Have you had a leak in your port/tubing and had to have it replaced?

[Seattlelight 0]

I have the Allergan LAP-BAND<SUP>®</SUP> AP (small.) Went in for my 4th fill today - which dropped down to 2.5cc's from 5, again! Well... my dr said he was going to apply a great deal of pressure (after the fill) at the port this time. This is suppose to help re-seal the hole left in the silicone by the syringe. He applied pressure alright... over 2 minutes. He said his hand was hurting. HIS HAND!! I was in tears!! :biggrin: My dr is finding several "leaks" from the port like this. Allergan will not admit to any fault. They say it's up to the dr to apply the right amount of pressure. Well, I know for a fact that my dr doesn't do this to everyone that has this band. So what makes Allergan think this is not a flaw to some bands?? Anyway, good news for now - I think I have restriction. Dr filled me to 5.6 and I can't swallow without slight chest pain. I'll be on liquids for 48hrs anyway, and I never had restriction that lasted longer than an hour. So, I'm gonna enjoy it.. in a really sick and twisted kinda way. Hey, maybe it will stick around and I'll need an un-fill. Imagine that...!!!

[sue11 0]

Seattlelight...Were you in Oh's office today? I had the same type fill at his office today. I've had 4 fills that have leaked out, so now he finnally trys holding preasure on the port. So somebody tell me why he didn't do that 3 fills ago when we first realized there was a leak!!!I'm feeling some restriction tonight too. I'm eating some pumpkin custard...very slowly, it's going down...slowly. You're so good to follow the 48 hrs of liquids, I'm too impatient. I get frustrated with the liquids (hunger) and I want to "test" the fill. Doesn't it feel great to feel that lump in your chest!?! Now comes the real test...will it be there tomorrow and next week?Sue

Edited December 2, 2008 by sue11

[Seattlelight 0]

Hello Sue. Yes, I was there yesterday, complaining! :wink2: If it wasn't for this forum, I wouldn't have pushed my doc into getting the fluoroscopy. Which didn't show a leak and lead to a barrage of "why me" questions. I still have doubts that this applied pressure is the cure... but it's been over 24hrs and I'm still feeling restriction! I'm afraid to eat anything except shakes. Just taking medication makes me slim. I should read more about restriction since I've never had it. Will the gurgling and pain ever go away? Does it loosen up after a few days? I am not going back unless I can't eat food by Friday!!! :smile2:

[sue11 0]

I'm in the same boat...feeling restriction, but afraid to believe it wil last. I pureed some Soup for lunch...gurgling that down now. I'd almost forgaotten what restriction felt like, it's been since July.

When you do eat, try drinking hot Water (or tea) first, it helps loosen up the band. I have a real love/hate mix of feelings about that lump in the chest. Everybody is different, some swell immediately after the fill and it loosens up after a few days...as long as your not irritating it. I tend to get tighter a week or 2 later. I hope not, cause I'm gurgling water in the am now...and an unfill is my LAST resort...that's what started me leaking! Oh well, I needed restriction and I've got it. Good news is I've dropped 4# (only 14 more to get back to where I was----ahhhhhhh!) Keep in touch. Sue

[di33mo 0]

i have a clear liquid comming out of my hole in my stomach right were my port is it is kind of sticky, is this a port leaking they dont seem to know what it is..

[adorkbl 156]

Sue... Seattle... CONGRATS on feeling some restriction again. I too was finally feeling some (was even too tight! imagine that) but alas it didn't last. Today I went in for a check-up fill and I was missing cc's again.

So now I need to decide if I am going to replace the port under local with my new surgeon, or fly to Colorado and have it replaced with original surgeon under general.

[RedTulips3 0]

Adorkable, I don't remember all the details of your leak issue, but do you know for sure that it's your port/tubing that has the issue as opposed to the band itself?

[sue11 0]

My doc (Oh) says he's never seen a leak at the acutal band, that the leaks occure in the port or tubing. Not to say that the band can't leak, but he says he's never seen one. I don't know that I believe him, he's a great surgeon, but I think he'll tell you whatever he needs to to prove his point, afterall he is a surgeon and he's ALWAYS right. As you might guess, he's not my favorite person, though he is a great surgeon. My band seems to be holding still, my restriction is less than the first couple days, but that might just be my tummy "settleing in", I sure hope so, I don;t want to think that I might be slowly leaking. Sue

[adorkbl 156]

Adorkable, I don't remember all the details of your leak issue, but do you know for sure that it's your port/tubing that has the issue as opposed to the band itself?

I am pretty confident it is my port/tubing. I didn't really have any issues until I switched to him for fills. (Previouly I was traveling 9 hours round trip and having them done under Flouroscopy.) My first fill with him he withdrew what was in my band and I had 5cc's.... which was the level from my previous fill 2 months prior. (had my gallbladder removed and had to wait to start getting fills again). He overfilled me a smidge so I went in to have a little withdrawn and instantly had no restriction. Went back a week later and I had less in the band than I should have. I chalked it up to him withdrawing more than he told me. Got filled again, same thing, there was less the next time I went in.

He has had a lot of difficulty finding my port and poked me several times. I am pretty sure that the puncture occured either the very first time, or when I went in for the slight unfill.

In addition to all that, he says he has never seen a leak occur elsewhere. It either the port or tubing.

