June 2009 Surgery

[pennreporter 12]

Ddorman, I went with my daughter last month while she got a fill just so I would know what to expect. Unfortunately I wish I hadn't. Her doctor was wham, bam, thank you ma'am and she was done in no time. My doctor who has not done hardly any bands (lots of bypasses), takes a tad bit longer than that. Plus, he uses a horse needle (not really but it could pass for one). Another patient who I chat with goes to the same clinic but different surgeon. Last week, she goes in for a fill and he lets an intern attempt to do it...notice I say attempt. Finally her surgeon, who is chief of surgery, had to do it and he even had a problem.

The guy that normally does my daughter's fill (not the doctor), she says you don't even know he's done anything, that he's that good. Thanks god, my doctor does a numbing agent first. I got 3ccs on July 4 which has been no restriction at all. So I'm hoping for at least 2 ccs when I go next week.

So the doctor not being able to do it I don't think is totally unheard of. My doctor said he only uses fluoroscopy when he's having a problem finding the port.

So now you know which person to make your appts with!! :biggrin:

Trisha (pennreporter)

[ddorman67 1]

Ddorman, I went with my daughter last month while she got a fill just so I would know what to expect. Unfortunately I wish I hadn't. Her doctor was wham, bam, thank you ma'am and she was done in no time. My doctor who has not done hardly any bands (lots of bypasses), takes a tad bit longer than that. Plus, he uses a horse needle (not really but it could pass for one). Another patient who I chat with goes to the same clinic but different surgeon. Last week, she goes in for a fill and he lets an intern attempt to do it...notice I say attempt. Finally her surgeon, who is chief of surgery, had to do it and he even had a problem.

The guy that normally does my daughter's fill (not the doctor), she says you don't even know he's done anything, that he's that good. Thanks god, my doctor does a numbing agent first. I got 3ccs on July 4 which has been no restriction at all. So I'm hoping for at least 2 ccs when I go next week.

So the doctor not being able to do it I don't think is totally unheard of. My doctor said he only uses fluoroscopy when he's having a problem finding the port.

So now you know which person to make your appts with!! :biggrin:

Trisha (pennreporter)

They numbed you when filling your port?? I wish the first doctor (the one who couldn't find the port) would have numbed me!! I didn't need any numbing with my new doctor.

[Corliss 0]

My port is NOT flipped after all!! :biggrin: I had been waiting for the insurance company to approve a "port revision" surgery after being told by one of my doctors that my port was flipped. After almost 2 weeks one of the girls in the office told me that the other surgeon in the office would like to see me and told me that he was confident that he would be able to get to my port. I decided to go ahead and let him try... HE GOT IT ON THE FIRST TRY!!! :biggrin: I don't know why the other surgeon had so much trouble.

Anyways, I now have 3cc's in my band and I do feel a little more restriction. I go back in 2 weeks for another fill.

I am so happy that I don't have to have another surgery!!! Thank you to my new doctor!!!

My guess is experience. So glad for you!

Corliss

[pennreporter 12]

Ddorman, my daughter's dr didn't numb her either, but seriously if you could see the needle you'd know why...lol. I swear I'm going to take a picture this next time. My daughter says I'm exaggerating but I'm not. so I'll take the number shot first. And I too believe experience is the huge difference. My doctor has done under 15 himself. The hospital has done quite a few but not my doctor. My daughter's surgeon who did the surgery has done 4k. Her doctor she follows up with has done a thousand. But if we all end up at the same place at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Although I may have to bully my doctor to get at least 2ccs this next tiime. They are uber conservative.

Good luck that it worked this time.

trisha

[ddorman67 1]

Ddorman, my daughter's dr didn't numb her either, but seriously if you could see the needle you'd know why...lol. I swear I'm going to take a picture this next time. My daughter says I'm exaggerating but I'm not. so I'll take the number shot first. And I too believe experience is the huge difference. My doctor has done under 15 himself. The hospital has done quite a few but not my doctor. My daughter's surgeon who did the surgery has done 4k. Her doctor she follows up with has done a thousand. But if we all end up at the same place at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Although I may have to bully my doctor to get at least 2ccs this next tiime. They are uber conservative.

Good luck that it worked this time.

trisha

Thanks Trisha... I did see the needle and it wasn't that bad. Don't get me wrong... it is bigger than most shots but not bad. I did notice that there were two needles on the table, but he did not use the numbing one.