Lilpeach_059

Yes, after my band placement, i bled the first day or so then it stopped. About a week later my main incision started to hurt, everyday the pain got worse and I felt super bloated. I kept calling my surgeon and I told him I felt like my port stitches were ripped. I have a history of MRSA so I was very concerned, finally the pain was so intense I could not walk and I woke up in a pool of blood! I went to see my surgeon and he said it was a hematoma and it was fine and gave my gauze. He said since the incision wasnt completely open (blood was pouring out of one corner of the incision) it would be ok. I bleed very very heavily for the next 2 months (and spent a lot of money on gauze and tape!!!). At my first fill appt (5 months after band), the xray proved that my port was indeed flipped. 2 years later it had become so uncomfortable that i had to get it replaced. The new incision began to heal very good, then similar to my initial surgery, the incision began to bleed and leak Fluid. Against my better judgement, I went swimming with waterproof bandages in the pool and ocean and to my suprise the incision began to heal from the salt Water of the ocean. 2 month later my port replacement incision has completely healed and 95% of the swelling is gone

Hi everyone, I too have had my struggles with the band. I lost 50lbs very quickly, but after that each lb has been a struggle. My port flipped shortly after my surgery, and I had it replaced finally about 2 months ago. I am going to do the 5 day pouch test and hopefully that will kick start more weight loss for me! Hope everyone is doing great!!

I suspected mine was flipped because it stuck out like a fetus. Also, when I went in for my first fill, the xray revealed a flipped port.

Hi, Im doing ok...waiting for my second fill. Looks like your weight is just falling off...congrats!!

My port incision hurt worse than my other incisions, but I had an infection and flipped port. My pain (which wasnt relieved by pain meds) was from the pressure of fluid built up at the site.

When I went for my 1st fill, my port was 50% flipped. I think it is completely flipped now, and when I go for my second fill he will repair it if it is.

My NSV, I bought a pair of size 12 jeans for later...and I tried them on and they fit NOW!! Im 9 weeks post op and started off at a size 16. The size 12's are really snug, but I cant believe I can get them on (buttoned and zipped )!

Well add me to the list. I got my period the day after surgery (7-23-09), and I am a few days late (never happens because Ive been on and off bc pills for years)! I have PMS symptoms also and feel like my period will come on any second now, but it has not. Glad im not alone!

No they will not and probably should not since the surgery is elective and you would be sedated and I do not think that would be healthy for a embryo/fetus. Also your post-op diet would be limited (no good nutrition for baby), your incision(s) will need to heal and with your abdomen expanding that wont help. Also morning sickness might cause your band to slip. There are many reasons why it should not be done, and I do not think any surgeon would do it.

I am almost as young as you, and I too want kids in the future but I dont have a medical condition that would prevent me from having kids later...id probably rather have them early (after im married and more stable) though. My surgeon told me to wait at least 18 moths, but I agree with everyone else as far as just asking your surgeon. You have probably asked him by now though! What did he recommend and if you dont mind discussing your medical condition that would be nice. I just recently started having symptoms of a medical condition that might affect my fertility so im just looking for more info.

Not pregnant but my approval was good for at least a year, and my testing and clearances were all 18-20 months old and I was still approved. I did not have a required 6 month supervised diet though.

My doc required overnight, and I was more than happy to stay because I was already very nervous about the procedure and I would rather be at the hospital and something go wrong vs being at home at something happen. Turns out I had/have a hematoma at my port site and I had some difficulty breathing. Luckily everytime my numbers got too low, an alarm (beeping) would go off (and usually it went off when I fell asleep), so I would just get up and walk around a bit and that would do it. But the overnight stay was I guess added security for me.

bostonlady, so far my only complaint is that my port site is slightly noticeable. I did/do have a hematoma at my port site so i know i need to give it a few more weeks to let the swelling go down. But other than that, so far so good!

I am on day 20 of 21, of full liquids, you guys are lucky!

Have you tried surgical weight management of decatur ga?

Thanks! The other incisions are almost healed...just this stinkin hemtoma. Im glad you are doing ok, thanks again!

