Port thats hard to fill....WHY????

[steveelea 61]

I am venting and asking at the same time.....has anyone ever had trouble getting thier fills done eg: hard to find the port or port moved etc????

I have been banded since November 09 and have had non stop problems and I am getting soooo disheartened

I have never had great restriction due to a leak in the port tube, so I finally had that replaces only a few months ago and everything was finally starting to fall into place, but then I had a fill a month ago and the dr found it hard to do. It took forever for him to find it and get it in the right position.

Then today I went back hoping that it would be my final fill for some time as I felt like I was just about there with restriction just needed a little more and bang, he slipped that many times and ended up having to do a local anisthetic to try to find the port as he was almost DIGGING with the needle and the pain with him slipping hard was extremely uncomfortable.

I left the dr's with no fill and he has told me i need to go see the surgeon next week to see whats happening as he thinks that now my new port has twisted around and he could only find the back, moreover he also said that he slipped and hit my tubing again so I am now waiting for another leak to start......Why me (sorry feeling sorry for myself big time atm)

Has this sort of thing happened to anyone else or I am just really unlucky??????? :tongue2: How can they tell if its turned around or they need to move it????

That would mean 3 ports and tubing in 1 year!

Stressed out badly, sad angry and confused :frown::mad::eek:

[StevieVieth 0]

Well I havent had that big of a problem as you have, But I have had some slight issues with my port. My first fill n April was terrible the nurse couldnt located it right away it was about 20 minutes before she even got it. Then The next fill she knew what she was doing and got it only after 5 minutes. It was still difficult. THen she left the office so the last fill I had the surgeon actually did and I warned him that it is hard to locate and such and he was like oh thats not me its just the nurse watch this.. and to his surprise ... he couldnt get it.. it took him a while he said due to my fat loss around my port that it flips around and moves .. He said it was a good issue.

[clhendrix2 0]

I went in today after work for my first fill. I was excited and nervous at the same time, I was really looking forward to getting some restriction! I am alittle afraid of needles, but it has to be done.

So I laid down on the table, got a shot of local anesthesia, good and numb. Yea! She was all happy and taking to me,

then she seemed to be having trouble finding the port, well they found the port but was having problem getting the needle into the port. She was pushing and pushing, moving all around. She got out the ultrasound machine, took a look, said all looked ok, went back to the needle. She then administered more local anesthesia. So I asked is there something wrong? Did the port filp? She said no, its ok, just having a very difficult time going in. ?? So six sticks later and an hour, she decides that I need to come back in the morning to have Dr.Provost try. She kept telling me all was ok, this happens sometimes, and that I did nothing wrong. But I can't help but worry. Its what I do. Please, oh please Lord let me be ok. I cannot afford more surgery. :thumbup:

[cshylton 0]

Hi,:thumbup:

I went in on June 3rd for my first fill. My Dr. had no problem finding the port. The problem was the needle wouldn't go in.

He told me i had Fluid around the port. He drained it. and said he would try again in 2 weeks. I have noticed my left side is bigger than the right.

He said this hardly ever happens so i left wondering . What caused this? What does it mean?

I had only lost 12 lbs at the time which was my 4 week post-op and i could tell he thought i should have lost more.

I am 5 weeks post-op now and have lost 16 lbs. since surgery day.I am so worried something is wrong i go back on the 17th.Has anyone else had this to happen? I have another week to worry. Please anyone know!:smile:

[bambam31 168]

I am venting and asking at the same time.....has anyone ever had trouble getting thier fills done eg: hard to find the port or port moved etc????

I have been banded since November 09 and have had non stop problems and I am getting soooo disheartened :thumbup:

I have never had great restriction due to a leak in the port tube, so I finally had that replaces only a few months ago and everything was finally starting to fall into place, but then I had a fill a month ago and the dr found it hard to do. It took forever for him to find it and get it in the right position.

Then today I went back hoping that it would be my final fill for some time as I felt like I was just about there with restriction just needed a little more and bang, he slipped that many times and ended up having to do a local anisthetic to try to find the port as he was almost DIGGING with the needle and the pain with him slipping hard was extremely uncomfortable.

