Search the Community

OH MY GOD... YES, YES, YES I have experienced these spasms. Let me tell you my story: I was banded on 5/22/08. Was doing great until February of this year. About 8 weeks after I had had a fill (was thinking of going for another as I was eating anything and everything) I awoke one night with severe chest pain radiationg into my neck, down my arms, vomiting, was diaphoretic (cold sweats), and feeling like I was dying. Went to the local emergency room. Had full diagnostic work up with some EKG changes though not enough to cause the pain I had. Was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse. Well...from the vomiting with the chest pain I developed swelling to the band area. Went to my Lap-Band surgeon expecting just a small unfill to get back on track. He unfilled me immediately (didn't listen to what I had to say as to what I think had happened to cause the pain-I was thinking esophageal spasm as a Donnatal coctail eased my chest pain in the E.R.) and decided to take me to surgery for a diagnostic laparoscopy. Well, that was normal. He did do some lysis of adhesions. Anyway, I have been going back for gradual refills. The last time I went for a fill was about 5 weeks ago. Well, 2 weeks ago I had a really bad incident happen (life incident so to speak-was involved in a really bad accident where my car was totalled but I was not hurt) and vomited due to the stress. Well, since that time I can't eat without severe pain. This pain occurred just as soon as the first bite would round my throat on the way down to my stomach. Hadn't even reached my stomach. Well, after the spasm, I couldn't eat as every bite I tried would lead to a spasm. Went to my family doctor who told me to use nitroglycerine 5 min before I eat-I can't do this as my blood pressure is normally only about 110 on a good day. When I take the nitro I feel like passing out as it lowers my blood pressure. The family doctor did give me some very mild "nerve" pills to take if something bad happens again to prevent vomiting in the first place. Anyway, I continued to have the horrible, severe spasms until I got the bright idea to drink some hot Water or tea just prior to eating and then eat with a warm pack (one of those cloth bags filled with dry Beans or rice warmed up in a microwave) on my chest. Now I can eat with no pain. I am able to eat like I should. I know my band isn't too tight because I have just had a barium swallow which I am awaiting results on but the radiologist did say that the band was not too tight. The warmth of the hot drink and the warm pack keeps the inital spasm from happening and starting a viscious circle. I have been able to eat for the last 2 days like this and feel like I'm on the road to recovery, so to speak. Hope this helps. It is too bad that Docotors don't listen to their band patients and take it from there. I feel as though I had an un-needed surgery and other tests done because they wouldn't listen. Millie

Of course there's hope for you! You can do this and you don't even need to know your way around the kitchen. This is what the nutritionist told me Pre op Breakfast 4oz Protein shake 1/2 c juice (no sugar added) 16 oz Water broth or sugar free popsicle or Jello if hungry between breakfast and lunch Lunch 4oz Protein Shake 1/2 C skim milk broth or sugar free popsicle or jello if hungry dinner 4oz protein shake 1/2 C gatorade or sf juice 16 oz water broth or sugar free popsicle or jello if hungry Snack 4 oz protein shake 1/2 C skim milk 16 oz water Having the Protein shakes every four hours or so will help keep you from being hungry. Post op The day of was clear liquid. Water, broth, sugar free jello, sf popsicles For two weeks after: Thined or blended soups with no solid pieces, skim milk, vegetable or tomatoe juice, no sugar added low fat yogart, low fat sugar free pudding, Cereal with milk let it get soggy, or thinned cooked oatmeal or cream of wheat or grits...4 oz of any of the above at a time three times a day only!! As a snack in between meals 4 oz of your protein shake. sample menu Brkfast 4 oz No sugar low fat yogart snack 4 oz protein shake Lunch 2 oz blended Soup and 2 oz sugar free pudding snack 4 oz protein shake Dinner 4 oz cereal with milk (let it get soggy) Hope this helps and YES YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!! I would advice having a serious discussion with your health team and make sure they are going to be there for you throughout this whole process. It's not something you can have done, take your money and then they forget about you.

