Flipped Port!!!!

[Sailor59 0]

So I went for my first fill today and the Dr. Tells me that my port is flipped and he cannot do a fill! He said to wait 2 weeks to see if as it heals it flips back or can be manipulated as the scar tissue reduces. But there is greater than a 50% chance I will have to have another surgery to correct it. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Advice is greatly appreciated!

[jayres14 17]

Oh no! That is awful for you! I had to sleep on my back for the first three weeks after the surgery because of port pain. Every time I tried to roll to one side, I could feel the stitches pulling. I still can feel them to this day and sometimes have to push the port back into its resting place when I roll back over (it is right below my sternum). I wish I had some good news for you. Good Luck and I hope it flips back on its own.

[Atsirc 10]

I went in for my first fill and they told me my port was flipped too. I just had correct port sugery on Monday. There's no real advice I can give but I can tell you that it won't be manipulated back... actually the longer they wait the more secure it gets in its place. The sugery wasn't as big a deal at the lap band surgery but it does suck. I'm in quite a bit of pain because my port floated pretty far away from where my surgeon placed it. If you have any questions feel free to ask! Good luck!

[Sailor59 0]

I went in for my first fill and they told me my port was flipped too. I just had correct port sugery on Monday. There's no real advice I can give but I can tell you that it won't be manipulated back... actually the longer they wait the more secure it gets in its place. The sugery wasn't as big a deal at the lap band surgery but it does suck. I'm in quite a bit of pain because my port floated pretty far away from where my surgeon placed it. If you have any questions feel free to ask! Good luck!

I do have a couple of questions... How much of a financial impact did the follow up surgery have? What is your recovery time like? Were you put on a special diet leading up to the surgery? Your input is greatly appreciated!

[Atsirc 10]

The financial impact I haven't really felt yet. I have insurance so I don't really know how much I'll have to pay yet. I had a $100 copay so I am hoping that is the extent of it. Recovery sucks. I am in quite a bit of pain because my port floated so far from where it was originally put. I've read on here that it's not a big deal to most people but for me it hurts worse than the original surgery... although I had NO problems after lap band surgery and it was pretty easy going for me. I had surgery on Monday and I am returning (very hesitantly) to work today. I work with small children so I'm not sure it's the best idea to go back so soon. I was on no special diet leading up to the surgery and the only reason I am on liquids now is because I asked for him to give me a fill while he was in there. When did you have your lap band surgery?

[Sailor59 0]

I was banded 7-26-11

[junestar6 0]

My port flipped too, but since the hospital billed my insurance wrong the surgery ended up costing me $7000 instead of $2000, so there will be no more surgery for me. I had to just forget it. Gosh thinking about paying $7000 for losing 10lbs is so depressing I can't even tell you how disappointed I am. I never ever felt full within the limits of the intact they said I should eat. I can't exercise and they don't understand that either. It's not a matter of it just causing pain, it's a matter of me falling down and hurting myself. I think I've worked thru all this emotionally and then I find myself going thru all if it again. Probably every time that big monthly payment comes in. :>) Forgive me for being so negative. I'm really not that type person, but this has really thrown me for a loop. I was in such high hopes that I would be able to move without so much pain.

I too have "port pain' when I move especially bending over to pick something up. Oh well, no use crying over flipped port. LOL I'll go drink another Protein drink and try to work thru it one more time.

[kab1278 3]

My port flipped too, but since the hospital billed my insurance wrong the surgery ended up costing me $7000 instead of $2000, so there will be no more surgery for me. I had to just forget it. Gosh thinking about paying $7000 for losing 10lbs is so depressing I can't even tell you how disappointed I am. I never ever felt full within the limits of the intact they said I should eat. I can't exercise and they don't understand that either. It's not a matter of it just causing pain, it's a matter of me falling down and hurting myself. I think I've worked thru all this emotionally and then I find myself going thru all if it again. Probably every time that big monthly payment comes in. :>) Forgive me for being so negative. I'm really not that type person, but this has really thrown me for a loop. I was in such high hopes that I would be able to move without so much pain.

I too have "port pain' when I move especially bending over to pick something up. Oh well, no use crying over flipped port. LOL I'll go drink another Protein drink and try to work thru it one more time.

Have you spoken to the hospital about the codes used for the surgery? Hospitals can resubmit corrected claims very easily. I used to work for CareFirst BCBS and we allowed providers to resubmit corrected claims all the time. I would check your EOB for codes (sometimes, certain companies provide them on EOBs) and then track down what codes were used successfully for others on this forum. Then take those codes to the billing department of the hospital, or better yet, your surgeon, and explain the situation. The more you push for things to be corrected, (if there was indeed a mistake), the more likely it can get rebilled, so you have more financial opportunities. Hope this might help.

