Do you think it is necessary to have xrays each time you have a fill. I live in the uk and have been reccommended a fill doc who is a lot cheaper (but very good apparently) but does not use xray.

What do you guys think?

Hi,

My Doc. never uses an x-ray. We always seem to get it just right though.

It's not standard practice in Australia either. Some doctors do it, a lot dont.

The first fill I had 6 weeks post surgery was done under Fluro (xray). My surgeon tried like a mad man to locate my port, but no luck. Rather than making me feel like a pin cushion, (yes I was numbed) we did it under fluro. After that initial fill, my surgeon made notes in my file with the location of my port. The last few times it is virtually just poke and go! LOL! Best of luck!

I have had 6 fills and 2 of them were without fluroscope. If I see my surgeon then he does it under fluro but if I see a local doc then she does it without. It is fine both ways.

I've never had a floro. It's never been a problem. My band nurse is quite conservative with my fills, though. I never get over .2 cc's at a time to prevent overfilling. Yesterday I was filled to 1.9. Not having a floro just mean a little more poking around. But hey, you can't feel it anyway and it's a whole heckuva lot cheaper that way.

i have had three fills. I have never had xray or fluro at any of them. My first fill was done by my surgeon and the second was done by the attempts of both nurse practioners in his office. The first one missed three times. I am laying on a medical table with a huge needle being poked into my gut crying and thinking to myself.."HEY LADY!! I STILL HAVE VITAL ORGANS IN THERE!!!!!!!!" the second nurse practioner came in and got it on her second try. I have since requested that my surgeon do the rest of my fills. He has gotten me on the first try both times. If your dr can't do it without the fluro then by all means let him use it. If he can discuss it with him and see if you can do it without first. Best of luck to you.

Thanks Guys you always reassure me

ta

Gaynor

I have the mini port and it is flipped. Once I did it without flouo for an unfill in my doctors office. It was not fun. He had a very hard time finding my port. I say if your port hasn't flipped on it side and is still facing up then it should be no problem.

My doctor doesn't use floro at all.

I've never had flouro. I've had three fills and my Dr has always gotten the port with the first stick. He's great because even when I'm lying on my back I can't really feel my port, it's just a little harder than the tissue surrounding it.

No flouro and no problems finding port on 1st attempt.

I just had a fill two days ago and my Doctor just felt w/ his hands for the port & then injected the saline. No x-ray was ever taken.

Banded 11/16/05

lost 29lbs

My doc just does it in the office and feels around. The first fill it was difficult and took two doc to find the port, but they wrote down the location and drew a picture, then each time (3) afterwards it has been easier. They will only do up to 1cc at a time which I like, and as I have lost more weight they have an easier time locating it. Last month no trouble at all Good luck!

I wonder why they don't just put the port closer to the skin? I have been told my doc always uses xray but I never thought about it may cost more that way. I'll have to check into that more.

Didi, it will cost significantly more if they use fluro... It's $300-$400 for a fluro fill at my hospital, versus the cost of doing it without which I think is around $100.

They don't want to put the port too close to the skin because it would stick out as you lose weight. Then you'd need a second operation to adjust the port.