And I must say I wasn't prepared for what happened. There was a lot more pain involved than I anticipated and I am not a big wuss at all. My doc is very expereienced so I had no doubt that he knew what he was doing so that didn't scare me. All the while I was thinking to myself "I can do this - I've had 4 kids and I had the surgery done. I can do this." He numbed me with a local and I just knew everything would be ok. Then he pulled out the needle that he used for the fill and I must say it made me very nervous seeing how big it was. Anyways, it was done under flouro and he found the port right away BUT couldn't get it into there. That's were all the pain was involved. I couldn't do anything but grin and bare it cause I wanted to have the fill done and there was no way around it. But then my temperature spiked and I just started sweating. I just knew something was wrong with me and I was gonna be admitted to the hospital. Well the doc got a cold towel and put it on my head and just had me relax. That seemed to help. But what else freaked me out was that there was more blood than I anticipated......I pray that ALL fills are not like this!! Anyways I got a 2 cc fill in a 4 cc band and I am hoping it will last me awhile. Has anyone else had bad experiences? If so does it get better?

Hi Lioness,

I am still a pre-band, so I don't have any experiences to share... I just wanted to say that I am sorry you had such a difficult time. Did your doctor end up telling you what the problem was? I am just curious if it could have been avoided or if it was just a fluke.

You also mentioned a lot of blood, was that because he had to keep sticking you?

I apologize in advance for asking so many questions, I just want to hear the good as well as the bad. If it is too much for you to go into, I completely understand.

Hope you are feeling better.

Hi Sassaay - no of course I will answer your questions. That is how we learn and if it hadn't been for this board I probably would have gotten the RNY done!! Well I honestly don't know what happened. As I stated the doc is very experienced so I knew that wasn't the problem. He used the flouro so he had no problem whatsoever locating the port. The problem was that he couldn't get the needle INTO the port. (wrong needle maybe?) So he kept proding and poking until it actually went in. It was only one initial poke but I think him moving the needle around is what caused all the blood. You know how if you have a cut and you keep picking with it it tends to bleed more? I think that's what caused it. Apparently he didn't use enough of the numbing med cause I felt every time he tried to put it in the port!! Honestly when he was done I was so shaken and had the sweats (and just so darn glad it was OVER) that I didn't even ask him what happened. The only question I asked was "How much did you pu into the band?" lol - I know, I know - but that was the only thing I was really concerned with!! Sorry I couldn't be much help but I'm still learning too!

Hey Carmen,

Happy to report my first fill was painless and smooth sailing...going for my second on Monday the 12th so we'll see how that one goes...I go to Dr. Chua in Milwaukee...where is your doctor located?

Hey Jennye - I see Dr. Burhop at Brookfield Surgical on 172nd and North Ave. Glad to know yours was pain free!! Hope I can say the same for mine next time!!!

Hi,

My experiences have been very similar to yours. My first fill actually was a breeze but... the second and third was just as you experienced. And then the fourth was not so bad.

My doctor has done all my fills under floscope. But scar tissue build up and a slight tilted port makes it a little harder. I swear I have come out of there a couple of times looking like a pin cushion (I also have bled alot). My husband will not go in there with me cause he has seen all the needle marks , he said he does not think he could handle it.

The second time we almost didn't end with a fill because he just could not access the port. The doctor said this is due to scar tissue and the needle just has to be moved around some to get in. Anyways since it is a teaching hospital and I am the first band ever done there, there are always alot of doctors around to observe. So we got it taken care of.

So I don't think all your fills will be the same.

I pray that your next is a breeze.

I've had adjustments with three doctors. Two of them popped the needle right in--no pain, no blood, no problems. The other eventually gets it done, but not without making me quite nervous. The port just isn't where he would have put it and I end up feeling a little like a pin cushion. In the end, they all get the job done, though.