pjd3253

me too - I love the band except for that and it really bugs me

I am 6 1/2 months out - my port is so close under my skin that I can feel the whole thing - it is literally right under my skin - I did not have much fat in that area on my left side - I am thinking about having the incision recut and the port pushed down because it sticks up like a goose egg. Sometimes when I eat more than I should it gets sore there not sure why

Also I needed to lose about 50 lbs at the most so maybe it comes off slower the less you have to lose.

Yes I jog in pool almost every day but I think I eat too many soft foods like mashed potatoes because it goes down easily even though I honestly don't think I eat a lot - I have a protein shake for breakfast every morning - a small lunch usually a bowl of soup and for dinner have a little more than that but compared to what I used to it seems like it would really make a difference - I don't drink water though and that probably doesn't help. Thanks.

I am also frustrated - seems to take forever to lose a lb and I am hungry quite often even though I get fills pretty regularly - seems like they work for a week and then not but I don't have a leak - they have checked. My weight is also in my mid-section - I only had about 45-50 lbs to lose but it is all in my middle - my legs are thin - because I want it to come off in my middle it is of course coming off everywhere but my middle - guess that will be the last thing to go.

I am 5 months out and have lost 17 lbs according to their chart - I do not look much thinner - I do feel better but I am frustrated at how slow a process it is - I guess I shouldn't complain since I am down but I guess that is why they tell you in a year you may only lose half of the weight you need to lose. I am going to keep going but wish it would come off faster. Also, I got a fill the Monday of Thanksgiving week and I think I can eat more now than I could before the fill - tight in the mornings but by dinner sometimes can eat more than I should be able to but still a lot less than I used to so I guess that is a good thing. Thanks for listening.

I have trouble knowing when to get a fill - the minute I get one I think it is too tight but last time I stuck with it and after a couple of week felt better - it is tempting to get an unfill right after a fill because it feels like you can't eat anything but I have finally learned it gets a little looser after the swelling goes down. I have a Realize Band that I think holds 10 cc's and I think I am not quite half filled so about 4.75 cc's and feels pretty good. I get stuck sometimes and have to throw up occasionally which is bad but sometimes you think you can take one more bite and that does it . I am losing weight very very slowly and it is depressing - I guess what is hard is that I wanted it all to come off in my stomach and it seems to be coming off everywhere BUT my stomach - maybe it will be the last thing to go - I guess as long as it goes down eventually I shouldn't complain but I am only down about 15 and am almost 5 months post-op. very slow.

The hard part for me is knowing when it is going to be a tight meal or a loose meal - I mean sometimes I can eat more than others - today I had sashimi for lunch - basically about 6 pieces of tuna no rice and after 3 pieces I couldn't eat anymore - however, Saturday night I went out for my husband's birthday and was able to eat a piece of salmon, some veggies and a little soup with no problem. Even splurged and had a few bites of his birthday dessert - then next day could hardly eat anything - I think I get used to being able to eat more then it stops so I get stuck sometimes and have to throw it back up which can't be good for the band.

Maybe you haven't read the article I read that said they think Bill Ayers actually ghost-wrote Obama's book - there are so many similarities in the writing of Ayers books and Obama's. Look up Americanthinker.com. I think if someone has ghost written your book or sat with you hours upon hours while you are writing your book and you are getting advice from that person while writing your book - sounds like he knows him a little better than he is admitting to. This is a man who was responsible for killing 7 Americans and who said he wished he had done more. Sorry I disagree.

That is exactly what I am talking about - we give lots of money per year to various charities but that is our choice - government doesn't make us do it - we do it because we think it is the right thing to do - why should Obama tell us we have to give - why can't we just do it because we want to - just wait until he raises your taxes and takes away your deductions and leaves you with about one-third of what you earn to live on - how will that help the economy - that will cause people like you and me who can afford to shop and spend money and donate to slow down - that hurts the economy. I am not happy with Sarah Palin pick either - very disappointing but I do not want someone with basically a two year Senate run (because he spent the last 2 years running for office and not doing anything) to be our President - I would rather someone who has been in government longer whether that be McCain or someone else - I just don't think Obama has the experience. Like I said I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion without it getting nasty like some of these posts - why can't people just discuss it without getting so hateful. I appreciate your post - it was very fair.

I don't think he is a terrorist but he sures lies a lot about his relationships with people - if there is no reason to lie then just say what the deal is - he and Bill Ayers are good friends - he promoted Ayers book a few years ago - he also had a fundraiser in his home - I am not saying there is anything wrong with that just tell the truth!

I forgot to mention that Hillary Clinton herself said we need to know the truth about William Ayers and also said he was not experienced or ready on day one to be President - she only changed her tune when she didn't get the nomination - if we went back and watched the debates again and heard her stump speeches again she agreed with the Republicans on almost every issue regarding Obama.

