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*UPDATE* weird fill appt

amberakamom

By amberakamom, in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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amberakamom    13

amberakamom
Posted

-UPDATE-

So I had my upper GI on Tuesday and went back to see my surgeon today. He said everything looked normal on the film but he still couldn't draw any Fluid out of my port. CRAP!!! He did give me a (big) fill this time, but who knows what's going to happen with that. We are going to try again in 2 weeks, and if it is still not working right, he said we would replace the band. Please send positive thoughts that it works out next time. I really don't want to have surgery again! Do you think it sounds like a leak?

I just moved to a new city and on Monday I saw my new LB surgeon for a fill. He couldn't get any fluid out of my port AND he couldn't put any fluid in. What the heck is that about?????? My port is really easy to access, so I'm pretty sure he was hitting it. Now I have to go get an upper GI to see what is going on. Has anyone else had this problem?

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Humming Bird    275

Humming Bird
Posted

That does sound sort of strange. I would think he would have gotten something out or in. How many cc did you think you had in there? It really sounds like he missed the port, but I would think it would have felt different to you. Even if you had a leak there would have been a few drops or something. The part about him not being able to put any Fluid in really makes it sound like he missed the port. Keep us updated with what you find out.

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amberakamom    13

amberakamom
Posted

Thanks! I'm hoping that's all it is.

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Rachel412    116

Rachel412
Posted

Your port might have flipped- or he might just be an idiot ;) I hope it all works out!!!

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JanB23    23

JanB23
Posted

If he just missed the port Fluid should not come out but it should still go in, it will just absorb into the surrounding tissue - this has happened to me. That is weird. I would have thought the next step would be a fluoroscopy to check the port. Good luck, hope everything works out well.

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B-52    7,113

B-52
Posted

I just moved to a new city and on Monday I saw my new LB surgeon for a fill. He couldn't get any Fluid out of my port AND he couldn't put any fluid in. What the heck is that about?????? My port is really easy to access, so I'm pretty sure he was hitting it. Now I have to go get an upper GI to see what is going on. Has anyone else had this problem?

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B-52    7,113

B-52
Posted

I just moved to a new city and on Monday I saw my new LB surgeon for a fill. He couldn't get any Fluid out of my port AND he couldn't put any Fluid in. What the heck is that about?????? My port is really easy to access, so I'm pretty sure he was hitting it. Now I have to go get an upper GI to see what is going on. Has anyone else had this problem?

Yes, I have had that problem once. My stomach is tight skinned, and my port looks like a golf ball under the skin. People at the gym have asked me if I had a hernia. I can palpate the skin and feel the tube that runs from the port, going mid-line till it disappears and goes deep through the muscle to the band.

I like to prop myself up on my elbows and watch the Dr. do the entire fill procedure. First time he explained everything to me. First thing he does is extract ALL the saline out of the band. This way he checks for discoloration, and also measures how much he extracted. Anything less that what he previously put in indicates a leak.

Like I said you can feel the tube that runs from the port to the band. It does not go straight, but it snakes. It's only about 2 inches long. He told me this gives it slack for abdominal muscles stretching and contracting. If it was straight and tight, it could pull and hurt, if not worse.

Well one time, when he was extracting the saline, he could not get anything out. He tried and tugged a few times. When he palpated the skin over the tube, he found that at one place where the tube curved, actually kinked! just like kinking a garden hose. The harder he pulled a suction with the syringe, the more it kinked! He had me feel it so I would understand what was happening. Since the tube is just under the skin, he just massaged the area with 2 fingers to straighten out the tube a little. Then everything worked fine.

I have noticed that ever since then, he automatically starts the procedure with a little massaging of that area, along with the alcohol wipe.

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amberakamom    13

amberakamom
Posted

Thank you B-52! That would explain it!

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amberakamom    13

amberakamom
Posted

Update on the original post...

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Rachel412    116

Rachel412
Posted

I'm sorry Amber :( Very fishy.

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Go To Topic Listing LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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