How To Tighten A Lap Band Without A Port Head?

[Jachut 487]

Oh come on model, you've had your fun, but the game's up. Eveyone knows this is bs now.

Tubing coming thru skin is not unique, nor is shortening or trimming. But they are surgical situations. Your description of your treatment has gone over the line. Nobody is going to believe you now!

I would love to give you an award for the most successful troll, but alas, youve buggered itup by getting carried away. Shame, you started out pretty well.

[model 5]

WTF? I’m incredibly bemused anyone would think I’d make a story up. Why on earth would I bother? As if I get incredible thrills by posting medical scenarios online. If anyone is that bothered, run the story by your lap band specialist to ask if its plausible.

Here is the summary

1. lady gets lapband in Mexico with bmi of 22

2. lady loses weight to reach bmi of 18

3. port head erodes through thin layer of skin as there is no protective fat layer

4. port is situated on outside of abdomen until the lady reluctantly goes to a public hospital

5. the unknowing doctors cut of port head and leave tube hanging out and send patient home

6. lady goes to highly skilled lap band specialist. The specialist adds fill to the tube by ladies request and puts a rubber plug in the tube. Doctor cuts off excess tubing and pushes remaining tube back inside abdomen.

7. the lady is very happy with the result

Unfortunately I don’t have the best photos but this is what I have. I was somewhat embarrassed by the highly prominent port head so never took photos of it.

Here is one photo showing its prominence and where it was situated on my body. The second photo shows my current wound which you can see is in the place where the port used to be if you use the proximatey from my bellybutton as a guide.

[prinxs 41]

BMI of 22 is and ideal and healthy amount of body fat.

May I ask why did you still do the lap band? As your BMI is not high and definitely not high enough for the lap band.

[Jepegurl 23]

BMI of 22 is and ideal and healthy amount of body fat.

May I ask why did you still do the lap band? As your BMI is not high and definitely not high enough for the lap band.

She states in the beginning that she had a hard time finding a doc to place the band, being at a normal BMI. Her situation certainly is different from mine and everybody else I know in the banded world. I imagine situations like this are more prevalent than we realize. Not the complication though. I don't know of anyone with a BMI of 18 with a band port but I can imagine that an abdomen thats sunken in like that could have port issues.

[prinxs 41]

She states in the beginning that she had a hard time finding a doc to place the band' date=' being at a normal BMI. Her situation certainly is different from mine and everybody else I know in the banded world. I imagine situations like this are more prevalent than we realize. Not the complication though. I don't know of anyone with a BMI of 18 with a band port but I can imagine that an abdomen thats sunken in like that could have port issues.[/quote']

Thank you for the explanation.

I agree with a flat stomach like that will have port complication unless a smaller one is used. There must be another underlying cause for getting get the band.

[Lovemythreems 36]

Hi Model, I first saw this thread last night & must admit that some of the responses continued to bother me today. 1st let me say that I apologize for some of the flat out mean & hateful responses. I think if you filter those you will see that there is a consensus that you should go see a doc/anywhere you can at whatever price to address your issue. It's always better to be safe than sorry. I would also like to express that I sympathize with the desire to be skinny & stay skinny so I will not pass judgement on your bmi or why you have a LapBand. So many smaller people pass judgement on the obese & i will not do the same on the skinny. Your struggle is yours alone. I will say that whatever your reason for this thread whether true or false I hope you received what you needed.

It has been my experience that when people reach out in whatever form it should be respected as its a attempt to connect in some way. And if indeed this is a real person with a real issue (mental or medical), well some should be ashamed at the things we will saying hiding behind a computer & keyboard.