Why don't you think giving people who don't pay taxes part of what you earn a socialist view - that is what they do in other countries who are socialist countries - a government run health care program is also socialist - Canada has it and the people up there who don't like sitting in the doctor's office for several hours and can afford it come to the USA for their health care. I do not want to argue because everyone is entitled to their opinion but read Karl Marx' manifesto and you will be amazed at how close to Obama's plan it is. Also I was appalled that he thinks that when a baby is born alive that was being aborted he does not think you should try to save that life. I won't even go near the Rev Wright issue - if you could possibly think he didn't know and agree for 20 years with what he was saying that is being very naive.

I am voting for McCain for several reasons but the main reason I am NOT and never could vote for Obama is because he is a socialist - he wants to take money from hard working people and give it to people who are not hard working so that they can have a better life - I want everyone to have a better life but I think it should be earned by them if possible and not given that life from people who get up off their butts every day and work hard. Obama*is lying about his plans - he will win but we will be sorry.

I have the same issue - I thought I was over-filled but then yesterday could eat more - today ate 3 bites of my lunch and had to pull over and throw up in the car - I know that is gross but sometimes I have to do that and sometimes I can go out with my husband and eat a piece of fish and vegetables and no problem - it is hard to know if you are over-filled or under-filled. Thanks.

Mine did not look red like that either but if they are not warm to the touch they are probably fine - like everyone else has said we all heal differently - my port site scar is the longest and is still pretty red and more noticeable than the others and my port sticks up like an egg but has gone down quite a bit since surgery - I hate it but I have gotten used to the fact that it probably won't go down anymore - I did not get that red or bruised looking so I don't think it would hurt to have it checked out if for no other reason than to make you feel better.

I was banded June 27th - I had that same pain for a few weeks but I do not have it any more - I think it had to do with gas but I think your pain will eventually go away and especially if you try not to drink with your meals and watch what you are eating - the few times I have had it since June were when I ate something I probably shouldn't have. My head still tells me sometimes that I am hungry and I can eat what I want but then when I try it I find out very quickly it was all in my head - no way can I eat certain things - for instance I tried to eat one-half of a pimento cheese sandwich - I was starving - I ate 3 bites and that is all I could get down and shortly thereafter I had a slight pain in my left shoulder.

I think my doctor's PA gets annoyed with me for not losing enough weight but it is hard to know whether you are too tight or not tight enough until days after a fill. I think they hear so many excuses that they act sort of annoyed if we complain about no restriction - I think you need another fill or two and you wll get to the place where you want to be.

I think that is more than you should be able to eat - I can drink a protein shake in the morning and that is all - I can eat about a cup or so of food for lunch and same for dinner - I do not snack during the day - before I got my last fill I was eating like you are - not gaining but losing slowly if at all. I was banded 3 months ago and am only down about 13 lbs. I told my doctor's PA that I wanted more restriction so I was not able to eat that much - even though I slimed last night trying to eat a piece of chicken and couldn't and can barely eat if we go out to dinner I would rather it be too tight than too loose. I don't want to be tighter than I am now and think I am probably at a good spot right now. If I was any looser than I am now I think I would over eat.

I am confused -when I went for my last fill and got 2 cc's did they take some out first? Do they always take some out before they put more in? How can you keep up with what you actually have in there if they do that?

It feels like something is stuck in your windpipe or esophagus or if you eat another bite of something it may come back up - it is very uncomfortable feeling - you need to stop eating when you begin to feel that happening or it will just get worse

This is normal - it is gas related - my left shoulder hurt quite a bit right after surgery but I do not feel it anymore - 3 months out. That is a normal side effect.

I am curious what that feels like - I have never felt the band or the tube but can feel the port right under my skin - all the edges of it like a round disc - is not hidden at all - I do not have a lot of abdominal fat so there was nothing to hide it in - that is the only part of the surgery that I am not happy with.

I had a fill yesterday - 2 cc's so very tight today - I drank protein shake and it went down but was starving later so thought what can I eat that is soft? I went and got some refried beans at Taco Bell thinking protein and soft, etc. They tasted so good but got stuck so I had to spit them out - I kept putting them in my mouth to at least get the flavor of something good in even though I knew they wouldn't stay down - it is more from a feeling of starvation and hunger than an eating disorder with me - I do not have an eating disorder.

My port is on my left side and is very obvious - it sticks up like an egg under my skin - after I get a fill it sticks up more from swelling - doctor thinks it will eventually go down but because the scar above it is still red and raised (only 3 months out) it makes the lump underneath more noticeable - I can honestly say I love the band but HATE the port.