I left the dr's with no fill and he has told me i need to go see the surgeon next week to see whats happening as he thinks that now my new port has twisted around and he could only find the back, moreover he also said that he slipped and hit my tubing again so I am now waiting for another leak to start......Why me (sorry feeling sorry for myself big time atm)

Has this sort of thing happened to anyone else or I am just really unlucky??????? :thumbup: How can they tell if its turned around or they need to move it????

That would mean 3 ports and tubing in 1 year!

Stressed out badly, sad angry and confused :tt2::mad::smile:

WOW! You really have bad luck! Save your money - no need to buy lotto tickets! :tt2:

In all seriousness, I hope this turns around for you promptly - you've suffered enough for a four-dozen bandsters!

Brad

[LapNYC 3]

It sounds like you've really been through the ringer! I haven't suffered like that but I have had problems with my fills as well. Both times it's taken half an hour of sticking and resticking me, and then once the needle is in, poking around 10, 20 times. It's something I've come to dread.

Good luck to you!

[khunt719 2]

Your luck sucks...sorry to say it but it does. I had my last fill and had the doctor pull out all the saline because I wasn't feeling the restriction like I thought I should. I was supposed to be at 9 and he pulled out 7. When he went to put 8 back in, the needle broke or came apart and some of the saline went on my arm. So I don't know how much I really have but I haven't lost any weight this month and go for another fill this coming Tuesday. Sometimes he has a hard time finding the port and has me lift my head or the nurse holds my legs up but it seems like when he does finally find it there is no problem usually. You just have really bad luck and I wouldn't wish what you are going through on anyone. Good luck.

[steveelea 61]

Thanks for the kind words guys, and sorry to hear some of you have had problems with your ports too.

I went to my specialist today and after trying to do a fill and realising that it was hitting the back of the port, told me that I am going in for surgery on this tuesday comming to get yet another port replaced. :crying: Well when he told me I said oh no not another operation and started to cry (then thought stop it you big baby and suck it up and get a grip) I thought well I guess it could be worse.

He said that the port has flipped around and the backside of the port is facing out. He thinks that maybe as he placed the port where the origional one was (even though he cleaned the scar tissue up while operating) that it has not adheared properly due to the scar tissue.

This time he is moving the new port (replacing the old port and part of the tubing to be safe) to just up the top just under where my ribs meet. The scar will be on my bra line so unfortunately he will have to make 2 inscisions. One where the port is now to remove it and one along the bra line to place the new port. Unfortunately the port scar now is around 3 inches long and so will the new scar be :frown:

Dreading the recovery as I am a complete sook when it comes to pain

I am begining to feel like the bride of frankenstein with all of my scars but hey, guess its all worth it in the end.

He said to me that ports and me dont realy agree and I said tell me about it. I have had trouble since the start trying to have my port filled...there has always been problems so heres hoping and praying that 3rd times a charm :eek:

[steveelea 61]

StevieVieth thats a relief that you have a good issue and that they know how to find it and are aware that it moves around

clhendrix2, sometimes some drs are better than others are getting the right spot and getting the fill done. Let us know how you go after you have seen your other dr but if she checked it by ultrasound and all looked normal then it sounds positive.

cshylton, I had a lot of swelling to start with and Fluid around my port and they told me that was more common than you think, so they do see it a bit and they told me it usually resolves itself. It sure did after my first op its just the dr that did the fill pierced the tube or the tube kinked and I had a leak....nothing to do with swelling causing the problem and also one side of my stomach where the port was was a different shape and stuck out more than the other side of my tummy...also it sounds to me like the amount of weight you have lost already is amazing....I don't see why he would be dissapointed with that???

bambam31 :crying: I certainly wont be buying any lottery tickets any time soon...at least its easy for them to fix though just horrid that I have to go through another surgery yet again :frown:

