I went to get my first fill last Thursday (banded 8/6/07) and the doctor stuck that needle in my stomach at least 5 different times.

He dug around inside me and slipped 4 times off of the port which felt like he hit my rib or backbone and then one felt like he hit my throat from the inside.

It was horrible he even did an utlra sound before he started and then while the needle was in my stomach he did another one which hurt because he had to push down on my stomach with the utlra sound machine in order to get the picture.

He finally gave up and said that maybe next month after I lose a little weight then he will be able to hit the port.

Has any one else had any problems getting their fills. My daughter who was banded 2 weeks before me has had 2 fills and no problems. However, she did said she thought she was going to pass out watching me trying to get mine.

:help:

Doctor: Dr. Storey / Pasadena, Tx

Banded 08/06/2007

Lost: 17 lbs

110 lbs left to go.....

wow , that is so scary. what are you going to do? is there anyone else you could go to ? i know how painful it is if they MISS. hope you have better luck in the future.

I went to get my first fill last Thursday (banded 8/6/07) and the doctor stuck that needle in my stomach at least 5 different times.

He dug around inside me and slipped 4 times off of the port which felt like he hit my rib or backbone and then one felt like he hit my throat from the inside.

It was horrible he even did an utlra sound before he started and then while the needle was in my stomach he did another one which hurt because he had to push down on my stomach with the utlra sound machine in order to get the picture.

He finally gave up and said that maybe next month after I lose a little weight then he will be able to hit the port.

Has any one else had any problems getting their fills. My daughter who was banded 2 weeks before me has had 2 fills and no problems. However, she did said she thought she was going to pass out watching me trying to get mine.

:help:

Doctor: Dr. Storey / Pasadena, Tx

Banded 08/06/2007

Lost: 17 lbs

110 lbs left to go.....

Sorry to read about your terrible expereince - My doc numbs you up first thankfully cuz it took him a while to find the soft spot in my port to fill.

I would go back and tell him to try again - but numb you up first...

Sorry to say but it sounds like an inexperienced fill doctor. There are a hugeeee difference in fill doctors. If there is more than one available at the place u go to you might wanna just try a different one. Wow sorry to hear it went so badly.

Laura- I think we are sisters in torturous fills. I was banded three days after you and had a terrible time with my first fill (feel free to read the long diatribe on the next page) last week. Make sure and request lidocaine next time- topical cream AND internal injections for all the sticks. Next time I'm also going to pop a valium or xanax- you can request that from your MD. Some of us are just have harder to get at ports, body type (i.e. more fat in front of the port) and yes, physician experience plays a part too. I hope your next try goes much better!!

I went to get my first fill last Thursday (banded 8/6/07) and the doctor stuck that needle in my stomach at least 5 different times.

Laura, if you are close to Houston or Dallas, why don't you go to Dr. Stephanie Eijsink at College Station or come up to Dallas to see Dr. Fred Maese who has an office both in Ferris and North Dallas. These two are real pros - people fly in from all over to use them.

I just had a slight fill Tuesday with Dr. Maese, first one I have had in about 9 months, I can't say that it really hurts and don't use anything to numb with. I am at goal, just want to lose another 2-3 lbs.

There was another girl there who had drove in from Memphis who had been using him for years.

Mary

Thanks for the replies I am glad to know that I am not the only one out there that has problems.

I hope that the port is in correctly though because that would suck if I had to have surgery again.

I suffer from severe panic attacks and have for 12 years. It took me 3 years to get up the nerve to do this and then 6 months of insurance required doctors visits (which I had a full blown panic attack on each visit).

I cried the whole time I was in the area waiting to go back to surgery and luckily a girl I knew from high school saw me crying and asked if she could help me. She talked to me and calmed me down, I didn't recognize her at first but she recognized me so it gave us something to talk about. The other nurse had opened my IV wide up and the medicine was burning and my vein was bulging in my arm and then I started to itch. I was so glad she was there to help me.

Afterwards I was so proud of myself for making that far. Then when I went to get my first fill I had my usual nervous stomach (the "runs") and anxiety but for some reason for the first time I didn't have a panic attack. Yet everything that I feared happened, so I'm sure I will have one next time. GREAT!

