I was wondering for those of you out there...who does your fills?....and do some of you maybe not even know the type of credentialing or training that this person has?? Also, does anyone assist them/come in the room with them when they are doing the fills? If so, who is this person...and how do you know they are "medically trained" and should even be present during the procedure?

This is multiple choice...please check all that apply to your situation!

Thanks!

My surgeon always does my fills and unfills. I have only been banded 9 months and have had about as many fills/unfills. One time there was another surgeon at the office and they were both busy. The other surgeon came in to give me a fill and my surgeon walked in and asked what he was doing, if he had read my chart, and told him how much to fill.

Also, my fills are free for the first year. After that?????

My first fill was done by my surgeon, Dr. Felix Spiegel in his office. Now all of his fills will be done at the Surgery Center. My 2nd fill was done by a PA at the Surgery Center under X-ray and vertified by a barium swallow afterwards.

LuLuLacy

My surgeon does the fills all the time. My first fill is Monday.

The PA in my surgeon's office does all the fills. He's great!

The cardiologist who did all my pre-op work is doing my fills. The surgeon I used doesn't do them.

Dr Hugh Houston does my at Hospital under floro. with two xray tech.

Has anybody out there done their own fills? Assuming you're a medical professional w/ access to equipment.:eek:

I kind of like the idea of self fills.

I am pretty sure "self fills" would void the warranty (assuming there is one)

Where would you get the needles for fills presuming you had a family medical professional that could do them? The special fill needles my doc uses are not supposed to damage the port. My understanding is that regular needles could cause the port membrane to leak. Just wondering. Can you buy them from Inamed?

can any doctor do a fill?

My surgeon does my fills and he's a fill genious. You never even know you've had a fill it's so quick and painless...I always ask him if he's smoozing me.

Hi, first post for me! The poll doesn't list a block for "Surgeon does Fills." My Surgeon has done the first five fills, then he left the organization so this last fill was done by the other Surgeon that is/was on staff. My Surgery was Jan 18 06. I'm a slow loser, but I have to admit to not being an exerciser either. I have the large Inamed Band 11cc. My husband had the surgery Jun 05 and has lost 90lbs, he wants to lose another 50lbs. He had his surgery at a different place than I did, and his surgery was covered by insurance, including his fills. I was a self-pay at $10,950.00 and up until 31 Aug 06 it cost me $105.00 for the doctor, and $100.00 for fluoscopy. My surgeon could not find my port, he tried five times and said he would keep trying, but he could damage the band. So every time I had a fill I had to pay for Fluoro. On Aug 31 I got a fill with the new doctor, so I went with fluoro. Got a big surprise as the hospital registrar said the fill on 1 Sep would be $185.00. I said I'm a self-pay and on a fixed income. I called the Center and told them what I had been told, the secretary seemed incredulous that they had raised their rate. Well last week I received a letter stating that they too were raising their fee to $165.00! So I have to hope that the new doctor, who I like much better than my Surgeon can do it without Flouro. He even measured me and said 3 fingers and in the middle of my largest scar! My last fill I think left me where I was when I went in. Do your fill professionals write the amount of each fill in your records? Sorry for the length of this post!

My surgeon does my fills.