I will give you some advice. Before the pre-op started I said I'll have to hit all my favorite spots and have my farewells. Well that said and done I really wish I hadn't. It made me miserable the first week. When you make a sudden drop in calories going from 2,000+ and go to say 600-800. It really shocked my system. Day two I had the worst headache. Spent a good amount of time face down in the bathroom. Then from there felt very weak and like I had low blood sugar. I tested my levels and they weren't. If I could do it again I'd reign myself in and try to ween myself off progressively slower. Just a forewarning for all of you thinking of making it your last hurrah.

Thanks for asking this - I am going to Cabo and Maui over the next two months and I wondered the same thing. I am planning on hitting the beds next week.

Sorry to hear that, wondering if I have the same thing. Had an appointment for endoscopy next week and canceled it. Guess I better Re schedule it. Did you have any gurgling as well? Good luck! Hope all works out for you!

We would like to wish the following members celebrating their LapBandTalk anniversary today: mirtaliberman@gmail.com (1 Years) doxie2doxie (1 Years) Denver (1 Years) ALMOST FAMOUS (1 Years) JackieBaby (1 Years) tbury (1 Years) Lt.Lee (1 Years) margibujan (1 Years) SayLiLiG (1 Years) phartrek (1 Years) obnurse927 (1 Years) jaykowa@internode.on.net (1 Years) Mama of Three (1 Years) jomarik (1 Years) Catharine (1 Years) Kandi-O (1 Years) dwack (1 Years) ell (1 Years) ky447 (1 Years) Cindy O. (1 Years) fall1962 (1 Years) hazelett (1 Years) Angera (1 Years) riotj (1 Years) princesslori30 (1 Years) mimsy831 (1 Years) julieshaw (1 Years) yemaya (1 Years) Fologist (1 Years) ceron (1 Years) Lucy 78 (1 Years) jay9ny (1 Years) RMB132 (1 Years) dixon_fam (1 Years) sabel@advancedw (1 Years) QueenJamie99 (1 Years) chetcat68 (1 Years) nsklors (1 Years) sadkinson (1 Years) martina (1 Years) tbonesgirl (1 Years) awesomesusan1 (1 Years) ajohomer (1 Years) raveness33 (1 Years) gus2you (1 Years) mgrygorc (1 Years) Jerseydiva15 (1 Years) mol1yrose (1 Years) Brandyrose (1 Years) jaymeh (1 Years) lilbrnsugar (1 Years) CRYSTALR8I8 (1 Years) manningmom (1 Years) Jackiekl (1 Years) Lpurnell (1 Years) Transformation-in-Process (1 Years) joellenestevens (1 Years) lleslie (1 Years) sandysfab50 (1 Years) DRollman (1 Years) ebonykisses (1 Years) jenniferedmon (1 Years) carlalou (1 Years) flexlorenzo (1 Years) jeanhofheimer (1 Years) donnamlarkin (1 Years) DaDivaDSTnee (1 Years) girlbryant (1 Years) kwicken1070 (1 Years) rachel39 (1 Years) lgc6604 (1 Years) missy8 (1 Years) what a corker (1 Years) missdee (1 Years) fatstewie81 (1 Years) Big Phil (1 Years) jestrella (1 Years) danide (1 Years) makeupnmusic (1 Years) wrightz05 (1 Years) rilliancat (1 Years) Renee HW (2 Years) california (2 Years) LottawnCate (2 Years) Summer New Zealand (2 Years) leib5850 (2 Years) Dawn10314 (2 Years) blanca3 (2 Years) mdoc78 (2 Years) rayvrwc (2 Years) CICBLAIT (2 Years) divachrisa (2 Years) CRENK (2 Years) babekopp (2 Years) tagg (2 Years) robinkay47 (2 Years) deblcooke (2 Years) HappyinAZ (2 Years) DIAMOND PEARLS (2 Years) PattyCakes66 (2 