First Fill/X-Ray

pjd3253 · July 13, 2008

I get my first fill first week of August - my doctor said I would lie down on a table and he would put an x-ray machine over me to see if the band is in the right place - did I get that right? Is that what everyone else has gone through? I hope it is right because I am so worried that I have somehow caused my band to slip because I feel almost no restriction - I do get full fast but can eat pretty much anything I want - I don't however eat bad things just am able to eat Pasta, egg dishes and even steak in small amounts. Thanks for any info.

auntlucy · July 13, 2008

Yes, you did get that right. I lie down on a table and they move the xray machine over me. he injects the saline into the vband while under the xray. It's really pretty cool.

Your band has likely NOT slipped. Your band is probably empty or close to empty and it's not unusual to not feel restriction until you've had at least one fill. For some, it takes several fills.

pjd3253 · July 13, 2008

My band is empty because I am only 14 days post-op - I believe that the Realize Band is either 9 or 10 cc's. I was curious because I watched a YouTube video recently showing a lady getting a fill and they kept poking her over and over until I couldn't watch it anymore to find the port hole. I didn't see any x-ray being done - is it only done the first time you go in for a fill to make sure the band is in the right place? My port area is still poking out - I am really embarrassed about it because it sticks out under my shirts and looks like I have something hidden under there. I am trusting the people who have written me about it that it will go down and it is just Fluid around the port but it really is sticking out. I have a feeling down the road I may have to have it put further down if possible. Thanks for your reply.

auntlucy · July 13, 2008

Different doctors do different things. Mine uses the xray machine to do the fills every time. That way it's much more precise.

pjd3253 · July 13, 2008

I think mine probably does too - he is one of the top doctors in Dallas so probably has all the most updated equipment - I was just surprised to see them literallly poking and poking this poor girl lying on the table - it looked so painful and they finally found the hole. My port is so visible like I said like a goose egg on my stomach seems like it would be easy to find - when I feel around it and it sort of gives me the creeps I can feel the edges of the port - it feels like it is just barely under my skin - I have a fat stomach but the fat is underneath the muscle - don't have much loose skin or fat above and that is why the doctor told me he couldn't put it lower. Honestly if it doesn't go away I will be wishing I had just gotten the sleeve and not had to deal with the port - other than this one thing I am very satisfied with everything.

auntlucy · July 13, 2008

I felt the same way about my port, but it's not as noticeable now. Give it some time.

As for how my fills have gone: they take about 30 seconds once you get on the table. With the xray, he is able to get in and out very quickly with as little pain as possible. For the first one, I was very nervous, and I think it hurt more b/c I was so tense. Try to relax when you get it done. It's really not bad. Mine have left a nasty bruise afterwards though.

Who is your doctor in Dallas? I live in McKinney and used a Plano doctor (Dr. Hamn).

pjd3253 · July 13, 2008

Wow - my doctor is Cribbins - Hamm's partner. I like him a lot but frankly the main reason I chose him over Dr. Kuhn at Baylor was that I wanted the surgery done in a surgery center not a hospital and Dr. Kuhn did them at Baylor at the time - now he does them at a surgery center but I am still happy with Cribbins. My only complaint about that office is that it their waiting room is always packed and I feel like I am rushed through my appointments sometimes. The staff at the surgery center were great and I have had no problem with any of the staff at the office either just feel sort of like an assembly line operation. Do you feel like that at all?

pjd3253 · July 13, 2008

So your port stuck out too?

auntlucy · July 13, 2008

It's a small world! I've found the staff at Dr. Hamn's to be pretty good. Sometimes I feel like they are rushing me through, but I recognize that's the state of the medical industry overall. When I have questions and let them know, they always take time to answer them.

We had that ice/snow storm the day I was going in for my pre-op appointment, and I got stuck in traffic. I was an hour and a half late for my appointment. All of their other appointments had called in and cancelled for the rest of the afternoon. I kept calling them panicked that I was late and terrified that if I didn't make it that Dr. Hamn wouldn't do my surgery the next Monday. They told me on the phone to not worry about it...that they would wait for me. And they did. They couldn't have been nicer when I came in very late. They put me at ease. Dr. Hamn waited for me and was all smiles when I got there. That told me a lot about their way of doing business.

My port did stick out a little more, but it takes time for the swelling to go down. I can still feel it (some days more than others), but I don't notice it visibly. I think as I continue to lose weight that it will continue to go down.

pjd3253 · July 14, 2008

You don't know how much I appreciate your messages - I have tried for two weeks to get real answers to questions instead of people posting about things not related to the surgery - I really appreciate it.