Finally - 3 months after surgery I was getting my first fill this morning. However, Dr. discovered under fluoroscopy that my port had flipped. I have to go under general anesthesia again to have it corrected!!! Anyone else gone thru this???:wink2:

ME!!!!! Except at the time I was 9 months out....it was super easy and nothing like the surgery. It's a pain but nothing to worry about. I am now almost 3 years out and I haven't had another problem.

Good Luck!

I went through it too, 4 months after getting my band. Like Kim said, getting it fixed is no big deal. I was in and out of the hospital in a matter of about 2 hours and back to work the next day. And, I haven't had a problem with my port since, and that was well over a year ago now.

Kim and Susan,

Did you both have to go under general anesthesia or was it done under local?

I had mine done last Thursday. It was general anesthesia and involved some pain since the surgeon also located it to a place where I'm not a squishy. LOL But I was able to attend a wedding two days later, so I guess it's not too bad.

Finally - 3 months after surgery I was getting my first fill this morning. However, Dr. discovered under fluoroscopy that my port had flipped. I have to go under general anesthesia again to have it corrected!!! Anyone else gone thru this???

This same exact thing happened to me today!! I was banded on 2/6/08, and went for my first fill this morning, under flouro. After poking and prodding for over a half hour he found that my port had done a 180 and was facing the complete opposite way, and informed me that he'd have to do another surgical procedure to go in and correct it. I left feeling very disappointed and apprehensive about having to go through surgery all over again.

Now I'm playing the waiting game...someone from the surgeon's office should be calling me hopefully some day soon to schedule the procedure.

At least I know I'll finally get a fill that day, as he said he'll flip the port back and do the fill at the same time.

Thanks for posting, it's comforting to know I'm not the only going through this at this time. Also, thanks to those who have posted responses, they've definitely helped put my mind at ease a little bit. I know he told me it wouldn't be as big of a deal as the first surgery, but it definitely has a greater impact when the person saying it has experienced it firsthand.

We'll have to keep each other updated on our progress!

Hi,

I know exactly how you feel, because this morning I discovered the same thing has happened to me! Last week, I was supposed to have my first fill, but my surgeon could not locate the port after sticking me three times. He said I needed to have the fill done under flouroscopy at the hospital. Well, the x-ray showed that my port had turned sideways.

My doctor informed me that I will need another surgery to reposition the port. He also let me know that it will be a minor surgery, and done outpatient. I was a little shocked, but not at all upset about it. It's no one's fault, and I know my doctor is a very good one, and that I'm in very good hands. He always makes me feel comfortable and at ease.

I got on the scale when I returned home and very happy to see that I had dropped 3 more pounds after a month of no loss, even without the fill! I had been very careful not to overeat, to eat healthy food, and watch my portions.

So, don't worry too much about the surgery to reposition of the port. It will not be anything close to the original surgery, and you'll have your 1st fill and on your journey to weight loss success! :biggrin2:

I wonder how one finds out that the port has flipped. I went in for my 7th fill -----still only at 2.5 cc and the dr. had a -----of a time finding my port. He gave me 3 shots of novicane??? and 4 times trying to find the port. He finally found it and "filled it" ( I have been very hungry since that fill) It was very painfull and also I am still very black and blue after 8 days. Also I seem to have no restriction since this fill. There is nothing that I have found that I cannot eat.

Please tell me what you think.

:confused2:

I just had my port fixed on March 1st due to was flipped. I am three months banded. I was under general anastestia. Had my staples taken out yesterday. The surgery was nothing.

I went to see my doc the 1st time for a fill and he had a hard time finding the port, he tried to put in 2cc's and said he was only able to get one in. then last friday I was trying to get another fill and AGAIN he had a hard time finding the port, he showed me how he had 4cc's and he was only able to get 2 in. I tell you that I feel NO restriction, that day or the next day or now. I do now believe that getting a fill is a rather traumatic experience. I asked him how he knew he got it in and he showed me a model and said that next time he would have one of his colleagues do my fill. I have to say I am not happy about it so far. I dont want him fishing around for the port. He said he does not have the ability to do it under fluoroscopy. I am a little worried. I am going back in 2 weeks to see if I have lost any weight.

My flipped port was discovered after the dr. actually dulled the needle hitting the metal back of the port. Upon examination under fluoroscopy he determined it was flipped. He poked around for quite a while before and I too was black and blue for well over a week. Will have my port flipped back on the 11th. Glad to hear it's not a big deal because I'm due to go away on the 13th!

if you do a search under complications thread you will see other posts from folks who had flipped port

found out my port flipped at my first fill as well when she kept hitting the metal backside. I was the first patient to have this happen in the entire office.

I had mine repositioned the following day and only had a local so I was conscience and went back to work that day with in hour. The local lasted thru the afternoon and that night I only took a couple of Tylenols.its been two months and so far so good.

You're not alone, many of us have had this happen. They discovered mine 5 months post-op, and it was an easy surgery for me. The original surgery had me out for a while, it was worse than I had expected. 2nd Surgery to move my port was an outpatient surgery, I was just super tired from the anesthesia, but in minimal pain. Just felt like I had worked out and the muscles were sore.

Good luck.. and after they fixed the port, they were able to fill me and the pounds melted off!

I just found out my port also flipped and it is also leaking!!! I have to have a new port replaced!! They are charging my $3000. Did anyone else have to have it totally replaced? And how much did they charge you?

Hi,

I know exactly how you feel, because this morning I discovered the same thing has happened to me! Last week, I was supposed to have my first fill, but my surgeon could not locate the port after sticking me three times. He said I needed to have the fill done under flouroscopy at the hospital. Well, the x-ray showed that my port had turned sideways.

My doctor informed me that I will need another surgery to reposition the port. He also let me know that it will be a minor surgery, and done outpatient. I was a little shocked, but not at all upset about it. It's no one's fault, and I know my doctor is a very good one, and that I'm in very good hands. He always makes me feel comfortable and at ease.

I got on the scale when I returned home and very happy to see that I had dropped 3 more pounds after a month of no loss, even without the fill! I had been very careful not to overeat, to eat healthy food, and watch my portions.

So, don't worry too much about the surgery to reposition of the port. It will not be anything close to the original surgery, and you'll have your 1st fill and on your journey to weight loss success! :biggrin2:

I talked to my doctor last week about the port, and as it turns out, the port was not flipped as I had mistakenly believed. It was in the correct position, everything in place. He explained that the port looked turned because he was tapping the side of the port with the needle, and the port tilted.

Since my surgery in February, I still have not had a fill because the abdominal adipose tissue is too deep for the doctor to reach the port with the needle. Another surgery was discussed, to move the port upwards near the breastbone/upper stomach area, but I have second thoughts about it. I am going to try to lose some of this weight around my abdomen first to see if he will be able to access it in a couple of months.

The last time I had a fill which was in December of 2007, the fill doctor which is a surgeon that is doing pro bono work for my surgeon that retired had a really hard time getting to my port because it was tilted. He put me under fluro, found the port, filled me and sent me on my way. He didn't say anything about having to do a port replacement. Is this something that I should ask next time? And what are the average costs for port replacement if I'm self pay?