I'm 9 weeks post op and I've been amazed by the whole banding experience. I've followed my doctor's instructions and have lost over 40 pounds. I've been pain-free for about 2 -3 weeks and felt GREAT until I lifted a 40 pound bucket of cat litter in costco today. :cool2: I was being careful, but I felt something internal - and to the left of my port - SNAP when I was lifting. :eek: It didn't hurt at first, but before I left the store, I felt a sort of burning, nagging pain. :tt2: [i got my doc's clearance for lifting a couple of weeks ago.]

I was worried I'd damaged the tubing connecting my port, but now I think (and hope) I just tweaked something that was barely healed. I can stand the pain if I know it will heal. What I DON'T want is to learn I damaged some part of the banding system - or that I hurt something internal that won't heal.

Does anyone know how securely the tube attaches to the port? Has anyone had similar experiences? How worried should I be? I'll appreciate input about similar experiences. Thanks!

You need to call your surgeon Monday and ask. You were doing everything right but sometimes things can still go wrong. Your port may have flipped, or it may be nothing! best to be sure! Don't suffer in silence...that's never smart and if it IS something "wrong" better to get it fixed right away!

I think a lot of times it is one of the stitches pulling. A few days after my surgery I was trying to get comfy in bed and I twisted the wrong way. I felt a tugging and a sharp pain in the same place you are describing. My doctor said he put a bunch of stiches to hold the port in place, and that it is easy to pull one. He also said it would get better and it did after about 4 days. I hope it is something minor for you, too. Congrats on you weight loss so far!

Thanks for the reassuring responses. I plan to call my surgeon Monday morning, but couldn't "suffer in silence" until then. That's why I did a Google search, found this forum, joined and posted my question. And your responses made me feel better in the meantime.

I'm VERY happy to have found this site. I wish I had Googled before now because my closest banded friend is in Australia and I live in Atlanta, GA!! I have met nice people at my doc's support group but we only meet once a month. So I really appreciate the feeling of community here. Thanks again!!