question for everyone, please answer

[gadgetlady 4]

In my experience, the surgeons are MUCH more accurate at hitting it blind than any PA or nurse. After strike one with a PA, I now always insist on a surgeon.

[ericsmom 2]

I get my fills by me pushing my stomach out and him feeling for it...He numbs the area first for me though...I has taken him quite a few pokes to find the entry, but I figure if it's the worst thing I have to go through with this band, then I'm okay with it. As you lose weight it shifts around, even though it is sewn in...and I have also developed thicker than usual scar tissue, so he has a harder time getting the needle in, but as long as I'm numb, I'm fine with it.

[Wheetsin 714]

My surgeon does not use fluoro. Just palpatates until he finds the port and drops the needle right in.

[beachgirl 2]

My Doc uses both but I have lost 50plus pounds and mostly in my stomach and have the low pro port so now I prefer by just feeling because he can feel it so easily and it only takes about 15 seconds. Much quicker. No problems at all by feeling.

[Carlene 12]

I have had both. My doctor used to do blind fills but he won't any longer. He says it leads to overfills and slips.

[NewSho 20]

In my experience, the surgeons are MUCH more accurate at hitting it blind than any PA or nurse. After strike one with a PA, I now always insist on a surgeon.

ME TOO!

My surgeon prefers me to get filled only by other surgeons, and not by PA's or RN's.

Yes I know there are well-trained RN's and PA's but my doc feels that other surgeons are best at hitting/filling the port, because they themselves have placed so many.

[giblert 0]

My doctor just feels for it. Two fills thus far and no issues or concerns with it. He gets it first time, it doesn't really hurt, it's all good. And then I just chug Water with the needle in place as he keeps adding or subtracting fill solution. Beats yet another xray!

[barbara465 2]

All of mine have been with fluro and by a PA. I've had several overfills that didn't show up on fluro and my own reaction was 6-10 days later. I like seeing that the band is OK. I now only go for small fills as my body can't take huge ones.

[*susan* 1,709]

Mine doesn't use flouro. He simply feels for it and gets it right the first time, every time. The only time we had a problem was when my port flipped, which resulted in revision surgery.

[DrewsLou 3]

Mine dosen't use flouro..... and I just had my tubing and port replaced because of a leak. Did he puncture it with the needle while looking for the port? I don't have that answer yet.

[drcollier 0]

How many people go to a fill doctor that uses neither ultrasound or fluoroscopy to find the port and just relies on "feeling" for it. I am curious to know what is the general standard on this

Fluoroscopy only.

[carol134 0]

My doctor only has done the feeling thing and so far so good, last time though he poked me about 3 times before he actually hit it, ugh! He is getting a floroscope now though and I feel much better about that. So next time I go for a fill it will be a whole new experience. I really am looking forward to it.

[Constance 0]

No flouro here. I've had 2 fills with 2 diff docs and both felt for the port and hit it with one poke.

I am curious to see how everything looks with flouro but it is pricey.

[forreste 0]

Fills by feel, no fluro, same surgeon that did surgery does fills. He gets it the 1st time.. so far..

[tommygirl 0]

I just had my first fill yesterday. My surgeon is new at Lapbands, so I figured he would do it under flouro, but first he felt for the port and he said he would try it blind, he got it on the first try!! It was way easier than I expected.