Years) sooshi (2 Years) ShaneGee (2 Years) harleyrose1228 (2 Years) 716KellyG (2 Years) gima (2 Years) pray for success (2 Years) jleroux (2 Years) lisanla (2 Years) tbroad72 (2 Years) SuzyWinn (2 Years) basmaw (2 Years) arod2519 (2 Years) nikki scales (2 Years) Gods Gerl in Ohio (2 Years) bev4971 (2 Years) StellaStar (2 Years) wetherby (2 Years) Vickivale (2 Years) denny (2 Years) sandiea (2 Years) deck75 (2 Years) CHERITCH (2 Years) BJT (2 Years) want to be free (2 Years) mglenwink (2 Years) maria3371 (2 Years) marymary1 (2 Years) gittinskinny (2 Years) barber (2 Years) karnold (2 Years) ssrudd (2 Years) Jin (2 Years) smahedyrn (2 Years) terrib01 (2 Years) bevcy (2 Years) ahuja100 (2 Years) C209246 (2 Years) PedeDoorpBypejalpdfy (2 Years) maxwellcg (2 Years) rommel823 (2 Years) tbyer00 (2 Years) westcoaster (2 Years) SJMC (2 Years) Joe194 (2 Years) fatbutfine (3 Years) carmey830 (3 Years) drift611 (3 Years) waiser (3 Years) AussieGirl1 (3 Years) tabithastorm (3 Years) Lella (3 Years) Mizzoupoodle (3 Years) sherrid5 (3 Years) carden (3 Years) ohjuly7878 (3 Years) brofogeolve (3 Years) sherrycat2 (3 Years) audreym (3 Years) JAYNA (3 Years) annika (3 Years) bill casey (3 Years) Libby99 (3 Years) Tryntogetband! (3 Years) bambam31 (3 Years) Polly_Online (3 Years) RONCBS (3 Years) lynnbee (3 Years) micole (3 Years) kmytime2008 (3 Years) twolters (3 Years) secondseconds (3 Years) ndnguy85 (3 Years) TiffanyF4 (3 Years) sarah723 (3 Years) Anna Crouch (3 Years) Dizee70 (3 Years) yiya (3 Years) ThePursued (3 Years) bubendresim (3 Years) Cornetjm (3 Years) C_Strode (3 Years) Chellzee (3 Years) ChrisUofH (3 Years) billiebob (3 Years) miss mj (3 Years) mczink@jhmi.edu (4 Years) adsha1000 (4 Years) CINDY BATES (4 Years) danz (4 Years) Candi (4 Years) mspam52 (4 Years) HealthyHeart (4 Years) bigstan (4 Years) bootboots (4 Years) gilneas (4 Years) jewonda (4 Years) CCfromTX (4 Years) ozbirko (4 Years) sunshinenish (4 Years) Lorianne61080 (4 Years) missheinlein22 (4 Years) MCJOHN (4 Years) BensonRN (4 Years) Anya A (4 Years) badtired (4 Years) Buyjones (4 Years) baydaz (4 Years) lircox (4 Years) christinev (4 Years) kaplanrhonda (4 Years) sghatl (4 Years) jeanne352 (4 Years) KEMac (4 Years) divamum (4 Years) Ali (4 Years) beau (4 Years) carlasue4 (4 Years) mejiabj (4 Years) Cheri42 (4 Years) lapedtolive (4 Years) jowjow13 (4 Years) Don64 (5 Years) Shelby Angel (5 Years) PattiCakes (5 Years) Marci (5 Years) vonnjoro (5 Years) Stingfet (5 Years) SeamsSew (5 Years) katherinegrace (5 Years) grossfamily (5 Years) LEVA 13 (5 Years) cl_tx_42 (5 Years) stanmech10 (5 Years) sharon.gore (5 Years) tammys1968 (5 Years) shop-alot-kid (5 Years) judyb (5 Years) Ashlee (5 Years) Toto2129 (5 Years) icurn2003 (5 Years) okiegirl (5 Years) Lisa99 (5 Years) wannabhappy (5 Years) weenette (5 Years) idiot45 (5 Years) Anytime332 (5 Years) kittylover (5 Years) 310WTBTHIN (5 Years) Cyndilou_77536 (6 Years) 4jobe (7 Years) dadunwoody (7 Years) nicoleny (7 Years) mbz (7 Years) kimster (7 Years) Kaci (8 Years) seanmama (8 Years) joannfyi (8 Years) mrwindt (8 Years) Jennywren (1 Years) ryansgirl (2 Years) <b>Happy Anniversary</b> since joining this awesome Lap-Band community!

