I had the lapband done august 09. Not even 48 hours post op I ended up in the ER. I woke up extremely ill, and kept fainting. Felt like I was going to throw up, pee and poop myself all at once. I couldn't stop shaking. I started my period, that I never have, and I had a uti.... so antibiotics they sent me on my way. Then just after thanksgiving this happened again, no infections this time. Then again just after New Years... and out of state. When I went to the er they determined it to be panic attacks. Needless to say I was put on buspar daily, and ativan as needed. My stomach is so very sore, and I feel sicker everyday.... I am literally fighting panic attacks on a daily basis now. I moved to CA a little over a month ago, and the healthcare here SUCKS. The new dr I was given, I didn't even see, I saw her nurse practitioner, and they didn't even want my medical record. They wanted to use me as a guineapig and try different meds that sent me into a full blown attack within 2 hours. I have only lost about 28lbs, and know this is hormonal. I literally feel my brain moving, and I get so dizzy. I get chest pain, and my heart flipflops now way more than it ever did. Is anyone else experiencing this? I am pretty convinced that I need to just have the band taken out. When I was waking up from the surgery I could not breathe. I asked the nurse if I was ok, and she told me to let her worry about that. How can she worry about something I was feeling and she wouldn't even know about unless I asked? This has truly become the worst experience of my life, and I am worried that it gets consistently worse. I am also worried after reading so many posts about other surgeons refusing to see patients. I had my surgery done in Maine..... that's a long way to have to go in an emergency to have it removed. Now I'm panicking about having panic attacks... I feel like a basket case.... and this was so not the case before the band. Any suggestions? :thumbup:

I don't have any advice, just hugs. It's been a while since you posted - how are you doing now?

I started having panic attacks and they went away after I got on meds and about 3 weeks passed. If I were u I'd stick it out for a year...see how u do. Panic attacks are sooo scary, but maybe ur having them because u are anxious about losing your best friend...food? I was...

Panic attacks are truly awful and so illogical but can be controlled with the right medications and medical care. You need to find the right support for this. But the trouble is, your mind returns to what you think is the cause - the band. Its a valid choice to have it removed.

My DH went through a few years of this and it was very difficult to live with and support him and I've felt very close to it myself with my bout of bowel cancer. I am so so anxious about the reversal of my ileostomy that I'm getting quite wound up and my surgeon I can tell is rather frustrated with me - as usually reversals are successful and liveable. But I cant get my head past the fact that its possible I could be housebound and incontinent and unable to work at the age of 43. I am so worried by this that I am quite prepared to live with an ileostomy forever in order to avoid the possiblity, and truly, in the face of all medical advice to the contrary, I may very well decide to do that. So i can certainly understand that although there may be no true basis for being so worried about your band. the feeling that all will be OK if you can just get it out of you is so very strong that you may decide to do it.

I guess I can only suggest medication counselling, which not being my *thing* I have so far not undertaken myself, but somehow you need to get your head functioning logically and not in a spiral of panic so that you can make cclear decisions.

Very best of luck to you.