I figured I may as well post here in case anyone else is experiencing anything similar. Back in early July I noticed a loss of restriction and got in to my doctor who was only able to draw back 4.5cc instead of the 7cc I was supposed to have in my band. We monitored this over a couple of 2 week periods and each time I would go from 7cc to 3.5 or 4. He tried to check me under fluoro and was not able to see a leak at all, so I had surgery 09/16/09 to search for a micro leak. My doctor said he injected the dye into my band and nothing happened, so he had to clamp off the tubing and when he injected it again, the saline shot straight up to the ceiling in the operating room. He fit me with a brand new port and I am back in business. He also did a scope on me while I was under and said there is absolutely no sign of any sort of erosion or problems. The second surgery was minimal and only the port incision was re-opened. It was by far the complication that I wanted if I HAD to be the person to have one. Good luck to everyone!

Mellygirl, sorry you had to go through all that but glad it was the port that was the problem. Best wishes,

Mimi

Thanks for describing your band leak problem, melly, and how your doctor diagnosed it. It's really helpful. I agree with you, if I do ever have a band problem, that type of leak is the one I'd prefer. You haven't been banded long though. Did your doctor say how you happened to get a micro leak?

Thanks everyone. I am healing nicely and my port problem is quickly becoming ancient history now. I have already lost 4 lbs since surgery just having 6cc in my band. We are not sure if there was an issue with the band or if it was punctured during a fill. I have been banded since 01/15/09.

Melly thanks for posting this, I was

Melly thanks for posting, I was just told my port has to be replaced too. Same thing, they fill me to 6 then 2-3 weeks later I am back at 4.5. I had the fluro and they could not see the leak but feel pretty sure it is the port. I suspect it is as my doctors PA has at times had a terrible time hitting the port... Did they replace yours in their office or did you do hospital? They are telling me they can do it in the office? Not looking forward to that one...

I had to have mine replaced at the hospital, and was not given the option to do it in the office. It is an outpatient procedure as long as it is just the port, but I still had to have general anesthesia. Your issue sounds identical to mine as it appears you are able to maintain volume up to a point where it seems extra pressure forces the saline out. I could always maintain about 3.5 - 4 ccs, but the pressure of the additional saline caused it to leak out. Good luck. The procedure was not a big deal at all, but I don't know how it would be in the office.

I think my drs office has a surgery suite and they are using an anesthesiia too so probably same as yours just at the surgery suite. Were you off work with the port replacement, I planned to take friday off as a vacation day, surg is that am and hope I can go back to work Monday? What do you think?

You should be fine. I was discharged around 1:00 pm and I went to church that night at 5:30. I was completely off my narcotic pain meds in 1 day. I just used them so I could sleep. After that some ibuprofen did the trick but I was in great shape to do whatever I wanted to do as long as I didn't lift anything over 10 pounds. If your job is mostly sedentary then you shouldn't have any problems.

Thank you so much for posting this Melly...I just left my doctor's office where he checked my band because of the same issues that you described. I was suppose to have 7cc in my band but when he checked it, he drew out 4cc and tried it again and it was 3cc so now, he has to set me up for the fluoro precedure to check to see if there is a leak. And from what you all have described here, it sounds like I have the same thing wrong with my band! He did say that if there is a leak, that I would have to go back under but it would only be minor so that gave me a small sense of relief.

Hi! I have had no restriction since August. Happend out of the blue. I have been in for 4 fills since then. Keep seeing the NP. Scheduled an appointment with my surgeon but he had to cancell due to emergency surgery. I had a 4cc fill and two weeks later had only .7 cc left. They sent me for an xray and I stupidly went. Of course the LAP-BAND® is there and the port are all there and in the proper place. That's all the xray would tell. Now I am supposed to go for a barium swallow xray on Monday. That seems kind of stupid too. They don't use fluro in the office I go to. Wouldn't that be the best way to tell if there is a leak...I would bet my paycheck that there is. Meanwhile, I have gained 20 pounds eating everything I have missed over 2 years. Almost to the point I hate myself! Frustrated that I seem to be getting no help from Dr. Enochs office.

Thanks for letting me vent!:thumbup:

Manya

Today, I went and had my band checked under Fluoro and sure enough, while laying there watching the screen, I could see the dye streaming out of my band! Now, I have to get scheduled to have my port replaced because it is faulty. It was leaking in two places. So the 7 lbs I lost this past 3 weeks, I did it on my own without the help of the band....:closedeyes:

As much as it stinks to have to have the port replaced, it really isn't a difficult surgery. At least if I HAD to have a complication, it was this instead of something worse or something that would make me lose my band. I would have my port replaced again if it meant no further complications! Good luck to you all.

Just out of curiosity which band do you guys have ? the allergan or the Realize band ? I wonder if it's a manufacturers defect that is starting to surface.

I have the AP large

Did you have insurance that covered the port replacement, or were you self-pay? I need a port replacement for the same reason. I have read on other sites that either the connection came apart, the dr. punctured the tube, or there was a defect (which Allergen reimburses if that is the case). The dr. had given me too tight a fill at one point and took some out. I went back when I started regaining weight and he wouldn't give me a fill - he said that it was my eating habits and sent me to the dietician instead (even though I told him that I didn't feel like I had any restriction). At that point, he was charging 350.00 a visit, so I didn't go back right away. After I regained all the weight I had originally lost, I went back (totally embarrassed and ashamed). The dr. put the needle in about 4 times with no result, so he switched needles and tried again (he even asked me if I tried to fill it myself). So, after all those tries, he filled it all the way and had me drink a glass of water that should have stopped me, but I didn't have a problem. So he scheduled a flouroscopy and found the leak. The office called my new insurance and bariatrics were not covered. They offered me a payment plan for the port replacement. The dr. said it would take approximately 15 - 20 minutes under a local. The total cost would be approximately $7,000.00+ and I am furious/frustrated. I have been considering Mexico just because of the cost. Does anybody have any helpful news? I have contacted other hospitals within driving distance. One hospital wanted 6200., another said that they don't do surgeries unless I was their patient or would become their patient (they were the farthest drive at 5 hours), and another office told me they would give me a price, then emailed back and wanted to schedule an office consultation before they quoted a price.

Thanks....