So I have had my band for 6 months and no problems at all. I was banded in Mexico and have a local Doctor doing my fills. I did ask him the other day which emergency room he would recommend if I had an issue... he recommended not going to my local ER.

Anyway, let's hope I keep my band a long time and never have problems but I want to be prepared for an ER visit if I have to. I have my card that came with my band. What other information would be helpful to have to pass on to a doctor...example- what is the correct needle to use to access the port? Would it be appropriate to ask them to use an Ultrasound Machine to locate my port (this is what my fill doc does)....

Anyways, I know some of you have had to go to the ER and perhaps could pass that info along. Thanks!

First, don't let anyone near your port who doesn't have lots of experience accessing them. If the ER can't reach your local band surgeon to come unfill it, and the hospital doesn't have one of their own that can do it, you could ask them to call an oncology RN in a pinch. They access portacath ports frequently and that is not the same, but similar enough. They use a non coring, huber needle. Do NOT let the ER doc try to access your port!

If for any reason someone needs to pass an NG or OG tube (nasogastric/orogastric) you need your band unfilled first, or they need to do it under fluoroscopy if your restriction isn't too tight and they can't unfill it for some reason (or quickly enough). Don't let anyone blindly pass any tube into your stomach, or you could end up with a perforated stomach.

HTH.