I know that it is probably just me getting worried over nothing, but last time I had a fill, I had lost .3cc in just a few weeks. He told me this was normal and went on about his business. I read somewhere today that any needle, other than an Inamed needle is not supposed to be used and can cause leaks. Well, I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think the last time he gave me a fill he used the right needle......I heard him talking about it with the nurse and ordering more. I was also just thinking last night that I felt like most of my restriction is gone. I actually ate a piece of homemade pizza where before I couldn't look at a piece of pizza without it hurting.

Has anyone had a leak and do they always have to go back in or is there something esle they can do.....like fix-a-flat or something?

My first lap band leaked.

I live in Nevada and I have a brother who is a surgeon in Colorado. His friend put on my first band in August 2004.

Initially I was 297lbs and went on a liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery and lost 20lbs by the time of my surgery. A week after my surgery i went back to Nevada and stayed on liquids for about a month and after I started eating solids, I had my a fill for the first time. I lost another 15 lbs from my surgery till my first fill 6 weeks later.

On my first fill, while the needle was still in me, had had me drink some Water and would fill a very small amount until I could feel the cold water in my stomach. I had a VG band which was bigger and I think my first fill was about 3cc. The doctor told me to go back to liquids for a few days after the fill. He told me to come back when I stopped loosing weight.

After my first fill and staying on liquids for a few days, I really did not notice anything different than before the fill. But still I kept loosing weight because my solid portions were minimul. I chewed all my food very well and followed the rules about not drinking prior and after eating, and I started going for longer walks every day. 8 weeks later I went back for my 2nd fill and lost another 15 lbs from my first fill to my 2nd fill.

On my 2nd fill the doctor realized that some of the 3cc was mising (about .4cc) and he sometimes you loose some when you pull the needle out. This time he filled my band another 2 or 3cc, and again I went back to drinking liquids after my fill. I remeber the morning after that fill I was wating for the pland back to vegas and had a cup of coffee, and felt it stay in my pouch and I could tell my band was actually working. However after a few days, my band felt the exact same as prior to the 2nd fill. and over time I noticed I could start eating more before I started to fell full.

I went back in Feb 06 to have my band tightened again and by this time I had gained about 10 lbs back from my 2nd fill. I told the doctor I was to busy with work to come back in Jan and explained how I just never got full after eating. Again, there was small amount less in the band that was put in from the 2nd fill. On my 3rd fill he tightened up much more and asked me to come back (when convienient) to do a fill under fluroscopy.

I could not go back until May and by then it was as if I never had a band at all... except for eating certain foods like white meat chicken. The doctor did a fill and they could watch my band. He filled it very tight and there was no doubt there was a leak after that test.

He asked to come back for a day surgery "out patient" to examine the port. I did not have a chance to come back until Aug 2005. They opened my port, removed all that was unside my band and injected a dye solution. If the leak was in the port it would be visible by the dye leaking out. They had my port open for about 15 mins and there was no visible leak. While doing this test they injected the full 10cc and it was painfull to have my band maxed out. Well the doctor removed all the dye and it was a full 10cc so there was not enought time to verify any leakage. I asked the doctor if he could replace the port anyway and he told me that the leak is not in the port or it would have been visable with dye.

Now if I could go back, and if anyone has to have this done, I Strongly suggest that you DEMAND the port be replaced. It might have saved me from having my whole band replaced. The doctor left 8cc in my band after the day surgery and asked me to comeback to his office that afternic.

Again, there was a small amount that leaked out from the day surgery. He apologised and told me that I have to have the operation redone. I could not afford it and just and to live with it. Buy this time I had gained most of my weight back. Since he put 8cc in my band, It was tight for a week or so but shortly after I could eat without feeling any thing. A month later it was like not even having a band.

I went back to in 15 Aug 2006 and talked with the doctor to try to replace the port in day surgery. I explained to him that even if its a small chance the leak is in the port, I woudl pay the $1900. We talked and he said he would try it but he said if I replaced the band its a bit more and now its done as an outpatient. I dedcided to get it done right and this time I had a smaller band put it.

I had my band replaced on Aug 18 2006, even though I went to Colorado just to have my port replaced. I felt it was a mistake to have the large VG band put on me.

Since my new band was put on I have lost 18 lbs. I was only on liquids for a week becaue my stomach was used to the band. I am staying off all carbs in a effort to ensure I loose weight. I only eat very small portions and I wont know if this band works until I get it tightend in about a month.

Even though its hard now, because the small portions dont fill me up that much... but I can tell its tighter than my old VG band, I know I can stay on a non carb diet until my first fill on my new band.

