Went in for my first fill today and the Doctor had a heck of a time finding my port. He said it's very deep, which will be a good thing when I've lost weight but is a very BAD thing right now.

He kept sticking me and digging around in there. No numbing, all me.

Holy Mother of OW!

He also kept graduating to longer and longer needles. I said "if you go much more, the needle will go right through me". The one he finally used was SCARY long.

He DID finally (thank god) hit the port and just to be safe, put in 1.2ccs which he said is .2 more than the max he'd ever do on a first fill. He said "you don't want to come back for a fill anytime soon". I quickly agreed.

So wow, I definitely have restriction. Water gurgles like it did just after surgery. I'm nibbling a soft Protein bar now (he said soft foods and liquid for four days) and the fill is working. Yay! But ow. I'm going to have the HUGEST bruise. He stuck me at least six and maybe seven times.

:whimper:

Now I'm scared. How can you tell if your port is deep? Right after surgery it felt like my ribs were sticking out, but now it seems back to normal.

I am sitting here poking aroung on my left side.....Very Scared!

Now your scaring me. I go in for my first fill next Thursday. My port seems to be pretty deep too. Also, I've heard that we're not supposed to eat (just liquids) for 2 days prior to a fill? Have you heard that? Did you have to do that?

No numbing, uh? Hmmmm.... I wonder if that's with all doctors. Anyone know if Ortiz numbs ya first?

I haven't had a fill yet. I had an apt 8/8, but cancelled it. I was doing okay just bare-knuckling it because I wasn't binge-hungry. That seems to have passed tho as I'm eating this week. So, gotta call & set up a day again. Now I'm gonna look forward to it even MORE!

Hope you're not too miserable & bruised tomorrow!

Sorry to hear that :/

Trust me, it gets better. Mine's a bit deep as well. After the first go though, the doctor knows where to find it better and you'll be better mentally prepared. Before long it'll be second nature And as ya shrink, it'll stop being so deep lol.

Hi guys : )....I had my 1st fill yesterday...and it was a piece of cake...must be different doc's have different techniques.....The physican's assistant pushed really deep to find the port so that was uncomfortable...then she did an ultrasound to find the position....once she found it she put in a small needle (really felt like a pinch) and put in lidocaine (that really burned) but it was pretty quick....then the long,large needle went into the port...but I felt nothing...I'd do it again in a heart beat....Oh...I probably will soon...in 2 weeks... Anyway ...if there was no lidocaine I would have been sooooo out of there!!!!!!! DEMAND LIDOCAINE...That's inhumane not to have it!!!...good luck next time.....Cindy

Anyone know if Ortiz numbs ya first?

Hi Kare. Dr. Martinez usually does the fills & he's EXCELLENT at it!

He gives you the choice of getting a numbing shot, but why have 2 shots? It only hurts like a pinch for a split second when he puts the needle in. If my chicken of a 17 year old daughter could do it, believe me anyone can. She walked out & said "Mom, that was so cool!"

Let me just say, don't get scared off by my bad experience. My doctor said he can count on one hand the number of times he's had patients with problems (the bands he's done number into the high hundreds) and he said mine is by far the deepest he's done.

But we both agreed that it being so deep is a good thing in the long run and will bode well for when I've lost the weight. But for now it's problematic.

I've heard tons of folks on the boards say that their fills are easy peasy.

I have to say, the first stick he did didn't really hurt at all, just a pin prick really. If it had been just that, I would have had no problem with no numbing stuff. But that first needle wasn't long enough...both times he tried....nor was the second needle long enough...both times he tried (while digging around)....nor was the THIRD needled long enough...both times he tried (still digging)....and he finally got out a frickin' car antennae and that seemed to hit the spot. He was so happy when he hit the port "FOUND IT" he declared. I think he was beginning to feel bad about what he was putting me through.

Guilt from a doctor is a rare and beautiful thing.

Also, I've heard that we're not supposed to eat (just liquids) for 2 days prior to a fill? Have you heard that? Did you have to do that?

No, I didn't have to do liquids before the fill and I only have to do liquids and mushies after the fill. I asked him twice to be sure that mushies were okay and he said yeah. Four days.

I also didn't have to do liquids before the surgery. I did it for three days before to "get in the groove".

Heavens! Doesn't he use a sonogram and flouroscope? Sounds like he was blindly hunting in there. That IS scary! I am very picky about how my fills are done. And nobody hits me without a sonogram and flouroscope.:ermm

Went in for my first fill today and the Doctor had a heck of a time finding my port. He said it's very deep, which will be a good thing when I've lost weight but is a very BAD thing right now.

He kept sticking me and digging around in there. No numbing, all me.

Heavens! Doesn't he use a sonogram and flouroscope? Sounds like he was blindly hunting in there. That IS scary! I am very picky about how my fills are done. And nobody hits me without a sonogram and flouroscope.:ermm

Nope he did it all by "feel" but that's how he does all his fills. He said if we couldn't get it done I'd have to do a flouroscope but I could tell he'd prefer not to do it that way. I hear some people here always get flouro to do fills. For my docs it's the exception.

Hey-

I was wondering how your fill went---Why no lidocaine? My doc doesn't use sonogram or fluoroscope (sp?) either, but he damm sure numbs me up?

Just curious--Take it easy, glad it all went well!

Congratulations Karen!

I'm going in for my first fill with my new band today. Looking forward to gurgles and sipping.

Dr. McKeen in SJ does blind fills also but numbs you up first.

Did Dr. Cirangle do your fill in SF? Did he remove any air or just add saline?

Hate those looong needles, I wont watch.

Congratulations Karen!

I'm going in for my first fill with my new band today. Looking forward to gurgles and sipping.

I cannot BELIEVE the change from yesterday to today. Yesterday, three eggs easily for Breakfast...today, barely half a cup of cottage cheese.

I LOVE my fill!! I guess it was worth the agony in the end.

Dr. McKeen in SJ does blind fills also but numbs you up first.

Did Dr. Cirangle do your fill in SF? Did he remove any air or just add saline?

Hate those looong needles, I wont watch.

I had it done in the SJ office I don't know if he removed air, I sure as HELL wasn't looking while he did it. And I would wholeheartedly agree, DON'T WATCH. He showed me the needle *after* he was done and I almost passed out. I was honestly shaky getting up from the table and for about an hour afterwards.

I have a *nice* big bruise and that area is VERY tender right now. The waistband of my pants is getting it. Oh well, it should heal very quickly. I can count the needle holes....there are in fact, seven. Yeesh. I guess seven was my "lucky" number?

I am bumping this because Dr. Cirangle is my doc now that Dr. Feng has started his own practice. Dr. Cirangle has actually done all of my fills.

I am a huge chicken and always beg for a little Lido first. I even use EMLA on the skin beforehand as well!!!!

Yesterday Dr. C. said it was time to be a big girl and I have lost so much weight my port was very easy to find. He said "No Lido for you, young lady" and kindly waited for me to stop sweating and shivering with fear.

Then he did it. It was NOTHING. A tiny pinch no worse than the pinch from the lido needle. It was weird feeling the needle inside of me for the first time and I felt it when he hit the back of my port, but it is totally NO BIG DEAL.

If you are a chicken like me, I hope you read my post!

I am scared now