:cake: OK.....I was nervous in the first place to get my first fill. When the Doc came into the room and asked me how things were going and I told him I needed a fill. He pulled out his tools(Needles) which I am NOT a fan of, I almost fainted on him. He laughed and told me if he knew that, he would have turned his back.hehehe Anyway.....when he went in to do the fill, he had one hack of a time finding the port, (I felt like a pin-cushion)It was the most annoying feeling I have ever had. He told me that it will get easier as time goes, cause I wont be so thick. Thanks!!!!! So now I am really, really hoping that I don't need another fill. I have a Vanguard band in which holds(10cc) which is common to need more fills to find the sweet spot. What do I do? Has anyone elese had this problem? Any suggestions?:help:

My doc hasn't missed my port on the first try yet. But even if he had, I'm willing to be a pincushion so I can lose weight.

I read on the FDA site that only a syringe made for fill should be used. Also the needle must not be tilted or rocked while in the body. This is important to keep from damaging the port.

Now since I have read that some people are being required to sit up once the needle is in and then have the flouroscope done which I assume requires more movement. Is this not a risky procedure? Could it be the reason for port failure? Leaking?

I would be concerned!

My first fill was with fluoro, but I stood the whole time. I stood on the footpad and the machine tilted me back about 25 degrees and the doctor stuck me, filled me up and had me sip the barium swallow with a straw all without moving at all.

My second fill was lying down in the office. She stuck me once and didn't hit my port. She could feel it fine, but couldn't stick it for some reason. The second attempt she still had a little difficulty, but did hit the port. Then I had to sit up with the needle in and sip some Water to make sure I wasn't closed. When she did finally hit the port, the popping sensation did kind of make me sick to my stomach. It hurt a little, but not unbearable.

She said the same thing though, that as I lose weight, it will be easier to hit it even though she said she could feel my port fine.

I would think that INAMED and not the FDA would know more about the procedures for their products. I could be wrong. LOL!!

Also, once the needle is in the port you could do a jig and it wouldn't hurt a thing. Of course it would be best to not dance or move around alot. Nothing is absolute but once the needle is embedded in the port you have to really pull on it to get it out. This port is much like a port that is used in cancer patients. By the way, I was a cancer nurse for 8 years and dealt with this port ALL the time. The needle once in is there until you physically remove it. Now there is a chance that the needle is not far enough into the port and can dislodge with movement but that is highly unlikely but not impossible. It just depends on the technique.

When I got fills, I always had to do a half sit up so the stomach muscles acted as a back board for the port while the doc pushed the needle in. I always knew when he hit the port cause it felt "funny". Like a movement inside me. Hard to describe. He only missed the port once and that was because the port was tilted. Once I had surgery to correct that he hit it every time. Always with the half sit ups.

How common is it for the port to twist or tilt? Is the procedure to correct this done under general anesthesia or can it be fixed in the doctors office? I am very new at this and terrified of needles. The very idea of having a doctor stick a needle in me more than once is enough to require medication.

Well each fill that I have had wa successfull until the last one when the first doctor poked me several times and stopped because he though he was hurting me I really didn't care I just wanted the fill, but when he said he was going to call my doctor and see if he could do it I was dissapointed until another doctor decided he wanted a shot at it and all he did was hold the port with his hand and injected me the first time. I go for another fill wednesday by one of the doctors who did my surgery so I hope every thing will go okay.

I kind of felt the fluid glug round my stomach, like a popping sensation inside, so I knew he'd hit the port. That was a little revolting but not painful at all. And the rest, well it was only a small needle, didnt hurt.

On my second fill, the surgeon who is partnered with and assists my surgeon actually did the fill. The first time I went in, my surgeon zipped the needle right in and I was in and out of that office in 10 minutes! With the assistant, it took much longer and after almost 2 weeks, it's still a little sore :/

I don't think I'll go back to the other surgeon I went to him to save a little time cause his office is closer to where I work, but for peace of mind and sanity, I'll take an hour off and go to my own surgeon.

I went for my first fill today and felt like a pin cushion... he missed...stuck me 3 times. I'm going back next wednesday for the other doc to do it... gosh I felt so queezy after he did it. I layed down, stood up, sat up.. you name it.

Whats the comment with "thick" ? skin being thick... wtf?

needless to say I am sore and very dissapointed today. I felt like passing out too...sheesh.

GROWL !!!!

OK.....I am really glad that it is not just me. Scary....It was the actual surgeon that did my first fill. So I don't have any other choice. The whole thing on being "thick" I took it as weight. Cause he made the comment that as I loose the weight it will get easier.

Trust me, now after week and half the whole pin cushion...I would do it again. I have lost another 3 lbs in a week.

Thanks for all the replys.

I was poked like 10 times once....

But lately its like one poke and we got it..

My fill doctor can find/ feel my port BUt no matter how hard I try, I cant feel a thing.

and once I was poked several times with a spinal needle (ER was trying to get my fill out as I was choking on my saliva and they never did it before)

None of it reeally hurts all that much to me.