First Fill - No Luck - Need Advice Please

AsiaFit · May 24, 2006

Dear Friends,

This is my first time writing here. I have been reading all this wonderful advice, and it has helped me so much. I went in Tuesday, 23 May for my very first fill. I climbed up on the x-ray table (that is surely kept in the freezer when not being used), the doctor found the port the very first time, no problem.

Forty Five minutes and four needles later I still had ZERO saline in the port. Once he was in the port, it would take him both hands to try to squeeze even the smallest amount of clear saline into the port.

Saline was even leaking out of my injection sight and rolling down my rotund belly.

I was sent into the other room to rest for about 25 minutes while 3 other patients were filled in about 6 minutes each.

Again I climbed onto the x-ray table (slightly warmer now). Thirty minutes and two needles later he claims that 2 cc of saline was added, but I don’t think so.

Any advice would sure help. Is my port faulty? Is my tube from the port to the band blocked? Let me know what to do next… Thanks, :help: Asia Fit.

DonnaB · May 24, 2006

Hi Asia,

Sorry you've had that experience and that you haven't had a response yet. I haven't had my first fill so I'll be watching to see if anyone can give you any information. I wish I could offer any information that would help you.

ethansgrandma · May 24, 2006

my hubby went in for his first fill today also and they worked on him for 2 hours and were still not able to get any saline in. he has to go back tomorrow and let someone else try. if that doesnt work, then they are gonna use a moving xray to guide them. i felt so bad for him tho, they got me with my first stick no problem and they worked on him for two hours and got nothing.

Alexandra · May 24, 2006

AsiaFit, that sounds like a really unpleasant experience!

As for what to do now, I'd suggest waiting three or four weeks to see if you ever develop any restriction from this fill. That may sound like a long time, but please wait a MINIMUM of two full weeks to see how you feel. Many, many bandsters report fills "kicking in" after some period of time, though they didn't feel a difference right away.

IF a really good period of time goes by and you feel no difference at all, then you really need to have your band evaluated. Was it your surgeon trying to do the fill? I'm surprised they couldn't see whatever the problem was under the fluoroscope; that's usually how kinks or leaks are found.

From your description it sure sounds as though there might be a blockage of some kind; it's not supposed to take two strong hands to squeeze Fluid in. That sounds totally wrong. Your doctor needs to get to the bottom of this and fix whatever is causing the problem.

AsiaFit · May 25, 2006

Such GREAT comments. Thanks folks! I have my next appointment 10 June, so that is 2 and a half weeks away. I hope I have better luck then. I have lost 20 lbs even before the fill, but I have lost nothing in almost 2 weeks. Thanks Again!