Omg my port is detached!!

[Stay_Tuned 0]

Like ANY of you need to be burdened with this.. but I found out at the doctors today that my port is detached... yes I typed detached:mad:.....

So I went to the hospital today.. I am like 60 days post op so it was time for my first fill... I have lost 20 pounds since surgery and I am chomping at the bit to lose more more more.. So I lay down on the table and BANG there it is... I think.....hmm that doesnt look right but I try to talk myself down that maybe it is the way the xray turns it around or something.. trying to keep myself calm BUT knowing it is going to be bad news...sooo..they say it loos like the port is flipped... and then they touch it and low and behold it is COMPLETELY detached... just free floating....They PUSH PUSH PUSH on my tummy trying to get it to pop upright to put in a fill... Oh my it hurt bad... I actually didnt feel the needle that they stuck in only to realize it was the bottom side of the port...

I am ticked ticked and even more ticked.. because since 3 weeks post op I have been telling them that something wasnt right.. that I was having very sharp pains in that area.. like a pulling burning... I called the on call surgeon and he assured me nothing was wrong and to just take it easy for a week.... so then I had the same kind of pain and called again...The surgeon told me to come in to the office the next morning... they pushed on my fat stomach and said everything is fine.. NOW if they had taken me to xray and figured it out sooner I would have been able to get a fill and REALLY get on the road to losing...

As you can tell I am sooooo ANGRY!!!

Sorry to rant about it.. I just wanted EVERYONE to know.. If something doenst feel right... You MUST MUST insist on having an xray to see the device.....

Ok time to try and get my blood pressure back to a normal level.....

[HeatherO 7]

Sounds like a tough break. I just hope they can get it fixed asap so that you are back on the road to losing.

[Stay_Tuned 0]

thank you for replying...

they are suppose to call me and let me know when.. OF COURSE the surgeon is going to be out.. and then I have plans the end of the month into the first week of August so.... Looks like mid August time frame....

I just have to be really mindfull of what I am eating... and portions and such... I want to lose and not gain while I am waiting for the fill....

I knew it was a possibility but I was and am still VERY upset....Felt good to vent though and for you to reply....

Thanks again

[*Love* 2]

I was told by someone that was done by the same doctor as I was, that he no longer sutures the ports to the abdominal wall. It is free to move. I am assuming that is the case with me. Is this what you mean, or do you mean it has come off the tubing?

[Stay_Tuned 0]

My doc definetly attaches the port to your adominal wall with suctures..... I havent heard of surgeons letting it free float.... I guess IF they could have accessed it then I wouldnt have been soo ticked.... but with it free floating they were not able to turn it over stablize it and then stab a needle in.....

Have you gone for a fill and seen it on the screen...?? If it is free floating you will be able to tell...

I could see my just moving all over the place....

The tubing is OK as far as I know but they havent put any liquid in so who knows at this point....

[Lizalee 1]

Dear stay tuned:

That is frustrating, no doubt about it. Sounds like your port flipped...and it unfortunately DOES happen.

My tubing kinked, and my second fill resulted in WAY too much Fluid in since they couldn't tell if it was going in or not. Once I drank Water, it was obvious it HAD gone in I had extreme pain, vomiting. This was on June 6th - also the night of my 3rd child's high school graduation -- in our home town 60 miles away. So, I ended up missing graduation and having an emergency port revision instead.

It's just a memory now, and I was upset at the time, but what are you going to do? It sets us back, it's not convenient. I've managed to do very well by sticking to the band rules while awaiting for my delayed 2nd fill - which I finally had today - because it was delayed while I re-healed.

Hope you can get this fixed real soon and get back in the swing of things. In a few months from now, I won't seem so bad once you're back on track. Hang in there!!!! :thumbdown:

[freedomshaffer 0]

well that stinks!! so what did they do? I had a scare that was similar to that. My doctor tried to do my first fill in the office without xrat, but was unable to find the port. I have to sweat it out for a week until they could schedule me in xray, but thankfully everything was OK he was just about 1/2 off. He documented the location better and on my subsequent fill he found it no problem.

[bgrand 0]

you need a very good advocate to helpyou talk to your doctor, it has been my experience that they never listen to you when you know and feel that something is wrong . keep trying. it is very distreesing.

[Stay_Tuned 0]

Freedom- They pushed and rolled my belly around trying to get the port to flip over so that they could do a fill... but it just wouldnt flip back over... It was really painfull too while she was doing it.... So much so that when she did put a needle in to try and access it I didnt even feel it go in or come out!!!

bgrand-I am going to try and try and try until they listen to me..... I figure this... while I am in their care my body is only rented to them... I have had this body for almost 35 years... I think I know what feels right and what feels wrong.....

[Busy 0]

Stay Tuned, what has happened to you and your port incident? I am 5 months out and still feel twinges with my port area and the scar is sorta numb. I plan on speaking to my doctor when I go Sept 19 to see if he will help be understand any of this. My weight loss is slow but sure, right now I have lost 45 lbs and I am content...for now. Just want to make sure everything inside is fine!!! Hope everything turned out well for you. We fought to long to receive these band and now I don;t want to fight that battle again unless I have to.

Busy!!!

[Renob 1]

I figure this... while I am in their care my body is only rented to them...

I see it like this, Im the customer he is the service provider!!!

I call the shots!

Good luck with your port.

[Stay_Tuned 0]

I am in the appeal process with my insurance... They denied my port revision... saying that the FDA does not have substantial information to support the need for this secondary surgery in order for the original surgery to work..

Can you BELIEVE that....?? Hello no way to get to the port NO way for the band to be adjusted and work... duh!!!

Could take 60-90 days for a decision......

[MADE IT 2 MY GOAL..OH YEAH 0]

Like ANY of you need to be burdened with this.. but I found out at the doctors today that my port is detached... yes I typed detached:mad:.....

So I went to the hospital today.. I am like 60 days post op so it was time for my first fill... I have lost 20 pounds since surgery and I am chomping at the bit to lose more more more.. So I lay down on the table and BANG there it is... I think.....hmm that doesnt look right but I try to talk myself down that maybe it is the way the xray turns it around or something.. trying to keep myself calm BUT knowing it is going to be bad news...sooo..they say it loos like the port is flipped... and then they touch it and low and behold it is COMPLETELY detached... just free floating....They PUSH PUSH PUSH on my tummy trying to get it to pop upright to put in a fill... Oh my it hurt bad... I actually didnt feel the needle that they stuck in only to realize it was the bottom side of the port...

I am ticked ticked and even more ticked.. because since 3 weeks post op I have been telling them that something wasnt right.. that I was having very sharp pains in that area.. like a pulling burning... I called the on call surgeon and he assured me nothing was wrong and to just take it easy for a week.... so then I had the same kind of pain and called again...The surgeon told me to come in to the office the next morning... they pushed on my fat stomach and said everything is fine.. NOW if they had taken me to xray and figured it out sooner I would have been able to get a fill and REALLY get on the road to losing...

As you can tell I am sooooo ANGRY!!!

Sorry to rant about it.. I just wanted EVERYONE to know.. If something doenst feel right... You MUST MUST insist on having an xray to see the device.....

Ok time to try and get my blood pressure back to a normal level.....

First off, I hope everything is better or getting better for you, I didn't catch the date you posted this. OMG, I can't believe that your port is/was detached. That has to be horrible. And the fact that nobody ever even thought to Xray it to make sure nothing was going on with all the pain you were having, that makes it even worse.

[Busy 0]

Stay-Tuned, seems the insurance would understand the surgery is not "complete" since the appliance was not installed according to the manufactor's guidelines. I know they will say the port was originally attached but it is not normal practice for the port to detach. Makes me wonder where their head is or their sense of reasoning. Good luck, hope they realize since the device is not functioning correctly they wasted the company's (your) funds and insurance companies don't want to wasted money. If they deny you contact an attorney.

[bgrand 0]

I to feel something is wrong with my port and I can't get an xray to find out . the doctor doesn't seem interested in trying to find out . I have not even seen him since surgery just his nurses and assistants, who would never ,ever consider that ther might be a problem. keep on fighting to get your port fixed as it might help all of us who are having problems