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Question about port and what it looks like on your belly...



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I am very seriously considering lap-band surgery. Based on my research and reading of posts here, I am very confused about what I can expect my stomach to look like after surgery. Not that I am planning to be bikini ready - but the idea of a permanent bump somewhere is strange to me. What does the port site look like? Is it visible as a bump on your belly? Or does it become visible as you lose weight? I am familiar with the scarring as I have had my gallbladder removed and I can live with that - but wondering about port bump and intimacy issues - I can see being very self-conscious about that.

These might sound silly, but I am confused by all the different descriptions I have read from people! Would love to hear from someone. Thanks!

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I was told that no question ask in seriousness is silly!!!

I have a low profile port. The two times I have had fills, it was a little harder to find. I am down almost a hundred pounds now, and if you feel for it, it is there, but it is not visible from the outside, nor do I rub against it without trying to.

Originally the port was just below and to the left of my biggest scar, which is about an inch and a half....and is just left of center, about 6 inches below my breasts. The port itself has not moved, but the scar is now well below the port itself, as I have lost weight, the skin sagged some, and now the scar and the port are no longer positioned together.

I seldom feel my port without doing so intentionally. It may be TMI, but occasionally I feel pressure on it, in certain sexual positions---but a quick shift and all is well, it is not in the way, nor is it unsightly.

There used to be a thread of incision pics......look for scar under the search tab, and I bet you could find it!!!

Welcome to LBT----good luck on yoru research, this is an awesome site to look around and learn!! Let us know if we can help in any way!

Kat

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I'm down 85 lbs, and you still can't tell I have a port if you look for it (I'm a size 14, for reference). I have heard some people got a visible lump as they lost weight, but I don't think that's going to happen to me at all. I can feel my port, I have always been able to, but I don't think my husband has ever felt it on accident.

They do have the low profile ports they can change you to (usually this isn't given as an original port), and it's much flatter.

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Thank you so much for your honest posts, I really appreciate it. I look forward to continuing my research and this process and sticking with the wonderful people on this board!

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    • Doughgurl

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      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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