:welldoneclap:

[junestar6 0]

The main problem was that there was no hospital in my area that was 'in network' with my insurance. The hospital ok'd network price w/ the insurance company and then charged them $87,000 for the surgery. My insurance paid the $4000 that it would have paid for in network pricing, but the hospital insisted on more money even though they 'resubmitted' the correct charges. My doc had to go to the CEO of the hospital to get this done. Moral to this story is get anything a hospital promises you or quotes you in writing BEFORE surgery. I was naive and took the CEO at his word. Never again. I'll have to be dying to even go back to that hospital and they are the only ones that allows the lapband/gastric surgeries.

Even charging full price doesn't $87,000 for a lapband procedure sound ridiculous??? I could have gotten open heart surgery for that. LOL Then $8000 for anethesists? wow! I'm in the wrong business!!!

I'm not doing well on losing weight right now. Seems my mind just won't 'gear up' to starve myself like I use to do. I was in such hopes that I had finally found something that would work for me. I'm kind of mad at myself because I know better than to get my hopes up!!!

On the plus side, even though I didn't lose but 10lbs, the surgery evidently did something. My diabetes is under control and the high blood pressure is gone, so no more meds for those two things. I don't know how it did that, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth so to speak. LOL

Thanks for your comment. It's been 2 yrs and I've tried everything but standing on my head and whitstling Dixie.

Have you spoken to the hospital about the codes used for the surgery? Hospitals can resubmit corrected claims very easily. I used to work for CareFirst BCBS and we allowed providers to resubmit corrected claims all the time. I would check your EOB for codes (sometimes, certain companies provide them on EOBs) and then track down what codes were used successfully for others on this forum. Then take those codes to the billing department of the hospital, or better yet, your surgeon, and explain the situation. The more you push for things to be corrected, (if there was indeed a mistake), the more likely it can get rebilled, so you have more financial opportunities. Hope this might help.

:welldoneclap:

[SlimbandSexy 1]

Apparently my port is flipped but my surgeon says it is still fillable. I am likely looking at going to the original surgical clinic for fills instead of a regular fill doctor which means about a 1/2 hour further drive each way but I can deal with that. I was told that because it is on its side and protruding quite a bit already that they will relocate it once I have lost my weight.

I am just getting over a skin infection over the port site so I am not allowed to have a fill for a while anyway. And I am in no hurry for a fill.

Do yourself a favour - don't play with your port and try to move it around. That is what I did and I think it is how I ended up with the skin infection.

Good luck! I hope it moves or they can manipulate it back into place. Sometimes laying/standing/sitting can move the port so it is fillable. I think mine will be accessible by laying down. Crossing my fingers for you!!

[Sailor59 0]

Thank you all for all the great information. I have pretty much resigned myself to going in for another surgery. I really don't think they will be able to manipulate it enough to do a fill. On the bright side, when I went in for my fill I had only lost 4 lbs in 4 weeks.... so I was on a major plateau, but when I went to my regular doctor yesterday I was down to 397 thats 5 lbs in a week!!! I was able to use a regular dr. scale for the first time in years!!! Its a small victory but a victory jus the same! I just thank God that I decided to get the plication so atleast I am able to contine some weight loss even with an empty lapband.

[Ebby42299 8]

So I went for my first fill today and the Dr. Tells me that my port is flipped and he cannot do a fill! He said to wait 2 weeks to see if as it heals it flips back or can be manipulated as the scar tissue reduces. But there is greater than a 50% chance I will have to have another surgery to correct it. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Advice is greatly appreciated!

My husband and I were banded on August 26, 2011, we both went to the doctor yesterday to get our first fills but my port was flipped so i have been scheduled for outpatient surgery tomorrow to have the port fixed. The doctor said that he will put 2 cc's of saline in the band during surgery. My husband received 4 cc's in his band. I am not looking forward to the surgery but i am looking forward to losing more weight so hopefully this will help and i will not be in too much pain. I am hoping to be able to go back to work on Monday.

[armko 0]

im new to forum so dont no how this works but looking 4 some answers i got my lap-band on 8/22/11 and had first fill 9/20/11 everything went fine no pain in filling port go back 4 my 2nd fill like around 10/20/11 and port really moved and flipped about an inch total pain in fill and had 2 have x-ray 2 find port have 2 have another surgery to relocate port question 1)is this common 2)is it from being over active 3) also looking 4 a on-line support group please can someone help thank you ps had my surgery done at barix clinic in michagan dr schamn has anybody else had surgery there or this surgeon thanks again

[PasadenaGal 0]

The same exact thing happened to me today when I was scheduled to have my 1st fill. I am so disappointed. I am going back in 2 weeks and having another surgery with local anesthesia to flip my port. The only positive thing is that I will be getting my 1st fill at the same time...Good Luck!

So I went for my first fill today and the Dr. Tells me that my port is flipped and he cannot do a fill! He said to wait 2 weeks to see if as it heals it flips back or can be manipulated as the scar tissue reduces. But there is greater than a 50% chance I will have to have another surgery to correct it. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Advice is greatly appreciated!