Bensmum1109

Huber needles are made by All-Med Medical Supply and are very easy to find on the internet, as is sterile saline and lidocaine cream. I have an emergency kit because I travel constantly for work and thank heaven I have never had to use it. But I can feel my port very easily and I know my tubing is above it because my doctor uses flouro. So therefore I would try to hit the bottom of the port and sneak the needle upward. That being said, no one should do their own fills because of cost, distance, or recreational eating. Real emergencies would be the only time I would consider it.

Anybody else?? I seem to be losing restriction too.

Thanks for your replies. I don't feel much restriction yet (and I am filled up!!!) but sometimes my restriction takes a few days to kick in. I will wait it out and see.

I just had a fill as my restriction seems to have gone down significantly lately. When my surgeon found my port and drew out the saline, it was red (bloody). He did not say anything but he did replace the fill with new saline. Is this normal?? If not what could it mean? :w00t:

Please do! I will be looking forward to your response.

I just had a fill as my restriction seems to have gone down significantly lately. When my surgeon found my port and drew out the saline, it was red (bloody). He did not say anything but he did replace the fill with new saline. Is this normal?? If not what could it mean?

I hope you feel better soon. Did you definitely feel like you did not have enough restriction when you went in?

I believe you are OK with your surgeon not using a Huber needle as long as he uses a NON-CORING needle. That is really the key. My doctor has an interesting technique. He sticks a regular needle just through my skin and threads a non-coring needle through it. My port is very easy to find and he has never had to poke me more than once.

Hi Guys- Sorry. I did start a new thread and I have been so consumed with work I haven't been here in a few weeks. I had revision surgery on my slipped band and I got to keep it- YAY!! I can actually eat now and it is wonderful, but I am keeping tabs on myself since I have gained three pounds. I think I did a number on my metabolism from being on liquids for a month and my body was just crying out for solid food. But I can live with three pounds. I will not get a fill anytime soon- I need to let my system rest and I still feel moderate restriction without one. I am almost 100% 3 weeks after my surgery and I absolutely implore you all to get help IMMEDIATELY if you have the same symptoms I had. And for the record my gall bladder is fine- phew!

Thanks, Mandi! I am home and have posted a new thread. Surgery was successful and I still have my band!

Hi all- On Monday I had surgery for repositioning/possible removal of my band. I am happy to report that despite a complicated 3 hour surgery, my surgeons were able to get my band and stomach back into the correct position and I got to keep my band!! They actually had to unhook the band and hook it back together again so that it formed the proper pouch again. I am home today and very sore and tired, but relieved. I have never been more panicked than I was sitting in the OR waiting room to go in for my surgery, not knowing if I would have a band when I woke up or not. I will really be diligent with band rules from here on out, and my advice to any of you that have repeated vomiting for any reason- get it checked out ASAP. I was not only too tight but had a horrible stomach bug that I was unaware of. This caused my slip. FYI- even though I was a self-pay, insurance did cover this surgery as it was medically necessary.

Hi Mandi- My insurance did not cover my band but they are covering the costs of my repositioning surgery (tomorrow morning!!), because of the complications I have had and the fact that it is medically necessary to fix my slip. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield.

:phanvan Tomorrow I have an endoscopy and I will be checked for ulcers, esophogitis, erosion, and abnormal cells. I have a slipped band and my stomach is herniated over my band. Providing there is no erosion, which we are fairly certain of since all of my xrays showed the dye trickling through the way it should have, my band will be repositioned via surgery on Thursday. Because of the horrific complications, the surgeon is coding this as an "acute obstruction" so it looks like my insurance WILL cover all of this. Thank heaven! I have enough on my plate without the worry of coughing up another 10K+. I'll be back in a few days with an update. Please keep me in your prayers!

I just went through the exact same thing (see my thread in the Complications Section). I have spent two separate days at the hospital. The first day I was so swollen that the only thing the surgeon could determine via xray for sure was extreme gastritis, but he did also see that I had slipped. I was completely unfilled and put on Clear Liquids for two days (by that point I had thrown up everything including tiny sips of Water for almost 72 hours), then full liquids for two days, then mushies. Mushies had me pb'ing again within hours. Now that the swelling from the gastritis had gone down, and my band was deflated, I went in for another set of xrays yesterday. My stomach has herniated over my band and I have an esophageal stricture as well, which was caused by the vomiting. I have an endoscopy tomorrow morning where they will check for esophagitis (which they basically know I have), ulcers, and abnormal cancer cells. On Thursday I will have surgery to repair my herniated stomach and reposition my band. Then I get to start over. At least this time I get to start at 75 pounds down :-) There is no reason for those of you that have closed up to have to have your band removed, unless it has eroded. However, get unfilled ASAP and stay on clear liquids until instructed otherwise. Do not risk any additional vomiting under these circumstances or a slip is PROBABLE if you don't already have one. Also, a note to self payers (which I was). If your surgeon does need to operate and you have similar circumstances, most insurance companies will cover WLS complications. Request that your surgeon code the surgery as an "acute obstruction" and you will most likely be covered!! I have BCBS, by the way.

Only recently have I pb'd a lot, and I would not be suprised if it contributed to the slip. PLease listen to someone who is in trouble- IF YOU ARE TOO TIGHT, DON'T IGNORE IT. Get unfilled ASAP. I was doing pretty well last week and progressed from Clear Liquids to mushies, but the pain and pb's returned yesterday. I will call the doc on Monday. I am almost ready to give up. I am really not sure I can take this anymore. I am scared to death that I will gain the wait back, but I seriously doubt that they will do a VG conversion on someone who weighs 143 pounds.