Went for 3rd fill...got good news and bad

BeckyinTexas · October 7, 2005

First off my good, or should I say great news is I'm down 95 pounds since my surgery 4/29/05! I may make my at the time very flippant goal of 100 pounds in 6 months! At the time I thought it would be impossible but now I sure hope I can do it but if not I'm still very pleased with the loss so far! Now my bad news...seems my port has completely flipped and when the PA tired to do my fill she said she was hitting the backside of my port. Well, 6 needles and 30 minutes later, she decided she couldn't do it. Needless to say today I'm sore as all get out and I have a bruise the size of Rhode Island! My doctor had done my first 2 fills but was unavailable yesterday so my next step is to see him on Monday and see if he can do the fill but if he's unable to, they'll have to correct it surgically. That is something I so want to avoid! Has this sort of thing happened to any of y'all and if so what did you do? I'm really bummed right now about it cause surgery is the last thing I want to do. The PA said that the doctor might be able to do it by getting the port to turn a bit. Sounds painful to me but it would sure beat the heck out of another surgery! I'm just to be honest a bit scared and knew if anyone could make me feel better it was y'all!

the best me · October 7, 2005

Plenty of Flippers here. They will check in soon, I'm sure. No worries. If the doc can fill you flipped you should be okay...it CAN be done. But port surgery to repair a flip is, from what I have gathered, pretty standard, easy, not much recovery time, etc. So don't flip out. Your port already did that for you!!! ((((hugs)))) Incredible weight loss, WTG!!!

chichigirl · October 7, 2005

WOW!!!!! What an incredible weight loss!!!! You have every right to be proud and you should Celebrate. Like have long, big tall glass of bottled water:-]

Wouldn't want you to stop the momentum you have going, hope it's contagious. I am so thrilled for you and I bet you do lose the other 5 lbs in the time frame you wanted, but I am so impressed with your attitude. You are so absolutely right on with the attitude that you will be happy even if that doesn't happen. You have already achieved such a major, major accomplisment, I hope you're floating on cloud 9. I would love it if we could all share in you're way of thinking and not put down ourselves for not having done enough. Your attitude is by far healthier and will get you further than a negative one would.

Thank you for sharing and inspiring us all. Good luck with the port issue, I have also heard of people with a flipped port still being able to get their fills and I certainly will pray that this be the case for you as well.

(((((HUGS))))))

Cindy

DeLarla · October 7, 2005

I'm extremely proud to be a member here right now. Your loss is astonishing. I am a little concerned with your port though. Make sure to have a good doc keep an eye on it... did they do it under fluoro? That's a good way to poke a tube and spring a leak.

But you sound like you have your eating under control, so fill or no fill, you rocked your band. Congrads.

flower · October 7, 2005

first off I cannot believe your weight loss that is so nuts can't believe it you must be so happy I also had a flipped port and scarring on the tube where it came thru the muscle thats what made the sutures pull and the port to flip. Had to go back to surgery it was crappy but what good is the band without port acsses recovery wasn't as bad as getting the whole band just a major inconvienence now Ill tell you I am constantly feeling for the port though the price we have to pay go figure. port flipping is pretty common though good luck

hagerteresa · October 7, 2005

I have a good local friend who is experiencing the same thing (flipped port) and she is going to need surgery. She isn't concerned about the surgery part but the price. Evidently the ports they use in Mexico surgeries aren't fda approved in the U.S. yet so if a local doctor did it they would have to use a new port. Sounded like they wanted to charge something like $5000-$6000 for the surgery and port. They are finally writing a letter to the insurance to see if they might cover some of that. If not, the surgery is about $2000 in Mexico and she might have to go back there though she would prefer not. Great job on your loss! Teresa

vinesqueen · October 8, 2005

Wow! Congrats on your astounding loss! Can't advise on the flipped port although I can't imagine it would be anything like what we went through in the banding. I say this because the port is attached to the outside of the abdomin, so there wouldn't be any cutting through muscle fibers or probably any need to anything invasive.

I'll even bet it could be done under a twilight sleep... a local with sedatives should be enough. (I've had 5 or 6 major surgeries done under twilight because of my asthma)

BeckyinTexas · October 9, 2005

I knew if anyone could make me feel better it would be y'all and darn it, I was right. My doctor called me last night and he thinks he'll be able to access the port but he said I probably would eventually have to have it repaired. Vines, you're right, he even mentioned that it could be done using twilight sleep. Heck, if that's what they use at the dentist, they could cut my head off and I wouldn't even know it! Thanks all of y'all for never ceasing to amaze me that I'm a member of such a wonderful group of people and darn proud to be!