Good Morning,

For all of those with SIL, I have a few questions:'

I had surgery 12 November.

My port is just above my belly button is this normal?

I feel absolutely no restriction from day one?

I feel my port very, very well through the skin, Is this normal?

I was able to drink 64 Water in one sitting on the same day right after surgery. I chose to sip it but still easily went down. I felt very little discomfort after procedure. Which I am happy about. I am just concerned! I will say that the tiny little incision is fierce!!! It is nearly invisible. I really love that. I will say Doc said that I probably had very little or no swelling.

Brigette

Hi, I always read about the five incision surgery. I have two incisions, one on the stomach area and the other in my belly button. I had my surgery on Nov. 23, I feel very good, thank God. I have been feeling for my port but I cannot feel it. I have plenty of gas though at times in the evening when I lay back.

I had my surgery on November 13th, 2009. I had the SIL as well. I don't think there are lot of patients on here that have had it or know about it since it's pretty new. When I feel my stomach, I do feel that the port is just above the belly button. I believe that is normal.

I just followed up with my surgeon and he said everything is fine.

I've been feeling some restriction at times, but then other times I feel like I can go to the buffet -- which i won't.

When I feel the port itself- - I do to feel it very well.

I have not tried drinking that much in one sitting. I don't honestly think it's healthy for your band though. When is your postop appointment?

Hello,

I too, had the single incision on 7/16/09! I can feel my port very easily right beside my belly button. It's funny you mentioned the restriction...before my last fill my restriction varied from day to day. One day I could barely eat anything and the next I can eat an entire plate. This may be extremely normal????

I do love the fact of only having one incision which is not noticeable at all!!! My Dr. constantly says "Are you sure you have the band because I don't see a thing!":thumbup:

Good Morning,

For all of those with SIL, I have a few questions:'

I had surgery 12 November.

My port is just above my belly button is this normal?

I feel absolutely no restriction from day one?

I feel my port very, very well through the skin, Is this normal?

I was able to drink 64 Water in one sitting on the same day right after surgery. I chose to sip it but still easily went down. I felt very little discomfort after procedure. Which I am happy about. I am just concerned! I will say that the tiny little incision is fierce!!! It is nearly invisible. I really love that. I will say Doc said that I probably had very little or no swelling.

Brigette

I have SIL - incision in my belly button and the liver retractor in my chest (just 1/4 inch). My port is to the right of my belly button. I had some restriction on day 1 because I was no too hungry and ok w/ drinking liquids though I was able to drink them faster than i thought. I still can gulp water though that may be over with this last fill.

I feel the port if I palpate its a lump. I am at 36 BMI - it may depend on how much fat you have in that area. The more you lose the more you will feel it.

Yes, this SIL rocks! That is so true about barely feeling the port, and mine is located directly on the side. Yesterday, I went for my first post-op to have my incision checked out and I was told my doctor started doing the SIL for about a year now. He too was banded some years ago and that was one of the reasons I chose him, not to mention his wife/partner is also an awesome bariatric physician.

Are you at NYU too? I had Dr Ren do my surgery she is great.

I had my surgery recently (October) and was never even told about the SIL option - quite disappointing as there's no doubt I would have chosen that over the big fat cut I have now :/

Some doctors don't do it yet (I think), it is relatively new - I was at a teaching hospital... and also they don't do it on everyone either (so my hospital had certain criteria which I suspect had to do w/ weight). Reason I say that was because in the consult we were talking the regular 5 incisions but then she said on day of surgery since I got smaller she can do SIL.. I don't know does anyone else w/ SIL have any input?

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for your input. Someone asked about how is it decided on whom to do the SIL. I asked my Dr. on surgery day, if I could have it done and he said, matter of factly, how did you find out about SIL. I said that I had done research on every facet of the Lapband procedure. He said that he was new at this and had only done 60 or so, but he would consider trying it on me. So, I immediately said, do not use me as a gunea pig. He laughed and said that he is highly competent and confident in ability. He does this on mainly low BMI. Mine is 40 and he wanted to take a look at my belly. Very happy with the appearance.

Brigette

Hi, yes I was at NYU. Dr. Fielding performed my surgery. Dr. Ren was assisting him the day I had my surgery, they were very busy that day, there were quite a few patients. I will go for my 1st fill in January. They are great! Do tell how is it going for you?

I had SIL in my Belly Button. Awesome. My Doc trained w/ the doc who started this so I was very confident about him and the procedure. My port is to the right and I can feel it if I look for it.

My restriction comes and goes. I have had 1 fill and they skipped the last fill so I would not be too tight.. My fill is for January 7th, 2010.

