Hello, I am three months to having the surgery and I was wondering if anyone has had an issue with "feeling" the band? Do you bump your port? I think that is my worst fear! Knowing there is a medical device inside me!

I have over 100 pounts to lose, that is the other question....it seemed as if the MD only thought I would lose about 50 pounds....I am 273 pounds and 5 foot tall!

You can't feel the band, but once you lose some weight, you can feel the port by touching it. You don't feel it without touching it from the outside, does that make sense? It's not like having an alien inside of you; it doesn't move or attract attention in any way. I've never bumped my port and tight pants don't seem to bother it.

I don't know why your MD was so pessimistic. They usually say the band can help you get rid of 70% of your excess weight. The rest is up to you. Meaning , you can lose 100% of what you set out to lose, it just depends on you own determination. Once you start to lose some excess weight you'll find it much easier to add in walking, then add in tougher and tougher exercises until you build the muscle mass to burn off even more weight. I am four years out from surgery and am maintaining only 5 lbs from my "goal". It can be done. Feel free to contact me with more questions.

Good luck on your journey,

You can't feel the band, but once you lose some weight, you can feel the port by touching it. You don't feel it without touching it from the outside, does that make sense? It's not like having an alien inside of you; it doesn't move or attract attention in any way. I've never bumped my port and tight pants don't seem to bother it.

I don't know why your MD was so pessimistic. They usually say the band can help you get rid of 70% of your excess weight. The rest is up to you. Meaning , you can lose 100% of what you set out to lose, it just depends on you own determination. Once you start to lose some excess weight you'll find it much easier to add in walking, then add in tougher and tougher exercises until you build the muscle mass to burn off even more weight. I am four years out from surgery and am maintaining only 5 lbs from my "goal". It can be done. Feel free to contact me with more questions.

Good luck on your journey,

It looks like you had a repair? in 2009? What happened?

I was afraid of having something strange inside me also. I know it sounds weird to some people, but it was a genuine concern for me too. I was banded almost 8 weeks ago and haven't had any issues post-op. I just decided to think of it as part of me, because it becomes a part of you, mentally and physically. When I push on my stomach where the port is, I can just feel a lump, kind of like a hard knot. For the first 4 weeks post-op I could feel something (I don't know if it was the band or the port) pushing on my left ribcage. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable at times, but it has pretty much disappeared. I can very occasionally still feel it if I sit for too long (like a 3 hour class ). One of the nurses at my surgeon's office had lapband surgery about 9 years ago and she kindly let me feel her port before I had surgery which helped ease my mind tremendously. Good luck to you on your journey!

before my surgery i also wondered if i'd be able to feel the band around my stomach... and the answer is no, you can't feel it at all.

the port, on the other hand, you can feel. you can see the port on some people but i don't think mine is visible unless i pull the skin on my stomach.

i think of my port scar and the port itself as my "war wound" and i'm proud to have them. when i'm anxious about eating or how i look in a certain outfit, i run my fingers over the port and it just reassures me that i've done the right thing.

there are times that my jeans will push against the port but i just readjust things and i'm fine. also, my desk at work is at the same height as my port so if i sit too close to my desk i can feel the port. nothing too bad maybe just a sharp pain but it goes away.

Hi

I do not feel the port unless I lean against something -- typically the sink, or try to rest something on my belly as I carry it (like groceries).

I do, however, feel a pressure below both my ribs and my doctor says that is the band. That Im particularly sensitive to it.

I can tell you, though, that this sensation is getting much better! I think paying attention to my posture and my breathing has helped a lot. I tended to bend forward a lot, perhaps kind of unconsciously protective of my gut area. I have not talked to anyone else who has this sensation -- so chances are you will not have it. Everyone I have talked to (and I've talked to a lot of people) has told me they cannot feel the band at all.

Psychologically, it was important for me to accept the band as MINE, as ME, not as some kind of intrusion or foreign object. My friends would talk about it as a foreign object thinking they were being supportive to me, and sympathetic. But it was best for me to relate to the band very differently; total acceptance. At first I was afraid of it but now I am grateful to have it.

Hope this answers your questions. I am half way to my weightloss goal and was banded last summer. Im so glad I did it even though I always have a sensation that reminds me the band is there.

Id do it again for the health results even if I knew ahead of time Id have this sensation.

~hiddn

I can sometimes feel my band and my port. As I get thinner I can feel them more. My stomach can't feel the band it's more like the areas around it. Sometimes I just have to change my sleeping position or something. None of it is a painful feeling, but yes, I can feel it inside me sometimes. I get used to it and it's no big deal.

I cannot and have never felt my band. I can feel my port, more noticeably with my weight loss, but it does not hurt. It just feels like a bump or knot under the skin. I did try to push a grocery cart in with my belly the other day and wow, that hurt, but only for a moment.

I've always been able to feel my port and it doesn't feel good. I even had port revision surgery to relocate my port slightly as it caused me quite a lot of discomfort immediately after banding. It's a bit better now, but still a problem for me especially when exercising.

I cant feel the band but I do feel the port - just like others if I lean against something or am sleeping on my left side I feel it. Doesn't hurt, nor is it uncomfortable - its just there.

I totally agree with everything you said

Hi

I do not feel the port unless I lean against something -- typically the sink, or try to rest something on my belly as I carry it (like groceries).

I do, however, feel a pressure below both my ribs and my doctor says that is the band. That Im particularly sensitive to it.

I can tell you, though, that this sensation is getting much better! I think paying attention to my posture and my breathing has helped a lot. I tended to bend forward a lot, perhaps kind of unconsciously protective of my gut area. I have not talked to anyone else who has this sensation -- so chances are you will not have it. Everyone I have talked to (and I've talked to a lot of people) has told me they cannot feel the band at all.

Psychologically, it was important for me to accept the band as MINE, as ME, not as some kind of intrusion or foreign object. My friends would talk about it as a foreign object thinking they were being supportive to me, and sympathetic. But it was best for me to relate to the band very differently; total acceptance. At first I was afraid of it but now I am grateful to have it.

Hope this answers your questions. I am half way to my weightloss goal and was banded last summer. Im so glad I did it even though I always have a sensation that reminds me the band is there.

Id do it again for the health results even if I knew ahead of time Id have this sensation.

~hiddn

Thank you everyone...this has made me feel better!!! Stay tuned!!

My port is just below the bottom of my bra line in the center and I have always been able to feel it but it does not bother me. The band I would not know it was in there till I get stuck or I see it on floro.

Cheri

If you are afraid of feeling your port you can have a small revision surgery and have it moved. When I got close to my goal I had a surgery and my doc moved my port under my muscle. Before I could feel it and see it stick out of my stomach, however now when I go for a fill we must use the ultrasound machine to double check where it is because my doc pokes because it is hard to find.

Also there are different size ports so you can ask your doctor before surgery to put in a low profile port.

Hello, I am three months to having the surgery and I was wondering if anyone has had an issue with "feeling" the band? Do you bump your port? I think that is my worst fear! Knowing there is a medical device inside me!

I have over 100 pounts to lose, that is the other question....it seemed as if the MD only thought I would lose about 50 pounds....I am 273 pounds and 5 foot tall!

I had surgery on December 30, 2010 and I have not felt my band or the port. I am 5' 4" and 245. I was 255 at the day of surgery. I have read everyone elses post and they all seem to say the same thing so good luck to you and keep asking questions you are your best advocate when it comes to your health.