i guess you could call it a "complication". i read about constipation before i had the band. well, i have been going what i would consider pretty regularly---daily. i have had a couple of moments where i thought that going to the bathroom resembled labor to the extent of making it productive, but it was productive.

ok, i woke up this saturday with a sharp pain on my left side. i almost went to er, but i have had something like this happen before and after all the poking and prodding, i had a bowel impaction. so..i didn't go to er. instead, i stayed home, drank lots of Water, and took a lot of ex lax. then on Monday morning- i looked 8 months pregnant.

i am not exaggerating, when i went out someone actually asked me when i was due. yes, i am heavy, and my abdomen has been somewhat distended since surgery, BUT, i did not look pregnant like i did monday. and i didn't look pregnant at all prior to surgery.

so i go to my doctor, and i have a freakin' bowel blockage. one that is so bad the gas in my belly cannot get through and was building up in my belly. my doc wanted to do x-rays, etc., but i talked her out of it and came home and drank magnesium citrate and did an enema.

i'm 25 years old, i don't think this is normal. i thought last night that i was finished "cleaning out", but my belly was still sticking out. so, i planned to go to work this morning. i could still feel the pain in my left side, so i just thought that i would work on that the next week or two with miralax.

well, over night i HURT SO BAD. i felt like i did post op. rolling around in the bed and moaning. then, when i get up this morning, the "cleaning out" just began. i'm stuck at home sitting on the porcelain god every 5 minutes.

at least my belly is going down and my pain is going away.

has anyone else had this problem? if they venture to share. if you haven't watch out. it hurts like hell when it gets blocked.

i know this is gross and costipation is an issue with banders, but what should i do to prevent this from happening again? my doc suggests that i go sit and "try" for 15 minutes after i eat every meal. what? who does that 3 times a day!! besides that, she is not my band doctor and she doesn't understand that my food intake is less.

any thoughts would be appreciated.

I mix benefiber into foods I make, but I also take the Benefiber tablets (mixed fruit ones are YUMMY). I still have no BM's for 7-10 days. I've gotten use to it, which is different. Pre-band I went 1-2x's a day hah hah. I started making sure to get the benefiber in because a few weeks ago (well, always but this one was the worst) a BM felt like I was having a baby. So painful and hard, I was turning red and panting. It was miserable. So I was hoping to stop all that. Haven't had an episode like that since..

My mom says I don't poo anymore because I throw everything up hah :eek:

what is a port revision? what causes it and did it require a second surgery?

I can only guess that there is something wrong in the port area, and the port needs to be replaced for one reason or another.

I know this is a serious problem, and I appreciate the information as I'm thinking of getting a band, and want to know all the complications; but I also have to thank you for the creative writing!! I think I could relate too closely to the information "expressed".

Hi All! I am SO new here....so bear with me. My best friend is having LB surgery soon. I am interested in this "fiber" talk as someone who has ulcerative proctitis. I haven't heard "Metamucil" mentioned once... I take it every night (and have for 18 years), with an extra glass of Water just before I go to bed. I can't imagine (and I know so little, and am blonde!!!) that from what I have read here, it could be harmful. Metamucil works "lower" (I think) than where the band and stomach are...

Please let me know what you think....

Here's your Metamucil mention right here. Per my doctor I add it to my drinking water. No problems now.

I had quite the opposite problem as I have Diverticulitis. OUCH. But no flairs of late and the Metamucil works like a charm.

You could also try upping the fiber in your food. Refried beans are high fiber AND protein and go down easy and might help get things unstuck. On the other hand, they might add to the gas problem...hmmm. I feel bad for you! Maybe just knowing we are sad for you will help!

They make a chocolate Citricil and I have been adding that to my

shakes. that has helped.

My port is a mess. I have been on antibiotics and anti inflammitories for 12 weeks! I want the port removed!

What does your doctor say about this. It does sound like you need your port replaced. If you have the port removed, more than likely you'll have the band removed too, won't you?

My doctor said no high fiber foods like broccoli for the first 6 months, which isn't a problem for me because i really can't get them down. I do take two fiber capsules every morning and have a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and that keeps me on a daily schedule. When I have dieted in the past I have always had problems with constipation unless I kept to the oatmeal routine. if I miss one day, I am in trouble for a week.

Drinking lots of liquids helps too. Stops stuff from getting impacted.