hippiechick

My port is about in the same position as yours. I don't wear an underwire, and my bra doesn't bother the site. However, putting a band-aid over it did help during the earlier healing days. Regardless of whether or not you get the port moved, I'd so recommend getting a non-underwire, for your comfort and to prevent a potential problem. The best of luck to you!

I have 6 scars, and the 5 little ones have all healed great. The one big one has been giving me problems at either end, and developed a "stitch abcess", for which I took antibiotics. :smile: Bleah!! It was accidentally loosening that last stitch while cleaning it, and then clipping it, that seems to have done the trick in letting it heal. I've used Neosporin+Pain Relief on the site, and covered it with a non-stick bandage, taped with paper bandage tape. The Neosporin helps heal and minimize scarring, and also protects against infection. My scar does not itch..... but where the tape adheres to the skin, it's broken out a little, but not as much as when I used cloth tape or band-aids. Putting a little lotion on the skin (not on the scars) has felt soothing. I'm just glad that infection is clearing up and finally healing, 5 weeks down the road! :cool2:

VKCSE03: Thank you so much!

No, I went to Great Lakes Weight Loss, and I am so pleased with my experience. I'm home relaxing now, and being very greatful to have been able to do this, especially necessitating self-pay. I hope your recovery is going at least as well as mine is!

Yay, I'm home!!! Yesterday, I flew home from Detroit, having been banded by Dr. John Webber of Great Lakes Weight Loss. I am so happy with my experience there, and am feeling fine and 99.99999% pain free. I'm enjoying two more days of "vacation" until I return to work on Monday. I guess that the journey has just begun; but so farm it's been wonderful.

Glad you're doing fine. Same here!!! I am so pleased with my surgery experience. Everyone was soooo nice and supportive. Everyone. It was so worth flying to Detroit, financially and otherwise, and I'm so pleased with Dr. Webber. He asked me on the day before and the day after if I had any questions.... so few doctors ask that, actually invite questions, and they all should. I'd recommend Great Lakes Weight Loss, Dr. Webber and his staff, in a heartbeat.

Hi! I haven't been banded, so I haven't any advice to offer. However, I am being banded on the same date as you and lilnora, so at least I can wish us all good luck!!! I fly tomorrow from SC to Detroit, and won't be back until Friday. I'm actually more nervous about being where I need to be and when I need to be there, and about those dang skinny &%#*?! airline seats, and getting a cab to go into downtown Detroit, than about the actual surgery. Sheesh. We're almost there!

I'll be flying solo too, travelling from South Carolina to Detroit, Michigan, on Monday. I bought a small pillow to put under my seatbelt for the return trip to protect my tender tummy. Thank goodness for seat belt extension. I've never opted to be one of those who pre-boards, but I'll definitely do it this time. Thanks for posting this question, by the way. I've been so caught up in other details that I hadn't given the flight much thought, and I hope there will be more replies.

Thanks, and good luck to you too! I think we're hooking up with a good facillity. After that, it's up to us..... and attitude is everything. That might be my biggest challenge. I'll miss eating at will... but I'd rather live a decent length of time with my loved ones than to die an early death from morbid obesity. It' a brand new start for us!!!

Holy Toledo, or rather, Detroit.... where I'll be changing from the chuckwagon to the bandwagon on June 11. Yikes, I'm really gonna do it!

Do you know how fortunate you are to have a facility like that in your community, or at least within driving distance?!! :smile: In just over a week, I'll be flying into Detroit from S.C., and wil be banded by Dr. Webber on June 11!! I'd been researching different doctors and facilities for quite a while, both local and out-of-state. Being self-pay, the finances have been a significant factor... a reality that's tough to swallow, so to speak... I was impressed with Great Lakes Weight Loss to begin with; so when they dropped their already pretty reasonable price, I figured that this HAS to be! So now it's the protein shakes, and the worry and doubts of "am I doing the right thing" and a bunch of "what ifs", and I'm wondering if (and hoping that) getting through the pre-op diet and anticipation might just be the hardest part?!!?! All in all, I'm quite excited, and feel very, very fortunate to be able to do this.

MacMadame, you are a GEM!!!!! I've been looking all over the web, and couldn't find out a darn thing about the "self-adjusting" band, and you did it!!! Thank you so much. That link sure answered my questions, too. I am so interested in that, but am trying not to limit myself, either by waiting for it to be FDA approved. As you mentioned, there's always going to be some new improvement on the horizon. Also, life's too short, especially when there are some very real health issues. Again, thank you SO much for finding and posting this information!

Hi! First timer here. While researching lap-band doctors and facillities, I've been "shopping" pretty hard to find a good and affordable situation (I have no insurance, etc.). Now I'm finding that there are a few types of lap-bands. Although I'd ultimately leave the decision up to the doctor, I also want to be a bit "in the know" in terms of the options, before it happens. As I understand, there are two manufacturers with FDA approval for use in the US-- Allergan (AP) and Johnson & Johnson (Realize). I've also heard the term "SELF-adjusting" used by one doctor's office I recently called, referring to a type that's just comming out on the market (I'm remembering my mother's pacemaker, which was adjustable by her doctor's remote control device, but I don't know if that holds true in this case). It's frustrating finding conflicting and outdated information on the web. Anyone out there have suggestions for where to find the latest, good, reliable info on the web, before seeing a doctor? :cheers2:

Wow, congratulations! It sounds like you're doing great! I'm not even banded yet, but am still gathering info. I'm intriged about your mention that you are a research patient for Allergan. Would you mind going into that a bit? Which band do you have? Thanks, and best wishes for a great recovery!

Thank you, Jack... if I can find out more, I'll be sure to post it. I appreciate your reply.