emjay

I'm 2 1/2 years out and still get the pain 1-2 times/week. I notice it when I'm driving and breathing shallow - not so much after eating. It lasts for about 20-30 minutes and goes away. Mostly it's like a knife point right on the top of my left shoulder. I too think it's a phrenic nerve issue. My band is rather on the loose side but at a good place for me. I would be afraid to get it any tighter due to the pain.
Just a thought, but you may want to try a few things (and this is just my opinion - no medical expertise here). One, a chewable ibuprofen with plenty of liquid to wash it past the band. Two, maybe eat 4-5 smaller meals instead of 3 to keep from overeating. Three, watch your sodium levels and get your carb from fruits and veggies (my thinking is that carrying Water weight may aggravate the problem). Four, drink plenty of fluids. Five - a slight unfill if it bothers you too much. Take deep breaths and see if that helps alleviate some of the pain. It seems to help me.
Anyway, just know you are not alone with the shoulder pain. Mine isn't enough to do anything about, but it does get a touch painful at times. Good luck to you!

I have been sitting at my desk today wondering why I kept thinking today was somebody's birthday, anniversary or some other important day I was forgetting until it just hit me, it's MINE!
3 years ago today (which was Good Friday), I had my surgery. It has opened up a whole new life for me in so many ways. For the first time in my 47 years of life, I feel like I have some control over my life and what I put in my mouth. I've managed to keep most of the weight off, having gained back about 10-12 lbs from my lowest, but knowing that if I concentrate on what I need to do, I can get it off. I have the confidence in myself to be able to achieve that.
So, I hate to toot my own horn, but I felt like I needed to tell somebody. I'm very grateful to everyone that has helped me along the way, including many of you on this forum. Support is a beautiful thing and a tremendous help. Get it anywhere you can. So to all of you on your journey and beyond, be proud of yourself for making a difference in your life and having the courage to do what you can to make your goals happen. And thanks to all of you who have helped me.

I agree CindyC. The band IS only part of the equation. Thank you for putting it so eloquently. Personally, it somehow makes everything else a bit easier to manage. Getting a handle on one aspect of the reason I was overweight made it easier to tackle the others. Not effortless by any means, just easier.

I don't know of anyone specifically that has failed with the lapband. They have all had success to different degrees. The people I do know and discuss it with - we all have our own way of trying to get the pounds off. Not to say one is better or worse than the other, just different.
I don't use my band for convenience sake. By that I mean, if I'm going on vacation, I don't get an unfill, or if I am going on vacation and need a fill - I get it anyway. It's not an excuse for me to delay getting proper restriction. I don't allow myself to get too tight. I have the ability to eat anything, and keeping my band loose allows me to do that and makes it my responsibility to make the proper food choices. I have adequate restriction to limit my hunger - the rest is up to me. I believe in exercise and strength training to help lose and maintain and tone. I follow my own particular surgeon's instructions - not what necessary someone else's physician says.
I also believe the food "addictions" in people - while having many similarities, can be very unique due to each individual's upbringing, societal influences, and ongoing relationship with food. I've come to the conclusion that even though I've achieved my goals, I will also have issues with food and will always struggle. The band however, does make it easier when my mindset isn't in the right place.
When people fail the band, I don't place all the blame on them. Just by reading many, many posts on this forum, I think there is a tremendous lack of proper education from their practitioners on what it takes to be successful, what problems they may encounter and what should be their priorities when living with the band. While many practices may tout the positive aspects of living with the lapband, they can significantly downplay the negatives and potential issues with having the band. It is a great disservice to their patients.
While all of us may not lose every pound that we wanted to - hopefully in the long run it makes our lives significantly healthier and better. I feel very fortunate that my journey has gone the way it was supposed to and I've not had any issues or problems with getting the proper restriction, limiting my food choices, or being fickle. I consider myself one of the lucky ones and I'm very grateful it worked for me.

