Horrifying First Fill

cookienay · May 2, 2008

ohhhhhhhhhh.....thats probably the worst thing I have ever read on this site. Fills alone is enough to make me REALLY not want to go through with this. I hate hate hate needles...Im completely phobic.
Anyone have cute, sweet, rosy experiences with fills? :wub: Do you have to have fills for the rest of your life? or just in the begining?

A

Just had my second fill. Now even though I am not needle phobic, I am a big fat weenie. I was really nervous with the first one, and when he pulled out the 3 foot needle that did not help much. BUT... it was over and done before I knew it. My second fill was pretty much the same way. I mean, I have shoes that hurt worse than that! My doc does not use anesthesia (local or otherwise) nor does he typically use flouro. IMO it is overkill to do so for every patient because not every patient needs it. So... I hope this makes you feel better about fills. :thumbup:

4evrwild · May 2, 2008

My first fill I got stuck with the needle about 4 times. The 4th didn't feel so good but I'm used to needles by now. Not very fond of them but we gots to do what we gots to do. My stomach wall is too thick to feel the port so after 4 tries my Dr. took me down to get the floroscopy so he could see where exactly my port was and then fill me. Now I'm drawing a circle with a marker around that spot so next time there will be no guestimating :thumbup: Not finding it is not only frustrating to the patient but I think to the Dr. as well. The first 3 pokes were tolerable, it's a thin needle and it's not 3 feet long like some would say, lol.

ChattyCathy · May 2, 2008

The pushing my doctor did on my stomach trying to find the port was the most painful for me, however, if that is the first step to losing weight successfully with the band then I'll take it!

Ang1982 · May 2, 2008

Oh wow, that sounds like a crazy unpleasant experience... I don't have fills done with fluoro or any kind of skin numbing agent.. just lay down and bob's your uncle. My port is relatively close to my skin though as I can feel it if I rub my belly. My doc's been pretty good usually one or two pokes and he's in and it's done. Sorry for anyone that has a rougher time of it!

StarbuxQueen · May 2, 2008

Wow. I think I had assumed that my fills would be super-easy based on all that I'd heard about them but I went in for my first fill today and it was a pretty ugly experience.
I'm laying down and my doc starts to poke and prod _really_ hard in search of my port. This is super-uncomfortable. Then he takes out the largest needle I've ever seen. Now, I'm not particularly needle phobic but he had to dig around with the needle for what seemed like an eternity (about 5-7 minutes actually) before he found my port. It totally hurt!

So now I have a fill of 3.5cc and my port area/stomach is very, very tender. What the heck? My doc said as one loses weight, it's easier to find the port but I am _so_ not looking forward to my next fill.

Blargh...

I had a fill last night and I had a very similar experience. I expected it to be painless. I have heard that over and over from friends. Yikes not the case for me. Now I seem to have very little restriction. Is this normal?

JillS · May 3, 2008

OUCH! I feel bad that it hurt so much. What my Dr. does is:you lay down & put your hands above your head then when he is ready you lift your feet so your stomach is hard, that way he can feel the port better.

Hope next time goes better.

puggylady · May 3, 2008

I have been filled four times. Two out of two were bad but so worth it. The other two were easy and the dr. got it on the first poke. I think he can find it better if you eat a meal right before the fill. It helps the port raise a bit toward the surface and make it easier to target. Everybody is different. A bit of pain and poking is really worth the weight loss to me.

abbyduvic · May 3, 2008

I was banded on April 1 and had my first fill on May 1; yesterday.

I'm happy to tell you all that it was not bad at all. Two minutes and he was done. Hardly felt anything. He put in 2 cc's in my 4 cc band. I can't understand how some people have over 4 or 5 fills. I'm half way there with only 1 fill. Can you all explain.

Thanks in advance,

Abby

etwinters · May 4, 2008

What is the brand name of your band? Maybe yours holds less than others. I will ask my Dr. on Monday what size mine is. I have no idea. Thanks, E.

bluekygirl · May 4, 2008

I have had 4 fills and my doctor never poked or prodded me.
All I feel is a pinch when the needle goes in. I assume your doctor places the port in the same place for each patient and he can feel the

port with his hand. Hope it gets easier for you.

This was my exact experience with my first fill. It was no problem at all.

bluekygirl · May 4, 2008

I have been filled four times. Two out of two were bad but so worth it. The other two were easy and the dr. got it on the first poke. I think he can find it better if you eat a meal right before the fill. It helps the port raise a bit toward the surface and make it easier to target. Everybody is different. A bit of pain and poking is really worth the weight loss to me.

My doc has a "no eating 3 hours prior to a fill" rule.

marilynk · May 4, 2008

I had my first fill, and did not fill anything. I first had a small needle of something to numb the site, and I didnt even fill that because it was inserted in the incision site which is kinda numb anyway. Then the fill needle was inserted, small pop when inserted , then I had to sit up with the needle in the port and drink Water. Nothing to it!! I am so sorry for your pain! Tell them you want something to numb you next time!

marilynk · May 4, 2008

The day before my fill I was told to only drink liquids, as the stomach pouch should not have food in it. Then for 3 days after only Protein Shakes because the stomach swells a little bit, and food can get stuck. Then for 10 days no beef or pork .

AmyJS27 · May 7, 2008

I've had 2 fills since surgery and they were so quick and painless. My Doctor give you a local shot for pain with a "tiny" needle first but the whole procedure lasted less than 5 minutes both times. He first unfills the band to make sure you have the same as he put in last time then refills with your new Fluid. No pain at all.

DebC · May 9, 2008

They have trouble with my port at every fill. My first fill hurt really bad, cause she couldn't get the needle in, so now with every fill I get a local, not taking any chances. As it turns out it's a good thing I do. I had an infection near my port about 2 weeks post op and a good amount of scar tissue has formed. Plus with all the fills I have had scar tissue is now forming on top of the port, so they have a little trouble getting through it, but getting a local really makes a difference, they can poke all they want and I don't feel it :thumbup: