To fluoro or not fluoro

[mattinfll 1]

I have searched before posting and am not finding anything on point - so had my band done in Mexico three weeks ago. I have lost 18 pounds since surgery, although most of that was the first 10 days when I felt just awful and nauseous. I am still eating mushy foods and liquids and have not tried solids yet.

I have found a doctor with good reviews who will do my fills at a reasonable price near my house. But they do not do fluoro unless there is some extenuating circumstance. Or I can drive 4 hours to a Fills Center USA that has fluoro.

I hear several people say you don't really need fluoro. I have a chest x-ray of my barium swallow the day after surgery showing my band and port placement.

My best friend has had 4 fills and never even knew there was a fluro option and has had no problems.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Matt

[Astrasmom 1]

I have searched before posting and am not finding anything on point - so had my band done in Mexico three weeks ago. I have lost 18 pounds since surgery, although most of that was the first 10 days when I felt just awful and nauseous. I am still eating mushy foods and liquids and have not tried solids yet.

I have found a doctor with good reviews who will do my fills at a reasonable price near my house. But they do not do fluoro unless there is some extenuating circumstance. Or I can drive 4 hours to a Fills Center USA that has fluoro.

I hear several people say you don't really need fluoro. I have a chest x-ray of my barium swallow the day after surgery showing my band and port placement.

My best friend has had 4 fills and never even knew there was a fluro option and has had no problems.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Matt

Great name. That's my sons name. :biggrin:

I only had fluro for my first fill. I've had 5 fills and a bit taken out so far. I've had no problems at all. As long as the doctor can find your port and is able to put Fluid in and take some out you should be fine.

[christine1182 48]

I have had 4 fills and all were done without fluoro because the doctor I go to does not offer them. I will admitt that I was a little scared the first time I got a fill but after that I had no worries.

[Bonnie_Lass 1]

I've never had a fill under fluro, and I've reached restriction with just 2 fills and was even was too tight. I didn't even know about fluro except for reading the boards here.

From what I have read, fluro is more expensive but they may be more agressive in the quantity they fill. Which means you may reach restriction faster or you may be more likely to have issues because of agressive fills.

[ashleyw889 0]

I have had four fills and have never felt any major pain. I feel a little pressure when he pushes down on the port before he puts the needle in, but that's it. It basically feels just like a shot to me. Not bad at all! This is coming from someone with very little tolerance to pain.

[jldchester 0]

I have searched before posting and am not finding anything on point - so had my band done in Mexico three weeks ago. I have lost 18 pounds since surgery, although most of that was the first 10 days when I felt just awful and nauseous. I am still eating mushy foods and liquids and have not tried solids yet.

I have found a doctor with good reviews who will do my fills at a reasonable price near my house. But they do not do fluoro unless there is some extenuating circumstance. Or I can drive 4 hours to a Fills Center USA that has fluoro.

I hear several people say you don't really need fluoro. I have a chest x-ray of my barium swallow the day after surgery showing my band and port placement.

My best friend has had 4 fills and never even knew there was a fluro option and has had no problems.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Matt

I went monthly for fills without fluoro since September, with little or no restriction. I finally convinced my Dr. to give me a fill under fluoro and I had instant restriction. I have lost 6 pound in 2 weeks. I am so glad the scale is moving again. I was at a stand still for at least 7 months.:biggrin:

[Lisa73 0]

I have had every fill under fluoro thats just the way my doctor does fills. I do not drink barium every time (thats the only way they can see if you have good restriction or not.) I think the reason for fluoro is some patients have had thier tubbing punctured by trying to do a fill "blind". Under fluoro they can see exactly where your port is located. It's just the latest technique in the field there are plenty of patients who have had "blind" fills and have never had any problems with a punctured tube. You will pay more for fluro, but I think it's worth it I would rather pay more money than have another surgery for a punctured tube. I would not have a fill any other way. I researched and found a doctor that only did fluoroscopy.

