Hi!

I was banded on March 2nd by Dr. Ortiz in TJ. So far I have had an excellent and smooth time with the whole thing!! I am now anxious to plan for my first fill at my 6 week mark. I have found Dr. Spiegel will do fills on Mexican banded patients, but he doesn't use fluoro (if he can access your port easily). Does anyone have experience with fills without fluoro? Do they have a harder time getting the sweet spot if they're not looking at it?

It sure would be easier to travel to Houston instead of TJ!! But I also want the best result, and many have said that Dr. Ortiz/Martinez are great with fills....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

M.

185/Now 171.5

I have never had a fill under fluoro, and my Doctor has always hit my port the first time every time. No problems whatsoever! I do believe most Mexican Doctors do more of a fill in the beginning than US Doctors.

I get my fills without flouru and there hasn't been any problems with not hitting the port. As far as getting to your sweet spot, flouru doesn't determine that, other people have gotten fills with flouru and have been too tight or haven't gotten any restriction, so I don't know how to answer that. The last fill I had was terribly tight for the first three days and I was miserable, but it loosened up just enough to give me good restriction.

The first signs of erosion can be deteced under fluorscopy. If you decide to go the no-fluoro way, you might want to stagger your appointments by getting fluoro the first fill, then if your band is okay getting no-fluro the second fill. It's a good idea to keep an eye on the band, and the docs can see if it's working properly under x-ray.

I know a lot of people who do it with no fluro and are really happy. It usually takes a week or so for a fill to kick in, so even under fluoro you can get underfilled or worse, overfilled.

I got 2 fills without flouro. Both times were not too bad. It took a couple of tries for the Dr to get the port but there is very little pain involved. Your sweet spot is not determined by flouro, but by the amount of a fill when you have achieved the most comfortable restriction. When you can't eat too much or too little. Some say it is the spot where you can lose 2-3 lbs a week. I'll let you know if that is true as I think I am at my sweet spot at 2cc's in a 10cc inamed band. Good luck and don't worry about not have the flouro.

I was concerned about this, too. My follow up doc does it without flouro, but if I need it, for whatever reason, he has flouro fills available and will do them. Of course, it costs more...but if I feel like I need it or just want it, I will plan to pay the extra and do it that way, kind of like what DeLarla said, stagger them. I want to keep a close eye on my band so I'm sure I will request a flouro fill either the first or second fill visit. Budgeting is the key if you are self-pay.

I go back to Ortiz for my fills. I have not had a fill any other way so I do not know how it is without flouro, all I can say from my personal experience is that with the flouro comes 2 things, peace of mind seeing and knowing your port and band are where they should be andquicker restriction . I also was told by Martinez with fluoro the can be more accurate on your fills and be a little more agressive. I have had 3 fills and am at 2.5 and have great restriction. It has been said by Dr. Martinez that many U.S doctors are a little more conservative on their fills, & many do not use fluoro which is why they are conservative so they do not make you too tight they have no gage to go on. In my opinion it is a personal preference. I like flouro I feel safer and more comfortable with it.

I've have only had 2 fills, the first with flouro the second with out....I'm a little concerned that since I hade the last one (without flouro) I have had less restriction...has any one ever heard of a puncture through the tube that may cause leakage???

Mari Ann

This is such an individual thing. But personally I've had 2 fills without flouro by a naturopathic physician with no problems (and no pain besides feeling like a little bee sting on the first one, but not the second time). From what I've read here, my physician is fairly agressive since I'm at 2.5 after only 2 fills and I definitely have restriction this time. I had restriction right from the beginning on the first fill for a while, but was during my period and she said that it can affect a good fill. This 2nd fill feels more like it should. If I thought I was having problems, I would definitely have flouro.

I've had two fills. My fill Dr. uses an ultrasound machine to locate my port, then he takes a surgical marker and draws a circle around where my port is and then does the poke in the middle while he holds my port between his index finger and his thumb. As a nurse who's accessed many, many chemo/med ports, (which are the SAME ports basically), I can't imagine how anyone who is familiar with ports could miss them. Of course like my fill Dr. told me- everyone has different amounts of adipose (fat) tissue over their ports, so every ones port is at a different depth.

I feel completely comfortable with the way he does my fills. I am VERY aware of the signs and symptoms of a slip, and try pay close attention to my body. I want this thing to last

patio.. what are the signs and signals of a slip?

My fills were done with flouro. I would agree with the others that if you are not going to have a flouro for the first one, have it for the second so you know everything is where it is supposed to be and the band is not eroding.

Hi All

I can only echo that having flouro is more a piece of mind thing than a necessity.

On my first fill it showed i had a flipped port and enabled me to have it manipulated so i could actually have my fill.

second fill done under flouro showed it had flipped back and so no need for manipulation.

My surgeon did state quite clearly that flouro isnt a necessity its just another option thats available. Its cheap where i go so i dont mind paying for it. God knows how much it costs in the US.. £50 in France for entire procedure with flouro..

love trace

Hey Ladie B, how are you doing? My doctor doesn't use flouro either, just got my 3rd fill, had to have some removed before I left his office, LOL. I guess I'm just a little sensitive. Three fills and 2 unfills, LOL. I have a 4cc band with 1.75 in it. Just call me a sissy.

The first signs of erosion can be deteced under fluorscopy.

Actually, this is NOT true. In order for erosion to be detectable under fluoroscopy, the erosion would have to be advanced enough for the band to already have breached the stomach wall, and the barium is seen to be flowing around/on the outside of the band, instead of the inside.

Slips, however, or bad band placement, CAN be determined via fluoro.

Are there any physical symptoms of band slippage or erosion? I had my first fill without flouro a week ago and everything seems to be just fine. He hit the port right away and I really didnt feel a thing. I got 1.6 cc in a 4 cc band and seem to have pretty good restriction, not huge but I'd rather take it slow. I am wondering if I should have my second fill under fluoro just to check everything out though??

Monica