This is the first time I have been to this sight and I have not been able to get off all day. I have been so insired by everyones stories, weight loss and support for everyone else that needs it (I know I do).

I have been thinking real hard about getting banded, but have some questions like can you feel the port through your skin, can you still go on vacation and have fun, what about going out to a nice dinner with the hubbie? Also curious about what happens if you eat something your not suposed to or if you over eat?

I guess I am nervous because I have put on over 100lbs after having my son(2 1/2) and daughter(10 months) back to back. I have never been heavy in my whole life(hope no one gets upset about this comment)don't get me wrong I am not complaining but I have never dieted and it didn't work until after I got pregnent. I have been trying to shed the pounds since 7/16/04 with minimal sucsess.

Sorry this is so long but if anyone has any advise for me or can answer any of the questions I have asked I would greatly apreciate it.:help:

I can have a heckuva lot more fun on vacation now that I could 120 lbs ago!! Unless you count sitting in the hotel room and studying roomservice menu's as fun.

I can answer for myself only ,but yes i can feel my port through my skin, i do still enjoy dinner out once a week as we have always done. I try not to eat things i am not supposed to but eventually we all try something and you will either have a problem or not...for me under no circumstances can I have any kind of bread...yes i have tried on 3 different occasions(glutton for punishment i guess) and every time it got stuck and i was in a lot of pain till it finally came up, i can honestly say after 3 tries i will not be trying that again! if you over eat you can get sick or just feel really bad from being too full both are not things i like to do. good luck to you I hope i was of some help.

Becca,

Yes you can feel the port thru your skin. The smaller I became the more I could touch the port . The port does NOT show .

Yes you can go on vacation and have fun. More so because with the weight loss I was cooler and had more energy.

Yes you can still go out to dinner. You just share with hubby. Cheap date as my hubby calls me. Example I will eat one or 2 meaty ribs and a small amount of potato. 3 shrimp and small amount of veggie. 1 and 1/2 crabmeat ragoon and tablespoon of combination fried rice. If bread is offered I will cut a crusty slice off and butter and enjoy.

I was very careful and followed my doctors orders on food. I was on a liquid diet 10 days before surgery and 2 weeks after. This is the absolute worse and lowest you will feel . It seems forever.

But when I started eating sometimes I would eat too fast or too much I would get "that pain" in my chest. The best description is heartburn. Bad pain. Sometimes it would go further. My mouth would start watering so bad I would have to hold my mouth over a trash can. Enough on this.

NOW I know when to quit . I can feel when I have had enough . I am sure some it is visual.

Hope I am been very specific about answering your questions.

edie,

thank you all so much you have helped more than you know. I have been doing so much research that I was just confused, but finding this web page has really helped put the whole thing into reality. Now I just have to calm my husband down about the procedure.