So, here is a little back story.... I am actually copy and pasting this from another thread. But it tells what happened with out me re-typing the senerio.
Personally, I am a believer in floro, however I do know MANY SUCCESSFUL bandsters who have there fills done under floro. There are MANY things that factor in to a fill. Take for example, I was in on Friday and had a fill. The surgeon who did my fill, was brand spanking new. He did fairly well, well sorta. He was a dead eye dewy and hit my small, low profile port first try! YAY! Then he pulled some fluid out to make sure he was in, again, alright, but I prefer not to have them do that at all. It causes more movement, and swelling which to me is not nesseccary. Anyway, When he went to add fluid, the syringe leaked, so he had to shut the stop cock. After that, the gal who was training him ask him how many CC's he should add, he said, 1 CC. I have a small, 10 cm 4 cc band and already have some restriction, so that was a no go. She told him .1 or .2 cc's and he proceeded to push saline into my band. I then did a barium swallow and the fluid was not passing at all. He was unsure of how much he actually added. Bummer, so he went to back it out and the fluid went through the band. **At this point I should have asked for another barium swallow, but thought nothing of it.** I asked how much he added and he told me a .1cc or .2 he had no idea. Okay, I thought well so I don't know how much of a fill I got. Guess from here on out I will not know what is in my band. I was making peace with it and went about my marry way. (had to return to work.) So, I got back to work and was on liquids for 2 days......no restriction. I called Sunday night to leave a message for my nurse and asked her to call me. Of course, more times than not, they DO NOT LIKE TO ADMIT that the fill didn't go as thought. The notes in my file said, gave .2 cc's fill snug. Yeah, that would have been awesome, except he actually pulled more out of my band than what he gave me, leaving me with NO restriciton.
So I am going back in today and have to pay for the radiology fee again. Okay, what ever. Lesson learned.....
The point of me sharing my last fill story with you is to let you know that MANY things can factor in to a good fill....floro or not.
For me, I chose to find after care locally. I go to the University of Nebraska Medical Center for my fills. Each fill takes me about 2 hours. I have an office visit and then go to radiology for my fill. That is where I spend most of my time....
I am a wife, mother, full time worker with a part time job on the side. So travel and the expense tied to it is a greater cost than staying local.
I have not had a fill at the OCC, BUT can say they are experts. They have done tons of fills and are able to dial you in. They have had people who got to tight from a fill there as well. Fills are not a exact science. If you find someone or where that works for you, then stick with them.
Sorry for the long share, but I wanted to give you a glimpse into what can be possible. Wish me well today, as I will be going back in to get my restriction back! Ugh!
Angie
Okay here is the UPDATE.........
They had me come back in on Monday. The surgeon, took all the fluid out of my band to see where I was. Guess what! I only had 1.2 cc's in there! Yikes! No wonder I didn't have any restriction....BOO! When he had drawn back to remove "some" he ended up taking over 1/2 of the fluid in my band! Yikes!
Okay so she put that saline back in, and gave me an additional .8 cc's. So that brought me back up to 2 cc's still less than what I walked in the door with. Double Boo!
This is a costly mistake. I will have to have another fill, to get me back up to were I was previously. I do not have restriction....and I am being mindful of my portions again.
One major step back for me and the band. Once that will cost 3 times as much in the end. Ugh! Hubby is pretty mad. He feels like I shouldn't have to pay, but I do. I really don't know what to say to him about it. It sucks.
When I was leaving the surgeon being trained on fills was walking in to the room. I smiled at him and he gave a deer in the head lights look. He was noticable uncomfortable. I didn't say anything, but did smile at him. It sucks to make mistakes.....In this case it sucks for me more than him. Ha!
So I am back to building up to a level of restriction again. I will be going back in for a fill next month, unless they make an acception and let me come in before that....who knows.
Over all it is dissapointing, but a fluke. I have not heard of this happening to anyone else....I will say this may have ruined my attitude toward being a patient who has a person in "training" do the procedure. I am normally really happy go lucky, but ugh!