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This may be kind of a strange topic, maybe not but I figure it's worth mentioning if any of you pre-oppers are in a similiar boat. So, about a year and a half ago I was in a car accident that resulted in pretty severe whip-lash (which I never thought was that big a deal until my ordeal) in the last six months I don't have so many problems any more and didn't really think to check off that I had "neck injuries" on the paper work for the anesthiaologist. Boy, I wish I had, but I don't know if it would have made a huge difference. But I'm now almost five days post-op and have been recovering very well and almost have no pain from the actual surgery it's self. However, I've been in EXCRUCIATING pain on the left side of my neck, and have been having severe migrains, I saw my massage therapist (who also happens to be a good friend) the day before surgery to help calm my nerves, and not because I was in any pain, but today she came over to see if she could help ease any of the pain when she discoverd that four of the vertabrae in my neck have been sublocated (twisted totally out of place). Our theory is my neck being in a weird position for a prolonged period of time and being moved around too quickly when they placed the breathing tube in for surgery must have caused this. To make matters worse I had been getting a pretty rough, shooting pain on the same side under my left breast making it hard to get up, or lay down or breathe very deeply, which I assumed was probably gas. But tonight it's gotten so bad I can barely breathe or lay down and we discovered I also have a sublocated rib (which probably came about from the neck vertabrae being twisted since it's all attached the same muscle structure) I don't think that this is due to any negligence on my surgeon and her teams part but it has really set off and reactivated previous problems from whiplash. Happily as far as any pain from the surgery itself I'm in tip top shape and feel great don't even need the pain meds anymore and feel like being more active - except for my neck and rib - they're excruciating and I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if I can't see a chiropractor tomorrow. Ugh! So, while this isn't directly related to being banded, and may seem strange if you don't have these issues, I thought it may be helpful to those of you about to have surgery if you DO previous damage from whiplash or whatever else so you can be sure to let your surgery team know so they can be extra gentle with you and hopefully prevent you from finding yourself in this position. Anyway, hope this cautionary tale helps some one!!!

I have a hypothyroid as well. I was gaining weight fast & thought something was seriously wrong. I gained 34 lbs in one month!!!! I went to my doctor & he did blood tests & found that I had a hypo thyroid. Thats when the lapband surgery was suggested to me. Im on Synthroid & I don't take my medicine although I should be. So, in the last month I told myself that I needed to start taking my meds because I noticed that I have been very tired and feeling really slow. Since I started taking my thyroid meds again I notice that my weight is coming off faster now. So, its actually helping with my weight loss. Good luck to you honey!

I'm confident it will come off and I'm very happy with how I feel and my progress. I am a post-menopausal woman with hypo-thyroidism who is almost 54yrs old. I've lost 29lbs in eight weeks and I can see a huge difference. I've gone from a tightly fitting size 22 to a comfortable fitting sz18 and hope to fit in sz16 by summer's end. I am not discouraged or impatient at all, merely curious. :-) I am curious if, among the other factors I mentioned, age or menopause has anything to do with the rate of weight loss. I see some people who lose 75-80lbs in the first few months and others who average 30-40 in the same time frame. I was wondering if there is a reason, or maybe several reasons, for the vastly different rates of weight loss. So curiosity and boredom (it's been raining) have been the reasons behind my question. :-)

Here is a link to an article on reactive hypoglycemia post–gastric bypass. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass The three most important things after surgery are fluids, Vitamins and Protein. Since you said that "when I drink Protein I throw instantly", have you tried MILK. 32 ounces of 1% milk fortified with 1 cup of powdered milk will give you 56 grams of protein. You cannot drink this all at once but spreading this out throughout the day will help you meet your daily protein requirement.

Hello, I was hyperthyroid but had all symptoms of hypo. My blood level is normal and has been for 10 years but my hypo symptoms have not gone away. I am getting sleeved on March 28, 2013 so I hope this doesnt prevent my weight loss. I dont think it will. I am on the preop diet and have lost 15 pounds since March 14 which is 10 days.

I do, too. I am bipolar, as well, and I am so afraid that I will "crash" when I have surgery - or become hypo manic/irritable. food is a very important mode stabilizer for me.

I'm fortunate to work at a hospital so I just had my hemoglobin checked. My HGB was 14.5. I'm going Monday for a bigger gamut of lab tests for my 5/1 appointment with my primary. Not really sure what's going on but I did read about something that is making me think I am experiencing this. Reactive hypoglycemia. Happens in 15% of people that have some kind of stomach surgery. We shall see. I will post about what they say.

