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Does your dr. do fills/unfills in the office or under X-ray?



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I've had my band for about 3 years. In the first year, I had a couple of fills and un-fills to find my sweet spot. For the past two years, I have maintained my initial weight loss. About 3 - 4 months ago I began to have esophageal spasms, GERD and vomiting after meals. My GI doc did a barium swallow to check for damage in the esophagus, and noticed my pouch was dialated above the band. He recommended I get some Fluid taken out.

All of my fills and unfits have been done with an X-ray in the radiation department. It is several hundred dollars I have to pay out of pocket for these each of these procedures. I have noticed on the forums that many people get their fluid adjusted in their doctors office, sometimes even by a PA. It would save me a ton of money if my doctor would do the adjustment in the office.

Where do you get your fluid adjusted...the office or the radiology department? Is there any reason for this to NOT be done in the office?

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I think doctors like to fill under a fluoroscope to make sure everything is

in the right place and orientation. The majority don't use one due to cost

to the patient.

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I was banded 1 year ago this week and my fills have all been done in my doctors office, he did my initial fill himself but since then the PA does them. The doctor is always in the office so I can see him at any time if I feel the PA isn't sufficient but I like that I have developed a relationship with multiple office people.

If I have learned anything from these forums it's that there are many many different practices when it comes to this lap band process.

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All my fills are done in the office and he checks my band with the floroscope. Karen

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A nurse practitioner does mine in my surgeons office.

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My doctor did my fill right in the office. I was expecting an exray and somthing more complicated! In fact, I had asked the nurse if I had to go to the "lab" to have it filled, and she said yes. But I asked my doc when he came in the room, and he said "no, we'll do it right here" !! No issues.

I've had my band for about 3 years. In the first year, I had a couple of fills and un-fills to find my sweet spot. For the past two years, I have maintained my initial weight loss. About 3 - 4 months ago I began to have esophageal spasms, GERD and vomiting after meals. My GI doc did a barium swallow to check for damage in the esophagus, and noticed my pouch was dialated above the band. He recommended I get some Fluid taken out.

All of my fills and unfits have been done with an X-ray in the radiation department. It is several hundred dollars I have to pay out of pocket for these each of these procedures. I have noticed on the forums that many people get their Fluid adjusted in their doctors office, sometimes even by a PA. It would save me a ton of money if my doctor would do the adjustment in the office.

Where do you get your fluid adjusted...the office or the radiology department? Is there any reason for this to NOT be done in the office?

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The Nurse Practioner does mine in the surgeon's office - xray is available if needed. I think it's $100 per fill if you are paying out of pocket.

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My doctor checked my band with an Upper GI post surgery. He did my band fill in his office. A visiting PA wanted to observe and he showed how you know you have put the syringe in the right spot and what happens when you don't. It didn't really bother me too much. I don't mind being a guinea pig once in awhile for teaching purposes lol. Alsobas a laboratory professional, I know for a fact lab personnel doesn't do lap band fills so I'm not sure what that nurse was thinking lol.

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In the office.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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