Tilted ports and fills

Newlife4me · September 14, 2005

I just have a question... My port has "moved" to some degree. Last time I was in for a fill the nurse told me it had "shifted" because I lost some weight (about 18 lbs.) and that my insides have changed causing the port to "tilt". She had a really hard time and poked and prodded until she got it. I guess I can deal with that, but now when I feel the port myself, it is like it is on it's side. I am just wondering how they will access it for another fill, which I need! My other concern is will it have to be fixed with surgey if they can't access it for a fill? I would love to know that now since I have met my deductible for the year and would love to have it done by the end of the year so it will be covered 100%. Just wondering if anyone out there had "tilted" port problem and how they were fixed. Thanks.

Jessiebear · September 14, 2005

My port was tilted also. The doc couldn't access it at all. I had my surgery in January of this year & was not able to get the port fixed til the end of April. Then I didn't get a good restriction with fills until a few weeks ago. From what I have read on here though, I think there are a couple of people with tilted ports who are just living with them like that cause their doc is still able to access them. The procedure to fix my port was a breeze! No gas! lol! It is an outpatient procedure. Basically they go back in & open up the same scar that they used before. It cost me $700. I was self-pay. Hope this helps!

Penni60 · September 14, 2005

I had a tilted port as well. Two months after my initial band surgery I had to have my port repositioned due to the tilting. The recuperation from the port revision surgery is a breeze. I was up and around by that evening. It was outpatient. I went in at 7a for surgery and was on my way home at 4p in the afternoon. No problems whatsoever.

My insurance covered MOST of the surgery so I have no idea what the cost was.

Newlife4me · September 14, 2005

When you both had surgery to have it fixed, do you know what they did and is it assured that it will not "tilt" or "flip" again? I would hate to have it all done then have to do it again.

I am also 3 1/2 months out from being banded and have not had much luck so far. My fills keep disappearing and we have checked and there is no leak, I have lost 20 pounds, the first 10 or so was when I was on liquids in the first week, so really about nine or so pounds in three months, I thought I would be farther along in my journey by now. Getting very discouraged!

Thanks for posting your reply though, lets me know what I have to look forward to.

Penni60 · September 14, 2005

I don't think anything is assured in this life. Certainly you can pull a stitch and it can tilt again but I had my surgery in June of 2004 and haven't had anymore problems since. They access it with one stick easily.

Personally I don't buy the loss of weight and the port tilting theory. If that was the case then everyone losing weight would be going through the same thing. My theory is that a stitch pulled loose and caused the port to tilt. Most times this is managable and no surgery is required. Other times like mine it was in danger of protruding through the skin and needed to be repositioned.

flower · September 15, 2005

I had to have my port revised also I had the surgery for the band june 9th and august 8th had the port fixed through the port scar. the stitches came loose and where the port goes thru the muscle and comes out my doctor said there was scar tissue and the tubeing had no movement so when I did any movement with my abdomen it had no give so to say and the port flipped or tilted make a long story short it delayed my fills was time out of work more pain but it is over and you go on it happens and you take risks with surgery and hopefully it goes well. My insurance paid for it I had just switched insurance and they did cover pre existing conditions so I did not pay a thing.

ewalk · August 16, 2008

I went in for my 6th fill today. This time, my dr. could not enter the port. He kept saying he was hitting the metal around it. In the past, when I have received a fill, i could tell when he hit the port because it felt like he was stabbing a rubber ball. Also there was a popping sound when he extracted the needle. I think there were times when he might have missed my port altogether when getting a fill as I didn't feel or hear the "pop".

So, my dr. sent me over for an x-ray to see if the port has tilted. When I got home, I could see where he tried to enter the port at an angle several times. When I press down on my port area, I can feel it with no problem, and I wish I would have showed him where I feel the port is located. He has always had trouble finding the port, but this was the first time that he was frustrated enough from poking me that he gave up.

