Hi, I've had my band for 6 years now and feel confident that I could do the fills myself. In fact, I had to hold an ER doc's hand to do my last removal. I swallowed a pill too big to go down and it was quite painful, so went to local ER as there are NO DOCS in my area willing to see me since they didn't do my surgery. Anywho, I know I need a Huber needle and have found them online. Just wondering if anyone has attempted to or if anyone does their fills themselves?

I would highly discourage such activity. For many, many reasons.

I know you said you practically held the ER Doc's hand, but face it. ER Doc's are not trained to care for Lap bands and their Ports. They are specialists that are trained for LIFE/DEATH situations IE. Gunshot wounds , car crashes, Massive trauma and or illness. There have been many ER Docs that thought when they got a CT scan or X-Ray of the lap band that had the stomach sutured over the band that the stomach had Flipped the band and then they tried to send those patients to surgery. It is this reason that My Surgeon has the instructions that you call his office anytime you go to the ER so he can talk to the Attending personally.

Now as far as doing your own fills, I'll admit that we have joked on occasion that it would be fun to be able to this. I would never seriously attempt such an activity on my own, even being highly qualified to do so. You can nick your port line, you can miss the hub, you can give yourself an infection, there are to many BAD variables to this scenario.

How can you trust buying needles online in the first place. Why would you after going through this major surgery, even seriously consider the possibility of doing this to yourself? You've taken it farther than joking if your looking to buy Huber needles. If you don't have a Doc currently to do the fills, there are plenty of ways to find them online or even on this site. It is far worth going to their office and paying the 75 to 100 bucks for the fill then taking the chance that you will do some undo-able damage to your Band or Body.

I'm concerned for you and I hope that you really think this through before you do something like this.

Peace,

It doesn't sound like the greatest idea to me.

I would talk to ur doctor and see what he or she says...but i agree with everyone else it doesnt sound like a good idea

I wouldnt have the guts to try.

I don't think its a good idea....so please, if you do decide to do it, make a video and put it on youtube!!!!!!!!

I can't even imagine doing it without fluoro personally.

I'd do it. It's not rocket science, if you look at the complication threads in the fill area, the trained professionals can jack up a port or tubing just as easy. I submit that you would be even more careful since it's your own belly you're poking. I have thought about it myself, I'm not banded yet of course but I did think about it. The only reason I wouldn't is I wouldn't want to risk insurance turning me down to repair it if I did mess it up, but then again who can say who messed it up and when. For the average joe, maybe not the best idea but knowing what I know (former medic) I wouldn't hesitate at least to do an emergency unfill.

And as far as getting the needles, you can buy them directly from the manufacturer, obviously the OP is not gonna buy them at a garage sale or off the street, so the safety/efficacy of the needles shouldn't be an issue.

Edited February 13, 200917 yr by El Diablo

You know in the beginning when my fat was so thick you couldn't hardly feel the port at all I would have said you lost your mind.But now I can feel my port no problem besides I give myself B12 shots and I must admit it has crossed my mind back when I was paying out the ass for fills.But I doubt I would do it unless I had to you know like Dan said in an emergency .

Wow, does not sound safe...you could nick your line and get a leak....plus just not safe!

Thats just plain nuts. Think they wont touch you now.. wait till you tell them you performed a medical procedure on yourself at home with instruments off the internet.

No one would come near u.

I don't think you are nuts. I am an RN and have recently thought about filling my own port. I drive 2 1/2 hours to my drs. office and know i could access my own port. I do it all the time on other kinds of ports. Also my dr does not use a huber on me, he just uses a regular needle , but i'm not sure what size it is. one time i went to a dr. closer to home and he spent 20 minutes digging around on me to find the port. I finally told him where to put the needle. I think he was new to the procedure, anyway i went back to my regular dr. They always hit me the first time. I definitly would do it if something got stuck. And i don't think you could screw it up anymore then someone at the dr's offfice.

:w00t:OMG- I am SOOO glad to see this thread. I am new to this forum- hi everyone- I'm Sheila in NC and I've had my band since 2/07. I am also a PA with 18yrs clinical experience. My surgeon is 4 hours away, only does fills on Mon and my own patient schedule on Mondays does not allow the day off. FINALLY got a local surgeon to accept me for a fill. 3 weeks ago, in his office, he dug, poked and probed, 7 needle sticks later- no luck, no fill.:thumbup: I went back to work- we have fluro. at my office- shot 2 views- port was and is FINE. Today, 3 weeks later, we literally had to go to the OR in our local hospital for a fluro fill. Can't imagine my BCBS bill for that visit- total overkill of resources!!! So, yes, I have thought MANY times about attempting a self fill. I have had 4 fills and the last 2 have been 0.25cc. 0.25cc for an 8 hour round trip to my original surgeon, vs. probably $1000-1500 bill for a fill in the OR under fluro. I am so glad someone honestly throw this out for discussion.

So, has anyone actually done a self fill???

Sheila

I know I am newly banded, but I think this could be dangerous. You may accidentally hurt yourself. Just my opinion. :thumbup: You keep saline lying at your home?

You know the old saying about an attorney who represents himself has a fool for a client? Now switch up the professions. :thumbup:

Oh boy. I'd agree entirely Beth.

This is ridiculous... I hope people aren't really doing this.