Best of luck on your surgery date! Every surgeon seems to have their own course of treatment after surgery. I'm going to assume you know what to do until you are healed at this point. The best advice I can give you is that IMO the band by itself will only do so much, and the rest comes down to how bad you want to lose the rest.
Remember that you are still healing for the first couple of months post-surgery, so the main thing is to focus on eating correctly - small bites, chewing well and paying attention to what your stomach is telling you (and by that I mean if you feel any pressure, don't take another bite until it subsides). You want to really avoid regurgitating your food especially in the first few months. The eating part of it takes practice but becomes somewhat second nature after awhile. Focus on eating healthier foods and cooking healthier...limiting salt, butters, oils, "white foods" (pasta, rice, bread, flour, sugar). Do not eat until you are stuffed, but feel satisfied.
Get active. If you haven't been exercising, start by walking, hiking, then gradually try more physical things to get your heart rate going for a better cardio workout, then do strength exercises to try and keep or maintain muscle tone.
I'm in a rare circumstance where I have several family members who are banded. We all have our own opinions about what works and what doesn't and what we are willing to do. I had a hard time getting the last 15-20 lbs to budge, so I realized that if I want to get where I want to be, I needed to take more of a targeted approach to get there and started journaling what I ate, the amount of calories, what exercise I did that day, and weighed myself daily. It really helped me to get the weight off. I also recorded my weight along the way so I have a history of my loss.
Take pictures of your progress, Celebrate mini-milestones. Don't try and see how tight you can get your band. For longevity, the looser you keep your band the better off you may be. It may be more difficult to lose or maintain your weight that way, it forces you to really be more aware of your eating and exercising, but then again you will be able to enjoy alot more variety of foods. Some people have trouble with bread, white chicken, fibrous veggies. There isn't anything I can't eat...I just don't eat as much and I really limit the things that distract me from my goals.
If you aren't already, begin taking a mult-vitamin and make sure you get enough Calcium in your diet. Biotin may help curb any hair loss - but expect a little Hair loss in the first few months - it will grow back. It's just the shock of your body adjusting to your new way of life.
Don't drink your calories unless you are doing Protein shakes. By that I mean avoid sugary drinks, drink lots of water/fluids to keep adequate hydration.
There are things that can make your band tighten up. Salt, stress, TOM, lack of proper hydration, travel, exercise, and sometimes people have tighter bands in the morning.
Also, when it is time to get your fills, don't get one more than 1 per month until you figure out how they affect you. My fills don't fully kick in until the third or fourth week after a fill. Sometimes people feel the fill affect right away and then loosen up. Don't allow yourself to get too tight...not fun and very uncomfortable. Always be able to drink 64 oz fluids per day. If you can't - you're too tight.
Best of luck on your journey. It may seem like alot to handle, but it really is not bad. It sure is better than doing it on your own. Really try and focus on developing new eating habits in the first few months - it will help you in the long run. And congratulations again on your upcoming surgery. Hope all goes well!

Hi Paula -
In my experience my fills seemed to "kick in" about at the 3 week mark after a fill. But I know it's not the same for everyone. Do you remember if you had delayed restriction before? Chances are it will be the same if you did. I wouldn't go and get another fill just to find out you're too tight down the road...then you're paying for an additional visit anyway to get an unfill. Try and see if there are any foods that you can't tolerate that you could before or are more uncomfortable to eat than before. That may be a good indication that your fill level is there even though you may not feel it. Best of luck to you! And congrats on your 5-year mark!
mj

Melzie - let me tell you something. You don't have to justify your actions to ANYBODY! If someone gives your grief about have WLS, tell them it is really none of their business. You don't have to explain to them why you chose to have lap band surgery. If they know you at all, they will know your struggles with your weight over the years. If they want to give you grief - tell them to stick it. Nobody has lived in your shoes and knows what it's like. True friends will be happy that you did something to get healthier, feel better and have a better quality of life.
Don't let what others may say affect how you feel about yourself. In the end, their opinion really doesn't mean squat.

Tabatha -
I was banded on April 10, 2009 and weighed 300 lbs at my heaviest. I am now at 146.5 lbs with an "ultimate" goal of 145. The lapband has been very very good to me. I do not do low carb, but I do focus more on Protein and Fiber. My weight loss has been steady since banding with a few bumps along the way while it took my body time to adjust. What has worked for me is adjusting the band to fit my lifestyle and needs and....yes EXERCISE. I'm not hungry in the mornings and usually in a hurry so I mix myself up a Protein shake with skim milk and drink that. Mid morning a few teaspoons of high fiber/high Protein granola. At lunch, I try to eat sensibly and keep my calories under 400 for the meal. Late afternoon I usually have a yogurt with granola topping and then dont' eat dinner until around 7:30 - 8:00 pm. This helps me to stave off the munchies late at night. I don't eat alot of red meat anymore...more chicken, fish and pork. I also don't drink anything with caffeine or carbonation (although I have to admit that once in awhile I just crave a Coke, but rarely have a sip). Hubby and I also do some sort of daily exercise, mostly walking and hiking. If the weather is crappy, we go to the YMCA. Strength equipment really has helped to tone my arms and I will say that I have pretty darned good shoulders. It also has helped to tone up my lower body which used to be way bigger than my top, but I'm now the same size. I can eat anything, but usually reserve treats for the weekends/special occasions. I don't eat alot of Pasta, bread, potatoes, or rice, but they are not eliminated from my diet either. I just find that Pasta, pizza, rice, potatoes tend to lead to a short term weight gain for a day or two because of the carbs. I don't keep alot of Snacks in the house that are tempting to me.
The best advice I can give is find what works for you. If you're not hungry in the mornings, have a shake. If you get the late night munchies, eat dinner later. If it's a long time between lunch and dinner, have a small snack to tie you over. Incorporate some activity into your daily life. Drink plenty of fluids, focus on Proteins and Fiber - they help keep you fuller longer.
My life has changed alot in a year and a half. I have more self esteem. More energy. My thighs don't rub together. My feel don't hurt when I wear heels all day. I look good in clothes. I have a more positive attitude and handle stress better. My joints don't hurt (very often). My bloodwork is phenomenal.
One NSV I had last weekend is from my postal carrier. I went outside to get a package from her and she asked if I was visiting. I said "no, I live here". She didn't recognize me. Couldn't believe I was the same person. That's a big change in such a short time.
I really wish you the best. I feel so blessed and grateful to have the life I have now. It's what I wanted my whole adult life - to feel like I fit in and am "normal". I want the same for all.