Some of the symptoms you are describing could be due to low blood sugar. Some people suffer from low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) after surgery. This occurs in people who were diabetic or were not diabetic prior to surgery. You may be experiencing reactive hypoglycemia. Reactive hypoglycemia (postprandial hypoglycemia) is low blood sugar that occurs after a meal — usually within four hours after eating. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) usually occurs while fasting. Signs and symptoms of reactive hypoglycemia may include hunger, weakness, shakiness, sleepiness, sweating, lightheadedness, anxiety and confusion.

Oh yeah they can happen anytime, but since you travel so much it is already less likely to hit you that way, as your system is accustomed to the changes. I would suggest maybe finding a list of band approved Dr.s world wide if possible on the Inamed site---you could carry it with you to have for the area you are going. I mean search the areas you are going, and keep those names & numbers handy. So you could be prepared. Also take the info about your band and port, so if you have to hit an ER somewhere you are armed with your info. You may also have your Dr. prescribe you something for nausea---mine gave me phenergren (sp?) so I would have it to avoid throwing up if possible. All in all, just be as proactive as you can as opposed to waiting to be reactive. I know personally if I prepare for the worst and hope for the best it usually works out, but the time I do not prepare---all hell breaks loose!!! Have fun!!!! Sounds like a great trip! Kat

I would suggest that you make an appt with your pcp to get checked out. There are lots of things, including thyroid conditions, that can cause fatigue. Be aware that they have recently lowered the "normal" range for TSH, so if you were borderline before, you might be considered hypo now. I tested high-normal for years before I became hypo, and I feel 100% better since I started taking meds. You may also be at point where you have to exercise to lose weight. In my experience, even before banding, if I eat 1200-1400 cal/day, don't exercise and don't drink enough Water, I won't lose any weight, and I might even gain a few lbs. I think that FitDay really overestimates the calories burned for basal metabolism. Good Luck! Melissa

I can eat both sugar and fat in small amounts with no problem. I have not heard of passing out from too much sugar, I have had episodes of reactive hypoglycemia and that can cause some serious symptoms.

tizzylish My co-morbidities were, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, hypo-thyroid, bad back & knees. I have lost 82 pounds, I now take less medication. Exericse for the bad knees & back try water aerobics. I know you don't want to be in a swim suit in public but it does burn a lot of calories and is easy on the knees and back. There used to be a thread on this site that list the insurance companies and stories of people & the problems and successes of getting approved. Hang in there.

I was told 11 years ago, that I would be better, having chronic fatigue, that having a gastric by-pass would make it better. It certainly does not. The hormone that is in your stomach, as with the duodenum, gets by-passed. So, you have a lot of episodes of shaking and hypo-glycemia. It DOES NOT make your chronic- fatigue better. In fact, it makes it worse!! I am proof positive. Please understand that I'm not saying a by-pass is bad, but if you have chronic fatigue it does NOT make it better. So be aware that you will have to eat. I have gained 35 pounds back. That's not good. I have to find some other way to help balance the hypo-glycemia that is a result of chronic fatigue.