Thank you, two. That's good to know! But I sucked it up and changed my date by a week so that a) I don't have to pre-op diet during my vacation to Las Vegas and my husband can come with me. I'm so very glad I wised up about it, especially after hearing you have to leave with someone! I'm hoping the surgery will be super easy for me. With my third c-section, I was up and walking right away and talked my doctor in discharging me within 24 hours of my surgery so I could attend my other child's preschool graduation. Here's to hoping, right? Thank you both again for replying!

Hi Roni, When I first got my band (2/13) I felt that pain too when I went on mushies. It does go away. I noticed when I ate a little too much is when I'd get that feeling. You are definately still healing and perhaps your pouch was so full it pulled a bit? If it's very painful and doesn't go away I would call your surgeon. That pain just under my left ribs where the port is took me a little over 4 weeks to go away. Lots of work is done in that area, said my surgeon, so it definately takes time hence the reason they tell you to not pick up more than 15 pounds for the first 8 weeks or so or to do abdominal exercises. Hope that helped. Sherry

My advice is to keep a food and exercise journal for a week or so. If you have the facts in front of you, it's easier to determine where you may be slipping up. Then, take that information with you to your surgeon and/or your nutrionist. They can help you get back on track. Good luck!

Not on pain meds in almost a week but think I figured it out...... that dreaded out of town family member Aunt Flo's came to visit without calling! Not exactly sure why she showed up 2 weeks early but oh well better than being knocked up. That would so suck right about now. Bet you men out there are just loving reading that.....:biggrin1::biggrin1: Thanks for the input but the sweating has stopped. Anyone else sleepy? I'm usually rip roaring ready to go and I just keep dozing on and off.

having solid food after two weeks from surgery can give you a little stomach pain... and i think you should go with regular exercises ..this can help you to get the best good long term results..

Hi Doc - I also had the LB procedure on Thursday! My surgeon was Dr. Kuri in TJ. He was so wonderful. No more fears, right? I have no restriction, but I do not have an appetite like before - so I hope that stays with me until my first fill in 6-8 weeks. Good Luck! Patti

I was going to jit my Dr. up on this question next week when I go for my pre op testing about the gallbladder why keep it an take a chance on it having to be removed later, I look at it like this he will be in the same area so why not

Hey, Im one week out- do you think that my incisions are closed enough to start putting antibiotic cream, or mederma on them?

Hi - I have been fighting a sinus infection for over a week. I was put on antibiotics last weekend to see if that would help, but I swear the side effects are worse than the benefits! I notice I am a lot more sensitive to meds than I used to be. Anyone else? Well I guess the good news is that I may make my Easter goal! As of this morning, my scale showed 159.8, the first time I have ever been that low!

I was fine last week but now I am feeling hunger pangs. What can I do? I am on full liquids. Any advice? Lauren 326/318/175 Dr. Bertha 1/24/05

You are only a few days out -- most likely, it isn't heartburn as much as gas. I had that off and on for the first 2 weeks, then it went bye bye! jayme

Soooo.....Tonight I put my kids to bed and thought they were asleep but I was sitting with hubby on the couch and realizing today is six weeks until my surgery I proclaimed "Just six weeks until they cut my stomach open and life is forever changed!!" Just being silly and giddy ya know??? My husband said something to the effect of, "that's great sweetie," but his eyes never left the TV. WELL So about 20 minutes later I hear my 6-year-old crying in her room and so I go in and ask her what was wrong. "I don't want someone to cut my mommy open!" OH BOY did I feel GUILTY!!!! I did my best to comfort her and tell her I was just having a doctor check my tummy. I don't want to explain the whole weight loss thing to her cause A- she has a bad habit of going to school and telling EVERYTHING to EVERYONE and B- I've tried very hard not to talk about my weight struggles in front of my kids so HOPEFULLY they won't have the same hang ups about food and weight that I have. Anyway she went back to sleep but I feel like she wasn't satisfied with my answer....and really neither am I. So should I say something more? How do I explain it to her and my 4 year old daughter at the time of surgery/recovery etc What did you all tell your kids?

