Have you seen your doctor or a GI doctor?  It might be worth appealing to insurance as this might be covered under general surgery and not bariatric services.  

Try going to Mexico. It costs a LOT less there. Be very careful about doing your research, though. There is a closed Facebook group called "WLS Mexico - How To Research Safely (Plastic Surgery)" with some people on there that can help you through the process. 

-Anne 

I had very similar issues with eating. Take VERY small bites, chew a ton, and mix in fluid to give it some viscosity and take the dryness out. You should be able to eat salads and meat that way especislly fish. I have the MOST difficulty with dry chicken, low grade beef, or most lean items. But if you make the chicken juicy and mix liquid in (i.e. chicken stock, beef stock, or water) it helps a LOT!

Try to work with the band...my positionig matters a lot to, I will get stuck NO MATTER what I eat if I sit Cross legged while eating or if I have a tight bra or jeans on.

Hi Everyone, (Skip to last paragraph if you dont prefer background info, PIC OF MY ISSUE IS AT THE END)

I had my surgery in 2007, the band slipped a year or 2 later but righted itself. I had the sx in 2007 in Louisiana then moved to TX. Found a new MD who then retired. Noone else will take me bc I didnt get it with them. Plus no insurance coverage. I was 300 lbs, got down to 210 and then got back up to 260 beginning of this year. Mostly bc the band was either too tight and couldnt swallow spit, or was too loose and I could eat too much and with it loose and no MD I could get too much down. This year I buckled down and have done personal training and am now at 205 on my way to 175 goal weight. Lost 55lbs this yr so far on my "own".

So I noted that I was getting a separation of fat where the port is, or really right under it that is visible. I am sure some of it is the sagging, but it hurts now constantly. My pants sit in that exact spot or even lower still aggravates it, certain exercises, turning, or even leaning over with my stomach hanging (like a plank exercise but not squeezing my core- reaching for things). It feels like there is only skin between the port and my finger. Has anyone had issues like this? Did your MD do something? Just looking for info. I DO NOT regret getting my Lap Band, it worked for its purpose. I DO want to get it removed but no insurance coverage for bariatric services so that won't happen anytime soon. Any advice from others would be great! Thanks All.

Thank you! I'm not sorry that I got it. I only wished that my employer would have allowed gastric bypass surgery as a covered benefit. The only thing they would pay for was lap band. Unfortunately, with the removal and infection, it's very expensive. My surgeon did say he had 800 patients with lap bands and only 2 have eroded the stomach.