I just got banded 3/2/10 and it has been officially a week. I wish I was prepared for the pain at the port site. It has started to decrease to about a 7/10 the past 2 days, however it feels so heavy. I can only lay on my back because if I lay on my side it feels like a dumbell trying to get out of my abdomen. I also have to sit straight up in a chair (not on a couch or something soft) to not feel it jabbing me. Does this go away? :thumbup:

p.s I am so glad I found this site, it is awesome!

Yes, it does go away. For me, the port area was the last spot to heal. I remember that while I was lying on my back, my cat kept trying to crawl onto my stomach like she usually does. I had to shoo her away because it was excrutiating to have any pressure on my abdomen. Then, about 3 weeks after the surgery, she crawled up and layed down on my stomach, and I didn't even notice it. It took another week and a half to sleep on my stomach. The port area pain was the worst part of it for me. I was getting into and out of my car like an 80 year old, and I couldn't even tie my own shoes for a couple of weeks. But it does get better. Hang in there!:thumbup:

Coilygirl my surgery was March 2nd as well, and my port area is just as sore. Not so much heavy, just painful. Hope it gets better for us. Good luck on your journey! :thumbup:

im 4 days post op and my port site feels very heavy.. exspecially when i stand up i feel so weighed down and like somethings gonna fall out. so i understand what ur going through

thanks so muc for the feedback. i hope it does get better for us recent banders. i also now have heartburn when i never had it before. starting to wonder if it was worth it...only time will tell.

Oh no, heart burn is no good! I've always had it, but since the banding I've been lucky enough to not have toi deal with it. I'm SURE it'll be back soon, I'm not THAT lucky! Lol. What are yu taking for the heartburn???

Now, I am also recently banded i was banded 1 week ago today as well, and I can not feel my port, but my port incision is the last to heal yet and it slightly painful. I still have to be careful when going up the stairs and such and sitting down and I cannot yet sleep on my stomach. Has anyone else had the problem with not being able to feel their port under their skin yet?

thanks so muc for the feedback. i hope it does get better for us recent banders. i also now have heartburn when i never had it before. starting to wonder if it was worth it...only time will tell.

I'd recommend calling your doctor's office and letting them know about the heartburn. That is one of the things, in addition to night coughing, that my doc wants me to let him know about right away.

Stevie... I can't feel my port either.

no heartburn for me.. i cant sleep on my stomach only my back and right side.. i cant feel my port but my doc said that i may not feel it until i drop alot of wait and even than i would have to press to feel it once im at my goal weight i would be bale to feel it sooner.. he also said if u have the realize band its harder to feel cause its flatter as were the labband is thicker so u would feel that easier

I had the same feeling. It helped to sleep "hugging" a pillow. I promise that feeling does go away.

As for the reflux, definatly call your surgeon ASAP because you should not be having that issue.

StevieVieth, it's not that I can feel the actual port unless I go feeling for it. It is that the port area is very heavy.

As for the heartburn, it started to freak me out so I did call my surgeons office. I had already been taking pepcid daily and they added tums yesterday. I go in on Friday for my first check up.

For about 7-10 days after surgery, I could definitely feel my port. I'm now 4 weeks post op and I can't even tell it's there!

I got my first fill Friday and I still don't feel my port.

So, YES, there is hope! Hang in there and congrats!!!

StevieVieth, it's not that I can feel the actual port unless I go feeling for it. It is that the port area is very heavy.

As for the heartburn, it started to freak me out so I did call my surgeons office. I had already been taking pepcid daily and they added tums yesterday. I go in on Friday for my first check up.

I have the Lapband not the realize, and I am nosey and cannot feel it. I understand what you mean by its really heavy, depending on where I am laying and how is when I can feel it pulling.