Dr. couldnt find port site at last fill appointment

[carliebear 0]

My dr could not find the entrance to the port. Is this normal. She told me to start eating about 1200 calories a day and to come back in 2 months, so now I have to wait 2 months until I get another fill. I currently have only 3 cc in my band. Since starting the pre-op diet on June 14 I have only lost a total of 12 pounds and she was not happy with that, she said I should lose alot more. Any advice?

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I'm curious what they expect to change in 2 months. Did she do it under fluoscopy or blind? If no fluoro I think I'd be requesting it instead. Good luck, I'm sorry you're starting off with so much trouble.

[carliebear 0]

She was going at it blind, she has never mentioned flouro

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I've had 4 fills and 2 unfills, blind, each on 1 stick without any problems. I'm perfectly fine with them doing it way as long as it is working. If she can't find it they either need someone else to give it a shot or do something so they can visualize things a bit better....a normal port is not that hard to access. You may be twisted/flipped/etc, it may have just been fluke luck, or she may not be that great at fills. I'd at least call and ask, waiting 2 months doesn't seem productive.

Good luck!

[Carosel2002 0]

I agree with calling them back and see what other options they have. I'm confused? So basically she was telling you that it was your fault that you've been at a stand still on pounds lost???:thumbup: I'd would've kicked her in the shins!!

My surgeon does blind stick and I've never had a problem, although my port is kind of prominent. The floroscopy should be used or what Christie said, get another person to try!

Edited August 12, 2010 by Carosel2002

[dman3998 0]

My dr could not find the entrance to the port. Is this normal. She told me to start eating about 1200 calories a day and to come back in 2 months, so now I have to wait 2 months until I get another fill. I currently have only 3 cc in my band. Since starting the pre-op diet on June 14 I have only lost a total of 12 pounds and she was not happy with that, she said I should lose alot more. Any advice?

I can only have contempt for incompetence like that, first off if the port is not prominent she needs to use a fluoroscope to check it out. and that it TOTAL BS to tell you come back in 2 months with no fill what the heck do we need the band for if we can lose weight without it being filled? what's going to change in 2 months? will the port come back? will you suddenly have no eating urges and will power to spare? What a moron, she needs to get her crape together. If it is an option at all, I would go to another doc or fill center.

[BetsyB 9]

My doctor uses fluoro for every fill--but never during the portion when he's accessing the port. However, he can locate mine---if yours can't, fluoro would be great.

I, too, am wondering why you "should" lose more, if you don't have restriction and very specific eating guidelines. I was able to lose during the period of bandster hell, but only because my doctor's recommended eating regimen is really quite strict---if I'd been told 1200 calories/day, I would gain, not lose.

I hope your doctor, once she accesses the port, is not among those who withholds fills if you don't lose "enough." That's not supposed to be the way it is. We had bands placed around our stomachs for a reason--and require those fills.

Why TWO MONTHS wait? She couldn't access the port! The next step should be an immediate appointment to access it assisted by fluoroscopy!

What? Now you're being punished for her inability to do the job? Because you "should be" doing something better?

No. That was an obnoxious way of turning her failure around on you--and it's not acceptable, IMO.

[Mimilou2004 13]

As all of the other poster's said, what a load of crap!!!!! She is failing you and I would NOT wait 2 months, even if you have to change doctors!!!! Jerk!!!!!

Mimi

[Melinco 1]

The last couple of times I went in for a fill, the surgeon was having a hard time sticking the port. What helped was for me to do a mini-crunch. I just basically lifted my head up off the pillow a couple of inches, and WHAM! He stuck it. Perhaps she should try that. BTW, I am going to remember to crunch again from the get go for my next fill as I had forgotten we did that before.

[knixon39 0]

Carlie, so sorry to hear that. I was just banded on 7/21 and picked up a friend who had the same surgery today and talked to the surgeon about when to get a fill and he said when you are getting hungry and start gaining or don't lose for a period of time. When they cannot locate the port, they do an x-ray, but would never send you home. I would call and speak to someone. That just doesn't seem like good service to me. Everyone in our positions need to see a loss to stay motivated. Stay on them about it.. I wouldn't wait 2 months. Good luck and keep us posted.

[knixon39 0]

Betsy, I was only banded 7/21 with a fill during surgery of 3cc, but none since. What is flouro?

Congrats on your weight loss to by the way.

[shadst8 8]

My port was very awkwardly turned and extremely hard to access--my doctor told me to come back--but not in 2 months! He said if when I retuned and it would not fill blind, he would do fluoro. It was about about 3 weeks later because he was hoping more weight loss would turn it back. Two months does not sound right. Three weeks was bad enough, but two months I cannot comprehend why.

[Melissannde 41]

There's another option to Fluoro (which entails radiation). My doctor's practice is to use Ultrasound when the port can't be located by palpation.

Call the scheduling clerk and ask for an appt 1 month out. If asked why you're back so early.. feign confusion.. say.. OH.. was I supposed to wait longer? Or be honest and say I didn't want to wait that long. I need help with the hunger. Can you use ultrasound or flouro to find the port?

There will probably be extra charges for the use of one of those.. my doc does charge a little more when they need to use ultrasound.

Good luck.

[BetsyB 9]

Betsy, I was only banded 7/21 with a fill during surgery of 3cc, but none since. What is flouro?

Congrats on your weight loss to by the way.

Thanks! It sounds like you're on target for fill volume--I think I got 4 ccs for my first, but it wasn't until 6 weeks postoperative.

Fluoroscopy is a type of x-ray that allows the doctor to observe the band and, if necessary, the port (which is radioopaque--shows up on x-ray). Some doctors have the equipment in their offices and use it to assess the band/fill level. Mine is one of them---each time I get a fill, he has me stand in front of the machine and swallow a bit of barium, which he then watches pass through the band. By doing this, he accomplishes two things: he makes sure I'm not overfilled (at the moment; swelling can occur, but hasn't yet caused me problems), and he assess the position of the band (to make sure it hasn't slipped).