questions about the port

Nana~ · July 31, 2006

Heya wanting to know if anyone got their port replaced, not because of an issue. I mean placed deeper.

I have a bulge on my tummy now and I'm going to ask about either getting the port replaced deeper now that I've lost weight or if there is a smaller port?

Anyone know anything about this, if it's possible?

I know theres gotta be more than me who have a port bulge now!

Irish Girl · July 31, 2006

Mine is sticking out too. There is a lower profile port available. Mine said I needed to get to goal before he would let me change.

NewSho · July 31, 2006

...I have a bulge on my tummy now and I'm going to ask about either getting the port replaced deeper now that I've lost weight or if there is a smaller port?

Anyone know anything about this, if it's possible?

Nana:

I can imagine with your dancing that this is a definite concern, Nana.

Sure lots of Bandsters here and on other sites, get theirs replaced just so they have a better silhouette. I think the LP's make a smoother line, without bulging.

I got switched to a Lower Profile and it's MUCH better.

The procedure itself is quick (less than 1/2 hour, sometimes 20+ minutes) and you're not under anesthesia very long - that means you "come to" quicker and recover much faster. I was in a store 2 hours after getting out of recovery, and felt rested :notagree not groggy.

Some Bandsters wait until they get plastics, which makes sense.

Since you're planning on PS anyway, that's a perfect time to get those little suckers switched out. During a Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty, the port is often moved when the abdomen's skin is reconstructed. (My Plastic Surgeon moved my port during my TT, but I'd already replaced mine with a lower profile. I've lost weight since then, but so far it hasn't migrated back closer to the surface. We'll be looking out for any bulging! :nervous )

I recommend LP's for all PreOp Bandsters (I know many surgeons charge $300 or so more for them but it is, in my opinion, worth it) but they're weren't used very widely back when most of us here, were banded. Nowadays some surgeons only do LP's and I think that's the wave of the future. We Bandsters are so techno-savvy! :clap2:

Irish:

Most surgeons do NOT require you to be at goal to get a Lower Profile. Lots of time it's done whenever the patient feels self-conscious about the other one, or whenever weight loss has been significant. Perhaps your surgeon is saying 'wait til goal' because he wants to make sure you will be happy with how deep it's placed.

That makes sense. Or as I said above, if you ever plan on a Nip or Tuck, get it moved then.

Kat817 · July 31, 2006

There may be another reason your Dr. wants you to wait til you hit your goal weight. I had a low profile port from the beginning, and have been using a different Dr. for fills than did my surgery. He said it is a lot harder to hit the smaller port withut fluoroscopy. That the front of it is much smaller in dimensions. He compared size with a nickel and a pencil eraser...not the whole port, just the front area, where the needle enters for adjustments. Good Luck with the change!

Kat