travelinsnorkel

I've had a roller coaster ride with this fill. After my port revision surgery this past July, my doctor is only able to fill my port in the office without fluoro about every other time. This past time, he overfilled me in the office so I could barely get liquids down, then got unfilled under xray because he couldn't find the port, only to be left with no restriction! I realize that the scar tissue is preventing him from finding the port, but I would like to find a doctor in Maryland that does fills under xray in their office. I am self-pay and I am paying about $400 to get fills in the hospital since my doctor, Dr. Averbach, does't have one in his office. I don't blame the doctor for these problems, but I do want my band to work and I am hopeful that I can find a doctor who can help me to find my sweet spot!

Good luck to you! My port hasn't flipped again, but he isn't able to find it (except for the first time) unless it is under fluoro. So, went through all that to spend even more money to get my fills under fluoro. Still have only lost about 38 pounds in over a year. I'm very discouraged.

My Lap Band story has been a trying one over the past year. I got banded 10/13/08. I lost some weight initially, but then he had trouble accessing the port, which led to me getting fills under fluoro (I'm self pay and had to pay for all of this). Then, he realized my port was flipped. So, I got a port revision this past July. Then, I got my first fill and finally felt restriction. Since I was starting to get more hungry, I went in to get another fill yesterday. WELL, he couldn't access the port. He tried three needles and poked and prodded. I asked why he couldn't find it. He said he didn't know why. There was a lot of scar tissue, but he didn't know why he accessed it last time and not this time. Basically, he was like, come back next week and we will try again. I want answers! My doctor is very well respected and I know so many people who have had great results. So, do I go to get a second opinion? I'd have to pay even more out of pocket and I'm not even sure another doctor would deal with it. Has anyone else had this problem? I'm feeling so hopeless right now. Why did I get this surgery? I put my body through all of this and am at a standstill again!

He said that he really anchored the port on tight this time and it might just be extra scarring from that. He did do the port revision for free. I am going to see what happens this week and if he can't find it, I'm going to get a second opinion even if I have to pay out of pocket AGAIN!

I get port pain sometimes when I exercise. Since I have had my port revision surgery as mine flipped, I am VERY careful about trying to avoid this! I stopped doing pilates because I think that it was a major contributor. I sometimes feel pain during crunches, but haven't during planks. Make sure that your core is tight and pelvic is tucked in during those and see if it helps...

I have an appointment to get a fill this Friday at my last appointment 6 weeks ago. However, I'm not sure I need it. I'm eating about 1100-1200 calories a day and I am working out and am satisfied. I'm not losing weight super fast, but I am losing weight. I don't PB very often, but will if I eat too fast as well as sliming sometimes. Should I get the fill?

Thanks for all of the great advice! I called and cancelled my fill and I'll go when I start feeling a little more hungry. I started working out again last week after taking time off for my port revision surgery and I'm worried if I get a fill I won't be able to eat enough to balance the work outs.

Doing the downward dog yoga move seems to help...others have suggested pineapple juice, though I've never tried it...

I take 4 Citracel chewable caramel chews daily and it keeps me fairly regular..

I take a liquid form that tastes like orange in little packets that I get from a health food store and it is called Coreomega.

I used to be fanatical about taking my vitamins prior to my surgery. I just popped them and swallowed and was done with it. Now I have to gag down these chewable vitamins. I have tried all kinds of flavors and they all are disgusting. Are there any good ones that you all have found? Are there any ones that come in pill form that are small enough for me to swallow? Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks!

Maybe I'll try to Centrum. My nutritionist did tell me the Flinstones weren't good enough, but I supposed better than nothing when I don't take them!

I have been taking the Bariatric Advantage ones. I do like the Viactiv Calcium, so maybe I'll try their multis as well...the liquids didn't do well with me either! I'm usually not bad with these kinds of things, but I find that I'm avoiding taking them and I don't want to do that!

I went on my first vacation to Barbados where I didn't plan my whole day around food! I went to the breakfast buffet and just had my normal meal rather than a five course breakfast. I had a tiny lunch and a normal sized dinner and no snacking. I even managed to lose 5 lbs while I was gone! It is so nice to have the band actually be working!

I do calcium and fiber chocolate chews and they are ok, I think it is just the chalkiness that gags me

Are they grainy? I think that that is my biggest problem with them...

I stopped taking my birth control a month before surgery and haven't needed to restart it. However, my period has been really heavy and I am thinking about going back on it. Has been on the pill affected your weight loss at all? I know it can sometimes cause weight gain.

You'll do great! I was more scared with this surgery than any other one that I've had, I think it was because it was elective, but think of all of the great things that will come of it!

Oh no! That is horrible! Did the doc give you a reason why this keeps happening? Maybe a different doc should be doing it so it doesn't happen again. Good luck!

I didn't feel anything, the doc just wasn't able to access it to do fills anymore.

I have the Lap Band. I have heard from one doc that the Realize has a better attachment for the port, but I am really not very educated on the pros and cons of both types.

In that respect, it was a good thing that I was self pay because I could just go ahead with things. However, it has cost a lot of money total, but I am VERY lucky that my parents have paid for everything. I'm not sure where the post went because I've been on vacation, but I think that someone asked me about my incision. My doc just used the old incision site and it actually looks better than the old one! Isn't as bumpy. He didn't have to go into the muscle he said. I have good restriction now...I feel like the band is actually working!

The Lap Band

I would say have someone there to help out the first day, but then I was able to do for myself, my Mom didn't even have to spend the night to help out! I was able to sleep without pain for the most part and I was able to sleep on my side much more quickly.

Congrats on the weight loss! I didn't make it quite that far before I had major problems with him accessing the port. I had my port revised last month. I was in WAY less pain than the first surgery. It was mostly localized to the site where he put the port in. I was able to get out of bed on my own and do most things, just a little more slowly and no bending or lifting, of course. I took it easy for about 3 days, then back to work. I barely had to take the pain meds at all. The incision actually healed better than the last one! I wish you luck with everything! I was really nervous about it, almost more nervous than with the first surgery because I had lost hope with everything, but now I am super excited for a fresh start!