Fill question

[sherrylynn 0]

I am awaiting surgery, hopefully will be within 2-3 months. I am jumping ahead here because I have only met with my doctor once and seeing himmagain on the 30th of this month. But I was wondering about Lap BAnd fills in Canada. Where we have to pay for the Band itself, do we have to pay for the fills as well? I just have no idea yet what I am in for as far as added costs. Thankyou

Sherrylynn

[Yoda 0]

where are you being banded? Within Canada? Because most clinics (as far as I know) in Canada include "lifetime fills" with the price of banding. If you are being banded outside Canada, it is a different story, I've seen ppl on here say they pay anywhere from $75 to $450 for a fill.

[sherrylynn 0]

I am being banded in moncton New Brunswick.

[argon 3]

I'm pretty sure they're free... and you lucky gal, they're all under flouro.

[sherrylynn 0]

Thankyou Argon, that is good news to hear for sure, I have sooooo much to learn, my next question is, what is Flouro? Where in NB are you living?

[sg_sg 0]

just curious......why would you think it's better to be filled with fluoro?

it's a constant xray.....

[Yoda 0]

a few reasons:

- the doc can actually see the band and make sure all is A-OK with placement, adherence, etc

- the doc can actually see the liquid flowing through the opening so can tell if things will be drastically too tight or not tight enough etc

- there is no second guessing; the port is hit on the first try for sure (important to those of us who have gone through SEVERAL attempts at having the port hit).....

Yeah, it's "constant exposure" but the whole process takes less than two minutes (seriously) and if you only ever get 3 or 4 fills...that is nothing.

[sg_sg 0]

all the things u mention can be solved clinically...... u get reactions if u are too tight or not tight enough......as for port location, they can mark ur skin if it's a tough one........

i for sure would do it to check for slippage... but beyond that, i wouldnt want that much radiation..... again, uless there is an urgent reason for it.....

[Yoda 0]

hmmmmm, well as to "port location".....whether they mark you on your skin or not will make no difference; I'm speaking of direct experience....dunno 'bout you but I don't want to go thru another 2 hrs (literally) of being prodded...to no avail. But then again...maybe that is just me.

Anyways....you asked for the reasons....that's all I was doin'...Mandi can speak for herself but I have a feeling that is what she was thinkin' about.

[sg_sg 0]

in your case......... as u mention it is necessary.....but i think some places have it as the standard way of fills.

i just wanted some insight on the procedures since i am new, and since i work in that business...... thanks.

[argon 3]

You work in which business?

That's pretty much what I was thinking... what Yoda said. I don't think I would want it every time, but it would be reassuring to see that things were where they should be. And I'd absolutely want to have it done if I had the experience Yoda has had with her fills! My last one took (what felt like) 15-30 minutes, and I thought I was gonna freak/die/pass out.... can't imagine 2 hours.

I don't think marking the skin where the port is, is a sure fire way. My 2 fills were about an inch apart. I'm willing to bet next time I go, the point where they put the needle in, and actually hit the port will be even further off than the first time. Cloe, didn't he 'tattoo' you where your port was?

And yes... I know that some places ONLY use flouro, like Dr. Beausoleil, whom I think we were taking about on this thread earlier. Which is odd, cause he's not even the one who 'does' the fill. Apparently it's the radiologist who does it. Seems to me that if they were to do the 'easy' ones 'freehand' they'd have time to give people such as myself fills. Probably cause it's a publicly funded thing that they do things like that. I'm sure as more and more people get banded in NB, they'll realize that it's not always necessary, and start training people to do fills, without flouro.

(and I really think there are worse things for me to worry about that being X-rayed for a couple of minutes... a few times.

I say, drinking whiskey from a tin can, while smoking in front of the microwave. LOL, just kidding... you know I quit smoking! )

[sg_sg 0]

Apparently it's the radiologist who does it.

yeah, because u need a special liscence to use radiation.

im a healthcare worker... i used to work with radiation, that's why i was so curious.

i was also wondering what the complications are with finding the port..... are they sometimes too deep? mobile? something else?

congrats on the quitting smoking!