I am getting ready for my first fill, all the places in AZ that do fills, none do it routinely with fluoroscopy. But I was warned by my Dr. (Zapata), to avoid fills that don't use Xray, cause they can puncture, and make leaks in the port tube. My impression is that most people don't have Xray/fleuro when they get fills? Any comment?

My doc uses x-ray...that's a nice little extra $178 for the radiologist. (plus $200 for the fill) :eek:

I,M HAVING MY FIRST FILL ON OCT19TH UNDER XRAY/FLURO OR AS WE IN THE UK CALL IT MAGNESIUM SWALLOW OR BARIUM MEAL...LOL THAT COMES INCLUDED IN THE PRICE BUT AFTER THAT FILLS ARE DONE BLIND NOT LITERALLY BLIND BUT YOU GET WHAT I MEAN. I WORRY THAT THE PORT TUBE COULD BE PUNCTURED BUT WILL HAVE TO HOPE FOR THE BEST.

I am getting ready for my first fill, all the places in AZ that do fills, none do it routinely with fluoroscopy. But I was warned by my Dr. (Zapata), to avoid fills that don't use Xray, cause they can puncture, and make leaks in the port tube. My impression is that most people don't have Xray/fleuro when they get fills? Any comment?

I have never had a fill under flouro.... Good luck with yours!

My doc doesn't use fluoro either. I have mixed feelings about that. I would like the reassurance that everything is in place (no signs of slip, dilation etc.), but I know 2 of the radiologists at this hospital and want the band to remain a secret.

However I was able to see my port today on a back x-ray. I forgot about it being visible and I guess you're supposed to tell them about it in advance.

My doctor does not use fluoro for fills. We do it in his office. I can feel my port fine by touching my stomach so I hope they can find it okay! Plus, I can feel the saline moving through the tube..eery.

I had a barium swallow after surgery but have had nothing like that since. I imagine if I were having any trouble, that would be the next step, but it is not routine in my MD office.

Our doctor does them under the x-ray not sure how many times before he does them in the office. This will be a good question to bring up when we see him on Monday for our first fill.

Chris

I am getting ready for my first fill, all the places in AZ that do fills, none do it routinely with fluoroscopy. But I was warned by my Dr. (Zapata), to avoid fills that don't use Xray, cause they can puncture, and make leaks in the port tube. My impression is that most people don't have Xray/fleuro when they get fills? Any comment?

The best article I know of is the INAMED instructions to bariatric surgeons. It specifies fluoroscope for fills.

The reasons that my Doctor, William Neal, M.D. quoted for using fluoroscope were these:

1. Easy to locate the port.

2. Increases likelihood of a one-stick fill.

3. Decreases the likelihood of puncturing the tubing.

4. Decreases the likelihood of tearing the septum, the thin membrane that goes across the port.

5. Verifies that the fill needle is in the port before saline injection.

6. Prevents saline injection into abdominal viscera.

7. Verifies the position of the port, and allows port flip to be seen easily.

8. Visually confirms lack of esophageal spasms.

9. Visually confirms lack of pouch enlargement.

10. Visually confirms an open stoma at the conclusion of the fill.

11. Allows tighter stoma because the tech can add saline until the stoma closes, then BARELY OPEN IT back up.

12. Allows checking for a slipped band, and verifies correct placement of the band with each fill.

Dr. Neal believes in fluoroscope so strongly he bought one when he opened his new office in Olympia, WA last year.

http://www.pacsurgical.com/

Quoting:

"We have nutritional and psychological counseling resources, scales (2) to 1000 lbs., an IV Fluid hydration suite, a fluoroscopy suite for band adjustments and a large conference room for informational forums and support groups, all under one roof."

Mine was done in office with no problem just used ultrasound quickly to make sure the port was where is placed it originally.

Yeah, my doctor followed #11 this morning. I watched the barium go down and come to a screeching halt, then he removed just a little bit a of saline, and a tiny little squirt of barium was going through. To scale the difference, I'd say the difference between what could flow through a typical dinner water glass and what could flow through the inside of a ball-point pen. It looked that drastic.

My 2 fills were both done under fluro. I went to a local doc here that used an ultrasound, not fluro. He could never find the part. He kept making excuses and I decided not to go back to him.

After my initial experience, I will only use fluro.

Well the wife and I both had are first fills today. It took about 15 minutes for each of us. I got 1cc in my band and the wife got 2 1/2cc. I got to see most of the procedure on the screen The band looks good and is in the right place and the port is just above the belly button.

We sure can tell allready that the fill is working. We have both notice it takes longer to eat and drink etc. She was 6 and I was 5 weeks out from surgery. We went to the doctors office and I weighed in at 217. Day of surgery I was 231 and first doc visit I was 250. So maybe by the 1st of the year I might be at 200 or less. The wife is loosing a little slower but that was expected according to the doctor. One thing he did say that was a surprised and have not heard much talked about it is that men have/hold there fat in by the stomach area and that is why I did not get more than 1cc since I had great restriction. women hold there fat more on the outside.

So all in all we are both please with how were are doing with the WLS etc. My wife sister had her surgery last Thursday.

The biggest problem/challenge that we have both had, and more for me than my wife is learning to re-work the drinking and eating schedule. Iam a person who can work 2-3 hours and not take a break and then come in and drink or eat. Now you can not do that. I have learned the hard that is for sure. I wonder if anyone else has had that problem and how they cured the problem. The doctor did say that is one of the major problems that people talk/complain about.

Chris