'Blind' first fill question

[Vangirl 0]

I am going for my first fill to a local dr on Friday (I had my surgery in Mexico). He does his fills 'blindly' (i.e. no fluro), which means he'll have to poke around for it. I have a lot of stomach fat, and despite having poked around the port area myself, I haven't been able to locate anything that feels distinctively like the port. I'm just wondering how he is going to be able to find it if I cannot.

[Jodi_620 37]

Lie on your back and lift your feet straight up, then feel around near your port incision (my port is about and inch above and to the right of my incision). I had a lot of belly fat too and he found it just fine using that method. They are pretty experienced at finding the port. (Lifting the feet makes your abdominal muscles push the port to the surface)

The fluro didn't help him find the port, he put the needle in then I walked over to the x-ray machine the fluro was used to look at the band while doing the fill.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

My surgeon does fills blind and I think many of us are kind of porky in the stomach area...he numbed me first and it took him a few tries but he found it. Subsequent fills have been perfect and fast and painless. It's no big deal. I've had manicures that hurt more! :laugh:

[Jachut 487]

Filling blindly is the norm in Australia, and I know it was probably because I had a BMI of 35 when I was first banded, and I sat on most of my weight problem, but my doctor has NEVER had to poke around, first go every single fill I've had.

If they've done lots, they'll be pretty good at it. Dont be too scared.

[Bella5 0]

I use fluroscopy. My doctor has one in his office and he uses it to find the port so there is no question and possibility of puncturing the tubing. He uses no numbing agent since the needle is small and it is painless. It looks cool on the screen and restriction can be seen as the barium is swallowed and the saline can be added and removed accordingly. Patients responses as well as visual pics are taken into account. Its a great experience!

[TQUAD64 9]

My doctor does fills by touch, not fluro. I lay on a table. They place a pillow under my lower back. Then I am asked to do a stomach crunch/sit up with my head facing the ceiling.

She injects me with a numbing agent with a small needle, then she taps around and inserts the fill needle. She pulls out the old fill to make sure we have the amount of cc from before. She documents the number and inserts more new fill.

If my doc is poking around with the fill needle, I cannot feel it. Nor do I ever have a bruise. She hits the spot every time, but I have only been filled two times at her office and once in surgery when I had the band placed.

[lapbandtalker 0]

My doc uses fluro but not to insert the needle. Only after he has it in and does an adjustment....then he sits me up w/ Water....and has me drink as he watches on the screen.

Like Tquad64, mine uses numbing...so I don't feel a thing. You feel something going on but nothing sharp.

[Thegirlnextdoor 0]

This is the way my Doctor did it too ..he just spoke around and got it on the first try. How did it go ?

[alora282003 0]

hi, guys i was wondering if you know a doctor that does a floro fill for a reasonable price? every time i go to day one they charge $250, but the good thing is i can get re adjusted within 2 weeks if i have to so that is fair, but $250 is alot to shell out. thanks

[Vangirl 0]

This is the way my Doctor did it too ..he just spoke around and got it on the first try. How did it go ?

Unfortunately, as I feared, it did not go that well. It took a long time for him to find the port, and he had to poke around with the needle and change the needle twice before he could find it. Very unpleasant experience. And now I have to go back again next week because I need more fill.

[Vangirl 0]

I agree the numbing isn't necessary if the port is easy to get to in one or two pokes. Unfortunately, mine was quite deep and the long needle was needed, and the poking around was painful. I couldn't take it after a while and had to ask the dr. to numb it. I'm now nervous about going back next week for more fill.

[kgloverii 0]

My doc numbs, and for the last two fills/unfills he's done them blind and gotten me on the first try, but that is probably because I am pretty small. Prior to that, he'd do a sono to make sure the port was where he thought it was. Every fill and unfill has been a one stick deal. Love my doc for that.