BanTam

Low profile port ??? Wonderful ! I had no idea. Right when I think I've done research -BAM- someone gives me some great new info. Thank you.

I did consider Mx, but I decided it wasn't right for me. I wanted the same surgeon to do the follow-ups too. Is it true that the doctors here charge out the wazzu for fills if you have it done in Mx ? My follow-ups are free for the first year and since I'm self paying the surgeon said he would limit my cost for revision, if needed.

I like the idea of having the port more under the right breast, that's the small side anyway...girls you know what I mean. I too have a smaller waist than rear so maybe that would work better. The scars I don't care about. I don't have a gall bladder scar but I do have an 8 inch verticle slice from my belly button downwards from my hysterectomy. My scars usually heal over well although if in a few years I need a tummy tuck I'll be happy to get rid of the hyster scar. Thank you again for your posts. Everyone's input really helps me.

Some people are going to think I’m a little vain, however….I want to know what the port looks like under the skin. My surgeon said it would be placed on my right abdominal side. I wanted it under my arm, he says no. Does it stick out more and more as you lost weight, like a big mole (as in animal) under the skin ? Does it get in the way of normal activities ? Does it get in the way of "extra-curricular" activities (wink-wink) ? My great-great Uncle Clive had a lump on his head…will it look like that ?

Hey y’all ! I’m a newby and this is my first post. I’m 45, married for nearly 26 years, no kids and I live in central Texas. I started gaining weight after I turned 21 and it’s been an up/down battle ever since. I am not yet banded, but hope to be in the next couple of months. I found this site while doing research and it’s great. What I really like about this site is that it has given me a wide spectrum of other peoples experiences. On Wednesday I went to the mandatory "free seminar" or as I called it, the CYA chat. I suppose it did what it was meant to do and that is to make me think really hard about the surgery and possible complications. As a self-pay client the cost of the surgery is a really big financial consideration. On the other hand, if I paid $15K for a new car that I was told would last a lifetime I would think I was getting a good deal, right? I know the other side of that too, what if the car is a clunker….? My surgeon said for self pay patients he works with them if there needs to be another surgery. So that was kind of soothing….. That’s my worry. Revision surgery. A recent Australian article claimed that 1 in 14 people need some type of revision surgery after their initial LapBand installation. My surgeon said a more accurate figure is probably 1 in 12. That seems pretty high to me. My motivation for the surgery is my health. Five years ago I had uterine cancer (endometrial), I use a CPAP every night, I have fatty infiltration of my liver, I’m diabetic so I give myself shots of Byetta, I have asthma, I’ve had one knee surgery but still have pain, and finally my blood pressure and cholesterol is creeping up so we all know what comes next. Any suggestions y’all can give me on what I should start doing now before my surgery would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ! Tammy