Good luck model

[prettysmart1913 48]

I agree. They rude and mean responses were uncalled for. I had a cyst bust from under my skin. It is possible and we may not understand her plight because we are all in higher BMI's but she didn't ask for judgement just advice. I had a nurse tell me during my pre-op process that I wasn't big enough to need Lapband. She was going based on my appearance. I carry my weight well. However I am 5'5" and was 240 pre-surgery (6 days post-op at 233 -yayy!). That is a 43 BMI. I said that to say if any of us make it to a 22 BMI we won't be removing our bands and some of us may strive to 18. Will we remove our bands? Then don't judge her...give advice or move on. She is young and just looking for an ear. Rememer being supportive doesn't mean you have to agree

[MellioM 116]

You know there is a difference between being thin and being healthy.

I'm sorry for your plight model but both of your doctors (the one in Mexico and the one giving you fills and patching you up the way he did) should be ashamed and should not be doing what they have done. It is clear that you are willing to repeatedly risk your life to bring your weight down. Please, now that you are patched up, see a psychiatrist to help you become healthy in mind and body. I fear what could happen to you with another complication. Being thin is not worth dying. Aim for healthy and not just thin. I wish you luck.

[model 5]

The forum is clearly divided. On one hand there’s a bunch of pretty rude, judgemental people. It seems people who were probably judged quite harshly for their weight at some stage are pretty good at passing the same treatment to others.

On the other hand, I want to strongly and sincerely thank those people who supported me or had a kind word to say.

I have added my surgery story in the ‘my story’ section of my profile if anyone cares enough to read.

ALL IS WELL, THAT ENDS WELL

Thank you again

[elcee 3,340]

Most of those people that you are calling rude and judgemental were the ones that were in disbelief that you seemed to be taking your health so lightly. They were the ones trying to tell you that you needed to get proper treatment, that the infection could be something like erosion, that your health and getting better should be your main focus.

[KristinsMommy 145]

I'm just in shock that a doctor (even in Mexico) would do the procedure with a BMI of 22. That blows my mind. Who is this dr?? he needs to be reported.

[Maddysgram 6,159]

Elcee, seems like commonsense is not common. I take it the same way as you. Everyone was concerned with his/her physical & mental health.

I really don't think you should put something on a public forum if you have a problem with people speaking their mind.

Sorry but I am not going to support someone who is "hell bent" on trying to kill themselves.

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

Ok... Something isn't Kosher here... How does a medical device puncture through the skin without getting infected? I am not saying I dont believe you but it makes no sense ....because if that happened it would be medically necessary to repair it... They won't just leave it sticking out.... Would they ? Maybe I need to read the thread again...

[Jachut 487]

I totally get the thin thing - totally. I've regained from a BMI of 19 to 21.5 and feel like an elephant. I hate it. I want to be that thin again.

Its not the first time I've heard of tubing puncturing the skin. But not without infection.

What I'm struggling with is the treatment, in a first world country. Unless I'm seriously misunderstanding. There is simply no way tubing would be pushed back inside in an office procedure - unless you mean just a tiny portion above the muscle. Any bariatric surgeon is going to understand that infection will travel up the tubing and lead to erosion. An removed port and open tubing is so risky!

If that is seriously the truth, your troubles are probably far from over Model. I would even guess the entire tubing should have been replaced and a new port added. And truthfully, from your photos, your port was tilted and half unattached anyway. That's what mine looked like (not as bad) at a BMI of 19 - it was visible all along, right from a BMI of 36. plastic surgeon removed the back off it and sewed it back down at a different location and you can barely see it now.

People arent mean, they just dont like to feel they're being made fools of by a troll. And your story is less than credible, which makes people suspicious. If its all true, then you really do need to face the prospect of losing that band at some stage and need to start getting your head around how you will cope with that. At the very least, you probably need a new port and tubing to save the band and make it functional for the future.

[ChicagoRose 650]

This thread has become like a bad car accident, I can't look away.

I DO NOT judge Model for wanting a band at any size, I wish I had that "problem" of being thin and wanting to stay thin.

I DO, however agree most of the curt responses where based on the way she phrased her question in the first place, whereas she was asking the common public for advice as to how to fill a broken band HERSELF and seal it up HERSELF and mend the wound HERSELF.

I am also glad that Model seems to have the problem rectified now and has seeked medical attention wherever that may be.

Yikes.