I'm due to be banded on June 17th and am very excited! But I am very nervous about the idea of the fills. So I was curious if they are uncomfortable, painful or what? Also, has anyone had any problems with the fills?

Thanks to all!

I had my second adjustment on Wednesday....the first one, I felt a two second sting from the lidocaine....the one on Wednesday, I felt nothing, no pain at all and it was over in less than a minute.

My experience with fills has been extremely uneventful!

I have had 4 fills and no pain or any problems. The surgeon gives me some local anaesthetic first so a tiny sting from that and then I just feel the pressurewhen he is putting in the fill but no discomfort or pain. You are getting banded on my birthday!!!!!! :cool2:

My doc does not use the numbing med and mine are not painfull at all !

the time it takes to get the numbing med your fill is over .

It does not hurt, sting ect.

It takes about ( for my doc at least ) 30 seconds and he uses flouro , until this last fill cause he can fill my port. Even then it took about 15 cause he hit it the first time and i didnt have to do the barium swallow with the flouro .

its a breeze !!

mindy

I agree-super easy. My doc doesn't do flouroscopy (doing the fill under x-ray_, numbing, local anesthetic, NOTHING! He just makes me lift my legs (so that the abdominal muscles contract and push the port upward toward the skin), feels for the exact location of the port, cleans the area, sticks the needle in, pulls the Fluid out (to check the capacity--make sure there's no leaks/red flags), then puts fluid back in.

Like with everyone else, it's super-easy, super-fast, and painless.

The only "problems with the fills" come if you, by some chance, get too much fluid in your band (causes problems eating/drinking) or if you have a doctor who has to "dig around" to find the port.

thanks for everyone's reponses. It does ease the worry a little bit! I guess I'll feel better about it when I actually have one done. I'm a big baby! But I guess if I could live thru 6 cortisone injections in my back last year this should be a breeze! The anticipation is probably worst than anything.

Thanks again!

its MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than that !!!

Its similar to a blood draw ? But MUCH faster ?

Mindy

I've had two so far (three, if you count a slight unfill). No anaesthetic, no flouro. The first time my surgeon (Dr. Ren of NYU) did it, and today, Anne (the PA), first filled, then unfilled me slightly after a few sips of Water (I was a bit too tight).

When I read stories about doctors "digging around" I swear, I feel faint! I guess I'm lucky to be having such positive experiences so far.

My port is close to the surface, which may be one reason it has been so easy. Evidently, I don't have quite as much subcutaneous fat as I have visceral (which is probably worse Healthwise, but then again, that should one day be a thing of the past!)

my fills are horrible. my doctor digs around and pokes me 8 or 9 times. my port is slightly tilted however and makes for a harder time in finding it. i am always bruised badly after a fill.

new weight loss...

my fills are horrible. my doctor digs around and pokes me 8 or 9 times. my port is slightly tilted however and makes for a harder time in finding it. i am always bruised badly after a fill.

Have you requested your fills be done under Flouro ?

If your port is hard to find they should do it under flouro. There is no reason for you to be poked that many times.

Mindy

I had my first fill this week and it was absolutely pain free. I couldn't believe I worried so much about it. They numbed me with lidocaine and when they inserted the needle into my port I never felt a thing. MY doctor injected the fluid until I was fully occluded, 7cc then began removing fluid and had me swallow barium as he did this. When I got to the point where I could swallow without discomfort and felt like I had restriction he stopped, I ended up with 3.5cc. I plan to take my fills in small increments so I don't end up overly restricted and have vomiting or reflux. I haven't "pb'd" yet and am able to eat some meat (chicken, tender beef).

no anesthetic, no flouro and no pain. i've had two fills. my doc makes me push out my stomach like i'm having a bowel movement, then feels for the port with her finger and sticks me. fast and painless.

Edited May 26, 200818 yr by favorite

No pain for me, it went really quick

had my first fill on May 23rd, my doctor gave me lidocaine to numb up the skin and that was painless, did not feel the other needle for the fill. It was pain free!!!!:biggrin2:

first fill today. No lidocaine... not necessary. I didn't even feel a prick!!! It was quick and totally painless!!!