I went for my first fill and it was horrible:(

The doc could not find the band - and in some areas (where he KEPT injecting me over and over again!) i was getting sharp shooting pains - even on my chest!

The doc said it was normal - it was just the abdominal wall or the muscles or something!! But i think i know the difference and it was NOT NICE!

I have to go back tomorrow and i dont know how i am going to tell the doc i might be getting a stroke!

Is this the same doctor who did your banding?

Wow, what do you mean he couldn't find the band? Was he trying to say that your port is difficult to locate? Please let us know how things go today, good luck!!

My fill doc had a hard time keeping the needle in my port, it kept slipping out and i could feel it clicking against the plastic each time.

I cant recall how many times he slid the needle in and out of me.. ALOT!

They took like over a dozen pics too.. I dont know how normal that is.

He was aking the helper to get a longer needle and clamps but the clamps were gonna infect the sterile area.. blah blah blah..

I dunno... I just layed there.. He said my port is sideways and it moves and such so i have to have my fills under flouro every time..

But it didnt hurt at all. Not even like a bee sting like some say.. (bee stings HuRT!!!)

Sooooooooooooo.. HOW did it go??????????

Make sure to check in tonight when u can..we will all be waiting

i went again today for the fill - this time doc found my band with the help of an ultra-sound.

I had the same pain again! it was not the needle but the pressure of him pressing my tummy! anyways that is what he told me. FINALLY he found the band and gave me a fill of 2cc. Is that enough? cause i can still eat quite a bit - maybe tomorrow it will be tighter - but then again doc said he had put a bigger band than usual.

Yes he is the same doc who gave me my band - he is a nice doc and knows what he's doing - but just needs to understand my pain man!!! He's quite a softie otherwise! Pehehe! Oh yeah, he said it can be difficult to find the band the first time - and also i had a lot of fat!!!!!

I'm just dreading the next fill lolsss!!!

thank you for your emailsss!!!!

So glad it all went ok!

Hey Pink,

I think it was the port he couldn't find. I'm sure he knows where the band is. My first fill experience wasn't that grand either but are much better when flouro is used. Haven't heard of them using ultra sounds before though I've thought about the possibility in the past. Glad it went a little better, Teresa

Finding the port and giving fills appears to be an acquired skill that definitely improves over time. I've had several fills and the surgeon who does them the most has NO trouble at all, never has. He locates the port with his fingers and gives me a numbing shot, and then in goes the fill needle on the first poke.

One time a different doctor did it, and she had a lot of trouble. Lots of poking and prodding, and a couple of attempts with the fill needle. I was pretty bruised up after that.

So glad it went better today. My port is actually visible if I'm wearing a very tight shirt, like a shell under a jacket or whatever. Does anyone else find that?

My doctor always uses the ultra sound for my port, is that not normal?