DRMwith2

ssabarringer, have you gotten more information? We're about 3.5 hours from KAFB, but they are going to allow me to be a patient (I think - my referral is finally active). We have family there, so there are no issues, I can stay as long as I need to for appts etc. I was wondering if you ever met with the surgeons and could give me more information. I was due to have surgery in Jan, but my husband got orders and we're starting over from scratch going from North to South region. How long will the preop mess take? Are the physicians good?

Thanks in advance!

Deena

Since 24 May when I was banded, I have had such pain. I went back for a post-op follow up yesterday, and I am now awaiting a phone call to schedule taking out the band. I will be very happy to be out of this crazy pain, but sad that I did all this work, and no weight loss )

I wonder the same thing. Why the heck did I do this. My doc is refusing to take the band out. I know I am not even one month post op, but I am in so much pain and so swollen I cannot stand it. I have not been able to sleep in my bed for 3.5 weeks because I cannot get myself up. I have had so much pain that I am on 24/7 pain killer too. So sorry you also are having issues, but I hope you can get to your goal prior to having it taken out, and pray that your Dr. will be more accepting of that than mine is.

Amanda,

Its the first time I have heard of this.However I have had a compromized immune system from a very young age....have had several series of treatment for it.Have had severe allergies and asthma all my life.

But I also have had some sort of auto-immune problem (something attacking my joints RA factor negative,no signs of osteo arthritis...)it comes and goes and ....who knows what it is...

Have had problems with the band from the beginning and still have a huge amount of pain...some days more some days less.......other symptoms more under control now.I get good restriction with fills but my fill dr is now also pushing for endo.....

Would be interesting to know what the Inamed people say.I have the cousin band though.

Vinesqueen,I can physically feel the band (where it is around my stomach..)even when I have 2cc in band (takes 9)My dr says they dont know why some people react like that..he also told me my body rejects the band but I am sure it was just so that he doesnt have to be responsible for cost of removing (he never carries the cost even if the band fails after a month or port problems after 2..)it or he doesnt know or care what else to say....

Sorry for high jacking the post but this caught me on a bad day when I was already wondering again what the heck is going on with this band inside me....but not enough to lose it yet..(still have some weight to lose..)

Thanks for responding. I don't understand one thing even more than anything else: my surgeon keeps saying he doesn't understand why I am so swollen...which is why I was so concerned. I am so tired of hurting/being swollen.....

I had my surgery on the 25th of May and I am still swollen!! I have that roll that I've always hated mid stomach and to me it's bigger. I've lost almost 30 lbs and the only place I can feel it is in my face and my back. Dr. told me it would take some time to go down. Just from all the trauma and the gas they use to inflate your stomach. I'm impatient and want it to go away quick!! But in time it will happen...just takes some patience. Good Luck!! Heather

Ok, I guess I am the only one who has this kind of post op swelling.

Was anyone really, and I do mean really swollen post op? If so, how long did it take to go away? I am wearing pants that were 2 sizes too big pre surgery, but I cannot button them post op. I had surgery on the 24th.

Thank you for any advice.

My blood sugar went up after surgery also. I am not even diabetic. It was because the iv Fluid they were giving me had sugar in it. Once they stopped this, mine came back down a little, not to normal, but down a little. I hope this gets straightened out for you.

Was anyone really, and I do mean really swollen post op? If so, how long did it take to go away? I am wearing pants that were 2 sizes too big pre surgery, but I cannot button them post op. I had surgery on the 24th.

Thank you for any advice.

It has been an interesting few days. I was in a lot of pain on Tuesday, so the Dr. called me in for another appt. She pressed around and said she was going to call in the other doctor. He came in and pushed around, and said he thinks there is a hematoma behind the port from me bleeding so much during surgery. He said it is very painful but it really can't be diagnosed or "fixed", so I just have to wait. He sent me for a CT scan because he wanted to ensure it had quit bleeding and that it was not my appendix.

I got a call back from the Dr. this morning at 0800 to say the test came back that my band possibly slipped and I needed to go for an upper GI. After fighting with the hospitals in the area, finally he had me go back to the same hospital I went to last night, because he was going to admit me today to fix the problem if there was one. Thank GOD, my band is normal on the inside, but I am very swollen. They increased the Motrin and want me to go back July 1 for another follow up. I probably won't be able to get a fill then either. It can take up to 6 months for the hematoma on a muscle to go away.

Thanks again everyone. I thought I would post an update for you all:

I was back at the doctor today. TRICARE called to check up on me and I started telling her what was going on. She insisted this is not normal and called the dr. office herself. I had an appt this afternoon with a new Dr. I have not seen before there. He was very nice. He still thinks the pain I am experiencing is the port, but he sent me for a CT scan (which was terrible, by the way – I just got home) to rule out bleeding and appendicitis. He is fairly sure it is a hematoma behind the port on top of the muscle caused by bleeding during surgery. I’ll get the results to that tomorrow.

Thank you so much for being so supportive. Have a great evening.

I am aware of the Motrin issues, but I discussed this with my surgeon (who is actually who placed me on the Motrin because of how inflamed I am). I am to take it until I go back in July unless the pain stops. I am still taking Motrin and Tylenol around the clock for pain or it takes my breathe away. This pain usually lasts 3-10 minutes.

I'm not trying to scare you, but I was told absolutely NO ibuprofen (motrin) for a while after this surgery due to irritation in the stomach. You may want to speak with your dr about other pain relievers that are not NSAIDS. (I've been on Vicodin for the past 2 weeks and it does help as well as zofran for nausea).

Yes, I live on pain killers. 2 weeks post op and am still using Motrin (as prescribed) and Tylenol around the clock. I am miserable and want this thing out of me. I cannot keep living with this intense pain.