One of the reps was at a support group I went to this past week. She didn't say much about Protein stuff, but we did sample some of their Vitamins. They were not too bad - the calcium chew thing was outstanding! I did want to mention that she talked about a pre-op Vitamin that they make that helps get your levels evened out and gets you used to taking a supplement. I am not sure how it tastes because we did not sample that one, but it might be worth looking into. Good luck!

I'm soooo excited but nervous at the same time. Found out Mon. Insurance approved my surgery. been calling the drs office all week they say they will call me back then don't. hoping to hear from them soon the recepionist said i just need to schedule my surgery so i really don't know why i have to talk to a certain person who is always in surgery when i call. Maybe they have to discuss other things with me???

Your husband reached out to me last week and we spoke on the phone - very nice man!!! Didn't want anything from me, was just offering to answer questions and give advice. From they way I understood it, he acts as a sort of "medical tourism companion". He is NOT a coordinator and will steer you away from certain doctors and hospitals. It sounded to me like his years of experience and many trips to Mexico with WLS patients have given him a valuable perspective. He was certainly helpful to me!

hi i am going on soilds on monday from being on all liquid diet for three weeks scared to dearh on eating again what should i start with first i know the moister the better i also start work on sunday night 11-7a i was thinking of bringing a lean cusine meal is that ok i just don,t know what to expect when i start eating i don,t want to vomit or have pain some of these stories i read are really eye opeaners for me like erosions and slipping etc i am tolrating liquids very well do you think i will tolrate solids just as well also today when i was getting clered at work to come back to work the hosp dr told me he read that were they are findind the banded pt are having low calicium levels any one heard that thaks julie

Well... the pain is lessening every day. I haven't called my doctor yet, but I am going to do so tomorrow. I do not want to make the 2.5 hour drive tomorrow (unless they are really concerned), but I do want to find out what I should do if it worsens over the long week-end. Thanks everybody!

Hi all... I had my first fill last week (See my banded stats below) and a couple of days after that I started having pain around at the band area after I ate. I started out with one meal...then now it's at every meal, or even snack. I starts up after I'm done eating and last for a couple of hours. It's a pokey-sharp-achy pain that I feel when I move around, not so much if I'm sitting still. I can feel it too when I take a deep breath after eating. Doesnt matter if I eat a lot or a little. I've been chewing super well, the only thing I'm guilty of is not eating super slow...but I do eat slow-ish. I stop when I'm comfortably full. Also a few days ago when I was lying in bed, when I first woke up I took a deep breath to see if there was any pain...and (holy moses) I felt a little pop. It did it every time I took a deep breath and pushed out a little. It has not done that since and I wont be trying to feel that again! I went to see my surgeon today, he made notes, he thought I might be too tight when I was talking with him in his office. He said he's had other people complain of the same thing. But my first fill was pretty small. He watched me swallow with my fill in, then took out my fill and and he watched me swallow the barium several different times under floro. He said everything looked good. They put my fill back in and gave my another .8cc's more. Now I'm on liquids for the next two days so not sure if it will act up again. My surgeon told me to come back in two weeks if the pain doesnt go away, or sooner if it gets worse. So what do you fellow bandster's think - has anyone had any similar pain? I've been doing so great up until this issue~!! Thanks guys!

Everyone goes through this so don't feel like the odd man out . Like Kelly said you are still swollen so focus on staying hydrated. I wasn't able to get all my liquid and protein in until after week two. I hated the powders and cound not bring myself to drink them. I use the Atkins low carb/low sugar drinks they are 11 oz and 15 gr per. At Target they run about 5.50 for a pack of 4.