On my 4th port REPLACEMENT

4 timer · October 1, 2007

Anyone have more than one port put in? How about 4 of them? After about 6 months in 2001, my site looked swollen, days later it opened but was small, within 3 days the tubing was hanging out of my stomach. The doc said maybe my body rejected it, after 2 more ports and similar problems, they put in a stainless steel one that went under my muscles.

I even traveled to Kazahstan for 47 days for an adoption in 2005 with the open wound, I had no choice at the time.

Now about every 6-9 months, it opens again. I'm sitting here now with a fresh wound. If I have the port taken out the doc says it all must come out, band and all. My problem is , my insurance will probably not pay to put the whole thing in again. They paid in the past for the port replacements as I still had the band on the stomach and it was a medical necessity to replace the port. Now I will be without the band if I do anything now.

rdbiles@sbcglob · October 1, 2007

I would take it out, talk to your doctor about other options.

KINGFISH1 · October 2, 2007

Sorry to hear about the likely outcome, but it is the best thing in the long run. You don't want to be going through this year after year. Some of us are just not destined to be the lucky ones, but while there are other alternatives, the cost of having another procedure can be prohibitive. I am having my band out soon, and the cost of this surgery is covered, but I have to wait for a few months before I can revise to something else. The cost to me would be around $NZ20,000 if this future surgery is not covered, but I would find a way to get it together. I have already gained some weight back and my band is still there so I shudder to think of living with a huge weight problem for the rest of my days. The taste of how good it felt to be 44lbs lighter, is too wonderful to give up.

Marion

lindaa · October 2, 2007

Hon, you have to have it removed. The infection you could get could kill you. Your insurance should see this as a medically necessary procedure, but if they refuse please don't hesitate to get this taken care of.

mbz · October 3, 2007

Hi 4 timer,I am so sorry for your problems! It really sounds like you are having a bad time. When they woke me up from my endoscopy, and my doc showed me the picture of more than half of the white shiny plastic band inside my stomach...I cried....and cried!! I said, please, dont take my band away!...THen they had to put me back under--emergency removal. I have healed for over 6 months and gained all my weight back, horribly depressed, but still fighting. PLease dont make yourself be in danger, with this continuous open wound! I know it is horrible to think of removal, but there are other options. I made myself SICK thinking of if I would ever have to get removal. I knew I would gain every pound back without restriction. I am ALWAYS hungry....so, consider your options, it wont take that long! Most are the lucky ones with the band, some of us are not, good luck!

HarleyNana · October 6, 2007

MBZ, your story is my biggest fear with my band. It's a wake up call I need to cut out the bad choices and show more respect to my band. Did you EVER have any previous issues or did it just kind of happen over night? What were your symptoms?

mbz · October 7, 2007

HI Harley, I never had any symptoms, or issues, except gradually being able to eat more easily, and more amounts, then I began to regain. I only had one fill, and it was wonderful--a lot of restriction. I told the doc to please do something cause after I healed from sugery, it was like I didnt even have surgery, and under fluoro, he said my opening was large. So, after that, I learned what/and what not to eat (some sliming and PBing, but not a lot) and the weight just dropped. I was never hungry and even forgot to eat! I thought I died and went to heaven. Then I went to get it checked under fluoro again, I seemed to be plateu-ing (sp?) for a few months, perhaps get a little more fill..? He said I had planty of fill, the band looked ok, but that it was perhaps a few degrees below the optimum 45° angle it should be at. And that maybe the pouch had stretched, a little. So, I left feeling fine, just telling myself to watch the head hunger and I would lose more. But, I was bad at that, and gradully started gaining more and more. I was in denial, and embarrased. There was no pain or any symptoms of something wrong. THen, finally I go the courage to go to my current doc, who did 3 fluoros (could not see anything except the pouch looked like it was drooping(??) a bit...he was very confused) and then one endoscopy. He was going to schedule me for surgery the next week to go in and fix it or replace it. In the endoscopy is when he saw the band halfway into my stomach, and they put me back under almost immediately for emergency removal. I cried for weeks! THey told me that most are lucky, and some are very unlucky--it could have been as small as a stitch in the wrong place, or the fill was too aggressive for my stomach, or it moved and then got itself into a weaker area....they really dont know. I would say, that no matter what they probably would not have caught it unless they did an endoscopy on me every few weeks-! (Which is really unrealistic) I would just say, dont worry, and do gradual fills. If something goes wrong, there will not be anything you did, and they will probalby be able to fix it. Slips have many more symptoms and are more easily fixed! My case was rare and extreme, you will be fine, keep an eye on it...good luck!

HarleyNana · October 7, 2007

Thanks for the thorough explanation, I'm sooo sooo sorry you've had to go through this. Yikes, every time I can eat too much I'll think of this, but in the same note, I do plan to make taking care of my band more of a conscious effort.

Hugs and thanks again for sharing your story.

ShineNSta · October 11, 2007

Sorry to hear your story..but the lap band isn't the answer to everyone! It does sound liek your body keeps rejecting the band..maybe you should look at having gastric bypass surgery instead?