LapNYC I know how you feel being stuck with needles countless times as that has been the case with most fills for me, but they say the more weight you lose the easier the fills get as they can find it more easily so I am waiting for that day :eek:

khunt719 My luck sure does suck, in regards to lapbanding anyway They do say 3rd times the charm so here's hoping...Hey can you ask your dr to see how much is in the band by pulling out the saline and checking again next time you go???? It will at least put your mind at ease and you would think it would help him to so he wasn't flying blind and knew how much he had to work with

Edited June 10, 2010 by steveelea
Sorry for all the spelling mistakes :)

[shadst8 8]

My first fill was a no go--I had to go back because he could not access my port--the second fill took awhile but he was able to do it. I go for 3rd fill the end of this month--it gets easier everytime

I am sorry you have had so much trouble. I hope the surgery will be helpful in getting you better fills.

[clhendrix2 0]

*Update* I went in yesterday morning at 9am to see Dr.Provost. He tried with 2 needles to hit the port, but no luck. So he sent me across the street to the hospital where I had my surgery, to do the fill under flouroscopy ($100 by the way! ). I went over and as soon as they had a machine available they called him over. I was glad to see that when Dr.Provost came he brought his PA Chrystyna with him. I was glad at this point to see friendly, familiar faces, seeing as I was extremely worried at this point. And cold, that hospital was freezing! So after seeing my port on xray, its not perfect but maybe not completely terrible either. My port is sort of angled upwards, it is not laying flat as it should be, but it is not flipped over either, so no surgery to correct it is planned at this time. They still hope that it will lay down as more swelling goes down and I lose more weight. Dr and PA were there to see exactly how it is facing and how to manipulate it to flatten it out and get the fill done. So I got the fill, I am very, very sore and bruised! My tummy looks like I got hit with a baseball! :frown: The Dr wants to do my next fill in a little over 2 weeks. Wish me luck! I am feeling a little more restriction, now then I did. But no issues swallowing or vomiting! Yea! Thats a good thing.

[steveelea 61]

clhendrix2 I am so sorry you had to go through all of that to get your fill.....but on the upside you didn't need surgery and they could give you a fill so that was great in the end.

I feel for you with your bruising and swelling you poor thing....sending hugz your way :frown:

My tummy is still swallen and distorted from all the poking and jabbing that I got for 2 days in a row as well...don't you feel like a human pin cushion

I was wondering where your port is located??

I am going to post a diagram of where my old port (my port now) is located and where my new one is going and wondering where everyone elses is as I know that they do put them in different spots depending on the surgeon.

I think I need to start a new thread for it though and have never posted a pic before so I will give it a go here too

Red is for the new port and scar and blue is for the old port and scar

[clhendrix2 0]

steveelea thank you so much, it has been an ordeal, glad it is over and still optomistic about my next fill. Looking at your diagram my port and scar is more in line with your blue mark but a little more towards the middle and about mid way between my bra line and my belly button. Definately feeling the restriction when I eat, was taking 3-4 bites before now its more like 2 bites then wait...:frown:

[steveelea 61]

Hi Everyone

Hope your all going well

Just an update to post.....I have had my new port (3rd and hopefully final time) put in the other day (15th June)

I am still in a fair bit of discomfort and out of it on pain relief.

I have now got 2 more scars and in total 3 inscisions this time (2 are 3 inches in length and the other is small nearer my belly button)

I am trying to be positive but sometimes I just have my scared times when I am worried something else will go wrong again, but I think 3rd times the charm and I will blitz it from here on in :thumbup:

[clhendrix2 0]

*Update* I went in Tuesday to see Dr.Provost for my second fill. He tried with 4 needles to hit the port, but no luck. He has decided to replace my port. I am only about 7 weeks post op. This is such a disappointment. I really cannot afford more surgery. The Dr is doing it under medically nesessary so the hospital cannot make me pay anything up front. I guess I will just have to pay it out forever. I have been losing pretty good since my surgery almost 30 pounds. The money part worries me, but I just cannot give up now. I dont know what I am going to do, but part of me says the hell with the money, get the port replaced and keep on losing! So tomorrow morning I go for the pre-op visit and Friday July 2 is my surgery for a new port. Please pray for me. This surgery has got to be sucessful. :thumbup: