Frustrated... Leaking Port

[Guest Miranda75]

Hi fellow bandsters,

I dont know if any of you remembers me but I am

always posting about getting filled and still having

little restriction. My first fill was 4.5 cc in a VG

band I felt restriction for maybe a week but not

enough restriction. I went back and Dr Holsaeter went

to pull out the 4.5 cc to put in more and could only

get 2 cc back so he put in 5.5 cc plus the 2 that he

didn manage to pull out. Once again I had restriction

for about two days then it slowly went away. I thought

well I'll make another appointment and maybe this time

he would hit my "sweet spot" .So I went in this

morning the Doc went to put the fill in and only got

out 1 cc this time. Not good. He immediately said my

port must have a leak or the tubing has a tiny hole in

it. I said OK lets make sure its not the band and lets

do a fill under flouro before you cut me open to

replace it. He said that that wouldnt be necessary nor

helpful. At this point I'm frustrated, depressed, and

scared. I'm suppose to go back into surgery to have

the port replaced on Fiday Sept 30th . Has this

happened to anyone? Does anyone have any experience or

insight into this for me? I hate to use this word but

I am getting a little desperate to make this work.

Also if insurance covered it the first time will they

more then likely cover it agian?

-Miranda Cloud

Dr Holsaeter banded 7-28-05

342-326-150

[Vera 7]

Miranda,

You have a very valid request to find exactly where the leak is.

How does he know it's in the port?

Dr. McKeen did a flouro leak check on me with omnipaque which lets you see exactly where the leak is(mine was in the tubing).

Could your doctor be replacing the tubing as well as the port? What if the leak is in the band itself which was the case with Sassaay. She had to have her band re-placed.

I would hope your insurance would cover it and if the band is faulty the manufacturer should kick in?

Best of luck.

[Guest Miranda75]

Hi everyone,

I posted about having a leaking port just this past Wednesday. I wanted everyone to know that I just got home from surgery again today to replace my port. What the doc thinks happened is that my port turned slightly causing him to hit the side of it during one of my fills. He tested the port when he took it out and sure enough it had a leak in it causing me not to hold restriction for very long. He opened me up through the same incision that was used to place my port the first time. I am very sore and kinda headachey from the anesthesia but it is definelty not as bad as the original operation! I ate mashed potatoes for dinner. On my fourth bite I got a horrible pressure in my chest so I knew I had to stop and take much smaller bites. Oh yeah by the way. He actually filled my VG band with 5.5 cc during the surgery. If anyone has any questions for me feel free to ask and I will answere.

-Miranda Cloud

Dr Holsaeter

7-28-05

342-326-150

[fun4matt 0]

HI maranda,

did you have to pay for the surgary or did your insurance pick it up.

Thanks

Matt

[Vera 7]

I'm so Happy for you!

Glad to know you doctor's on top of it!

Sounds like you have restriction indeed and thanks for the update was wondering about you.

[Guest Miranda75]

My insurance paid for it. Thank God!

-Miranda

[Guest Kim B]

Miranda,

I'm new to this site - procedure on 9/14 and lost 13 lbs - but nothing in the last 4 days - nor do I feel like I have any restrictions. Very frustrating and depressing. I appreciated reading about your experience and hope that all goes well in the future.

Thanks for sharing.

Kim B

[Road Queen 0]

Glad to hear it got fixed - good luck and take care while you are healing

[NeeCee1966 0]

The good news is I have lost 30lbs since my surgery June 30,2005. The bad news is I am going to have surgery again this Firday October 21st as my port has flipped AND my line was hit by a needle and leaks now. My insurance is going to pay for the new surgery however I am going to be out another $500.00 (insurance requirement)

I am happy things went ok for you however I am scared to death to go through this AGAIN!!!!

I have a wonderful doctor Dr. Hagood (Dallas) and I know he will take great care of me but I am still very upset and scared. I know I need to do it and I am ready to get it over with. I have had to starve just to keep the weight off.

I will NEVER go back to the doctor who did my fills. I called his office three times and left messages for his office manager as well as him and have not heard a word from them. He really cares....LOL I know things will get better but this has been a long road for me.

Ready for sunny days!!!!!!

Best of luck to you,

NeeCee1966

[jqpublic 1]

neecee1966 good luck! hope that your day will go well for you! I will say a quick prayer for you, and mirada that good news your insurence paid for it.

Good luck in the future with your weight loss, hope you will meet your goals!

[flower 2]

I had to have my port fixed to because it had flipped hated doing it but it had to happen it is now fine and have restriction it all works out .

[HarleyNana 10]

Sorry about your port, hope all goes well. Stay in touch and keep us informed.

[I'llsucceed 1]

WOwo- glad to see you ok- I still would have demanded a florascope- no matter what he said. Its your body- remember that always. It all worked out for you so that is the great news! Thank goodness. So its back to basics for a bit- best of luck on your new port:0)

[my_genre 0]

If it is so easy to hit the tubing or the port wrong during a fill, why are the fills not being done under fluoro in the first place? I would think this would be a standard, instead of causing people costly repairs and the physical trauma of more surgery. Am I way off base on this???? I have not had my first fill yet, but it is ridiculous that people are having to go through problems that are SOOOOO easy to avoid. And....furthermore if the doctor or PA is chosing to go in blind, shouldn't they have some liability for damaging the band or its components?

Boy, I would be hot if that happened to me and I am so sorry for all of you that have been through this or are going through this now.

-Debra