My doc (Oh) says he's never seen a leak at the acutal band, that the leaks occure in the port or tubing. Not to say that the band can't leak, but he says he's never seen one. I don't know that I believe him, he's a great surgeon, but I think he'll tell you whatever he needs to to prove his point, afterall he is a surgeon and he's ALWAYS right. As you might guess, he's not my favorite person, though he is a great surgeon. My band seems to be holding still, my restriction is less than the first couple days, but that might just be my tummy "settleing in", I sure hope so, I don;t want to think that I might be slowly leaking. Sue

I really hope it isn't a slow leak. I went through the same thing last time, I even cancelled my port replacment becuase I finally had restriction. Well it eventually got less and less and I went in to have it checked and it was still leaking. So I am just waiting for word on when they have the new port so I can schedule the replacement again. I think I knew that it was still leaking... but I just wanted so badly for everything to be ok. Ah well.

I hope yours was a fluke and everything in ok now. Enjoy your restriction!

[sue11 0]

Uhhhhh...about that restriction. I keep telling myself it's holding, but I ate a full dinner tonight (chili and salad) with NO problems. Every so often I feel something, but I was so TIGHT the first few days and now there's not much there at all. I'll test it in the AM, if I'm not tight in the morning I'll know for sure. :angry_smile: If I do get a replacement I'm going to get a low-profile port, and they will have to order that, so I'm sure I'll be doing the waiting game too. Sue

[peaches9 3]

I'm in the same boat...feeling restriction, but afraid to believe it wil last. I pureed some Soup for lunch...gurgling that down now. I'd almost forgaotten what restriction felt like, it's been since July.

When you do eat, try drinking hot Water (or tea) first, it helps loosen up the band. I have a real love/hate mix of feelings about that lump in the chest. Everybody is different, some swell immediately after the fill and it loosens up after a few days...as long as your not irritating it. I tend to get tighter a week or 2 later. I hope not, cause I'm gurgling water in the am now...and an unfill is my LAST resort...that's what started me leaking! Oh well, I needed restriction and I've got it. Good news is I've dropped 4# (only 14 more to get back to where I was----ahhhhhhh!) Keep in touch. Sue

Hi Sue; I agree, drinking something HOT first does help 'relax' the band. Mornings are my worst... I am still trying to get oatmeal/fibre down now... slowly. I use a TINY child size spoon too. It helps me not to take to big a swallow. Congrats on your 4 # loss! I am relaxing a bit until after the holidays... Jan, no more sugar or desserts!!!! It's an aweful irony that we are so tight its hard to get down GOOD food, but the junk will slide right on thru!:w00t:

i have a clear liquid comming out of my hole in my stomach right were my port is it is kind of sticky, is this a port leaking they dont seem to know what it is..

I would be very alarmed if this was happening to me, have you contacted your Lapband clinic??? What are they doing for you?? :angry_smile: :frown: :w00t:

[peaches9 3]

Uhhhhh...about that restriction. I keep telling myself it's holding, but I ate a full dinner tonight (chili and salad) with NO problems. Every so often I feel something, but I was so TIGHT the first few days and now there's not much there at all. I'll test it in the AM, if I'm not tight in the morning I'll know for sure. :angry_smile: If I do get a replacement I'm going to get a low-profile port, and they will have to order that, so I'm sure I'll be doing the waiting game too. Sue

Goodmorning Sue;

You should be able to eat chili and salad... How much chili? how much salad?

Last night I ate 2 small pcs thin crust pizza, 1/2 cup salad... I was full... but earlier in the day could only eat oatmeal/fibre packet/skim milk (Slowly) and lunch was getting stuck? It was a Weight Watcher rice and bean thingy... just wasn't going in well... so I only ate about a 1/4 of it... came home and had a protien shake to make up the cals and protien.

How are you feeling this a.m.??? tight ??? I hope so!!

let me know how you are doing

[sue11 0]

I've always been able to eat chili and salad, It's the fact that I could eat a FULL meal that alarms me. I lost 100#'s in 9 months with my band working perfectly..still abel to eat good food like chili and salad, but in small portions. I'm not feeling full as I should, and rarely feeling restriction, especially in the AM when I know I sould be tight. I ussually have to use warm Water to swollow my AM meds, but they have slide right doe=wn the last few days...not a good sign Sue

[slackaction 0]

Sue, you think you have a leak or a stretcheed pouch getting alot of food down without restriction? I have the same problem but the doctor check my cc levels and had the same amount in there 10cc.

[adorkbl 156]

Uhhhhh...about that restriction. I keep telling myself it's holding, but I ate a full dinner tonight (chili and salad) with NO problems. Every so often I feel something, but I was so TIGHT the first few days and now there's not much there at all. I'll test it in the AM, if I'm not tight in the morning I'll know for sure. :wink: If I do get a replacement I'm going to get a low-profile port, and they will have to order that, so I'm sure I'll be doing the waiting game too. Sue

That happened to me as well. Really good restriction for awhile and then gradually got less and less. So subtle that it took me a bit to realize "hey I am eating too much". You almost forget... until you get good restriction and then realize how much less you can eat.

I am still at good restriction right now and am losing good and eating a lot less. I am hoping it hangs on for a bit longer until I can get my port replaced. I feel like I am on borrowed time right now.

I've always been able to eat chili and salad, It's the fact that I could eat a FULL meal that alarms me. I lost 100#'s in 9 months with my band working perfectly..still abel to eat good food like chili and salad, but in small portions. I'm not feeling full as I should, and rarely feeling restriction, especially in the AM when I know I sould be tight. I ussually have to use warm Water to swollow my AM meds, but they have slide right doe=wn the last few days...not a good sign Sue

Sorry you are not feeling the same level. That is a real bummer.

The low profile port will be nice. At least there is a silver lining I guess. I wish I could do that but I still have too much to lose and he has a hard enough time finding my regular port! haha.