I thought this was a really great FAQ that answers a few more questions beyond the usual what is a band/how is it adjusted type of question. Also, interestingly, the doctor talks about the causes and repair of erosion, slippage, and pouch dilation. This docter says erosion has to do with the way the band is stitched to your stomach. If that's true, it might explain why erosion is more likely to happen with some surgeons than with others. Just a thought. liquids. That said, average weight loss is 50% of excess weight at 5 years. But this includes all patients, including those who have lost little or no weight. How is the Band adjusted? The Band is tightened by accessing the port with a needle. This is most commonly done in the office. Some surgeons do it at the hospital under x-ray guidance, but this is generally not necessary, and makes the procedure much more expensive. For patients with very thick abdominal walls, it may be more difficult to find the port. In our office we have an ultrasound machine which makes it possible to access most ports without need for x-ray. Can I adjust my own Band? In theory, yes. But the answer is NO. NO. NO :confused: (you just know somebody has tried this at home) Why do I have to take Vitamins? The LapBand operation is purely restrictive, so technically you don't need to take vitamins if you are eating a healthy diet. On the other hand, by definition you are eating a hypo-caloric diet, one which will cause you to lose weight. Because of this, we worry that you won't get all the vitamins and minerals you need. This is the main reason we ask you to take vitamins after the surgery. What about the gallbladder? We don't remove the gallbladder unless you already have gallstones that are causing symptoms. Weight loss is slow and natural, so the risk of gallstones is not sufficiently elevated as to make gallbladder removal worth doing. Can the Band be rejected by my body? The Band is made of silicone rubber, and cannot be rejected. Of course it can become infected and require removal, but this is not the same as being rejected like a transplanted organ. What happens after I lose my weight? The Band causes you to lose weight by restricting your caloric intake to less than your caloric expenditure. As you lose weight, your calorie requirements diminish. Once intake matches expenditure, you stop losing weight. How long does the Band stay in? The Band stays in forever. If it is removed you will regain all the weight you lost. What is a slipped Band, and what causes it? There are two types of slippage; anterior and posterior. This refers to whether the front or back side of the stomach slips. There is something else called concentric pouch dilation, but this is not the same as slippage. Slippage or prolapse is when the stomach slides up through the Band, making the pouch bigger. If this happens the Band usually becomes too tight, and patients experience symptoms of reflux (heartburn) as well as nausea and vomiting. This is because the amount of stomach being “squeezed” by the Band is increased, thereby obstructing the Band. There are several causes. Posterior slippage was more common when the Band was placed by the “perigastric” technique. With this technique the back side of the stomach was free to slide up through the Band. These days most surgeons use the “pars flaccida” technique, which was developed to prevent posterior slippage, and has more or less eliminated the incidence of this problem. Anterior slippage is when the front of the stomach slips up through the Band. We try to prevent this by suturing the stomach below the Band to the stomach above the Band, “locking” the Band in place in the right spot. In spite of this, slippage still occurs. It can happen because we haven't placed enough stitches, or they haven't been placed in the right place. Slippage can also occur if patients eat too much and vomit frequently. How is a slipped Band diagnosed? Fortunately, this is very easy. Often the diagnosis is made based on the history alone. A patient who has been going along fine, with no problems, and then suddenly develops reflux symptoms or symptoms of a too-tight Band will most likely have a slipped Band. The diagnosis is easily confirmed with an x-ray and barium swallow examination. Endoscopy is rarely necessary. How is a slipped Band fixed? A slipped Band needs to be fixed with an operation. The Band has to be dissected out, all the sutures removed, and the position of the stomach made right. Some surgeons remove the Band and place it back through a new tunnel. Others just straighten things out and re-suture the stomach over the Band. What happens if the Band slips again? That's a tough one. One could certainly try to fix the slip again, but my personal view is that, for whatever reason, the Band is just not working for that particular patient, and ought to be removed. What is a Band erosion? This is when the Band actually erodes into the stomach. It is a more serious problem, and generally requires removal of the Band. Band erosion is thought to be related to placing too many sutures (or too tight sutures) at the time of Band implantation. Surprisingly, Band erosion is often unnoticed. Occasionally the port will become infected if bacteria track along the catheter out to the port. Other times patients will stop losing weight. Diagnosis often requires an endoscopy. What is concentric pouch dilation? This is technically not the same as slippage. In this case the pouch just seems to be enlarged. Sometimes partial emptying of the Band may help with this. What is esophageal dilation? This is when the esophagus enlarges over time, and is probably related to either too tight a Band, or possibly improper placement of the Band around the junction of the esophagus and stomach. This requires loosening or removal of the Band. What happens if my Band has to be removed because of complications or failure to lose weight? One option, of course, is to give up on weight loss surgery. Another option is to convert to another procedure such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. This can be done at the same time the Band is removed, and is generally done laparoscopically. If you have questions that have not been answered by this FAQ, please send them to me and I will try to answer them for you. Mark A Pleatman MD 43494 Woodward Ave. #202 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48302 Office Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Phone: (248) 334-5444 Fax: (248) 334-5484 Email: pleatman@laparoscopy.com

I've had reactive hypoglycemia for the last 4-5 years. Definitely talk to an endocrinologist. I got a prescription for the Libre 2 wearable device that allows me to monitor my sugar levels in real-time. The Libre will notify you when your blood sugar is dropping or spiking. You'll learn which foods trigger low blood sugar soon enough. For me, it's sushi and alcohol or any high-carb food.

Did they check you for over active thyroid? My family is notorious for going from hypo(slow) too hyper(superfast) thyroid. My sister had been almost 400 lbs her whole life and now she is about 150 and dropping. Good luck hope it gets worked out

HiI Everyone! So I went to my nutritionist today to ck in and it'll be 3 months since my surgery nxt wk. Ive had a 1cc fill about a month ago and I've lost 10lbs (I was careful to NOT say ONLY 10 lbs bc it's a loss nonetheless!) anywho in reviewing some bloodwork I did about a month ago she said my thyroid is out of control...(hypo).. I'm going back to see the MD nxt wk to see if medication wb required but I've been diagnosed before (2010) as "intermittent hypothyroid" most annoying diagnosis ever.. However THC levels have only gotten worse post surgery.. I read that having surgery, stress and other factors can trigger the hormonal imbalance.. Has anyone else experienced this? Where you put on meds? Had surgery to remove thyroid/did it help? Change of diet? Any info would be helpful.

Do you just have to exercise to lose weight? I was planning on starting to walk after my surgery. But I've been on a high protein low carb diet before my surgery, and I use MFP to keep track of my calories and keep in mind I'm not exercising. I'm suppose to be able to eat 1800 and some calories, seems like a lot to me , but that's what it said. I'm not loosing anything. I thought it was calories in calories out kind of thing. Is it simply a matter of exercise or is it to many calories or both? And yes I hate exercise and have a bad knee, but do plan I doing it I know I have to. But I was just curious why I am not losing something. I don't want this to be what happens with the band. Can you just be unable to lose. I am 5'3 and 277 pounds, plus I am 47 yrs old, and was thinking my metabolism might be shot or something. I do have a thyroid (hypo) problem but it is OK on meds. I'm guessing the answers going to be to exercise Actually I hope it is that simple. Not easy but simple. BTW my nut said he has no calorie or quantity restrictions for me he said just eating healthy would take care of everything when I get the band..

I'm glad I can help despite some long term medical problems I have had that were a result from the surgery....... Such as ulcers, and reactive hypoglycemia (which is the opposite of diabetes...... My blood sugar can get dangerously low if I eat the wrong things )...... I'm on a super strict diet........ I wouldn't change a thing! When I was once 365lbs, I was 23yrs old and I couldn't walk, I was always stared at, I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stress fractures, horrible depression. I couldn't even properly bond with my daughter when she was an infant..... I couldn't hold her. My husband took care of her. I missed out on so much. I studied this surgery inside and out, from top to bottom, right to left..... Weighed it..... And for me it was the answer. I thank my lucky stars. If you ever have questions.... I can probably answer them. Researching this surgery became my life for over a year. I still research it and try to help others because I believe everyone deserves a life of happiness....... It isn't about the number on the scale..l. It's about your health.

supposedly it can be managed through diet. Hopefully your nutritionist will know. If it's what I think it is, it's called Reactive Hypoglycemia. I don't think it's super common, but on the other hand, I've seen it come up several times on forums -so I don't think it's necessarily *uncommon*, either...

We had a free health screening at work so I figured id see what my numbers were looking like almost 4 months post op. My cholesterol was down from a little over 200 a year ago to 109 now which is great and my blood pressure was perfect but my glucose levels were low. It was only 57 which seemed to concern the person taking it. I ate a banana about an hour before. Anyone know if this is a normal glucose level for an RNY patient? Or could it be reactive hypoglycemia from the banana?

I am absolutely not a doctor but I have experienced late dumping several times. Twice after eating white rice, once from eating a baked potato (both simple carbs) and in all cases about two to three hours following eating. Late dumping is usually the result of reactive hypoglycemia. The first time I had it I checked my blood sugar and it was 37. The majority of folks (about two-thirds) who experience dumping experience early dumping. The remaining one-third experience late dumping. And it's important to remember that many never experience dumping at all. Here are a couple of links, one from WebMD and the second one from the University of Rochester Medical Center describing dumping (including late dumping). There are many more. http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/dumping-syndrome-causes-foods-treatments http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=134&ContentID=107

So called "early" or "early phase" dumping usually occurs 15-30 minutes after eating. "Late" dumping usually occurs 2-3 hours after eating (but one member on the board experienced it 12 hours after eating and her doctor said it was likely dumping). Early dumping is more often associated with vomiting, nausea, etc. Late dumping (reactive hypoglycemia) with weakness, shakiness and rapid heart rate. About two thirds of folks who experiencing dumping experience early dumping. The remaining one third late dumping. Dumping simply refers to partially digested food moving too quickly (dumping) from the stomach or pouch into the small intestine. My understanding is that it is usually associated with some type of abdominal surgery (not only RNY).

Good point Alex. I will ask about testing for my A1C levels. She did suggest healthy carbs. Both that you mentioned, I am having trouble digesting them. I will look at more legumes as she got excited that I enjoy them. So far this week I have had two attacks. But was able to catch them before they got really bad! I know it is Reactive Hypoglycemia. I was diagnosed with that. But for some reason as I am an emotional person and affected by things around me. It seems to trigger the attacks more then say others who are less sensitive to their surroundings. This is who I am. My nature! I cannot change this part of me. If I/they can't figure out a way to help me then it will be one more pill I have to take daily. Still it does not change the fact that I would do it all over again. To be where I am today!

Actually, I am living with worse conditions since surgery then before. I not only take more drugs but I have reactive Hypoglycemia because of it. Other then a bad back I was a healthy over weight person. The chronic co-morbid conditions happened after the surgery. K