Dear "pashmina":

I am sorry but your story cracked me up. I am sure I looked very stupid sitting in my room looking at my computer cracking up laughing. I laugh because I can relate so well with it. I too had to do the stomache crunch and I had a pillow under my stomach the whole time. I love your humor though, as I read your story I felt like I was reading my own. I read it to my family telling them this best explains what happened to me. Thank you!

Your experience sounds very close to mine. My initial fill doc always had an excuse for everything. The first time I went he said I had a seroma and to come back in 2 weeks. When I came back he tried locating the port w/an ultrasound. He kept jabbing me, no numbing or anything. Once I felt this horrible pain, I told him and he said he knew he didn't hit any organs or anything. I told me that I couldn't take that pain and to just stop. I told him something didn't feel right and the next thing I know he poked me again. That was it, I told him I was through.

I called and let them know I wasn't coming back. I think a lot of his problem was inexperience. Most of the docs around here aren't that experienced w/the lap band. This set up back some time, but I finally found a good person to do my fills. The downside is I drive 6 hours instead of 20 minutes. Hopefully my next (3rd) trip will be it.

I wish you luck. Numbing really does help. My initial aftercare doc didn't want to numb b/c he said it would be an extra prick, which I agreed with. The doc I go to now used a numbing agent, not a needle and you feel nothing. It is a completely different experience.

Laura- If you got a few laughs out of my misery, I'm ELATED! : ) I wrote my tale of woe hoping that it would at least a few people might be able to relate and smile. I went back for my second fill today and my doc wouldn't do it. I lost too much weight in the ten days in between, so I'll be going back in a few weeks when the restriction has subsided more. It's hard to tell if I'm more disappointed not to get more of a fill or relieved that I didn't have to get stuck with the huge needle.

I'm so sorry about your anxiety issues. I truly can relate! I don't presume to know your medical history, but I did take that Xanax today in preparation and it helped a lot with the knots building in my stomach.

Again, best of luck, and feel free to message me if you ever want to commiserate!

You need a different doctor! My doctor hits it on the first time and it's over with in less than 30 seconds.

wow ...am going to have this surgery...and this scares me a bit...how long till you have to have a FILL ...i guess this is to tighten the band ??? is that what it is for??

how much does it cost...i am in a different country ...and i travel A LOT..so am hoping i can find these 'fill' doctors in different countries.

wow ...am going to have this surgery...and this scares me a bit...how long till you have to have a FILL ...i guess this is to tighten the band ??? is that what it is for??

how much does it cost...i am in a different country ...and i travel A LOT..so am hoping i can find these 'fill' doctors in different countries.

You usually have it filled about 6 weeks after surgery. How many times varies. The doctors fill you slowly so less chance of band slippage. I wish you luck with finding doctors in different countries. You might wanna try the Allergan :: USA site. I think they list doctors there.

I suffer from Panic Attacks too! Every time I think about my operation I feel a little weird in my stomach. I will take meds before I go and my husband will be with me. I can relate very well.

Does anyone know or can anyone find out what the numbing agent is that they use to numb the port site instead of using a needle because if I can find out then I am going to call my doctor and ask him to have it. I go in on Nov 1st.

For those who have asked…..Dr. Storey is the only doctor on my insurance in Houston and the surrounding area, so I feel a little stuck on where else to go.

You know the funny thing is that all my family told me not to get the lap band, because with my luck, if something can go wrong then it usually does with me. I just thought that with all the hell I have been through in my life I deserved this to work for me. I finally got up the strength to do something for myself and I don’t think that asking for this to go smoothly is too much to ask for.

Okay, enough self pity for me….dam that felt good though!

Laura-

The Numbing Agent That Is Topical Is Called Emla Cream. I'm A Nurse And This Is What We Apply Over Dialysis Patients Port Sites. You Need A Prescription For This And Then You Can Just Get It At The Pharmacy And Apply It 30mins-1hr Before Your Fill. Best Of Luck!!

Laura,

I wouldn't worry about the first fill. Mine was not a wonderful experience - not as bad as yours but I think he hit a couple of organs!! My Dr said that especially after surgery there is a lot of scar tissue that makes it more difficult to find the port. I've had numerous fills since then and they haven't been a problem. My dr. does numb me up before.