ddorman67

I had my first successful fill with Dr. T. My second fill might have been with Dr. Samouha (I know his last name started with an S). I guess my port is tilted. Dr. Powell in Long Beach tried to give me a fill and after 20 minutes of sticking me with a needle (an not numbing me) he told me my port was flipped completely over and that I needed another surgery to fix it. I later went to Dr. T in Bevery Hills (about 2 weeks later) and he got it on the first try and told me there was nothing wrong with my port. I went back 2 weeks after that and was seen by yet another doctor (Maybe Dr. Samouha) who had some trouble with my port and told me my port was tilted. After about 10 minutes of trying, he finally got it (thank God he numbed me). I am going to try and stick with Dr. T., but he is not at the Bevery Hills office that much. My next fill appt is on Saturday 9/12/09 with Dr. T. If for some reason he is not available I will see the other doctor since he is now familiar with the position of my port.

How do you like Dr. Powell? I went to him for my first fill and after almost 20 minutes of him poking and prodding me, he told me my port was flipped and I would have to have another surgery to fix it. I was devistated!! After almost 2 weeks of waiting for the insurance to approve the "port revision" surgery I got a call from one of the girls in the Beverly Hills office who told me that Dr. Tashjian was confident that he would be able to do my fill. I made the appt with Dr. T thinking "What do I have to lose". Dr. T found my port on the first try!! No numbing needed even!!

AMEN to that!!

Richard... since Dr. Jackson is no longer with Weight Loss Centers, which doctor are you seeing now for your fills?

Thanks Joan... I haven't had that happen yet (I don't think). I am definately burping more than I used to (although my husband might disagree..lol), but it is not because something feels stuck. My band currently has about 5cc in it. I go for my next fill in about 3 weeks. I know that I am still eating too fast and not chewing like I probably should be. I am going to have to slow down and chew so that I don't have this happen to me..especially after my next fill.

This may be a stupid question, but what is PB stand for?

Good Luck!! We are really close to one another... I live in Norwalk, CA.

Thanks for the warning!!! I go for my second fill this Saturday, August 15th.

Congrats Astera!!

Thanks Trisha... I did see the needle and it wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong... it is bigger than most shots but not bad. I did notice that there were two needles on the table, but he did not use the numbing one.

They numbed you when filling your port?? I wish the first doctor (the one who couldn't find the port) would have numbed me!! I didn't need any numbing with my new doctor.

Dr. Tashjian is my new doctor and I love him!! Dr. Jackson at Top Surgeons did my surgery back on 6/18/09 (Dr. Jackson left Top Surgeons right after I had my surgery). I went for my first fill on 7/15/09 and was told by another Doctor (Dr. Powell) that my port was flipped and that I needed another surgery to fix the problem. He tried for about 20 minutes, stuck me 3-4 times with the needle and with each poke moved the needle around inside of me for several minutes. I was soo sore after that. Anyways, after almost 2 weeks of waiting for my insurance company to approve another surgery...one of the girls in the office told me that Dr. Tashjian was pretty confident that he would be able to find my port. I just went to see him on Saturday (8/1/09) and he got it on the first try!!! No poking and no prodding around. 1 stick and that was it!! Thank you Dr. T!!!

My port is NOT flipped after all!! :biggrin: I had been waiting for the insurance company to approve a "port revision" surgery after being told by one of my doctors that my port was flipped. After almost 2 weeks one of the girls in the office told me that the other surgeon in the office would like to see me and told me that he was confident that he would be able to get to my port. I decided to go ahead and let him try... HE GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY!!! :biggrin: I don't know why the other surgeon had so much trouble. Anyways, I now have 3cc's in my band and I do feel a little more restriction. I go back in 2 weeks for another fill. I am so happy that I don't have to have another surgery!!! Thank you to my new doctor!!!

Yes it does!! And to think... I was considering having that doctor do the "port revision" surgery (which I don't need). *My original surgeon opened his own pratice (plastic surgery) right after he did my surgery* The doctor that told me my port was flipped tried for almost 20 minutes to find the port. He stuck me about 3 or 4 times and then moved the needle around inside me for several minutes with each poke. I was so sore in that area for like 2 days. This new doctor/surgeon got the needle in the port on the first try. It only took in a second!! And there was no pain at all!!

My port is NOT flipped after all!! :biggrin: I had been waiting for the insurance company to approve a "port revision" surgery after being told by one of my doctors that my port was flipped. After almost 2 weeks one of the girls in the office told me that the other surgeon in the office would like to see me and told me that he was confident that he would be able to get to my port. I decided to go ahead and let him try... HE GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY!!! :biggrin: I don't know why the other surgeon had so much trouble. Anyways, I now have 3cc's in my band and I do feel a little more restriction. I go back in 2 weeks for another fill. I am so happy that I don't have to have another surgery!!! Thank you to my new doctor!!!

My port is NOT flipped after all!! :biggrin: I had been waiting for the insurance company to approve a "port revision" surgery after being told by one of my doctors that my port was flipped. After almost 2 weeks one of the girls in the office told me that the other surgeon in the office would like to see me and told me that he was confident that he would be able to get to my port. I decided to go ahead and let him try... HE GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY!!! :biggrin: I don't know why the other surgeon had so much trouble. Anyways, I now have 3cc's in my band and I do feel a little more restriction. I go back in 2 weeks for another fill. I am so happy that I don't have to have another surgery!!! Thank you to my new doctor!!!

Very touching!!

Still waiting for my insurance company to approve my "port revision" surgery to correct my flipped port. I just got off the phone with the doctors office and they are going to call the insurance company again and told me to call back at 4pm today. I just want to get this taken care of ASAP.

Hi Tiffeny, Did the support group meeting above ever take place? I live in Norwalk, CA and work in Buena Park. I would love to find a local monthly support group to attend.

I had my surgery on 6/18/09 too!! I am currently on hold right now though. I went in for my first fill on 7/15/09 and found out that my port was flipped. So now I am waiting for the insurance company to approve a "port revision" surgery. My doctor told me that when they do the new surgery they can also fill the port at the same time. I was really looking forward to getting my first fill, because I am feeling very little restriction. Good Luck to everyone!!