Leaking/damaged port after fill?

[olwen 0]

am 5 years banded and have a plain sailing journey with a fair few fills/unfills - other than the necessary push to get the needle in have had no pain or struggles and good restriction/relaxing. on saturday i had a fill with a nusre at a well reputed clinic (she has filled me twice before so i know she is competent) but saturday was a battle - one attempt made me yell it hurt so badly - it did not feel like the needle had gone into the rubbery-resistance of the port - we got there eventually and tho i felt some restriction as i had a little drink i now have less than before my fill and am esting and drinking like a horse! i am going back on saturday for another fill but am now worried that the painful hit might have caused the tube to leak as, unlike the port, it is not self-closing after injection. Anyone any info on port revision (cost, location. anest etc?) or where i can get an x ray to see whats going on in there - it mught just turn out to be something simple, like an alien growing, but better safe than sorry eh?

[Melinco 1]

If they have good notes in your medical file with how much you currently have in your band, they should be able to take all the Fluid out, see how much is there compared to what's noted, and determine if you've got a leak or not.

I also feel like I don't have much if any restriction with my latest fill. I wonder if this just happens sometimes.

[olwen 0]

thanks for yr reply - i will have the measure done - my body's Water retention is off the scale at present and my blood sugar is up n down like mad - i put this down to the massive increase in food n body a bit thrown by it - i just dread the thought of getting bigger..... but a few related threads show that a port revision isnt a biggie so we ll see?

[LeighaMason 19]

This exact thing happened to me in April. I have lots of scar tissue around my port so they had to push hard, the nurse even broke a needle (it pushed back into the syringe) and had to xray me and then start over. After the fill I had no restriction, but I didn't know until I got home. Because I am 2 hours away I had to schedule a time 2 weeks later that I could get off work to go back and have them remove all my fill and check for leaks. The day before I was going to go back, my restriction magically returned and I was at the perfect spot for 4 months! You might wait a couple of weeks before you have them check it.

The nurse told me that if she had removed all my fill to check she couldn't put it all back in because I really swell during fills and emptying the band and refilling it is traumatic on the stomach. Good luck, I hope it turns out the same way for you.

[me54him63 0]

I just had my port revised in July. I had the band for 22 months before having a problem. My problem started with pain around and deep into my port site. I then started noticing that I was eating more. The revision went well. There was basically no pain. I was camping in a tent 3 days later. I have BC/BS for insurance and they paid for everything. I had to have an endoscopy and some fluoroscopy also.

Slowly I've started to have some restriction, I've had 3 fills since being replaced.

I've heard that insurances will pay for the revision much easier then replacement of the whole band.

[olwen 0]

just to update - fter the saturday disaster, i had another fill attempt last thurs - seemed ok but two days later - no real restriction - so tonight i ahd a fluoro xray and apirartion - had only 4 in should have been 4.5 - so allseems ok - no leaking or disconnected tubes etc - band n port n piuch all looked great (not seen them for a few years!!) so heres hoping this fill stays put - am very tight now but it should ease off after a day or two as i just got my period n this always causing tightening <nos how without Punch, eh?) anyway am just glad no leaks or revision etc. fingers crossed i can drop my recently regained 20 lbs n get back in my jeans! i squashed into them for the hosp visit n was mortified when he stood me up to drink the Fluid n as my shirt was raised, this huge roll of flab was bursting over my jeans! that should keep me off the nibbles even if the band doesnt!!!

[Cocoabean 430]

The nurse told me that if she had removed all my fill to check she couldn't put it all back in because I really swell during fills and emptying the band and refilling it is traumatic on the stomach. Good luck, I hope it turns out the same way for you.

I'm glad you mentioned this. I had a fill yesterday with the nurse practioner, rather than the surgeon. First time for me.

She gave me 0.25cc. She drew back all to check the level and then put it back in.

I thought my surgeon did that, but now am not sure I remember correctly. Especially since my last fill was a year ago.

She commented that she is more aggressive than he is, and I wasn't sure what she meant, because it certainly wasn't in amount given. I asked for 0.25, by the way. She was willing to give more if I wanted.

Also, it was an odd sensation when she drew the Fluid out the put it back in. I felt the whole thing. I don't really remember that from before.

So, she gave me orders for liquids until Monday in case there is swelling. I am hating life right now. :thumbup: But am being a good patient and following orders.