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Port replacement and FILL/UNFILL. Plz read.



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Hi everyone. I had my port (and some tubing) replaced Wednesday. I have had my band for four years, but haven't had much success BECAUSE I got pregnant right after. By the time I had him and finished breastfeeding, I had the leak, and have been waiting for SOME time to get an insurance approval.

The metal connector on my tubing eroded from the inside out. My new doc said it was the first he had seen.

So, I had this replaced. He put 1 cc in during surgery, and turns out that I couldn't even swallow Water. He didnt believe me and had a barium done (that I promptly threw up), which showed that I was right.......too much fill.

Here is the bad part.

He made me stay overnight to come back the next day and take some fill out. I knew a fill would be uncomfortable right after surgery, BUT this was soooo bad. He did do the lidocaine. I had not taken any pain meds either. (he didn't "think" I would need them). The fill was HORRIBLE. Im not sure why, but he could not find the port, and poked me MANY times, not to mention poking around in my insides for the port. I have had over 20 fills in my four years, and have NEVER been even a little uncomfortable with them, but this killed me! I was trying soooo hard not to cry, and to stay still. He just kept poking and poking, and I could feel him poking things inside!

He finally got a new needle (horrible I know) and found it, took some out easily. I am so nervous now to go back to him for a fill. He is new to me, but Im so scared........

However, I know I may have some swelling?? Maybe that is why he couldn't find it easily? He also had me laying flat, and my prior docs would have me do a situp or something to bend that area.........

I also have a terribly tender large swollen area above the incision.......I don't remember if I had that for the first surgery or not. Have any of you hat that? And it has been 3 days and I still hurt.........am I supposed to still hurt? I just don't remember any of this, and my dr. is out of town until Monday. I fill well, not sick or feverish.

What are your thoughts on my ordeal. Please answer.

Blessings!!!

Crystal

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my thoughts are you need a new surgeon. I am a nurse and I can tell you what he did is wrong. You should not have had a fill after surgery and she should not be screwing around looking for your port and in addition not believing you i the first place. Fire his ass and find yourself a good surgeon.

sharon;)

RN/MSN

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oh yikes....not cool! i totally agree with sharona- FIND A NEW DOCTOR! and i have always heard that you are NEVER supposed to have your very first fill until 4 weeks after your surgery...however, the rules might be different since you only got your tubing and port replaced and not the actual band... dont know?

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I agree. You need a different doctor. My fills are over with in about 3 seconds and I have never felt any of them. I have had about 6 of them and

it's always over with instantly.

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Thank you for your replies. This dr. comes highly recommended, so I guess that is why I wondered if I was just overreacting to the pain......

My incision looks worse than any I have ever had. It is puffy in the middle, almost looks like a tad bit of fatty tissue is outside of the skin, and is oozing. I cried when I saw it. In addition to that, he took those two ster-strips off from the middle. I am so worried that this incision isn't going to look like the others, but may have a piece of fat skin sticking out. Anyone else have an incision that looked like that, but healed flat?

Crystal

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