Hello! I was banded on may 19. I felt awesome until Sunday may 24. I started becoming short of breath, dizzy, very weak and tired. Went to emergency room and was admitted. My surgeon is 2 hours away so was seen by my general doctor. I had fluid build up on my lungs and the lower portion of both lungs were collapsed. I was given IV Lasix to drain the fluid and it worked. To date I have lost 26 pounds. I felt good yesterday and came home from the hospital. But, today I am very tired weak and dizzy again. No shortness of breath. I am doing my diet exactly as instructed. Going to see my surgeon this afternoon. Has this happened with anyone else???

Oh Geez sounds terrible. I was short of breath right after surgery but my Dr gave me breathing excercises that really helped.

I had to do breathing exercises as well after surgery and had to use this plastic breathing gauge thing...I had to take a huge breath and make the gauge go up to a certain place. They also wanted me to cough and get out any phlegm that developed during surgery. I guess under anesthesia your lungs shrink up, and the pain meds can decrease respiration as well. Plus if you have any gas pain under your ribs or anything then it hurts to take a deep breath.

It did hurt to take deep breaths for a few days after surgery, but I made sure I used my exerciser thing and was able to cough out all the phlegm. Did your nurses after surgery have you do any of that? Maybe that's why you had Fluid build up?

Anyways, I was extremely weak and tired up through about 5-6 days out of surgery...the last couple of days I have felt pretty much back to normal...probably because I got to start soft foods.

Hope you are feeling better!

make sure you are eating enough protein. Not enough protein will make you dizzy.

The Fluid is "atelectasis" and can cause pneumonia...common after ANY Surgery. They should've sent you home with an "incentive spirometer" to use. If they didn't, buy some balloons and blow one up 10 times every hour (I know seems like a pain but it will work) until the feeling passes, then do it every couple hours to maintain.

When the balloon gets easy to inflate (stretched out) toss it and get another. This works.

You have to breathe deeply and keep your lungs clear.

WAIT! Atelectasis is fluid IN the lungs. If the fluid you're talking about was outside the lungs, that's something else altogether and the balloon trick won't help you. Either way by now you've probably met with your surgeon so I hope you're back in the pink!

Sounds like pneumonia (sp?) IN my wife's RNY surgery, they had her doing breathing excercises in the room before she was discharged to avoid that. They didn't seem concerned with that for me in the lap band surgery. I hadn't thought about that till now.

No I didn't experience those symptoms. At first I thought that you might be dehydrated but it could be something more. I am sure that your doctor will shed more light on whats going on. Keep me posted and good luck on your journey.

OMG, I wish you good luck from here on in. I was banded on 5/20, when I woke up in recovery I felt very short of breath. My dr said because disrupt your diaphragm??? anyway hope your doing better, I can't wait for some soft foods, its till just soups (creamed if I want) and liquids for me until next week.

I was given a incentive spirometer as well. Its still a little uncomfortable to do a DEEP breath but I can work through it.

I was given a incentive spirometer as well. Its still a little uncomfortable to do a DEEP breath but I can work through it.

Good for you, Minxz! It made my left shoulder/neck hurt (referred pain from my diaphragm) but I used it too. It's funny what a big difference it makes! :crying:

Thanks for all the responses!! I was using my IS about every 2 hours and already walking about a 1/2 mile two to three times a day. My Dr. said that this sometimes happens when you get overloaded with fluid during surgery and can't get rid of it. He said I should be fine after the two nights I spent in the hospital it is not unusual for me to be a little extra weak. So things are looking up!!!