1st fill or was it ?

[jojobeans]

I went for a fill yesterday and it seemed like the doc had no idea if he filled the port or not ! OMG! he asked me how much to fill i needed and my mind was going a million miles a minute. I let him proceed. What was I thinking, I should have walked out at that second ! I asked him to put 2 cc in, just from reading about my fellow banders. So He said he FOUND THE SPOT and put 2 cc in. I don't feel any restriction at all ! I thought they used a special needle to put the saline in but he used a regular needle. OMG ! , again. I don't know what to do. Should I go back and get more of a fill( if I got one ) OMG , again ! I could cry

[PAMMIE]

I went for a fill yesterday and it seemed like the doc had no idea if he filled the port or not ! OMG! he asked me how much to fill i needed and my mind was going a million miles a minute. I let him proceed. What was I thinking, I should have walked out at that second ! I asked him to put 2 cc in, just from reading about my fellow banders. So He said he FOUND THE SPOT and put 2 cc in. I don't feel any restriction at all ! I thought they used a special needle to put the saline in but he used a regular needle. OMG ! , again. I don't know what to do. Should I go back and get more of a fill( if I got one ) OMG , again ! I could cry

The Lap-Band subcutaneous injection port

This consists of a subcutaneous injection port attached to the tube connecting the Lap-Band. The port is placed, under the skin below the navel. Access to these ports requires the use of a non-coring needle known as a Huber needle. A non-coring needle will minimise the damage to the silicon rubber covering of the port and therefore reduce the risk of leakage from the port.

[AngieB]

The huber needle will look like a regular needle...the big difference is the hole is on the side of the needle and not the tip for the huber, this way when it goes through the port it does not leave a core out of the port. Does that make sense.

I would call them back, let them address your concerns. From the sounds of it you had a blind fill. Did the fill tech give you liquid to drink to tset the fill? Or was it 2 cc's and you were on your way??

Give them a call. Let them answer your concerns so you can feel better. I would be shocked if any place doing fills did not use a huber needle.

[bogiesmom]

Jojo, sweetie darling, you make me want to scream! You have an 11cc band & therefore 2cc is NOT enough! In order for you to feel any type of restriction you are going to need at least 5cc. I would have asked for 5 myself. You need to go back and get another 3cc at least.

[janellody]

Sounds like a scary visit. 2cc is pretty low for a first fill, I just had mine and got 4cc, my doctor doesn't do more than 4cc on the first fill, so who knows if I could have had more. I am happy she is being cautious and seems to be VERY smart about it all, but yours seems like they don't know what they are doing... I would definitely call back and see if you can get more, but maybe a different doctor would be a better idea...

[jojobeans]

I found it weird that he ask me how much I wanted it filled . yes I admit it must be hard to find exactly where the port center is but hey, he's the one with experience ! He did phone me today and asked how i am, which is great, at least he cares. He said he will send me for an ultrasound to locate the port, which I thought was super fab. Good Doctor just needs more experience.

[Lindsay]

hm. where did you get your fill done?

at the occ??

[orockz99]

I got all my fills done at FCUSA in NJ with Dr. Lee, he seemed very knowledgable. My first fill in my 11cc band was about4.5 cc's. He didn't ask me how much I wanted, it came down to how much water I could swallow comfortably. That determines how much of a first fill you get, he said it can be anywhere from 2-7 ccls depends on how much water that particular person can drink. I have gotten two smaller fills since then but I'm glad they were gradual and not big ones all at once so I could get used to having restriction. I say all this to say that if u don't have a good doctor that knows what they are doing it can make the lapband experience very difficult.

[macleay]

Do you have other options for fill doctors? He shouldn't be asking you how many cc's you want, he should be able to tell you what is right for you. Everyone is different. I was only able to take 3ccs for my first fill in my 11cc band. My daughter took 4ccs with no problem. I had fluoroscopy the first time and blind fills the rest of the times, but in all cases, the doctor figured out what was right for me, I didn't tell him/her.

Too little is better than too much, I guess, but shame on your doctor for putting you on the spot and expecting you to know how many cc's is right for you.

I'm just a little worried and hope there is another doctor nearby you can go to if you choose to.

The good news is, you're on your way! You have your first fill and maybe you'll get some restriction.

[Zoey2]

I agree, the doctor should be the one making the decision on how much of a fill. He may ask for a suggestion. My experience with fills is that the doctors were very conservative, saying that too little is better than too much. I always thought that was easy for them to say as we were paying for each fill and why wouldn't they want us to keep coming back and wanting more. But I also know that when you can't swallow and hurt so bad and need an unfill that you don't want that either.

You should talk with them about this, but I also would be uncomfortable with the doctor wanting you tell him/her how much to put in!!! Yikes!

[ValleyGirl]

Who are you seeing for fills? I know Dr. Manchanda here always asks me how much I want, but I'm far enough in to this that I know what works and what doesn't. I would have had no idea how much to ask for at my first fill. Sorry to hear you went through this. He is a GP (a very good GP) but not a specialist by any means. He has never missed my port while the ladies at the "fill clinic" in Washington always seem to have problems finding it and have left me bruised. He puts the saline in and then withdraws it to make sure it actually went in. When I go back, he withdraws it again to make sure it is still all in there. As far the needle goes, I'm sure his needles are hubers but now I'm going to call and make sure!

Sabrina:)

[jojobeans]

ok i tried to responed earlier but i guess it did not work.

Last week I went for a xray so my doctor could see where my port is. all is great port in the right spot facing the right way. So, today i went back for a proper fill and as we where talking I asked if the needle he used was a huber needle, and he said that he uses a normal syringe . So, I chose not to go threw with it because i am pretty sure you need a special huber syringe. I called the OCC and they did tell me a huver syringe is best becuse theres less chance of damage to the port . OMG, Dr.So said he would email me some info for my doctor but I have not received anything so I'll call again tommorow. My doctor does fills for the "slim band" but i guess their different styles.So, at this point I don't know even if i had a tiny fill of 2cc from last time or I have ) nada ! I have 0 restriction just problem with meat. But anyhow my Dr is willing to help and figure things out, so thats GREAT, but in the meanwhile I have NO fill and a little upset that I have gone all this way and the little fill I need is not available , for now . I am considering going down to Spokane so if anyone knows of a proper Dr. that does no what they r doing please, please let me know !

P.S. thanks for all the feedback keep it coming

[jojobeans]

Today I went for a fill again , after he has taken x-rays to place were the port is. So, today was going to be my 1st fill ( almost 2 months late).I was SO SO excited ! guess what ... he couldn't find the port ! ARG !! WHAT ! He said it has moved . So , now I am going to wait until I go to Vancouver and go see Dr . Manchanda, Thanks to sabrina , forwarding his info . WHY , OH , WHY ? I can feel the port , so i really do not understand . O.K. I will stop venting ... Oh, I just want a FILL..........