My port is flipped already!!

[Shesha 1]

Hi all!!

I went in for my second fill, for the first time with a local surgeon (he did not do my surgery) on Tuesday 4/24. Anyway, he couldn't find the diaphram on the port. So, off to x-ray I go to find out that my port is flipped!! Instead of lying parallel with my tummy, it's facing toward my left hip! Until I can have surgery to repair it, no fills for me!! How discouraging... and expensive too.

Any words of advice from those of you that may have experienced this? Were you as groggy/out of it after the revision surgery as you were from the actual band surgery?

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Hi all!!

I went in for my second fill, for the first time with a local surgeon (he did not do my surgery) on Tuesday 4/24. Anyway, he couldn't find the diaphram on the port. So, off to x-ray I go to find out that my port is flipped!! Instead of lying parallel with my tummy, it's facing toward my left hip! Until I can have surgery to repair it, no fills for me!! How discouraging... and expensive too. Dr. K said he'd fix it for free, but I have to fly out there. The local Dr. said he'd fix it too, but for around $1,800.00!!

Any words of advice from those of you that may have experienced this? Were you as groggy/out of it after the revision surgery as you were from the actual band surgery?

How in the world would it cost $1800 to go from WI to Denver? Are you not in WI any longer?

[angelnurse 1]

I had the same problem as you when I went for my first fill at 6 months, my Doctor could not fill my port, even under fluroscopy. My surgery cost $2,105.25 to do the port revision. Luckily I had just gotten my income tax return to pay for the surgery. It was worth every penny! Good luck in finding a surgeon to do this. The recovery was easier for me the second time around.

[janed 0]

Hi all!!

I went in for my second fill, for the first time with a local surgeon (he did not do my surgery) on Tuesday 4/24. Anyway, he couldn't find the diaphram on the port. So, off to x-ray I go to find out that my port is flipped!! Instead of lying parallel with my tummy, it's facing toward my left hip! Until I can have surgery to repair it, no fills for me!! How discouraging... and expensive too. Dr. K said he'd fix it for free.

I'd go with the free!! Although you will have some expenses. I believe i read another post that said the doctor fixed her port in his office????

[NataliesMommy 1]

I recently had to have my port turned back over. It was completely upside down. My doctor just did the procedure in her office, and charged me for the price of the fill only - $100.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I recently had to have my port turned back over. It was completely upside down. My doctor just did the procedure in her office, and charged me for the price of the fill only - $100.

I realize they use a local for that procedure but I'm curious, what did it feel like? Did you feel anything other than pressure?

[NataliesMommy 1]

I realize they use a local for that procedure but I'm curious, what did it feel like? Did you feel anything other than pressure?

I couldn't begin to explain how it felt. Very weird!!! Imagine someone pulling on your stomach from the outside. It was a bit freaky, but painless.

She had to do alot of cutting of course, so I could hear it and feal the pressure. (She removed a good portion of scar tissue.) Not very pleasant, but one of those things that just had to be done!

[evcase 0]

After my initial surgery (2001) I went in for my first fill only to find out the port broke! So into port revision surgery. Than for about 4 yrs it was fine. Then it broke again!!! The 2nd time, I was doing exercise (Curves) and man was I getting into it (for the first time in my life) and then one day I felt pain in my lower abdomen and I just knew the port broke and the tubing was traveling! Sure enough that is what happened. The doctor said the exercise could not have jogged the port - but I beg to differ! Anyway, I had to go in to hospital for revision - and stayed 2 nights. ONly because, they did not have another port and had to order one! Geesh!!!

Anyway, good luck. I don't know much about the ports but I think I can reasonably say that I haven't heard of anyone else having 2 port revisions. I would be interested in finding out if anyone else had port revisions and why they feel so?

[Paula78 0]

So why doesnt insurance pay to have the port fixed? I would think that would be covered.

[evcase 0]

Both of my port revisions were paid for by insurance....they were "medically necessary"

[ghettofarm24 0]

My port is tilted also. My doc has a heck of a time getting to mine--I have to lay on my side and he goes in at a crazy angle. Also every time I have had a fill I have to do it under fluoro and even then its very hard for him to get. He says when I loose more weight it will flatten out? But I really wonder if thats true. I am self pay and I had to pay 18,000 and I am covered for fills and any complications for 1 yr and that one year ends

7-5-07 do you think I should have him fix mine. I know just for the fluoro its $528.00 and I CANNOT afford that.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I know just for the fluoro its $528.00 and I CANNOT afford that.

Start looking now for a new fill doc. $528 is sheer insanity. I pay $75 w/fluoro.

[DrewsLou 3]

<p>As a fellow self payer (like you Sheila) I had my port REPLACED in the OT under general anethesia. My doc offered to do it in the office under a general (he wasn't too thrilled about that idea, neither was I) I declined and he did it in the OR. The recovery was easy... the anethesia was the worst part.</p>

[areellady 1]

my question is this....how if they are suppose to sew the port in place does it get upside down or sideways? I wonder if some doctors are just placing it in and then sewing you up without sewing the port in place. And while on the subject....does anyone think that sit ups could do any harm to the port?

[TracyinKS 7]

very interested in this last post... HOW does it happen???