-op.

I had my lap band almost 2 years ago, never had any problems, I am within 10 lbs of my dream weight- I hit my goal weight a good year ago. I had my surgery in Mexico, the Dr. was fantastic- no issues there, but I have nobody to go to right now and I'm alittle concerned about something. A few weeks ago Dh and I were wrestling with the kids and I stretched and arched my back and felt a sharp pinch where my port is. Sharp enough pain that I stopped playing with the kids. It was tender and sore there for a few days and has kind of been tender ever since.A little tender to the touch and I get the pinch feeling if I stretch. I can feel my port pretty well, it is in the same position it always has been. I have no bruising or swelling of any sort- just a pinchy pain that isn't "knock me on my rear" painful but enough to make me notice. Everything about my band is functioning the same. Anyone else experience anything like this? Ideas as to what happened? I'm not too worried about it, just wondering if anyone else had this happen.

Yesterday I had to have all of my fluid removed due to dehydration complications. I had a fill on 8-6 and it was really really tight, much tighter than ever before and I kind of suspected it was too much for me, but I had been plateaued for over a month and was impatient and restless to get back to losing, so even though drinking water in the dr.s office didn't go down as easily as I said to him it did, I felt like I could use the extra restriction. And the weight melted off quickly, 10 lbs in a week and I was thrilled. Sure I wasn't able to keep hardly anything down, but fluids went down fine and I ignored my body freaking out. I ignored my near constant dizziness and the fact that it is unsafe to live on 200-400 calories per day. Told myself I was fine and did not incerase my fluid intake or take my vitamins. Saturday we went hiking and it was a tough hike, Dh kept pressing me to drink more water and I ignored him, I didn't feel thirsty. Sunday I was wiped out and told myself it was just from the hike and rested most of the day, Monday I could not keep anything down, not even fluids. I'd sip and PB, water, juice, everyhing came back up- and I started to be a little concerned. SO Tuesday I took it easy and PB'd a little when I ate solids, but kept fluids down mostly- told myself I was good to go. Wednesday I could not keep fluids down again and admitted to myself that I was probably overfilled but rested Thursday and kept fluids down fine. I did not drink more than I normally would or attempt to really re-hydrate myself. Yesterday was Friday and I realized I was in trouble. I had dropped 15 lbs in less than 2 weeks and my lips were cracking and dry, my head throbbing and I realized I had no kept down a bit of solid food in about a solid week. I sipped water, it came up, I sipped warm juice, it came up, even my saliva was coming up. I called fillcenters that morning and asked to schedule the unfill, told them I was kind of in trouble. My dr was off yesterday and they had trouble scheduling to get me in. By 4pm I was throwing up saliva every 10 minutes and realized if I didn't get an unfill I was going to be in the hospital by the end of the weekend. So I called the dr's office directly and my dr found out the shape I was in and told me to get to his office immediately for an unfill and he came in just for me (nicest guy, I tell you) He advised a complete unfill for the next 2 weeks. I about started to cry but I knew I needed a break and to slow down. We talked about symptoms of dehydration, what I need to do differently and about the negatives of losing the weight too fast. He said for where i am at (close to goal) if I lose more than 3 1/2 lbs a week, I am losing too fast and need to change my eating or get some unfill. He said my body was spazming due to the severe dehydration and we removed all 2.5ccs of my fluid. So here I am, I have a game plan to maintain and stay on track during the next few weeks, going to work at not allowing all those carbs to get me addicted in the next few weeks and after I am hydrated, I have a weight loss goal of 2 lbs to lose on my own without the band. But it's kind of scary to fly solo right now. My body does need a break, but ugh-- if I had taken care of myself and not been so stubborn and high on the rapid loss, I would still have my trusty filled band right now for weak moments. SO DRINK YOUR FLUIDS, FOLKS!!!

Same shirt- one year difference, and yes, we had a water fight at my wedding.

I'm stalling because I am eating CRAP and so I am going to try and be more active to keep me motivated. I was banded Dec '06 but chickened out on getting a fill until mid March '07. I started at 217+ lbs ( last time I looked at the scale pre-fill) and am not at 181 where I have been for weeks and I need to get back to eating right and working out. I have 30 lbs to reach my goal, and 8 lbs until my BMI is out of the overweight range. Good thing I am sabotaging myself these days..... I cannot resist making stupid faces because I feel like a total dork getting my picture taken.

ROFL, a little bit. I was just in yesterday and am now up to 2cc's and I feel very tight today. I haven't used flouro or been numbed up for my fills, he said most people ask to be numb first, I figure it will hurt just as much to poke me and get me numb as it will to just do my fill. He looked at me like I was crazy when I said that,lol. His staff seems nice as well, I am glad he started doing fills and he is so close to my home in Taylorsville. I think he only does "first appointments" on days he has flouro available just in case.

He has access to flouro one day per week and will schedule an appointment on that day ( I think it is either Tuesdays or Thursdays) if you request it. He has been really good about locating my port easily without it and I have never had the need for it. He's on vacation for the next 2 weeks, but I am really happy using him.

I use Dr, Muse (via fillcentersusa) as well and love him. Every time I see him he seems to have more and more information and I am supremely happy with him.

I went to Dr. Huacuz and had a great experience. My scars and healing time was less than anyone I know who had the surgery stateside. Sorry you had a bad experience.

I am also seeing Dr. Muse. I was his second fill patient when I went in the first time, but he has done about 40 more since I first went in and it was night and day difference, not just in the fact that my fill actually took place this time, but he seemed much more confident and knowledgeable in what he was doing. He has only been doing them for a vey short time and I was impressed by how much better the 2nd fill went and how much more he knew. I feel good about continuing to see him, my last appointment was really nice. What has your experience been with him?