I went for my first fill and when the dr's assistant (she's the one that does the fills for his office) couldn't find my port after poking & digging around in and out about eight times, I couldn't take it any more. I starting getting lightheaded and hot. :laugh: I asked her to stop and she said to relax for a few minutes and she would try again. :thumbup: I decided I couldn't let her try again that day so she prescribed me some zanax and told me to come back later that day or the next day.

I went back the next day and was calmer after taking the zanax and she was able to do the fill (with the nurse holding my hand and my husband beside me for support). Pretty pathetic, huh?

I saw the doctor a few days ago and we discussed the fill and he told me that maybe the lap band wasn't such a good choice for me since I am 'needle phobic'. It would have been nice of him to have told me that before I got the band. I had asked him about it at a pre op meeting and told him that the thought of needles make me sick as they always have a hard time taking blood and I wasn't sure I could do this if they were poking around in my stomach. He just laughed and told me that they don't have to poke around much, it's usually pretty fast.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what did you do to get past the fear, etc.? I am losing with the band but am very uncomfortable even thinking about going for another fill. HELP!

Edited September 2, 200818 yr by freedom0702

I haven't been filled yet. But I don't have a needle phobia. I guess maybe it is becuase I am a nurse and around them all day long. LOL I would suggest the xanax is a good move for you it seemed to make you more relaxed. The band is a wonderful tool and you are losing right. You would hate to lose the band now. Plus you would have to go through another surgery to take it out and that means allot more needles!!!!!! I believe we can get through anything if we put our minds to it. You can conquer this phobia, trust in yourself take the xanax before if that what it takes Good luck to you and remember you can do it

Veronica

I agree...just take a xanax and have someone drive you to and from. Fills will get less and less frequent as we go along so don't give up. They should've given you a xanax right at the start.

Have you tried just.. not looking? I know it sounds simple but...

Things like giving blood, I'm not needle phobic, but they hurt a million times worse if I watch. If I don't see the needle, or see them do it (I look at something behind me or beside me).. I hardly even feel it.

If I watch my fills, it SEEMS painful to have a needle go in my chest.. so it hurts.. if I don't watch, I don't feel the needle, I just hear that scraping noise.

I'm a nursing student. I can give shots, start IV's, etc, but still can't bear to watch them do it to me. So that not looking is good advice! :thumbup:

My experience has been quite pleasent. The assistant gets it on the first try and then it's over in a matter of seconds. Stay with it. I am sure it will get better for you soon:))

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I have no intention of having the band removed. I didn't watch her do the fill or even look at the needle. It doesn't really hurt, just the pressure and being able to feel the movement and thinking about what she was doing. She tried talking to me while she was doing the fill but would pause when she thought she was in and I'd think again about what she was doing. I know this is crazy and will have to work thru it. She did say that it will get easier as I lose more weight. Hope that's true. I will take the zanax at least for the next fill and see how it goes.

I would insist that the doctor do your fill . . . I just had my first fill and although it was not my surgical doctor . . .it was done by another doctor in the office.

I've had great success using guided imagery whenever I have to have some unpleasant procedure--dental stuff, or whatever. I imagine myself lying on the beach, wam sand, blue sky, puffy white clouds, waves lapping, sea gulls calling, children laughing, playing in the background, etc, etc. That, with deep slow breathing, and purposeful relaxation, has really helped with the anxiety that makes me tense up. Anxiety=tension=increased pain. It helps to break that cycle.

In spite of all that, it sounds like the assistant was poking around way too much...I wouldn't like that either! Good luck...hang in there. I think the xanx is a good idea, too, to help.

yiya

Surgery: 8/22/08

Dr Moeinolmolki

Baltimore, MD

220/216/199/165

Highest weight/surgery/current/goal

Height: 5'6"

My fills are so easy that I have not even had the local anethesthic shot for the last 2 fills. I can barely feel it. Can you feel the port real well? I wonder if the nurse has alot of experience. Perhaps ask for the most experienced person in that office to do it. Good luck!! Focus on what is going right - you're losing!!!

