sandylane

Have you had your gallbladder checked? Most people after lapband have major gallbladder trouble...just a thought. How's the new port working out?

I had a port revision last week. They put in a low profile port, you may need to ask about that type. My first port was on my side. I didn't want it on my abdominal muscles because of the pain doing sit-ups. However, once I had lost weight it stuck out like some tumor. It was awful, embarrassing and just downright gross. In the meantime the tubing came disconnected from the port and they decided to do a port revision. I now have a low profile port in the same spot on my right side. I hope your request will go through. I've heard of some women having theirs put above their breast toward their armpit to avoid the ugly tumor once they've lost their weight.

I asked about putting it there and was told that it wouldn't fit. Anyway, my doctor put in a new low profile port on my side, he said it wouldn't stick out as much and would be easier to fill. I'll still recovering. I had my gall bladder removed at the same time because I've had nothing but trouble with it since my original banding in 2007.

I am in need of help before Monday. I am having my port redone because the tubing came disconnected and the port is defective. My question is, where should I have my port located? Currently, I have my port on the right side. It was OK when I was heavy because you couldn't see it. My when I had lost 60+ lbs before it became defective, the port stuck out like an alien birth because I again had a waist. Others who have had the port located on their abdominal muscles have complained they can't do sit-ups because of the pain while doing them. I'd like to know where you think the port is best located? I need to be able to do 30+ situps without pain and prohibition. However, when the port was on my side I could do as many sit-ups as i wanted but it looked awful once I'd lost my weight. It was just ugly sticking out like that and made me feel less attractive. My kids and husband could see it and feel it every time they hugged me. This may seem miniscule to some but it's important to me. I'm having my port re-do on Monday. Where do you have your port and how is it working there? Suggestions?

hummm...might have to try that one.

So what had happened, is the port infected?

I know alot of cancer patients have their port put there. I will ask my doc about that location. Thanks much. Anyone else have suggestions?

I hate to hear about all the things that have happened to you. It's just awful. However, can you imagine what inspiration you can give others once you get through this? It's easy to be positive when everything goes right. It's much harder to be positive when you've been through this hell. Once you get through it you can give others advice on what helped you and what they can do to get through it as well. I feel awful for you but you will be able to turn a negative into a positive real soon. Hang in there and take good notes on what happens so you can use it for others.

That is what I need done, my tube is leaking right at the port. I'm waiting to hear from insurance about coverage. I don't understand your question in the poll though? Are you asking if people didn't lose weight and then lost weight when they got a new port? Wouldn't you lose weight once the port was fixed?

I've not heard of this before...sorry for the problems you're having...sounds awful? Can you visit the doctor that did the lapband and see what they think?

I'm not familiar with revision? Does that mean you're going from lapband to gastric bypass?

I too have had tube leakage. I have been complaining that I never felt restriction and so finally the doctor after 6 months of complaining decides to withdraw some fluid to see how much is in there. It's suppose to be 14cc but there's only 4cc and it's discolored. He just did a dye fill test yesterday and my tubing is leaking right at the port. He said he's had some cases where the port was defective. So they're checking with insurance now to see about replacing the port and tubing.

Sorry to hear about your band erosion...I never had stomach trouble, acid reflux or any of that stuff until I got banded...now it's unbearable. I hope they're able to repair your band successfully. I've gained all my weight back.

Actually I'm having my band taken out. It is eroding in my stomach. I've had nothing but trouble since I got it. I've had strictures, and now this. I lost close to 50 lbs until it stopped working and now I've gained all that back plus. Insurance will not pay for rebanding at this point. I don't think I want it anyway. Way too much trouble. You have to have the air taken out when you fly, you can't do certain exercises, blah, blah, blah.

I took Prilosec OTC for several months just like the other person said. Also, try Surfak, it's a stool softener that was recommended to me after surgery. Stay away from anything spicy for a while, let things get settled first. Relax and good luck.

Did they reconnect it somewhere else then? I knew about not being able to do heavy abdominal exercise so I had my port sewn on my side. In the movie Aliens when the things start coming out of their bodies, my port looks like that on my side but at least I can do sit-ups without fear of something happening to my port. Sorry to hear about that...are you doing OK since?

I think it has to do with how the surgeon sews the stomach over the band to hold it in place. It they sew it too tight blood doesn't get to that area of the stomach and it eventually erodes. The band literally grows into the stomach. There are other threads on here about erosion and one has a surgeon from Cincinnati that gives a really good explanation. I had my band installed Dec07. This is a typical complication 10% or so have this problem. The band will have to be removed and the stomach stitched up.

I had the same problems and even had a flouroscopy done in March 2010 because I kept complaining that I wasn't getting a fill. There wasn't any restriction. They withdrew some fluid to actually see how much was in my band and it turns out there was only 4cc in the band and it was discolored. They suspect band erosion. You would have thought they could see that on a flouroscopy? Anyway, I'm getting an upper GI done this week to see if they can actually see the band eroding into my stomach.

Have you tried Mexico? I don't know where you live but I know a lot of Americans head to Mexico where it's much cheaper. Sorry for the problems you're experiencing.

I had strictures in my stomach and had an endoscopic dilation in Sept 2009. Ever since that procedure I have felt no restriction. My surgeon has been putting fluid in for months now. Finally at this last visit he said he would remove the fluid to see how much was really in there. He withdrew 4cc and it was discolored fluid. He has now scheduled me for an EGD. Could that endoscopic dilation have busted the balloon on my lapband? I think they're looking for erosion of the band into the stomach.

I'm in central Ohio and we have alot of self pays who go to Michigan. Apparently there's a surgeon up there that does cash for about $6000. Glad it all went in Mexico.

I have a 16cc allergan band. My first fill wasn't till 6 weeks post-op and they only put in 1cc. Talk about no restriction. It was 4-5 months before they finally put in enough fluid that I could actually feel restriction. So I didn't start losing weight until about 6 months post-op. Talk about frustrating. Give it some time. Do you know what size your band is?

Keep us posted on how your surgery turns out. How did it come unattached?

Don't delay in getting some fluid taken out of your band. It only takes weeks and you can do permanent damage to your esophagus because of the acid. Look up Barrett's esophagus on webmd for complications of letting acid reflux go on.

That's a long term complication with the band. I had the same thing happen. I started throwing up in the middle of the night, heart burn, reflux, etc. They put me on meds for about a month and it didn't get better. Finally my surgeon took all the fluid out of the band and it still didn't loosen. I had what they call strictures. It's when the stomach has been tightened for so long that it stays tightened. I had to have a procedure done called endoscopic dilaton. They basically put a balloon down your throat and then inflate it. It stretches the stomach back out. However, I have had nothing but problems since then. Now I'm having erosion of the band. My surgeon kept putting fills in and more fills but I never felt any restriction. He said I was at 14cc my band holds 16cc. Last week he withdrew all the fluid to see how much was in my band. There was only 4cc and it was discolored. Either the balloon procedure was expanded too far and busted the band or I'm having erosion, but that still doesn't explain the discolored fluid. Also, because I had the acid reflux bad for about 3 weeks and then they put me on protonix and prilosec for a month with no relief, my esophagus is injured. I now have to take antacids forever to prevent Barrett's esophagus. Also a long term side effect of the band. Keep me posted because I've been reading this forum for weeks and didn't see anyone else have these problems. Let's keep in touch to see how it goes. I'm waiting on a call from my lapband surgeon today. They're going to do an upper GI to see if they can see the band inside my stomach. I've gained back all but 10 lbs of my original weight loss.