I wish they would have offered to drain mine!!! The pain was unbearable at first...triple the pain from surgery!! I think mine is done leaking (7 days later) but I still have this orange/yellow discharge....spoke with surgeon over the phone and he said it was just old blood. Im not too sure about that...but he did give me antibiotics so thats good. Now im afraid my incision is going to open up even futher because its constantly wet (from blood) and the glue that was holding my incision together slid off from being wet all the time. It is slowly stretching open but i hope all goes well.

I guess i should put an update here! Turns out i had/have a huge hematoma. I knew something was not right....I had surgery on 7.23.2009 and I noticed the swelling the first time i saw my belly. I was generally swollen but my port site was huge...enough to make people think i was secretly pregnant!! I did try to ask around here but I was on morphine (stayed overnight at hospital) and I know my questions were not descriptive enough! So i had the swelling but no brusing. Everytime i would get full or get gas It felt like the two largest incisions were going to just burst open! I would hold my stomach (reduce the tension/gravity) to alievate the incisions. I returned to work 9 days post op and at ten days post op i began to feel like a train hit me. I could hardly walk or speak and finally my port incision started to leak and now i have some relief. Today is thursday and i have been bleeding nonstop since late sunday/early monday..but the pain is gone. My pain was so bad that hydrocodone did nothing for me!! Im losing so bad much Fluid that i lost 3lbs in two days! But its all old blood not active bleeding. So if you know something is not right...it probably isnt. My surgeon kept sending me home until i showed up bloody and hunched over and not able to walk...then he admitted something might just be wrong. Thanks for reading...i know i can sometimes be too longwinded!!!

Its probably not on there because they have not completed it yet. I cant see then denying a referral except for wanting to see a surgeon outside the network. I would recommend you choose your own surgeon because that way your have more control.

For me (and I think everybody else that didnt/doesnt use MD's on base) it went like this (Tricare Prime): 1. Go see PCM, tell them you are interested in Lapband surgery and/or you need a referral to see "Dr. Lapband-Surgeon." Just make sure the surgeon you pick out accepts Tricare 2. Call "Dr. Lapband-Surgeon" and tell him you want the surgery and find out what you need to do at this point. (Also make sure your referral went through...I cant see why it should be denied) The rest of the steps went like this for me: The lapband surgeon required seminar, Pulm clearance, nutrition visit, psyc eval, TSH level and letter from PCM saying I was cleared for lapband surgery...letter had to say at minimum my height, weight and BMI. My PCM added a lot of extra including previous failed diets, possible co-morbidities and any other health issues. He then faxed this to Tricare and I followed everything (status of referrals and whether the actual lapband procedure was approved or denied) on humanamilitary.com. Hope this helps

How long did it take to go away and what helped with the discomfort. I feel extremely bloated and a little weak.

OMG! Same thing happened to me! I left the hospital with the "grapefruit" for a port and it finally seemed to get better until yesterday. Last night I woke up in a pool of blood so I went to see my surgeon. He said the same thing... "big hematoma." My blood has a light funky lil smell to it but the surgeon said it wasnt infected...I didnt ask him to smell it tho...I was/am in a good bit of pain. I hope some others with similar experiences chime in because Im just as worried. :biggrin:

Dr. Scott Steinberg is located in Decatur, Georgia...please move this.

Mines does ...Im only 9 days post-op but I think it will protrude a bit because the rest of my tummy has gone down except the port site. I know the port site can stay sore/swollen for 6 weeks...so I guess I'll see in 6 weeks if it goes down any. But I can suck my tummy all the way in..and there is a lump where my port is. I noticed you have a realize-c band...so do I.

I am 9 days post-op and I feel the same way! I dont feel that "full" feeling that got me this fat anymore...but I do miss it. I dont miss it more than I want to be healthy...thats for sure! I was having this convo with my mom, she asked me if I get full faster but I told her I didnt know! She was like ....I told her that I just sip a little (still on full liquids for 12 more days:rolleyes:) and then hunger just kinda goes away.