How To Tighten A Lap Band Without A Port Head?

[NWgirl 574]

If it were me i would be doing everything possible to try and fill it. I work in a hospital and have axcess to syringes and all the idems needed. I went to nursing school and knkw how to create a sterile field to work with. So i would fill my syringe with what you generally got for a first fill with normal saline then try like the liquid bandaid or liquid stitches. Or if tubing stickes out far enough i would use the liquid stitches then wrap with steri striped or gauze and bandage. Not sure how long it would last if at all but i wohld be trying everything. I am not recommending this for you only telling what i would do for myself.

I'm sorry, I went to nursing school too and in no way would I ever try and doctor this in the way you are suggesting. There is an underlying issue to this person's band problems and the removal of the port was apparently medically necessary- what you are outlining here would most likely cause a dangerous abdominal infection.

[ready4change2 19]

Nwgirl- i am simply stating what i would do in a similar situation. I would never be in this type of situation as my dr's office is only 15 minutes from my house. She originally asked for suggestions and can bring this option to her dr at her appt tomorrow. The fact that she has the end of the tubing sticking out of her body is cause for dangerous infection.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

This whole thread kinda baffles me. I've seen a Lapland before and the tubing on it was not a soft pliable tubing but rather a fairly firm plastic.

If you cut the head off the tube it would leave a relatively sharp plastic tube in the abdomen, would it not? I am no expert on the band, but this thread has prompted me to do some searching an haven't been able to find a single case where a doctor has removed part of a lap and without removing it completely

[NWgirl 574]

This whole thread kinda baffles me. I've seen a Lapland before and the tubing on it was not a soft pliable tubing but rather a fairly firm plastic.

If you cut the head off the tube it would leave a relatively sharp plastic tube in the abdomen' date=' would it not? I am no expert on the band, but this thread has prompted me to do some searching an haven't been able to find a single case where a doctor has removed part of a lap and without removing it completely[/quote']

There are times when the Dr surgically removes the port head, but it is left INSIDE the body. Search the boards and you may find some of the old posts.

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[NWgirl 574]

Nwgirl- i am simply stating what i would do in a similar situation. I would never be in this type of situation as my dr's office is only 15 minutes from my house. She originally asked for suggestions and can bring this option to her dr at her appt tomorrow. The fact that she has the end of the tubing sticking out of her body is cause for dangerous infection.

I think the poster needs encouragement to get medical treatment, and not ways she could possibly endanger her life more.

Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

[model 5]

Wow thank you for all the replies. There are a number of posts I need to address.

If my situation sounds strange and peculiar that's because it is. The whole thing is a mess.

Yes the entire port did just burst through my skin. And yes frankly I was extremely alarmed.

The tubing is indeed hard and has quite a sharp end. The end is sticking outside still so is completely accessible. To give readers an idea think of something like those hard plastic computer ties in terms of what the tubing is made of.

NWgirl I did specifically ask for original ideas and not for people to just tell me to see medical help.

I did in fact go to Thailand to have lap band surgery. Upon arrival I was denied surgery as my bmi was in the upper end of the healthy weight range. I saw some 20 doctors but everyone refused to do it because I wasn't medically overweight. When I contacted various doctors in Mexico they all agreed to do the operation for me.

My desire was to be at the bottom end of healthy weight range and that's exactly what the lap band helped me achieve and maintain.

I hope that clarifies everything.

[elcee 3,341]

Not quite.

Where do you live? Which Dr's have you spoken to that have refused to help you. Which hospital treated you but didn't remove the band? Who has been doing your fills?

[model 5]

Elcee I’m sorry those are highly personal details that I cannot share on a public internet forum. Nor would those particulars have any relevance to forum members outside Australia.

I hope you understand where I’m coming from. I am happy to share via PM if anyone genuinely wants to know.

I live in Sydney, Australia. For fills I was seeing a WONDERFUL doctor on Macquarie Street Sydney who unfortunately only operates through private hospitals.

The port was cut off by a general surgeon at a public hospital in Sydney, who had no idea what he was doing.