I hope this helps.

I know that it is probably just me getting worried over nothing, but last time I had a fill, I had lost .3cc in just a few weeks. He told me this was normal and went on about his business. I read somewhere today that any needle, other than an Inamed needle is not supposed to be used and can cause leaks. Well, I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think the last time he gave me a fill he used the right needle......I heard him talking about it with the nurse and ordering more. I was also just thinking last night that I felt like most of my restriction is gone. I actually ate a piece of homemade pizza where before I couldn't look at a piece of pizza without it hurting.

Has anyone had a leak and do they always have to go back in or is there something esle they can do.....like fix-a-flat or something?

I think that the needle should be a non-coring Huber needle.

Anyway, picture this: You fill your turkey baster up half-way with Water and then put that water into a baggie. Then you decide to take the water OUT of the baggie, again using the turkey baster. No matter how hard you try, you just won't get all the water back into the baster.

I am facing a possible leaking port. I have had three fill and the doc can draw nothing back into the syringe within minutes of the fill. I am trying to get a flouro scheduled to see for sure if it is my port. I think there could be a chance he just isn't actually hitting my port when her does the fill (isn't denial wonderful?).

He uses a 20g non coring Huber needle.

The main issue for a leaking band is... if it does leak its almost impossible to tell where the leak is. It can be in the port, the tubing, or the band itself. One test to identify the leak is to expose the port and inject dye to see if the dye appears ... however you must totally inflate the band to the max.. it is very incomfortable to have your band totally inflated. Kind of like having the wind knocked out of you in the upper stomach.

But I can only offer to everyone who had the misfortune that I had.... If you have the band exposed to do the dye test... Insist to your doctor to replace the port if there is no leakage when the band is totally filled.

What I am saying is, it could take up to an hour or more to see any substantial loss of Fluid when the band is totally filled. My doctor only watched for 20 mins and did not see any dye on the port and told me its deep down inside. But when he withdrew the whole 10cc of dye, it was all there. Therefor the was no evidence of leaking and also my band was in free air (not inside my stomach). I asked him to repalce the port, but I sure wish I would have INSISTED he replace it... It might have saved me from replacing the whole band.

I also feel that it was a mistake for me to have the VG band. At the time of my band replacement, There was 7cc in it and I was eating all I wanted as if there was no band... I did have some bp's but only if I ate the wrong things.

Although they "prime" the band and tubing with saline prior to surgery I have read that a .5cc variance is acceptable. My last fill they were able to remove 1.0cc even though I was only supposed to have 0.8cc at the time.

Sorry for all the leaking ports! WOW! Definitely get a fluoro DrewsLou, my second fill was actually an unfill. They drew out my fill but were not in the port to give back the fluid. Expensive mistakes..the fluoro is worth it.

As far as slow leaks.. I have heard they can use Omnipaque as a fill, it is thick and less likely to leak. It's use may nullify the Inamed warranty though.

What kind of warranty?- its not like they pay to replace a leaky band, tubing or port. The surgeon fee should be in the warranty. Getting a new band is useless without installation.

I would rather void my warranty than have it replaced.

I had not only a port leak but a bamd leak and he didn't have to do surgery to find it out. However I know nothing about the VG band.

I had my first fill in Dec last year under fluro. 3 weeks later I went back in for more and when he pulled out what he had put in which was 1cc NOTHING came out. So 3 weeks later we did the fill under fluro. It was obvious that I had a small leak in the port and a major leak in the band.

I would think that under fluro would be the fasted easiest way to find out. He never filled my 4cc band up to see what was going on. I would guess from my experience that you do not have a band leak. Port leaks are a lot more common, however that also was seen with the dye under fluro.

Good luck.

I am certified to access lapband ports (no, I don't do my own), mediports, and chemoports. All are made by Inamed and can accomodate any needle but huber needles (right angle shaped) are recommended for mediports and chemoports and suggested for lapband ports.

If you were inserting the needle into a lapband (or other Inamed port) you palpate a metal ring and spread your fingers to stabilize the port. You then insert the needle and it feels like you're going through a vinyl-like material. You keep inserting until you feel the needle hit a metal surface. You aspirate and then inject the fluid.

Sometimes, you don't get an aspirate return and that's fine. it happens with other ports as well. If placement is in question, an x-ray or flouroscopy is suggested.

Miper, do you go to Ortiz/Martinez for your fills? If so they would most likely see it since they do fills under flouro and know what they put in the last time you had a fill.