I've read so many posts about erosions and slippages (and a few flipped ports) that I'm wondering just how long some of you have had your bands. Can you keep them indefinitely? Does anyone have a clue what causes erosion? Could it possibly be something done in the first surgery when it is placed, or is it stomach acid or something. That would do me in. I already have an ulcer to clear up, and couldn't stand having another one.

Will the band work if you can't exercise. I have arthritis and a plate and screws in my left leg from a bad break. It always hurts, but I do believe it hurts more the more weight I gain.

I have an important question. I have a pouch (I think they come with C-sections and I don't think they can be gotten rid of completely) but I have pain in the lower left side when I walk. Could it be from the weight which is all in my stomach it seems. I had a CT scan 2 weeks ago for a small aortic aneurysm to check the size of it, and it should have showed up if there was a cyst on my dried up ovaries. Does anyone else have pain on walking in their lower stomach. It doesn't hurt when I sit or lay down. I'd sure appreciate someone chiming in.

I could really use some encouragement and some good info on whether the band can help me without exercise. Maybe if I can lose some my feet won't hurt so terribly bad. Did anyone else have problems like any of these?

Thanks for the input.

I had a small pouch after my C-section almost 3 years ago which horrified me beyond belief so I did loads and loads and loads of abdominal work and it has disappeared entirely. I think it depends on how overweight you are, mine was from weak and stretched muscles after the c-section, I dont have enough fat on my stomach (which is no washboard, believe me) to cause it to hang. So you may be able to reduce it substantially, depending on how overweight you are you may not get rid of it entirely.

But I have read and have known people personally who have larger aprons and they do indeed cause problems like pain and cysts. My girlfriend who had her baby only 5 weeks ago suffered serious infection because the weight of her stomach hanging caused her incision to keep opening up, it simply unzipped. She is wearing a pregnancy brace for the time being to support her belly, but she faces some hard work to make sure she stays healthy.

Regarding exercise - can you swim? Do deep Water running? There's no impact at all to the body. How do you go on an exercise bike? What about a rowing machine?. You can even get DVD's called Chair Dancing and Chair Aerobics for people who are partially immobile. Where there's a will there's a way! By the way I saw those at www.collagevideo.com. And of course some abdominal strengthening will help you loads.

If you can get yourself to a place where you have a positive mental attitude, you will find a way. I hope you dont mind me saying it but you sound like you're not feeling positive about it at all the moment and are expecting to fail (again, as most of us have done many times). You dont have to accept that! You can do loads about your situation and a lap band will help you do it.

I got very dejected about being unable to walk or run because of my bad ankle, and I let that cause me to gain weight but in the end I figured I'd go for the lap band. It may or may not fix my ankle (chances are it'll help a lot) but if I've got to have a bad ankle I'd rather be thin and have a limp than fat and have a limp, lol.

Oh, I've had my band 3 days, lol. But those are my reasons why I have faith it will work.

I may get a membership at the sports center in my area because they have water aerobics and things like that. I have had water therapy for my arthritis, and I imagine I could do that and perhaps get some excercise. Thanks for a great idea. I'm not thrilled about being in a bathing suit, but hey I figure you gotta do what you gotta do. I'm 5'9" and weigh 259, but it seems to have settled in my stomach for some reason. I don't have a stomach that hangs down a lot, just this darn pouch thing from both C-section and abdominal surgeries, but you are right. I want this band to help me help myself, so I need all the positive help I can get. Thanks again for the wake up call

I buy the swim suit with a skirt on them. I am small everwhere else but my belly.

I have had many surgeries on my stomach area.The fat seemed to settle all there.But I look better in a skirted swimsuit.