respiratory distress with tightening lap band
Hi, I am new to your web site, but I am desperately looking for help. I have lost 110 pounds over 15 months after a lap band, and I am hoping to lose more. I have developed over time from the last fill respiratory distress with eating. I was short of breath while eating, using my accessory muscles to breathe. I thought my asthma was bothering me, but I wasn't wheezing, but I was tight. Anyone asthmatic will understand that comment!!
We took out 0.3 cc NS to see if it would make a difference, and my shortness of breath slightly improved, but I was hungry all the time, and I gained a few pounds (I am going for elective surgery in November, so I am trying to lose 20 more pounds safely before then to help the surgeon, since I am still quite overweight). My surgeons were mystified up here in Canada, and had never heard of anyone having respiratory problems so I had a chest x-ray and an upper GI, and both were normal. The radiologist ran through all the pictures with me, and although the band was tight, it didn't appear to impact my diaphragm. The kicker to the problem was that if I took some prednisone, which I had due to my asthma, my breathing improved.
So I just got my band tightened again with the same 0.3cc NS this past Wednesday, and I am having breathing problems again, which are worse. I am waking up frequently at night wheezing or tight, requiring the use of my ventolin inhaler. After 5 or 6 bites of food, I am short of breath, and look like I have run a marathon. However, having taken 50 mg of prednisone yesterday morning, I have been asymptomatic now for 36 hours give or take. The shortness of breath is probably a 2-3/10 from a 7-8/10, which was preventing me from sleeping all night, eating, or doing my job.
I realize one solution is simply to loosen the band, but I was really hungry, which I haven't been for over six months, and I ate. I am really trying to lose another 20 pounds before I have gyny surgery in early November safely, and tightening of the lap band helps with that ~ of course, taking prednisone countereffects any weight loss from the lap band, as you gain weight with the prednisone.
If anyone has any history with the same issue, any solution, or any thoughts, I would love to hear them. I work with the doctors at the hospital, and I am happy to share any ideas from anyone who can help me lose weight, and breathe comfortably at the same time.
Thank you so much for your assistance,
Susan
We took out 0.3 cc NS to see if it would make a difference, and my shortness of breath slightly improved, but I was hungry all the time, and I gained a few pounds (I am going for elective surgery in November, so I am trying to lose 20 more pounds safely before then to help the surgeon, since I am still quite overweight). My surgeons were mystified up here in Canada, and had never heard of anyone having respiratory problems so I had a chest x-ray and an upper GI, and both were normal. The radiologist ran through all the pictures with me, and although the band was tight, it didn't appear to impact my diaphragm. The kicker to the problem was that if I took some prednisone, which I had due to my asthma, my breathing improved.
So I just got my band tightened again with the same 0.3cc NS this past Wednesday, and I am having breathing problems again, which are worse. I am waking up frequently at night wheezing or tight, requiring the use of my ventolin inhaler. After 5 or 6 bites of food, I am short of breath, and look like I have run a marathon. However, having taken 50 mg of prednisone yesterday morning, I have been asymptomatic now for 36 hours give or take. The shortness of breath is probably a 2-3/10 from a 7-8/10, which was preventing me from sleeping all night, eating, or doing my job.
I realize one solution is simply to loosen the band, but I was really hungry, which I haven't been for over six months, and I ate. I am really trying to lose another 20 pounds before I have gyny surgery in early November safely, and tightening of the lap band helps with that ~ of course, taking prednisone countereffects any weight loss from the lap band, as you gain weight with the prednisone.
If anyone has any history with the same issue, any solution, or any thoughts, I would love to hear them. I work with the doctors at the hospital, and I am happy to share any ideas from anyone who can help me lose weight, and breathe comfortably at the same time.
Thank you so much for your assistance,
Susan
You posted this in the plastic surgery forum, you might do better to post in the main board or the lap-band forum.
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160 lbs lost. Surgeons Goal Reached in 33 weeks. My Goal in 37 Weeks.
VSG: 11/2/2011; LBL+Thigh Lift+BL: 10/3/2012; Brach+Mastopexy: 7/22/2013
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