i have noticed that many have multiple sticks to find the port, had my first fill with multiple sticks. concerns me that one of them could have punctured tubing, how will i know. i would just die if i had to replace it on the first stick being self payand all.from now on strictly fluoro for me!

It was just on here a while back where the woman had her's replaced I can't remember who it was but after they replaced her tubing she brought her old tubing home and her husband filled it with water and red food coloring and you could see several holes where it was just pouring out. I know with my band and fills I am up to over 15,000.00 cash and I sure don't want to have to have mine replaced. The first fill I got after poking three times he took me to fluro and hit it right off. To me even though some docs don't like using the fluro for the extra time envolved it's the safest way to go.

thanks for the reply i hope i got lucky this time and next time will definately use fluor. i wish i knew how to tell

My first fill I had 12 sticks... it was my first fill and I didn't know that was abnormal but it took 2 hours and I was SCARED to death that she'd punctured but she didn't. I do know that I had to sign a form that they weren't responsible if they did puncture the tubing so check the forms before you sign and see if that's a stipulation. BTW, my last 2 fills have been 1-4 stick.

have u ever had a leak from all the sticks or do u have good restriction?

i had my first fill yesterday under fluoro and after talking to the doc and going thru the experience i would never get a fill without fluoro. my doc said that the port can wear out much faster with multiple pokes with the needle as well as the higher risk of hitting the tubing when not using fluoro. he is very cautious to make sure it is just one stick in the port for each fill. i had never thought about the port wearing out but he said some docs dont use the right type of needle and the meshing on the port will eventually not seal properly from the wrong needles. i dont know how true all of this is but it sounds logical to me and something i had never thought of.

kim

I am going to be banded in Jan and I have decided after being on the boards for months now that I am pretty sure im doing all my fills via flouro .

My doc does the first one under flouro anyway .

But I think being self pay as well that I cant risk or afford not to .

I think i also read in a book im reading now that ppl who do fills under flouro tend to have less fills before they reach their sweet spot.

So Im opting for flouro every time. I think in the long run the $100 i'll have to pay for that is worth it .

Mindy

i think u are right, and a lot less worry, i will do this (fluoro)from now on also.

Wow....I have had 7 fills by two different Docs....every fill was dead on with the first poke....always painless.

I've had such a great experience right along, since the first consultation....I'm sorry to hear that it hasn't been that way for some of you.

Good Luck

Carol

a friend of mine goes to the same doc that im going to use and her first fill was under flouro . The Dr wants to do the first one under to get a feel for the placement , location ect.. He did her second fill with out the flouro and hits the port every time the first time. One thing I read that made sense to me was under flouro the doc can see the flow of the barium therefore see the amount of restriction that you are getting. Its not a guess when your not under the Xray . Even though my first yrs of fills are free if i dont use flouro I think i'll still opt for the $100 if it means I might needs LESS fills , less pokes and better restriction ?

Just my opinion of it. I might change my mind after being banded. LOL

MIndy

Both of my fills have been simply by feel, and done by a different Dr. than the original surgeon. It took several pokes both times. The second time, was better, he had an idea where exactly to go.

What I don't get is the Dr. saying the port will wear out. Inamed states how many times it was tested and all that...but the point is...once the actual port is found and hit, it is not "poked" anymore times than if it had been a one shot fluoro fill. The multiple pokes are PRIOR to hitting, or finding the port. I understand the concern over the tubing...but not the worry of wearing out the port. Because my port has been poked twice---I have been poked well more than twice!!! But I have not had any fills or unfills done since July. Some people have 5 or 6 fills, a couple of unfills...and evenif they are all done under fluoroscopy...they have still been poked more often---is this really that bad? Any other Dr.s mention that?

Just curious!

Oh yeah has anyone else heard how the thread concerning re-using the Huber needle ended up?

Kat

Don't forget that even with fluoro, and seeing the amount of restriction, that the amount of restriction is very likely to change from what you see. Due to swelling following a fill, movement of the saline withinthe system etc. My SIL had her last fill with fluoro. It was her first refill following complete unfill, and she thought since she could see it, all was well, and ate too soon, she ended up making another trip (our fill Dr. is 6 hours away) and is once again unfilled. Even if you can "See" it, you need to take it easy on your stomach following any adjustment!

Anything to avoid pain!!!!

Kat

It's Flouro for me

All of my fills and unfills use fluro. However, all but 2 of my sticks, have been without the aid of the camera attachment. That is, with one stick they were able to access my port. The fluro was used to check that the barium was flowing properly. Two times the PA was unsure of where the needed was and used the camera to locate the port exactly. Never have I had more than one stick.

My barium flows through me and indicates on the fluro that I'm wide open. However, experience has taught me that is not a good indicator for me. For some reason I'm unable to tolerate large fills and must limit them to around .3. So, just because the fluro shows you wide open and everyone is tempted to put in more, evaluate the total fill for that day before deciding. Some of us are late swellers and don't get restriction for days later.

Don't forget that even with fluoro, and seeing the amount of restriction, that the amount of restriction is very likely to change from what you see. Due to swelling following a fill, movement of the saline withinthe system etc. My SIL had her last fill with fluoro. It was her first refill following complete unfill, and she thought since she could see it, all was well, and ate too soon, she ended up making another trip (our fill Dr. is 6 hours away) and is once again unfilled. Even if you can "See" it, you need to take it easy on your stomach following any adjustment!

Anything to avoid pain!!!!

Kat

Im not sure if this is what you meant or not . But for me its not a matter of if I can see it or not . Its a matter the the DOC can see it. For me its a the fact the doc can see the flow , he should know the amount of flow even with swelling is going to give you such and such restriction once swelling goes down, with actually seeing it , he know's ( and I do ) the tubing is not being punctured and is not leaking. Its not a matter of "all is well' So pig out. Of course you have to still follow ur docs instructions. My docs post fill diet is VERY conservative, its almost a week before ur on solids again after a fill. I realize its more conservative than other docs BUT He's got the stats to back it up . So i'll follow it.

So if it means less sticks, possibly avoiding another surgery and less fills in the long run , flouro is worth it to me.

Mindy

First of all I was not intending to sound like I was putting you or your Dr.'s way of doing things down. My point was made because I have read many, many posts from people who EAT on the way home from a fill, simply because it was done with fluoro, and they could see that it was not closed off too tight. That may appear that way when the barium flows through in the office, but swelling does occur. And there is no way to tell how much on each patient. There have been numerous threads regarding how much fill, and how they were done, and each persons body reacts differently, and often times they react differently each time you are adjusted...it is not an exact science. Some people swell instantly, others do not even feel the fill kick in for a week. Which is one of the reasons most Dr.'s mine included have a diet plan in place following all adjustments. While this may just seem like common sense to you, I was just making a "blanket statement" warning new bandsters.

The more posts I read, the more concerned I get that many patients are not or do not have the opportunity to discuss ANYTHING with their Dr. Many do not know why they are on liquids following surgery. They ask weeks into being banded what a PB is! It is difficult to just take for granted that all of us bandsters have had any instruction what so ever!

Like was pointed out earlier, most Dr.'s, they said, did not ask how they wanted the fill...the Dr. plans on doing it his usual way, it is something that needs to be discussed before time for the fill!!! YOU paid for the surgery...it is YOUR body.....YOU will be paying for the fill---get it the way YOU want it!

This is a very important issue with the band, as well as an emotional issue, and, one that is very individual. If you will lie awake at night worrying over it, then by all means, have them done in a amanner so you can relax and not worry 24/7. No one should attempt to tell you how to have them done, it should be between you and your Dr.

Kat