Edited September 2, 200818 yr by UT LB Loser

I know I'm a little larger than the average "bandster". I asked my surgeon about a low profile port and he was VERY nice but the upshot is, he said it would be a challenge to find the larger port while I'm this large but as I lose it will get easier and when I get small enough that my port sticks out he'll fix it. So I'm braced for them to have a little trouble! It will be worth it though.

I was a medical assistant in my former life and played with needles all day long from injection of chemo to phlebotomy... BUT, I can't stand getting fills. I have passed out on several occassions... and they told me to come back but I said no way. I flew to Mexico for a fill. I said, "Let the blood go back into my brain and try again, but I'm not leaving 'till this thing is filled!"

You will find the nurse or doctor who is good at it. I only faint with one particular doctor... another I don't at all. So, for my fill this Thursday, I requested the 'good' doctor. She's gentle, can locate the port easily and is fast. The other doctor is aggressive and digs around a lot... I faint every time I have her.

Maybe ask for a different doc/nurse. It can make a big difference.

GOOD LUCK!

ask them to do your fills under floro. that way they don't miss.

I am right there with you!!! I hate needles I get the hot flash and the sick to my stomach feeling everytime, this last time though I asked for the numbing stuff and layed there and thought ALRIGHT Rhonda this is for the good and just thought good thoughts of my next size jeans this and that, all good thoughts and this time I refused to look at the monitor I think that is what makes me so sick to my stomach. Also we were talking so much, he was asking did the water go down, this and that, that I forgot the needle was in there because we were concentrating on the goal of that visit do you get my drift? I know it's hard because I can't even give blood without getting all flushed nervous and down right ill feeling but if you continue to think of the outcome it helps alot!!!! GOOD luck!! And yes under fluro well they have hit it everytime!

I have said it before and I will say it again...NO FLOURO, NO FILL!!! My surgeon, not his assistant, does my fills under flouroscope and never misses. He also gives me a numbing shot before the big needle. The whole visit is less than 5 minutes. I am absolutely horrified when I read posts like this. You should look for another fill doctor, seriously.

I went for my first fill and when the dr's assistant (she's the one that does the fills for his office) couldn't find my port after poking & digging around in and out about eight times, I couldn't take it any more. I starting getting lightheaded and hot. I asked her to stop and she said to relax for a few minutes and she would try again. :thumbup: I decided I couldn't let her try again that day so she prescribed me some zanax and told me to come back later that day or the next day.

I went back the next day and was calmer after taking the zanax and she was able to do the fill (with the nurse holding my hand and my husband beside me for support). Pretty pathetic, huh?

I saw the doctor a few days ago and we discussed the fill and he told me that maybe the lap band wasn't such a good choice for me since I am 'needle phobic'. It would have been nice of him to have told me that before I got the band. I had asked him about it at a pre op meeting and told him that the thought of needles make me sick as they always have a hard time taking blood and I wasn't sure I could do this if they were poking around in my stomach. He just laughed and told me that they don't have to poke around much, it's usually pretty fast.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what did you do to get past the fear, etc.? I am losing with the band but am very uncomfortable even thinking about going for another fill. HELP!

I have never been scared of needles. I have been poked since I was tiny, so and have had blood drawn many times. However, when I went in for my first fill, the surgeon poked around and moved it around inside. It was so uncomfortable. The second fill, the surgeon found it more quickly, but still had to dig. The explanation was that women have more fat on their abdominal cavity. Men are built differently, and it so much more easy to find their port. My husband had the surgery the same day. His fills are over in ten seconds!!! The more women lose weight, the easier it becomes to locate the port, and the less digging they will have to do! I would hang in there, take a xanax, and squeeze that hubby's hand!!! I also take xanax before I go. I tend to have panic attacks afterwards!!! I guess because I feel filled when I try to drink or eat and I don't want anything at first because of fear of throwing up. I am getting over that now, and I think you will do well with the band. Eventually, your abdomen will shrink to where they can find your port without digging. The first time for me, I swear she dug for 3 minutes. She had to get out the long needle. The next time was 2 minutes, so maybe my third fill will be 1 minute!:tt2: Just hang in there and good luck to you!!! I would advise you to not take the band out! It will get better in time!:w00t:

Kristi