Hi,

I was banded 09-07-06. Since I had 4 fills and I have not lost weight since november 2006. At first I thought that I was on a "plateau" but at the second fill I was told that 30% of fill was missing. The PA filled the band to its previous level and added more... Then at the third fill 60% of liquid was missing (minus 2.5cc) in 4 weeks.

Two weeks later I was at the hospital for a check-up with contrast. The band was fill with contrast and all the system was checked under x-ray and the result was: NO LEAK. However, at that time I had lost 25% of previous fill... just 2 weeks before :cake: .

I asked the PA explanation about the missing liquid but was told that there was none at this time and that we will check again in 4 weeks. :omg: :girl_hug:

So my question is: Does anyone had similar experience? Does anyone have answer about that loosing fill but no leak situation ?

Thanks and ciao... for now.

Sometimes they don't fill the band with saline during surgery but air instead. They don't actually fill the "band" but they fill the tubing. (Think of a straw and suck all the air out of it)

When the air is replaced with saline it "appears" the fill has gone away. In reality, it's just air being replaced with saline.

I'm having a situation myself. I just found out I have a leak...but my PA told me that they have no way of knowing where the leak is unless they go in and find out. He said the GI doesn't show a leak.....the contrast went right through my band, too. I just lost 4cc's.....he put 3.2 in yesterday, then I go back in in 2 weeks, to find out what's left...if there's 2.5 or less, they'll go in and find where the leak is. I don't think they know by just a GI...just like my pa says....your doc needs to go in and test the port and tubing to find out where it is......if it's not one of those 2, which it most likely is, then it would be in the band.....it would be a pretty simple procedure they said to just replace the port or tubing.....Let me know if this helps.....

I had a leak in my tubing that wasn't immediatley apparent under flouro. We waited for a good 30 minutes and finally saw it oozing.

I wonder how they can possibly say that you DO NOT have a leak and you are consistantly losing your fills?? That just doesn't make sense.

I had my tubing and port replaced in November and it was a pretty easy procedure, took about 15 minutes in the OR!

Good luck to you and keep us posted! Feel free to PM me if I can help!

I thought I had a leak too.Everytime I got a fill of a certain amount,the next month I would go back for another fill and the Dr withdrew less than he had put in 4 weeks before.I also didn't feel restriction with the first 3 fills.Dr Kuri did flouros monthly and never found a leak,Finally under xray ,he found I had a kink and twist in my line.The saline was actually never getting to the band but staying in the tubing,so everytime he tryed to withdrawal the saline,the kink was tightening causing a sort of vaccuum and he wasn't able to pull out the original amount of saline.Anyways I had to go back into surgery and have the kink/twist removed and the port repositioned.Everything has been working fine ever since.

You know, the kink/twist thing in the tubing would probably make sense....he says he feels pressure when trying to put in the saline when it gets to 2. something cc's....I really wonder now if that could be the deal. I'm gonna mention it to the doc.....You'd think if he felt pressure then I'd feel restricted...fact of the matter though, is that I don't feel any restriction.....

Your leak maybe too small to detect. I would have them fill you with that flat tire solution. It worked for me and I've kept 3.0 cc for about 5 weeks now.

I've never heard of flat tire solution....some sort of stop-leak stuff?? I'm guessing?

Yes, exactly. I don't know how to spell it, it is something like ompique or along those lines. It works really well. Its thicker than saline. I would ask for that for sure.

Thanks so much! I will!

I *think* it's called Omnipaque???

That "no restriction" thing could just be due to not enough fill... if you haven't ever had it - it may just be cause you have a big band. It took 6 fills (or 7? so many I can't recall...) to get to anything resembling restriction. I have the VG "big" band - so it takes a lot of fills to get there.

Good luck! Hope the "Mystery of the Missing Saline" is solved soon!

:]

I have had the band for nearly 2 years...I used to be restricted....then I got sick, and got a fill,and ever since I have no restriction...I've got a 10 band....and it is actually normal for it to be pretty full...apparently I require a lot before I'm restricted. I literally went from restriction, to none. How do you all get the tickers and things at the bottom of each of your screens???

I have the same problem!!

I am new here, but not new to the lap band. I was banded in MX in Dec 2003. It worked very well for 3 years. I lost the majority of the wt. UNTIL I got an unfilled (left 1cc only) because I was pregnant. After having my baby and (50 pounds later I might add), I have not been retaining ANY fluid in the band!! The doc did 2 flouros and saw no leak, yet one hour later, NOTHING was in the band. I am wondering if the pregnancy pulled the port connection apart??? I am waiting to hear from the doc on what the next step is....:help:

HI, Just joined this site. Banded Nov 2004 and lost some weight but eventually felt no restriction. I paid in cash so I only had 1 year free follow up. Now that my year is over I have to pay cash for everything. Dr. pulled out saline that was supposed to be atr 2cc (small band) but there was less than 1cc in there. Went back just last week ($120) and he checked level again less than 1cc so he put in total of 2cc. couldn't hardly drink water in his office so I did liquids for several days but her I am 1week later and feeling no restriction. Just ate whole plate of pasta with bread. He thinks I should see his nutritionist ($75) to learn how to eat right. I think I deserve to find out why this thing doesn't work like they said it would. How do I get tested for a leak. If equipment is faulty who pays. What did I get for my $15000. Any advice??? BEA

Your Dr can see the leak by flouroscopy.In my case I had a kink that was only seen by Xray.(you can read more about it in my post a few days ago) More than likely you would probably be the one who would have to pay,if you needed some kind of repair,especially since you've had it a few years already.I was going to have to pay to have mine repaired and had only had my band for 3 months,which made me very upset,I was also cash pay and had just paid $8,995 ! Then my Dr reconsidered that I only had it a short time and he paid all the charges to his anesthesiologist,ect.

HI, Just joined this site. Banded Nov 2004 and lost some weight but eventually felt no restriction. I paid in cash so I only had 1 year free follow up. Now that my year is over I have to pay cash for everything. Dr. pulled out saline that was supposed to be atr 2cc (small band) but there was less than 1cc in there. Went back just last week ($120) and he checked level again less than 1cc so he put in total of 2cc. couldn't hardly drink water in his office so I did liquids for several days but her I am 1week later and feeling no restriction. Just ate whole plate of pasta with bread. He thinks I should see his nutritionist ($75) to learn how to eat right. I think I deserve to find out why this thing doesn't work like they said it would. How do I get tested for a leak. If equipment is faulty who pays. What did I get for my $15000. Any advice??? BEA