at my wits end

[teddy12 0]

Hi everyone,

I was banded 02/2007 and as of today's step on the scale i have lost 99 pounds. I am excited that i have come this far, but the last 15-20 pounds has not really been so fun. I get sick everytime i eat. I am in constant pain, in my chest, i feel like i have a 100 pound weight on my chest. I have pulled muscles in my back from vomiting.

my lap band doc, bless his heart, has seen me everytime i call the office. unfortunatly, nothing is wrong with the band. I realize this is a good thing, but having an answer would be even better. I had an upper GI it was totally clear and everything went through just fine.

I have an appointment with an Gastro Dr. Next week. Nothing is helping, I am eating tums A LOT.

Please help! :smile2:

[BayCityBandster 1]

hi teddy...i wish i could help you, but i was only banded on friday, so all i can say is i know what it is like to be uncomfortable and i really feel for you. i am sure someone else will be along with advice...just know i care.

[teddy12 0]

Thanks Bay City, Congrats to you for taking the leap. Even with all the pain i am going through, I would do it all over again. There is nothing more satisfying then see the smaller #'s.

Good luck and thanks!

[hollyberries 2]

Thanks Bay City, Congrats to you for taking the leap. Even with all the pain i am going through, I would do it all over again. There is nothing more satisfying then see the smaller #'s.

Good luck and thanks!

I know this may seem stupid to ask but are you to tight? Usually you need a slight unfill. Again, I know that it is stupid to ask that but it is what I think it sounds like but heck I ain't no doctor.

Best wishes!

Cindy

[teddy12 0]

i forgot to mention, i am completly empty! No Fluid in the band at all and have been that way for 6 - 8 weeks :smile2:

[HeatherO 7]

It is great that you have been checked out with the upper GI to help rule out some major problems and have come out clear. I would also have to wonder if you are just too tight.

I find that when I am sick or uncomfortable with the band, I tend to keep getting sick and uncomfortable daily until I take a break and go back to liquids to give my stomach time to relax. Perhaps you should try doing a day or two of liquids, day or two of mushies and try to ease your way back into eating in case your stomach is just irritated. It can be a cycle in that irritation causes pb or vomiting that causes further irritation . . . and on and on it goes.

When was your last fill and did it coincide with when you started to get sick?

[juliegeraci 7]

Teddy, it sounds like you are too tight. If you have reflux and are PBing you are too tight. Can you get solid Protein down? If not, you are too tight. With good restriction you may only eat 1/4 cup of food. But if you PB you are too tight. Good luck trying to find the balance. I too have 15 lbs to go. Its tough finding the right fill level. Good luck.

[salsa1877 10]

You mentioned that you are compeletly unfilled...are you sure they took it all out. I know that sounds awful, but I went in for a partial unfill and then had to go in for a complete unfill a few weeks later and lo and behold...there was more in there than was supposed to be! In fact it looked like the fill nurse had actually given me a little fill when she was supposed to take it out. Have you gone on liquids for a couple days to see if you are just swollen. I know that even unfilled I have pb'd a couple times because I just take too big of bites. There are days when I could swallow a steak whole and other days when I feel like hardly anything will go down. Hopefully the upper GI will tell if something is wrong.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[Numbrgirl 0]

Salsa - WOW I am so impressed by you and your blog! What determination! I used to be an avid runner in my 20's and then I got pregnant and started working my own business - working like a dog for both myself and other people and never really lost the weight from the pregnancy and then just started compounded it over and over. I will be starting my exercise program this week on the treadmill. The doctor says I can do cardio - whatever doesn't "hurt" since I will be entering my 4th week banded tomorrow. Thanks for the inspiration - I hope that I can make a difference once the exercise is added.

[teddy12 0]

:biggrin2::biggrin2:hi again all,

feeling like hell tonight, even Water won't stay down. Does anyone have trouble with bowel movements? i am beginning to wonder if that has anything to do with the way i am feeling.

Going to call dr tomorrow to see what he says about that.

thanks for all your replys you all inspire me not to rip thing out of my body!!!!

[salsa1877 10]

:biggrin2::biggrin2:hi again all,

feeling like hell tonight, even Water won't stay down. Does anyone have trouble with bowel movements? i am beginning to wonder if that has anything to do with the way i am feeling.

Going to call dr tomorrow to see what he says about that.

thanks for all your replys you all inspire me not to rip thing out of my body!!!!

I heard early on that when your bowels are really full it can cause band tightness. Glad to hear you are calling your doc. This isn't right!

[SanDiegoPhotog 0]

Um . . . if your band has been checked and it sounds fine, it sounds like gallstones to me. If you still have your gallbladder and you have lost 99 pounds, you can very easily get gall stones.

I am not banded yet (7 days and kind of freaking out), but I had gall stones last year. First, they went undetected because I was pregnant with twins and not eating and the doctor was CERTAIN that my uterus was pushing my intestines too high with two babies and that I was having acid reflux from not being hungry enough to eat. He prescribed Pepcid AC. It didn't really help.

Then, after I had the babies, I was still having problems, even though everyone assured me that my intestines should be back in their normal position 3 weeks after the birth. I ended up in the emergency room with SEVERE chest pain and vomiting. In short, I thought I was going to die. Ended up I had gall stones and they were so bad that they were affecting my liver enzymes and one was about to get stuck in a duct (??!!??). Anyways, one emergency gall bladder surgery later and I am back to normal.

I'm glad you are seeing a gastroenterologist soon. One quick ultrasound should be able to tell you if you have gall stones.

Oh yeah, whenever I had an attack, it TOTALLY felt like weight on my chest. Except for the part where it was worse on the right side and in the middle, rather than the left, I would have totally thought I was having a heart attack.

Good luck.

[teddy12 0]

met with the gastro dr today. She is VERY concerned about my symptoms. Have to have a CT scan early next week for the lower abdominal pain then 2 days later, i am having the endoscopy. Dr is concerned about stomach perforation. where the band actually goes through the stomach. i am getting concerned. if that is the case, out comes the band and i battle itout on my own. which has me PETRIFIED. I am so worried about gaining weight. But i have a great support system and good local gyms!

Th one thing i have learned, LISTEN to your body i am upset that i did not push my dr further 2 months ago with this. i should have listened to my body. whatever the outcome. i would not change my course. if i had not had the band i would be 100 pounds heavier.

will keep you posted

Edited May 31, 2008 by teddy12
forgot word

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

Wow! I hope they find out what is wrong. I am glad you went to the dr.

I will be anxious to hear what you find out. I would have thought the upper GI would have shown it if something was wrong. I am glad you're going for further tests.

[legster 2]

<snip> I am so worried about gaining weight. But i have a great support system and good local gyms!

Th one thing i have learned, LISTEN to your body i am upset that i did not push my dr further 2 months ago with this. i should have listened to my body. whatever the outcome. i would not change my course. if i had not had the band i would be 100 pounds heavier.

With your positive attitude, you won't have any problems. It's good to hear such optimism and courage. Good for you!

I've also been guilty of not "pushing" my PCP on symptoms I've experienced. We are taught to trust them, it's only normal.