Have you had a leak in your port/tubing and had to have it replaced?

sue11 · October 17, 2008

RedTulpis3...

Where you self-pay or did you have insurance to cover your band and the replacement? It's not so much haveing another surgery that bothers me...I just can't afford another $13,000.

Sue

Maincat · October 17, 2008

I had my tubing and port replaced after Fluid leaked during a fill. Easy operation, one night in hospital. Not looked back since.

sue11 · October 18, 2008

How did they know you had a leak and who paid for the replacement? I'm a self-pay and they want over $500 for the test to find out if I have a leak.Sue

Maincat · October 18, 2008

How did they know you had a leak and who paid for the replacement? I'm a self-pay and they want over $500 for the test to find out if I have a leak.Sue

They saw the leaking Fluid on the live xray images. The NHS paid for the replacement.

ismeuk2008 · October 18, 2008

HI Sue11

I had a leak in the lower tubing, this was punctured on my first fill.. I had some trouble getting anyone to listen and belive that I had less restriction than post op. The fill provider was recommended by the hospital I used and the fill was also done in the same hospital. Fortunately my surgeon was called in after the fill providers 6 attempts could not find the port to fill me, he filled me first time.

As he defilled prior to fill and found blood, he instructed the fill provider to put this info in my notes.. I think he suspected damage.

Not sure if the fill providers insurance paid, but my surgeon replaced my tubing 6 week later at no expense to my self..

The operation was under a local, and I was discharged later that night.. I was a self pay..not cheap here in UK.. But I am very nervouse about getting my second fill

ismeuk2008 · October 18, 2008

Hi I should have said between damage of first fill had to return 2 weeks later and had fill level checked by defilling and finding out what was in tubing... I was nearly empty only has 1/4ml left out of 5.5.. so this confirmed my leak..or rather my punctured tubing

sue11 · October 22, 2008

Miles2empty...

I'm REALLY curious what Oh had to say at your appointment. Please catch me up, I'm in the same boat as you, but am still waiting for the office to call me back.

Sue

youknowit · October 22, 2008

miles2empty- I had a leak in my band and my doc could not find where it was. I definitely had one because I had 3.2cc in my band and 3 weeks later it was all gone. We did a test and put in 3 cc and within a week less than 1cc was left. I had my band replaced 3 weeks ago. I got an entirely new band. We didn't do any x-rays/contrast tests to try to find a leak because my dr. said it was pointless. The reason being because the band needed to be replaced regardless, and because if the leak is in the band itself (as opposed to the tubing) you may not be able to see it in an x-ray because the band is encased by the stomach that is pulled up and sewn all around it.
Before my doc removed my old band, he injected methylene blue dye and he couldn't find the leak. Then after he removed it, he injected saline into it and there was no leak. The band was sent back to Allergan to find out the issue and we're waiting to hear what they say.

My doc thinks that the issue is as such: The balloon that holds the saline is designed to withstand a certain amount of pressure from being filled and the Fluid will not leak out. What he thinks happened with my band is that the saline did not evenly distribute itself around the entire band. Instead, it collected in one area of the balloon, thereby putting too much pressure on the balloon, which caused it to become permeable and the saline leaked out of that area. So there may not have been an actual "hole" or puncture per se, but only when there was extreme pressure on one part of the band, the fluid leaked out. This explains why he didn't see a leak when he replaced my band and also why I didn't feel any restriction with 3.2cc in a 4cc band because it wasn't functioning the way it should.

I wasn't happy about being rebanded, but I wanted to have a functioning band that would do what is was supposed to do.

Hi there RedTulips -- In my many months of researching the "leak situation" etc, I did come acrossed someone else who had this same problem as you did... I guess Allergan calls that a "bubble", which like you said, the saline congregates in one spot, and can't evenly distribute itself. The lady I know who had this problem is STILL dealing with them on this. They did make her have a fluoroscopy, etc, and want her to have an Allergan representative in the OR during her surgery. She STILL is going to pay for all of this upfront, so she hasn't had the re-do surgery yet, because she can't afford it. Very odd that a number of people with the LAST generation band are having these "Bubble Junction" "Leak" etc... issues.

Hope you are well! - :sad_smile:

RedTulips3 · October 31, 2008

RedTulpis3...
Where you self-pay or did you have insurance to cover your band and the replacement? It's not so much haveing another surgery that bothers me...I just can't afford another $13,000.

Sue

Sue, I was self pay for the first band. The second time around, since the hospital actually provided the defective band to the doc, my hospital stay and anesthesia was covered. However, I did have to pay my dr.'s fee for performing surgery, which was $3000 and I was fortunate enough to have the ability to pay for it.

Hi there RedTulips -- In my many months of researching the "leak situation" etc, I did come acrossed someone else who had this same problem as you did... I guess Allergan calls that a "bubble", which like you said, the saline congregates in one spot, and can't evenly distribute itself. The lady I know who had this problem is STILL dealing with them on this. They did make her have a fluoroscopy, etc, and want her to have an Allergan representative in the OR during her surgery. She STILL is going to pay for all of this upfront, so she hasn't had the re-do surgery yet, because she can't afford it. Very odd that a number of people with the LAST generation band are having these "Bubble Junction" "Leak" etc... issues.
Hope you are well! - :teeth_smile:

I didn't have any need to contact Allergan directly, but perhaps my dr. did. I think we dealt with the insurance co. and the hospital more so than Allergan. Of course the band was sent back to Allergan to "diagnose" the problem, but we're still waiting to hear back from them.

When you say last generation do you mean the older one? Originally I had the VG 4cc band (the older one). My new band is the AP small 4cc.

sadie9759 · November 7, 2008

yes, I am self pay and went through Lap Bands for Less, based out of Louisianna but had the surgery done in Dallas, TX. MY surgery cost $11,000.00 and the band is the idamed or something like that. It's a 10cc band and I have 5cc in thus far and am not feeling restriction. Last fill was under floro and the dr said everything looked fine but I have to wonder, I too am thinking a slow leak. I am insisting on dr removing what cc's are in band on 11-26-08 just to find out what's really in there, I'll keep u posted. Keep smilin, things will go our way soon!

sadie9759 · November 7, 2008

not yet, but am thinking thayt's the problem

sue11 · November 11, 2008

I had my leak test today, and it came out exactly as I said it would. My band was empty, but no leak showed. I have a slow leak that doesn't show on the test, but I've been filled 4 times now and there is nothing in my band. Now I have to wait another 2 1/2 weeks for my followup apt to see whaqt the next step is. I'm sure my leak is in the port, so I think I will just have it replaced, the question will be who pays for it? (My dr put a hole in my band during a fill...but will he admit it?)Sue

sadie9759 · November 12, 2008

hey sue, I too am thinking that I have a slow leak and am insisting that my dr. try to remove what is in my band if anything on the 24th. I'm so damn mad, and frustrated because my surgery was done in Feb 08 and I think I've lost 10 lbs, how dissappointing!!!! Keep me up to date on what happens at your appt, ok? Cathy:sad:

sue11 · November 12, 2008

Cathy...My doc draw out first before any fill, he always checks to see what already in before he fills. Sometimes there can be a little "evaporation" that's normal. What make you think you have a leak. It took me 4 fills (6 months) to feel restriction.Sue

adorkbl · November 13, 2008

My doctor finally confirmed today that I have a leak. I have know for over a month... but we kept testing for a bit to make sure. 8cc's was put in 2 weeks ago, only 3cc's was left today. *sigh*

SO frustrated. I have at most maybe experienced 1-2 days of restriction after a fill that quickly went away. Not sure how long this leak has been there.

I feel like I have been on a freaking diet forever! This is not what I paid 10,000 for.