Hey Everyone,

Okay this is kinda long but I need some serious input.....I have been banded for over a year and in that time I have been in pain for about 9 months of it....my Doc. kept saying nothing is wrong you are fine...yada.yada..yada...Then my Doc up and moves practice out of state and there is no one around who takes my insurance...I paid her 300.00 for lifetime program fees because she said my insurance didn't pay her enough. To make matters worse I finally got an out of network referral to another surgeon who said I may need a new port and that it needs to be moved!!!! I have only had 1 fill and the new surgeon said I should have had a lot more follow up than I have had.... I looked into bypass and I may still end up going that route but we need to make sure of a few things with the band first. My dilemma is I have no one to talk to about this stuff. There isn't a support group anymore and it is really difficult to figure out what is going to happen...I still lose about 4-5 pounds a month and that is all my previous Doc wanted me to lose and that is okay with me but I know that something is missing here...The new Doc said that my port may be flipped??? infected?? all of these things and that I should have had some scans done a long time ago! Can someone tell me what is next...I have to call the Dr.'s Assistant on Monday to find out what he wants me to do. Any input is greatly appreciated...Thank You!

it does sound like you needed more follow up but I know that doesnt help now, though it sounds like you have found a good dr and changing your port isnt really a big deal I just had mine changed on November 16th as I had flipped mine also. Dr Speigel used the same incision that was already there from last time and it is a little more sore this time but he put in a smaller port and relocated it to the middle so it wouldnt show like the other one was. IF you have anymore questions please ask I am sure you will find lots of help on here.

A flipped port is no biggie and doesn't have to be reapired anytime soon, really. Unless being flipped is what's causing your pain. And infected port, however, is bad bad bad. You need to get that fixed ASAP. Whether through surgery, antibiotics, both, whatever. Others may have better advice about what happens from here. So I'm not a very good person to advise you about what is next. But I did want to encourage you that all will be okay as long as you aren't infected.

From my perspective, I guess I'd choose port trouble over band trouble (slippage or erosion) if I had to choose. Glad your new doc will get you fixed up. Chalk up the $300 as money wasted and move forward to great band health! Your weight loss looks great, btw. Well done!

Thank You so much....I have been on antibiotic 2 x's now. They said after doing my blood work that I had a very high white count and they couldn't find the source of the infection. Keep in mind that I live in a very small town and the nearest Hospital is more like a clinic. I am surprised we don't still pay our Dr.s with goats and corn....lol

Thanks for your advice...

Yup, you need to find the source of that infection, ASAP!

Your weight loss is fine, right smack-dab in the average range, good work on that.

I don't know why your port would need to be moved, don't know where it currently is. Ask the new doc why the port needs to be moved.

I live in a small town too, and this board is where I get 90% of my support. Okay 99% of my support

My port is right next to my rib cage and every time I move a certain way it feels like someone is sticking a knife in me. (Lower Left Rib) I haven't met anyone else who has their port there. A few people have it on there side and a few right below their sternum but mine is right next to and almost on top of my ribs. It is a very odd feeling sometimes. Thank you for your words about my weight loss but I know I could be doing so much better. I think I have just gotten very discouraged and need to get out the old excersise bike again!!!! I have lost all support and even the family isn't behind me...not that they were to begin with....my Husband is the only real support in this quest for a longer life...and he just wants me to be happy and healthy...he says if I could be healthy at my current weight he could care less if I lost any more. but...I know he would like a child of his own...he loves my girls but I know he wants a child to bear his last name ....he is the only male in his family to carry on the last name!! I would love a little boy....Thank you for listening....

Christy, my port is also right on my left rib cage.. well more like under it sometimes it feel like it hides under my ribcage..it doesnt bother me much just when Im driving or sitting in a werid way for a while then I have to stretch out. Im having my port replaced due to a leak and I have requested that my Dr. move my port lower so it wont hurt anymore.

It seems as if my port which is situated on my lower left stomach seems to somehos make contact with my rib cage and I feel uncomfortable like I need to stretch out or sit up straight but my Lap Band nurse swears it is no where near my port - it seems like it is about 2 inches near it to me.

I have rib issues sometimes when I lay on that side but it seems to be getting better.

I am trying to send healing vibes to my body to accept my band and keep all well inside of me.

Nancy

I know that I am not the only one now.....Thank You!!!

My port feels like it is right on my ribs. When I lay down I can feel it (port). If I roll over to my lft side I will actually yell out in my sleep. ...Scares the crap out of the Hubby... I wish I was awake to see him jump...lol I know that's not very nice...but it's football season and I don't have to be...I could get on the roof buck naked in a wheel chair and roll off and he would say "just a minute hon` the play is almost over...it's 4th down!!!! Anywhoooo...Don't know how I get so sidetracked sometimes....Yes I do I have 3 children...Courtney's 8, Kacie's 3, and My Husband is 30....hee hee!

Sometimes I wonder if there is a lot of scar tissue and when I move a certain way it tears that tissue. But man I swear that thing is on top of my ribs!!!

Nancy, Pass me some of those healing vibes !!!! I am a SISSY!!!!!

Trish, when are they replacing the port? Let me know how that goes!!!

I have to call my surgeon back tomorrow and find out when and where. We gotta do some scans and stuff. Oh, what joy!

I just really want to get back on track with this.

I'm too exhausted to help right here, but go to my screen name under, "See all posts by this member" and read everything having to do with port removal/revision. I don't have a port - even though I've had two in the past. Sorry to be so brief, but I'm in mourning. Good luck.

Christy, I have no idea what to tell you I go back to my surg in 2 weeks and hope to find out what is going on with my port as it feels like it is ready to pop out.