I had my surgery in April, 2008 in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The first week I was ok, and since then I have a hard time taking deep breaths. I am so scared that it might be a slippage, any suggestions anyone? Thanks.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

Ok. I’ll try but I’m not sure if that would help. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I had almost no pain after the surgery beside in my right shoulder, which stopped after a day or so. About a week later, I was on Isopure (protein drink from GNC) and this is when I started to feel shortness of breath. The problem is not so much in breathing as much as I feel the need totake a deep breath every once in awhile (because I feel that I’m out of air). Since I had my surgery in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region></st1:place>, I called a doc. here and he suggested I go to the nearest ER, however, since I kind-a-feel ok, I did not go. It’s been already two weeks now, and I’m starting to be concerned. I will add, that I never had this symptoms before.<o:p></o:p>

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Hope this is not something serious.<o:p></o:p>

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Definitely go have it checked out. Your regular doc can probably do a chest x-ray and ekg to make sure there is no lung clotting or heart issues going on. And then you'll worry less about it being something really serious.

It doesn't sound band-related.

So I had blood work, chest and abdominal x-rays, and a lung scan too, all came out ok, and I'm still having a hard time taking deep-breaths. Sometimes I even feel like pins in my stomach when I try to take a deep breath; the left side of my stomach really hurts sometimes (is it where the port is?). What else can I do? I heard once that a women (after a lap band surgery) complained she wasn’t feeling well, all test show that everything is ok, however, she died a short while after. Please, someone has any other suggestions? Can it be an adhesion? A slippage? I'm only 4 weeks after the surgery and did not even have one fill yet. I’m so nervous that today for the first time in four weeks I had 6 cookies +++ (I’m embarrassed to say).<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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I cant fall asleep just thinking about it, is anyone else up at 3:52am that can help? <o:p></o:p>

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I don't want to take the place of your dr but I had the same problem when first banded. It was like my heart was skipping a beat and I had to take a deep breath to get it going again. I spoke to the nurse at my dr's office (she's also been banded) and she said it was not unusual. I'm all fine now, can't remember when it stopped happening. Good luck.

Edited May 18, 200818 yr by Sades

Thanks for the input, so you actually didn't do anything about it?

No I didn't. I guess I took her word for it since she said it wasn't unusual. You said you've done all the tests and they came out fine. Are the drs concerned? Or are you just being anxious?

Well, I don’t think my PCP is an expert on lap band patients so I pretty much asked him if it can be phenomena, goal-bladder, appendix etc. I just wanted to rull-out anthing that I’ve read about here. Since I had my surgery in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the surgeon here, will not see me before two weeks. I guess you can say I’m anxious. From being totally healthy (“besides” my weight problem) here I’m in one week having x-rays, blood tests and a lung scan. I will go to a cardiologist in two weeks, will see what that will bring. For the time being, hope it is nothing.

Let's hope it's nothing but just to be safe continue checking it out. Keep us posted.

Well, it doesnt seem to me as a rib problem, however, I'm not a doctor. The air sort of "gets stuck" and I have to force it out from within.

I'm not sure how it sounds, but I do know that it worsned within the last couple of hours.

Thanks to whoever is taking their time to reply, it might benefit somebody else.

It does sound like what happened to me but it sounds like your anxiety about it is making it worse. Try doing some sort of relaxation technique, eg, slowly counting backwards from 100. Hopefully it should calm you down.

Just thought I’ll update you all:

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So I went to an Allergy/Asthma specialist and he came up with the idea that I developed Asthma all of a sudden… He prescribed me with Singulair; I called up my surgeon and he said to wait a week (if I can go without the medication), exercise breathing, and take it from there to see how I feel.

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I’m feeling much better; however I will go next week to a cardiologist and a pulmonary doc. just to make sure.

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So, thank you SADES for calming me down that it can go away just as it came…

I'm glad your feeling better, keep coughing to keep things clear, and walking to build up those lungs.

It killed me taking deep breaths the first week or so. I thought I broke a rib or something. It did go away eventually though. I was banded in April also. (Come join our april group if you'd like!)

Just thought I’ll update you all:

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So I went to an Allergy/Asthma specialist and he came up with the idea that I developed Asthma all of a sudden… He prescribed me with Singulair; I called up my surgeon and he said to wait a week (if I can go without the medication), exercise breathing, and take it from there to see how I feel.

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I’m feeling much better; however I will go next week to a cardiologist and a pulmonary doc. just to make sure.

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So, thank you SADES for calming me down that it can go away just as it came…

No problem, happy to help. Glad to hear you're feeling better. Let me know how you go with the cardiologist.

All went ok with the cardiologist; I think the whole thing was because I drank too much milk . Some days I still get the shortness of breath, but generally I’m ok. I still got to do a stress test, but I’m better, I’m not in a rush.

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I have now 2.25 cc in my band (2 dr. visits) and still eat like a p**g. What would be the right amount to start feeling restrictions? Could it be that the dr. doesn’t give me too much on purpose so I have to come in again and she would get paid every time I come in?

Glad to hear all went well with the cardiologist, at least you can move forward without fear now.

My dr put 2cc, then 3cc as my first 2 fills. Then from there it's been 1cc then .5cc each time. 2.25cc seems a slow start but I guess each dr works differently. I would ask for a bigger fill next time you go because if you have a 10cc band you can go to 5 or 6cc without too much restriction. Money could be a factor with your dr or he just may be cautious. You can only ask. Good luck!