My stomach is swollen too! I lost 14 pounds but my pants are snug-I even had to unzip some. I still have some soreness-I think the stiches are skrinking. Have you tried ice packs on the area? Pain killers?

Can you please let me know if anyone had a stabbing pain and lots of swelling around their port? My stomach is so swollen that I have lost 20 lbs but can't fit my presurgery clothes. I have been back to the doctor and they all comment how swollen I still am and they claim the pain in my port area is from where it is attached to me. I've tried to look up signs / symptoms of infection, and anything else I can think of it might be. Please let me know if this is normal.

I am having the same pain. It is the worst pain ever. I had surgery on 24 May and I am so swollen so badly my pants pre-surgery wont fit...even the lose ones. I am almost in constant pain when I am standing. The doctor says it is my port and has placed me on ibuprofin for swelling/pain. I have to have pain killer in my system 24 hours a day. I hate living this way.

I have contacted my insurance company for a second opinion. I want this band out!!

Good luck and I pray you will feel better soon. Feel free to email me and maybe we can be of support for one another.

Deena

My surgery was May 19th, I woke up in recovery in intense pain and throwing up. By the time I got to my room I felt fine. I had no pains meds after that and was up and around quickly. Walked all over the hospital the next day and even drove myself home. I only took pain meds once after coming home. The lack of being able to eat any thing of substance by day 5 had me weak and really in pain from hunger. I finally ate some yogurt and felt better. I have progessed from there. I have had no foods get stuck and no throwing up since recovery. I had my surgery on a Thursday and went back to work on the following Wed, with no restrictions and I do manual labor, so I am quite active.

The past few days I have been in a great deal of pain. My belly buttton sometimes aches, to the left of my port I get sharp pains through out the day, especially the more active I become. Also I get a great deal of pain whenever I bent down from my port area. Now when I bend down it feels like I am nausea , my stomach contents seem to roll around, it is very unsetttling, and even painful. I have lost almost nothing and I know I can eat far to much.

My doctor is different then most in that she requires us to only ever eat Protein, that you can cut with a knife. NOTHING ELSE. She is insane, I feel like crap eating all this meat. I am so ready to give up. I feel like such a loser that I had to resort to a lap band to lose weight and it has done nothing for me. Not to mention I physically feel terrible most of the time. I have always had a high pain tolerence, so all this pain I am now starting to experience has me very worried..............

Good afternoon. I am in need of prayer today. I went through lap band surgery 24 May and want this thing out of me. I hurt so badly I can't stand it and want to eat something so bad. I am following the doctor's directions, but am not sure how long I can do this. It even hurts to breathe. I am in need of Jesus' intervention to be my healer right now. Please stand with me in prayer that either the pain goes away or the surgeon will take this thing out of me. I cannot live the rest of my life like this.

Unfortunately, the doctor didn't do such a good job educating me prior to surgery and I have had a lot of questions post op that have had to be answered. Thanks in advance.

Deena

I was just banded and really need someone to walk with me in this journey. Please let me know if you're still available. My email address is deenam2008@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Deena

I am in desperate need of support. I am really struggling with this and I'm only 5 days post op. I want to have a reversal, because I am in so much pain.

I was very blessed that the doctor's office I go to had a group night the Thursday before I had surgery. It just happened to be Protein night. I found some I really did like in spite of not being able to get any down prior to surgery. I really like the OhYeah shakes from GNC and the Lean shakes (pre-made seems to be better) from GNC. I am ok to get my Protein in, but am hungry. Someone on here gave me a recipe for high protein potato Soup today, I tried it and it's pretty good too. I needed to get something filling into my stomach, and potatoes definitely do the trick, even if they are liquid!

Hang in there, and feel free to shoot me an email if you need to chat.

I still have a little gas pain; however, it is much better. What helps me the most is to lay across my bed (with my feet on the floor - so there's no pressure on the incision) and the gas seems to come right up. ) I hope this helps. I am only 5 days post op and am still in pain, but it's not from the gas.

I'm afraid I cannot be much assistance unless you want to start the process over with me. I am only 5 days post op and feeling it!!

Thanks NJ Girl. I was a little stressed about the pain I'm feeling. Apparently my doctor didn't do such a good job getting information to me. I have had so much I don't understand/know was going to happen...wow. I can't wait for these few days to be over.

Good luck

Can anyone tell me what is on the right side of your stomach after this. I have 5 places they cut me. One in my belly button, one way up top right under my breast, and 3 mid stomach. One is long and toward the right, one further toward the right (this is the one that hurts so badly), and one on the left. Does anyone know why this particular suture huts so badly?

Thanks for these questions. I had surgery on 24 May and I am also wondering if I made the right decision. I didn't feel this badly when I had my gall bladder out. I feel so weak (I assume it's due to the lack of food). Trying to get 2 Protein Shakes a day is crazy. I get full so quickly, but am hungry at the same time. I have been to the dr. twice since Tuesday because of redness, swelling, and pain in my stomach. I am so ready to get back to normal. Thanks for letting me know I am not alone. I feel very alone in this fight.

Thanks for this discussion. I was also banded on 24 May and am having lots of weird sensations and don't know what to make of them. I am so hungry it's not even funny right now.

I was banded 24 May at 0730. I stayed in the hospital overnight because I also had a hernia repaired. I have had quite a few problems. First, I didn't anticipate the anxiety I have felt after the procedure. I have been back to the doctor twice (once because my incisions had all turned red around them and once because I was having so much discomfort right above the surgery site). I am still not sure if it's due to the hernia operation or the band itself. He felt around and did determine that I have a lot of swelling in the area of the band still. I am still in quite a bit of discomfort, not real pain unless I bend over though. I am so hungry I can hardly stand it right now. I cannot wait to get some more solid food inside my body!