With my SIL I am getting ready for a bikini. LOL

I had the SIL as well. I was banded in Columbia Missouri at the University Hospital. Also a teaching hospital. That seems to be the common denominator, if you were banded at a teaching hospital. My port is right to the left of my belly button. I can feel it. It's literally right under my skin. The upside, fills are a breeze. My doc said that it depends on your age, how many children you've had and how much scar tissue you would have in abdomen form various things. I have no kids and have only had one abdominal surgery and it was laproscopic, so he told me in my consult I was excellent candidate for the SIL. I have the incision in my belly button, the one (literally less than half an inch long) on my upper abdomen where I'm sure is where he inserted the band. I was banded on June 16th 2009. I'm down 45 pounds and seemed to have reached a plateau, but hopefully I'll start losing again soon.

Hi, yes I was at NYU. Dr. Fielding performed my surgery. Dr. Ren was assisting him the day I had my surgery, they were very busy that day, there were quite a few patients. I will go for my 1st fill in January. They are great! Do tell how is it going for you?

They are ALWAYS very busy. There were a few patients the day I went as well. I know the hospital was saying a bunch of lap band patients were coming up to the floor as I was leaving. THe waiting room is usually jammed I am shocked i only had to wait 5 mins the other day for her to see me!

Its going well. I lost 35 lbs (you can click on my ticker here and see the progress) I started at 242 I think I was at 227 day of surgery from the liquid diet etc etc. I had my 3rd fill the other day. She was tempted to go a bit more aggressive because i was in the 'yellow' zone 70 pct of the time even though I Have had pb's (that is from eating too fast) and after the pb's I could still eat quite a bit. So by aggressive it would be taking me from 5.2 to 5.9 and I said yes do it... now I'm too tight. I'm keeping liquids down but if i can't do mushies by monday I'm calling them. The truth is the rule that Gaspar told me was if you can't do mushies by the 4th day come in for an unfill... however its not an emergency long as I am keeping liquids down so I am trying to see if the swelling going down will help. This week I am dropping like crazy since the fill on Tuesday. I probably had 2 lbs of Water weight tuesday when I weighed in.. but now i am down like 6 lbs. (but that is usually water - when you cut back cals and food you usually lose that and gain back 3 once the food comes back into the equation).

She likes to do the first fill but I messed up on the date of my appt and couldn't go when i was supposed to really go so Gaspar did it. He took me right up to 5.5 and i couldn't swallow water (they make you do that) so then Frank the other NP took out .5 and I was ok. Each fill is better and better but all of them you are still eating less than before. what I did before my first fill was I baselined certain foods like sushi (cuz some say they can't eat sushi and i love it). But i haven't tried it since I've been filled and there is no way I'm trying it any time soon the way THIS fill is going :w00t: Actually that is all I baselined - the other thing i love is lobster. But I haven't tried it.

I'm thrilled with the surgery - yes its a learning curve. I didn't expect I would have that much trouble trying to get a grip on eating slowly! Tammy is saying to keep on eye on this maybe if it continues they may test my esophagus. I've gone to group and I also post on the NYU yahoo board too. So the support is great. Right now I've resorted to eating w/ a stopwatch!!!

Today I seem to be holding down thin mushies - I went and rode (I horseback ride) and that is such a vigourous workout i find I tend to be looser after. Will take a hot bath and I did read here also that taking liquid motrin after a fill may help w/ the swelling and in fact I was wondering the same thing so I did that too.

BTW dr Fielding has a video on You tube of the SIL procedure its pretty cool just search for it.

I had the SIL as well. I was banded in Columbia Missouri at the University Hospital. Also a teaching hospital. That seems to be the common denominator, if you were banded at a teaching hospital. My port is right to the left of my belly button. I can feel it. It's literally right under my skin. The upside, fills are a breeze. My doc said that it depends on your age, how many children you've had and how much scar tissue you would have in abdomen form various things. I have no kids and have only had one abdominal surgery and it was laproscopic, so he told me in my consult I was excellent candidate for the SIL. I have the incision in my belly button, the one (literally less than half an inch long) on my upper abdomen where I'm sure is where he inserted the band. I was banded on June 16th 2009. I'm down 45 pounds and seemed to have reached a plateau, but hopefully I'll start losing again soon.

Yes teaching university; lower BMI; and for the record I've never had any children. The upper abdomen incision is about 1/4 inch and it is for the liver retractor so they can pull it up and get it out of the way - watch the video I mentioned its cool.... Here it is I found it

YouTube - single incision lap band