[sherrye22 0]

My opinion is that it is better to NOT have the flouro when getting a fill. Why? Because then the doctor, P.A. etc. tend to focus on what the flouro is telling them, not what the patient is telling them.

Every time I go for a fill it is a battle with the P.A. They don't want to fill me because it 'looks' like I have great restriction and am losing weight. I'm telling them its all willpower and I feel nothing. Not to mention the cost involved!

You don't need the flouro. Listen to your body and you'll do fine.

[steveelea 61]

I have always had ports that are hard to find.

I say port'sss becuase I have had 2 port replacements since my first lap band surgery 7 months ago....still my specialist tried to do my most recent fill blind and after trying many many times eventually sent me for a fluro fill.

I would reccomend it for a first fill so that they know where it is as long as they are experienced and know what they are doing.

[Lisa73 0]

Sherrye22 I don't understand how just doing a fill under fluoro is showing your PA you have good restriction they have to have you drink barium to see how fast or slow the barium is traveling through the band. Fluoro is so they can see the port and then The band when drinking barium. My doctor told me on my last fill I would only need 1cc, but when I drank the barium it ran through so fast He ended up giving me 2 cc's that day. I would not have gotton what I needed if it had not been for doing the fill under fluoro. Oh and I know most people will not agree with this but I eat when I'm hungry if you are loosing weight only on will power then what was the point of getting the band? I listen very closely to other patients complaints in the waiting room and they are complaing about the same thing they need a fill and are only getting these tiny tiny fills, I say just eat when your hungry then when you don't loose any weight they will give you a fill. Doctor's always go by numbers and charts not by what the patient is telling them. If your loosing they will only give you a little fill or nothing at all that's been my experience with my physician. I know it's a slow process and we will all get there in our own time hang in there we all want the same thing RESTRICTION.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Lisa73

[zionsongbird 1]

Thank You your post was very helpful and wise.

[steveelea 61]

Well Said Lisa73

I am of the same opinion that you eat when you are hungry and if you are not losing weight then the band isn't right and you need more fill!!!!

My Dr's go by results on the scales too.

The only reason I would reccomend a fill under fluro is so that they can find the port and are not doing a blind fill.

When I had my fill done under fluro I didn't have a barium swallow they just found my port and filled it and didn't check anything else, and it was so much easier for me than a blind fill as that is how I had damage done to my port twice by a very experienced well respected specialist. Then again I am really big and have a lot of tummy fat so mine is probly a lot harder to find than others.

I am sure that many people get blind fills done and are fine but after what I have been through I would rather pay more money and have a fill under fluro than risk a blind fill and more surgery.

[Lisa73 0]

Your welcome I'm glad I could help.

[Drasan 23]

I just had my first fill today and I was SCARED! I told my surgeon I was more afraid of having a fill than I was of surgery, well, not really but I was SCARED!

My surgeon was great. He showed me everything he was going to use and explained it to me. He told me that there aren't as many nerves in our tummy so it doesn't hurt like when blood is drawn. He had me do a practice run, breath in and bear down, then on the second time, in went the needle! I'm here to tell you it didn't hurt! Not even a little and he got the needle in the first time, withdrew the teeny amount of Fluid that was in my band then filled it with 3 ccs.

I can only tell you my experience. It's hard to make recommendations because I've not experienced it all.

Good luck! Oh, and it doesn't hurt!! Yay!

[mattinfll 1]

Thanks for all the comments. I am actually going to have my first orientation appointment with my doctor this coming week, and still wait to have my first fill in week 6, which is two weeks from now. Since this doctor is not the doctor who did my lap band (I was banded in Mexico), I want him to look at my x-ray and chat with him and then we can decide if I am going to need fluoro for the first fill or not. Plus I can get a US doctor's take on the post-op process.

I think I will be fine either way with or without the fluoro, but want to feel comfortable about it. My main concern is not the amount of the fill but the doctor not "missing" the port and accidentally causing a leak in the tubing.