WASaBubbleButt

An IV or blood draw is different because it isn't a "forever" implanted device. One is always more careful with an implant. It's like a foley cath in a patient's bladder. There is no blood flow through the cath so if bacteria grow on/in the cath it is quite difficult to kill the bacteria. Sometimes you can only hold them back, you can't get rid of all of them. With a band it is similar to the foley. You have to be soooooo careful. I don't know where I saw the fill kits, I didn't save the link. I'll look for it if you wish but you have to be SOOOOOOOOOOOO careful and I do NOT suggest you do this. You really have to know sterile techique quite well.

I think it means when people use that big computer in the kitchen with the dials and knobs. Around here we leave that to the professionals.

But the fill isn't an emergency. As I wrote earlier, I've done emergency unfills but I would prefer fills be done by my doc under fluoro.

I don't think anyone is talking about an emergency fill. The original scenario is: >>Scenario; it's late at night, your fill is too much, you are barfing your guts out, you can't even keep saliva down. You can't reach your doc (maybe he's not returning phone calls, perhaps he's in Mexico, etc.) and you are getting dehydrated. Many ER's don't have docs working that have a clue about a band.<<

It's no easy task and I don't suggest others do it at all!! My port is easy to find and feel so I got it right away. But it wasn't fun doing it to myself.

I'm not sure that alcohol is enough. Personally I wouldn't use "just" alcohol on myself or a patient. The reason I got to thinking about this is that I actually found a person that sells fill kits. That, and I heard from Inamed that people have fill parties. While it does not surprise me that people do unfills on themselves, I was floored at the concept of fill parties. THAT is just freaky.

What about a nurse doing it? Nurses often times do fills/unfills in an MD office. I have an NP that does fills and does not work for a doc. If I can legally do it on others, why not myself in a pinch? For non nurses I totally agree with you. It can be dangerous for a variety of reasons.

Thanks for asking. The drugs to prevent stomach spasms are not working so I'm still on liquids. There are a couple more drugs to try before I give up and have my band removed. I'm going to try everything before I have it removed. I did my own unfill last night (no choice) and I slept all night long for the first time in weeks and weeks. But according to history that will be short lived. One day at a time, right? LOL

Depends on the complications and the insurance company.

If you get a fill today and an unfill tomorrow, does he still charge $200 again? For a five minute procedure? Does he use fluoro?

I called my doc and told him what I did. He wasn't thrilled about it but he also knows I am fully capable of accessing a port. His concern is fills, not as much unfills. I wouldn't do my own fills, I want that done under fluoro.

The issue I was shocked about is the concept of "fill parties" where patients take turns filling one another. That scares the heck out of me. That's how people get MRSA in their ports and lose their bands. I can't imagine any sane person going to such a party. Geez... buy tupperware and get a fill all in one party! If someone does not know sterile technique and have a solid understanding of various organisms, it's just stupid to do it themselves. I live in the 5th or 6th biggest city in the country and three times now I have been unable to find an ER that had a doc that had any idea of how to do an emergency unfill. THAT is scary. I talked to Inamed about this and they are aware of the problem. They are supposedly sending people around the country training ER staff in lap bands. I asked why my city, a HUGE city doesn't have an ER doc trained in this. They had no explanation.

That's too bad, but the reality is still reality. If she is going to limit your choices based in inaccuate info, she needs to find a way to pony up the money. Depending on Dateline is like depending on a tabloid. Seriously, it is.

Personally, I'd tell him to buggar off. A body going through weight loss doesn't get better quickly. Fat is replaced with sag and wrinkles. What will he say then?

Mom is standing her ground on inaccurate info. The complication stats are lower in Mexico than they are in the US for lap bands. Quite simply, they have been doing the procedure for 10 years longer in Mexico vs. the US. It is the Mexican surgeons that trained the US surgeons. They are STILL training the US surgeons. Mom watches too much TV. Mom is watching what catches the attention of viewers. They don't show the good stuff, just the bad. And there is JUST as much bad in the US as there is in Mexico. I hope this doesn't mean you can't get surgery cuz Mom isn't educated in this topic. :mad: Since she is limiting your options is she willing to help pay the difference for one good Mexican surgeon vs. a good US surgeon?

As much as I have seen/read on line regarding what people will do to get this surgery, I have become a firm believer that if one wants this surgery bad enough, they will find a way. There was a woman on OH that was trying to find ANY way for someone else to pay for her surgery. She was even looking at various charity organizations such as food banks and asking them to pay for her surgery (ya gotta admit, that takes guts) and she was determined to find someone to pay for her surgery. Come to find out she and hubby have cell phones, cable, internet connection (cable), a state of the art computer, etc. If she gave up those she would be able to pay for her own surgery vs. trying to take a FOOD bank's money, not that they would give it to her. She was pretty angry that nobody would pay for her medical care. When I explained that one gal even sold her house to take the equity and pay for her surgery she couldn't comprehend that I was suggesting she pay for her own medical care. Some folks.... My surgery was $7800 by a great surgeon that I still totally respect. I'd do it again the same exact way if I had it to do all over. People are under the assumption that the only good medical care to be had is in the US. That's simply an uneducated opinion and certainly not based on fact. (I'm not referring to BayBeeg00 here).

I do searches for "stupid Bush quotes" and there are (sadly) a gazillion of them out there.

Well, keep in mind that after you are banded your food bill will go down drastically. Fast food is out, home cooked will be a fraction of what it was. I didn't used to cook, the reason I am fat is because I survived at fast food joints. In my individual case, my band will pay for itself in 1.5 years just from not going to Mickey D's and Jack In The Box. I'll save $1500 a year just in Diet Coke alone. If I would have had to do financing my payment would be around $150/month for an $8K loan. I save that easily in just fast food. Just something to consider.

I'm so sorry, hopefully someday people will grow a brain and recognize same sex relationships. Will you be paying cash now?

I'm not sure I can agree with that. The human body does not go into starvation mode at that point, it takes a GREAT deal more of a calorie loss to go into starvation mode and that would take months and months. People starving to death in 3rd world countries, THEY are in starvation mode. I *do* agree that varying the amount of calories daily is a good idea but I'm talking 100-200 calories. One day I consume 400 calories, the next day it might be 800. I usually shoot for around 600 average daily. I simply see no value in maintaining fat, I want to lose weight and thus far, it is working quite well. I realize others want to lose more slowly and that's cool, but I don't want to. Starvation mode, eating when I'm sick, believing I'm too tired if I don't consume enough calories daily... those are all mind games I used to play on myself. I knew better but I justified eating anyway. I would tell myself that I'd be too tired if I didn't consume enough calories. Truth is, fat *is* stored energy. It took me some time to stop believing what I knew was not true, if that makes sense. Perhaps I should say that it took time for me to quit justifying my food intake. One of the problems (I think) is that there is sooooooo much incorrect info out there. Do a Google search on starvation mode and you'll get a ton of different opinions. It's hard to know which is truth and which is fiction.

This brings up a good question, what *are* the warranties on the band? I don't think port damage from puncture or holes in tubing due to anyone doing fills is covered by the manufacturer. Anyone know? I'll have to research that. I've done my own unfills in a pinch but I don't think I'd do my own fills.

I have to admit, I have done it twice but I am a nurse as well. If I know sterile technique for a portacath, I decided I can do an emergency unfill. Both times I did it (last night, night before last) I couldn't drink Water and I barfed so much I was barfing blood due to irritation. I removed 0.3ml the first night and 1.1 (the remainder) last night. Ahhh, it was so nice to sleep last night! I probably should have added an option for medical professionals, I just realized that.

It can be done but if you look at the stats for revision surgery (what you are referring to) very few bandsters have bypass revision but quite a few bypass folks have a revision for banding. I can't imagine anyone in their right mind having bypass if they have a choice.

Faith... You are too funny!

It's hard telling without seeing the wound. I had a red angry looking wound too and it was from the tape. I'll be four months on 4/6 and I still have tape scars. It was nasty looking. It's hard to give advice without seeing a photo. Would you be willing to take a digital photo and either email it to me or post it?