I was banded on Dec. 17/07 and of this date have lost 35 lbs. I feel restriction only if I am eating soft bread, otherwise I feel that I eat way too much. I have eliminated most breads, and steak as they will get "stuck" which is totally painful.

I am rarely hungry which is great, but my head keeps telling me that I need to eat something. When I keep busy, I can go hours without eating anything. I was my drs. first lap band patient and now he tells me that he has not been adding enough fill as the new bands require more than he has been putting in.

I am leary about my insurance covering the repair, and what it might cost.

I still have approx. 45 lbs to go till I reach my goal and have set a personal goal of loosing 50 this year. My dr. feels that when he is able to fill the port properly that I should be able to meet that goal fairly easily.

During the last 6 week period, I have only lost 1 pound, so I am anxious for this "proper fill", as my Dr. calls it.

I guess most of my questions will be answered Monday, when I go back to see the Dr.

Everyone have a great day.

Bamagal · August 16, 2008

when went for my first fill port was tilted as well,took three times under flouro to hit the dang thing and it hurt like hell,but here is the good news

when I went back for my second fill he hit it first time I know he hit it as he showed me on the screen when he closed me completely off with 5 cc and then let off 1/2 cc still nothing so he took out 1/2 cc more leaving me with 4 cc ,only thing was all my first fill was gone if he actually hit it as I felt no thing different from first fill .So hopefully your doc can still access it under x-ray with flouro.Let us know how it goes

hungry4help · August 18, 2008

until recently, my fills have always been problematic due to a tilted port. to clear, it's not flipped, just tilted downward. since the first few fill experiences were so bad, my surgeon finally did the 3rd one under flouro. that confirmed that the port was not flipped, but it didn't really help my doc stick the needle in. in fact, i was in the xray room for nearly an hour with 2 radiologists and my surgeons who all attempted to fill me!

here's the strange thing. after several attempts and finally shutting down the x-ray machine, my doc gave it one last try. he pressed deep into my side, had me roll over slightly, raise my left arm (my port's on my left side) and he slipped the needle right into my port's sweet spot. since then, i've had two fills and he's hit my port on his first try each time.

i'm not a dr., but i don't think it's necessary for everyone with a tilted port to have revision surgery. fwiw, my advice: try flouro first so that your surgeon can "see" your port. if s/he can get a feel for where it is and record a sense of the degree to which it's tilted, fills might get easier.

best of luck.

ewalk · August 18, 2008

As my Dr. suspected, I do have a tilted port. He said that now that he knew which direction it was tilted, that he shouldn't have a problem giving me a fill. However, after 3 stabs, I could tell he was a bit frustrated. At this point, I suggested that he try giving me the fill with me standing up since I have no problem feeling the port when I am upright. He gave it a try and said that by my standing up that he was able to find the port with no problem. He said he would have never thought of this, but since he had so many patients with ports that seem to be elusive that he was going to try this technique on others. He was so thrilled with the prospect, he didn't even charge. So if your Dr. is having trouble finding your port, see if this technique works for you.

Have a good day everyone.

Tashcat · August 20, 2008

Hi ewalk! Thank you for the advice. I was banded on June 2 and went for my first fill last Saturday. She was unable to find my port. She had the needle inserted in me but it kept sliding off. I can find the port no problem standing up or even in the evenings lying down and where she was poking me was close but not completely in the right spot. I am scheduled to go for an X-Ray tomorrow, however there is another fill person that I found and she has some more experience with them so I thought maybe we will see if she can find it first before the X-Ray! I am just praying it is not tilted....Mexico is a long ways from here!

ewalk · August 20, 2008

Hi there. I would definately suggest that she try to fill you while you are standing. My dr. was amazed at how much easier it was to find the port. He also said that I didn't need corrective surgery as long as could find it one way or another.

Good luck to you. I bet you will get your fill without surgery.

Tashcat · August 21, 2008

Hi ewalk! I went for my fill today and guess what? I too got it while standing up and it went in on the first poke. The nurse who I went to this time says she does quite a few standing up including her own. Everything feels great! Thanks, Tash :thumbup: