Want to have just my port removed. I've lost 170 lbs and it was sticking out a lot. It makes exercising (and everything else) very uncomfortable. I had to have a complete unfill because I got an ulcer in my little pouch from taking antibiotics. I recently had a abdominoplasty and it's even worse. I'm having a breast lift in a month and with that tightening of the skin I'm sure it will be even worse. I'd like to have it done here in the US but I think I can have it done cheaper in Mexico (where I'm having the breast lift).

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Would the tubing then have to be stitched in place so it's not "floating" around? Hmm I wonder....

I emailed my PS that is doing my breast and neck lift next month. He will take out the port and all of the tubing for $200! He consulted with his bariatric surgery partners and they said it was totally easy and completely safe to just leave the empty band in. Yay! I'm so excited! My port is huge and painful. I may be more excited about this than the breast lift!

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well congrats!

Awesome... Good luck with everything!!!

I've never heard of someone removing just their port..that is so interesting...so you wont be able to get fills? I'm assuming you are at goal..my fear would be I would gain every ounce back eventually..but i'm sure you have thought that thru..can they put it back if you want it? I'm sure they can...I don't mean to sound offensive and I apologize if my post was...I am just curious..best wishes to you.

Glad to hear that you got the answer you wanted! For what it's worth, I heard a lap-band public speaker say that he switched out his port for a thinner one that he can't notice as much. Something to think about in case you need/want a port put back in but don't want the bigger one

So you are going to totally unfill your band voluntarily?

Its virutally a given that people who lose their bands (which is the same as unfilling it totally) regain their weight, pretty darn quickly too.

I too dont want to be offensive, I'm sure you've considered this in depth. Just have to ask though. The thing is, once you've trained your body to live on 1200 calories a day to lose the weight (or even less!) you pretty much have to live on that. You wont be able to eat what someone else of your height and weight can. You have to stay on a diet - forever. Which is why statistically people need their bands.

I got my port moved and the back taken off it to reduce its profile during my tummy tuck. Now its just a very vague lump - and my BMI is 20 and my tummy very flat, so it doesnt HAVE to look freaky like mine did. But it still accessible.

I got an erosion in my pouch and was throwing up blood. I am at goal weight. I've been unfilled for awhile and am doing well. I am actually eating healthier since getting a total unfill. I know it's a possibility of gaining weight but the lapband isn't an option for me now. I understand that eating around 1200-1500 calories is now and forever my way of life. I have completely changed in every way in the last 2 1/2 years and having lost 170 lbs. I recently had a tummy tuck and am going for the breast and neck lift in 3 weeks and soon after getting my arms and thighs done. I absolutely love being a size 8/10 and my new healthy lifestyle!

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Well, all that would definitely be nice without that lump on your belly! Good luck with it I'm sure you'll be thrilled with the results.

I got an erosion in my pouch too - not of the band but an ulcer due to taking Iron tablets for four months! I have had the most painful, horrible heartburn but without any reflux and finally had a gastroscopy and there it was. I thought the iron tablets burned a little when I was taking them! But luckily my doc thinks a month on Nexium will heal that damage.

The whole situation of throwing up blood totally freaked me out! It would heal and then come back, heal again and come back again. The only way for it to heal was to be completely on liquids or mushys. I was starving and often just ate ice cream. I've got $11,000 in ps and spending $8000 more in the next few weeks with another $10,000 shortly after that. I'm hoping that will motivate me to not gain any weight.

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I don't know if you can really see it, but it's huge!!

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I don't know why, but that picture uploaded upside down, lol. But you can see the hideous lump!

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Could I ask a question. How far were you in you goals when you had surgery?

I was banded 6/15, so I am a long way from goal. This has been one of my fears is I will have to have plastic surgery.

I didnt have a tummy tuck until I was about three years past hitting my goal weight. I didnt really need one for cosmetic reasons due to weight loss, I could easily have lived with the small amount of loose skin I had, I even wore a bikini quite happily. But I had bowel surgery and an ileostomy which left hernias and a really ugly scar, so I had a tummy tuck to fix all that up. In fact, I had so little loose skin that my tummy tuck scar had to be pretty high, only "just" low enough for a bikini bottom, the surgeon simply could not pull my skin any tighter and its taking me a loooooong time to get rid of the tightness, numbness and swelling.

Wow, Karen, that port IS huge. No wonder you want to do something about it. Mine was similar but not quite as bad, and when the surgeon fixed it up, he told me it was all unstitched and tilted anyway, although my doc never had any trouble filling first go. Once mine had the back off it, was moved to a better location and stitched down firmly, it because barely visible.

I had my lapband 2 1/2 years ago and I guess I'm at goal weight. I always said my goal was 150 and I got there and have maintained it several months. I have so much lose skin that it never would have tightened up. Now it's so tight that I can hardly eat a piece of pizza! That "after" picture was just a few days post op. The doctor says I was still swollen and I couldn't believe it. The port wasn't so visible then but as the swelling came down, it's poked out more and more.

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