[elcee 3,341]

I don't see how telling us where you live and who your Dr/s is are could be classified as highly personal details. If I had asked for your address and Medicare no then yes but........

Some of those details might make us more inclined to believe you because you have to admit that at your moment your story sounds pretty unbelievable. You seem to forget that there are a large number of us that are in Australia, myself included.

If you were seeing a Dr that only operates through private hospitals why do you not go back to him? Have your circumstances changed so that you cannot afford to? I am still struggling to believe that any Dr or hospital has cut your port off and left the tubing hanging outside your body. If this is true then it smacks of medical incompetence. I would be filing a complaint against the hospital and also looking at other channels such as TT or ACA. They always seem to like these kind of cases.

If you are expecting to get your band replaced by the public system then you are in for a very long wait. That is normal even for people that are morbidly obese. Now that you are at goal weight unfortunately they will probably consider your case to be less urgent. I am really surprised that you have not been treated as an urgent case to have your band removed as it sounds as though it has eroded ( I posted links and info on your other thread) but maybe the reason it hasn't been removed is because you have refused to give your consent. If this is the case be very careful, you could end up in a far worse situation than you are currently in.

Regardless of whether you go private or public , if your band has in fact eroded into the stomach your body will need a period of at least a couple of months , possibly longer before any other kind of WLS can be performed.

I am still surprised that you went overseas to Mexico. Most surgeons here will band someone with a BMI of above 30. It would probably have been cheaper to take out private health insurance and wait 12 months until you became eligible than it was to fly overseas to Mexico. If you weren't severely overweight then I am sure that it would have been difficult to get banded with insurance and yes you would have needed to pay the entire amount yourself.You should also have thought about what you were going to do in the event of an emergency. Obviously it's a bit late for that now.

It sounds as though the surgeons are trying to treat the infection, that at least is positive.

At the moment I think the best thing for you to do is to accept that you cannot be rebanded at this time. You need to follow the instructions your Dr has given you to the T and be very careful as you do not want the infection to spread. I would also be booking an urgent appointment to see a Bariatric Dr ASAP. Yes you will have to pay the out of pocket costs as Medicare won't cover the whole fee but surely your health and life are worth it.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

[model 5]

Oh yes right, like I’m going to make up a false story about a serious problem to post on lapbandtalk just for fun. Are you serious?

I pay the doctor $120 for a fill and get $80 back through medicare at his private suite. for an OPERATION he has to work in a PRIVATE HOSPITAL and I do not have PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE hence the cost would be very expensive.

I am having tests this week to ascertain what the underlying problem is.

I wouldn’t bother filing any complaints against the hospital. Its not worth my time or trouble. Its not like they award compensation.

My BMI at the time I was banded was about 22…. not 30.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

Elcee, I think you missed something. She has good reason to be secretive about some things.

SHE WAS NEVER OVERWEIGHT

She said she had to go to Mexico because nobody she contacted in Thailand was willing to band her with a normal BMI (which I commend those doctors for)

She said she was at he high end of normal BMI (high normal is 25) but used the band to get to the low end (low normal is 18.5)

I would suspect that by her screen name, and her willingness to jump through hoops to maintain a very low BMI that her motivation is carrier driven.

Whether she is a model, or is aspiring to be one. She is willing to go to great lengths to accomplish her goal.

[Maddysgram 6,159]

BMI 22 are you kidding?!? Sorry no support with me. Get councilling!

[model 5]

OTR sleever, you have struck the nail on the head. Im not a model but I do have a BMI of 18.5 and am 'hell bent' on keeping it that way.

But furthmore the band gave me a new lease on life. Small meals, chew everything properly, not overdoing consumption etc

Ive had TERRIBLE reflux, indigestion and IBS all my life. After getting the band these problems miraculously went away.

[karewpah 173]

Diet like most people with a normal BMI do

[model 5]

BMI 22 are you kidding?!? Sorry no support with me. Get councilling!

With all politeness go to hell. If you haven't got anything nice to say then don't post it at all.