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.....

Well I called my doctor and asked for a prescription of Emla Cream and the Nurse said "For WHAT" I told her that after what I went through I want to be numb for my next visit. The nurse told me that patients don't use anything for numbing cuz it doesn't hurt but if I insist then they will use lidocaine cream. So I told her that I want the Lidocaine cream for sure! She said they have it in the office and to request it when I come in. I better not find out when I get there that its the lidocaine shot instead of cream.

I don't know what my doctor uses, but he gives me a little shot of something before he fills me. Then he pokes me for the fill but the entire process takes about 30 seconds.

Laura- Best of luck with your next fill. I hope it's much easier for you! Just one quick note- IMO you want both the cream and the shot. The cream numbs you up for the outside sticks and the internal keeps you from feeling all your internal organs are being poked at. If you have a lot of anxiety, be sure to ask your PCP for an Rx of Xanax or Valium. Again, best of luck!

I had surgery on 7/11/07 and just went for first fill yesterday. I had been losing weight fast so he put it off. Yesterday I had lost 3 lbs in 6 weeks (according to my scale I lost 6 but oh well).

Mine did not go well BUT he stopped right away (after 2 pokes of the needle) and is setting me up to do it in the hospital under x-ray. The nurse who set up the stuff for the fill said people always say how gentle he is. I was OK with the pain. Just that familiar "pinch".

Only problem is he hit a vessel and I bled onto my shirt and pants (He just had me unbutton rather than take it off). He was so apologetic thinking it ruined my clothes, but it came right out that night in the wash. I was afraid for him since he had a waiting room full of people and seeing someone walking out with a blood stained white dress shirt might have made them flee for their lives. He said not to worry but I beat it out of there fast with my hand covering it best I could. He was laughing about it but I could tell he appreciated it too.

Hi, just received my first fill on Wednesday the 24th. I didn't have a flouro or an ultrasound. The doctor looked around for the port and stuck the needle in and within 3 minutes that saline solution was in there. I do though have pain 1 inch below where the injection was made for the port. Do you have any port pain?

My port hurt for 2 1/2 weeks after he tried to fill me. I couldn't sleep on it until 3 days ago. Next Thursday will be 1 month since he tried to fill me.

Hi,

I had the same thing happen to me last week. I went for my first fill and after 1 hr and 30min, and continuous poking, they said I would have to return in Dec to try it again. They said my band was tilted. This upset me something terrible that day.

When I had my surgery the doctor put the port at the top of my abdomen right under the breast in the middle. You can run your hand over it as it sticks out like a button. When I read about people having so many troubles I wonder why all doctors don't put the ports with easy access like that. It would seem to me to be easier for everybody. When I got my first fill I told him I had heard about people getting their ports placed down around their belly buttons and stuff and I know with ME...they would never find it there. He said with as many fills as he does, he doesn't have the time to be spending 15 minutes with each person digging around for it, so I guess that makes sense to me...:cry

I use a different Dr. for fills, than the one who placed my band, so the first fill, was a shot in the dark literally! He poked me over 10 times---finally gave up, and was sending me to the hosp. for Fluro. My SIL and I were banded together, so she went next, and he hit hers first time out...hers has always shown. So he wanted to try and see if mine was in the same position, he said most Dr.'s have a certain spot they use. Sure enough he got it that time out.

I have a low profile port, and it was an awful small area to hit....about the size around of a pencil eraser, on a belly damn near the size of a football field!!!

Second time around was only a few pokes....and I have never needed another fill...now I have lost enough weight to easily feel the port, so it will not be an issue~~~whew!

Hang in there, it isn't fun...but it is the best we have for now~~~and since our surgery did not re route our insides, if they come up with the remote band they are delveloping, we can always have ours changed over---a huge advantage over permanent removal of intestines!!!

IMHO

Kat

GOOD NEWS!! I went to the doctor last thursday for my fill and it went great!

I told my doctor that I had been a nervous wreck for the last month because of what happened the last time. He gave me Lidocaine cream but when I finally got into the room it had worn off.

My doc told me that he could give me a Lidocaine shot. I got the Lidocaine shot and it didn't hurt at all. I saw him pick up the needle to fill my band and I said "wait a minute and make sure I am numb" and he said "why I already stuck it in". I couldn't believe it, it was all over in seconds. I never felt a thing and he hit the port right off the bat and then I was done.

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.....

YES!!! I thought I would either hit the Dr. or pass out. After 3 tries and the needle "digging" and "popping", she finally had the nurse practitioner come in and do it (she got it right away). The Dr's excuses were: "you're still swollen" "the port is two deep" "take a deeper breath and push your stomach out more." Talk about "Buyer's Remorse!" The only empathy I got was that the needle is "so thin" I really "shouldn't be feeling anything." If I ever go back for another fill -- I will insist that the Nurse Practitioner do it or that I get "numbed" -- thanks for everyone's feedback.

Hi,

I had the same problem, the needle initially used was to small. It took Dr Speigel at least 6 tries before he decided to use a larger needle. I thought the 2nd fill would be better and I guess it was since it only took 4 tries this time.

What we want do to lose the weight!

I am still learning about the lapband, haven't had surgery yet. From what I've read above, the port does not have anything that hangs outside the body, right? Can you feel it under your skin? When you loose weight, is there a visible bulge in your abdomen?

Are You Crazy????? It Should Never Be Painfull...get A Different Doc In Your Area!!!!! Yours May Be Able To Do Great Surgery, But Filling That Port Correctly Come From A Lot Of Experience...dont Put Up With That!

Good Luck!!

Laura, what you experienced isnt that uncommon. Some people have difficult fills at first due to many reasons. I had a difficult fill my first time as well. I was stuck 12 times, but the PA used lidocaine to numb first, so it wasnt bad. However, she wasnt able to access the port. So I was scheduled to go to the hospital to Interventional Radiology and have the fill done under fluoro.

This is done by a radiologist, under a special type of xray viewing, which shows the band, the tubing, and the port. So I will have mine done under fluoro for a while until I lose more weight.

Some of the reasons for the difficulty is: 1- the port had to be sewn into deep fat tissue; 2-at first the port can move more because there is still alot of fat tissue in the belly; 3-inexperience of the dr; 4-one or both stitches holding the port in place has broken. these last 2 reasons are worse case scenarios.

so just ask your doctor if you can have it done under fluoro (if your insurance will cover it of course). Or ask if someone else in the office could try, AFTER numbing you with lidocaine.

It will get better, dont give up!! Good luck!!