I'm REALLY SCARED!

[Donna34]

OK, so this is the story. I went to get a fill last week. My doc didn't have the right length needle, so she used a shorter one, and had trouble accessing the port because it was so short. She pulled out about 2cc's and that was all she could get. She put in 2.6cc's (if indeed she was in the port) and I left pretty happy. I immediatley went to get something to eat to see if I had any restriction. NONE WHATSOEVER. I went back today to get another fill. Same thing, longer needles hadn't arrived yet, and she tried to use the shorter ones again. She "thinks" she hit the port on the 2nd try. She tried to pull out the 2.6cc's but was only able to pull out .5cc. It had a little blood in it. So, can you pull .5 cc of liquid out of tissue??? I'm terrified that my band has a leak! She never was "quite sure" she was in the port with the shorter needle, so she told me to come back Friday, when the longer needles would be there, and she would try again.

She was using a 1 inch, right angle Huber non-coring needle. I'm also scared about this....could she have damaged the tubing, and CAUSED a leak? Any ideas????

Thanks,

Donna

[Kari]

OK, so this is the story. I went to get a fill last week. My doc didn't have the right length needle, so she used a shorter one, and had trouble accessing the port because it was so short. She pulled out about 2cc's and that was all she could get. She put in 2.6cc's (if indeed she was in the port) and I left pretty happy. I immediatley went to get something to eat to see if I had any restriction. NONE WHATSOEVER. I went back today to get another fill. Same thing, longer needles hadn't arrived yet, and she tried to use the shorter ones again. She "thinks" she hit the port on the 2nd try. She tried to pull out the 2.6cc's but was only able to pull out .5cc. It had a little blood in it. So, can you pull .5 cc of liquid out of tissue??? I'm terrified that my band has a leak! She never was "quite sure" she was in the port with the shorter needle, so she told me to come back Friday, when the longer needles would be there, and she would try again.

She was using a 1 inch, right angle Huber non-coring needle. I'm also scared about this....could she have damaged the tubing, and CAUSED a leak? Any ideas????

Thanks,

Donna

Donna

At my first fills, the doctotr pulled out about 1cc of fluid so the doctor put in 2cc and told me it would take a few fills to reach the sweet spot. Now, at my second fill, he used a bigger syringe and pulled out over 5cc's. So, he said it must have been the size of syringe that made the differnce. I don't know if that helps or not.

[Donna34]

Thanks Kari!

Actually that does make me feel a little better! She had a larger syringe at first, but said it would be easier with a smaller one, and used a smaller one instead. I hope and PRAY that is what the deal was. I know at my LAST fill she used the larger syringe. You'd think you would be able to pull out the same amount with either one. Strange...

Thanks, for sharing!

Donna

[Suzie]

OK, so this is the story. I went to get a fill last week. My doc didn't have the right length needle, so she used a shorter one, and had trouble accessing the port because it was so short. She pulled out about 2cc's and that was all she could get. She put in 2.6cc's (if indeed she was in the port) and I left pretty happy. I immediatley went to get something to eat to see if I had any restriction. NONE WHATSOEVER. I went back today to get another fill. Same thing, longer needles hadn't arrived yet, and she tried to use the shorter ones again. She "thinks" she hit the port on the 2nd try. She tried to pull out the 2.6cc's but was only able to pull out .5cc. It had a little blood in it. So, can you pull .5 cc of liquid out of tissue??? I'm terrified that my band has a leak! She never was "quite sure" she was in the port with the shorter needle, so she told me to come back Friday, when the longer needles would be there, and she would try again.

She was using a 1 inch, right angle Huber non-coring needle. I'm also scared about this....could she have damaged the tubing, and CAUSED a leak? Any ideas????

Thanks,

Donna

Donna, have you learned anything about your band? Are you okay?

[Donna34]

Donna, have you learned anything about your band? Are you okay?

Suzie, thanks for asking about me! I actually went back to Chicago last night, to get fluoro, and have everything checked out. LUCKILY, everything is OK. No leaks, no damaged port, no slips, erosion, or stretched pouch! I can't TELL you how happy I am! However, my band was COMPLETELY empty, which is what I had expected. My family doc had pulled out a total of 2.5cc's, but when she tried to add saline, she wasn't in the port! So for over a week, I've been able to eat ANYTHING, and EVERYTHING. I almost KNEW it was empty. I don't know if, while my band was empty, my stomach walls got thicker or what, but I was only able to handle 2.25cc's last night. At 2.5 NOTHING would go through, and that is what I had before. Or it COULD have been those 2 pounds I gained while my BAND was EMPTY. Either way, everything should be back to normal now, and I'm gonna REALLY work on it before Christmas. I'm gonna start exercising more, and try to watch what I eat, and NO drinking with my meals. It's strange how you can slowly fall back into old habits. But, with my band scare, and my new adjustment, I'm thinking of it as a FRESH START.

Donna

[oktwigs]

Suzie, thanks for asking about me! I actually went back to Chicago last night, to get fluoro, and have everything checked out. LUCKILY, everything is OK. No leaks, no damaged port, no slips, erosion, or stretched pouch! I can't TELL you how happy I am! However, my band was COMPLETELY empty, which is what I had expected. My family doc had pulled out a total of 2.5cc's, but when she tried to add saline, she wasn't in the port! So for over a week, I've been able to eat ANYTHING, and EVERYTHING. I almost KNEW it was empty. I don't know if, while my band was empty, my stomach walls got thicker or what, but I was only able to handle 2.25cc's last night. At 2.5 NOTHING would go through, and that is what I had before. Or it COULD have been those 2 pounds I gained while my BAND was EMPTY. Either way, everything should be back to normal now, and I'm gonna REALLY work on it before Christmas. I'm gonna start exercising more, and try to watch what I eat, and NO drinking with my meals. It's strange how you can slowly fall back into old habits. But, with my band scare, and my new adjustment, I'm thinking of it as a FRESH START.

Donna

WHOO HOO! That is great news. I am so pleased things are ok with your band. I'm still feeling a pretty good restriction. I don't even try to eat my usual breakfast any more...one warm low fat cocoa until about 10:30. Sometimes I can eat a small amount of cereal then, other times I just end up eating a granola bar. Have you tried those KASHI ones? Delicious and they aren't too bad calorie wise. The rest of the day is made of healthy choices. I wish apples were easier to eat, but oranges are a good afterschool snack for me. I have a few things I'll be packing my MX bound suitcase, the granolas being one of them.

I'm working harder at the exercise too. I pretty much took the first quarter of the school year off, but now I'm back at it. If I'm going to try surfing down in MX at Christmas i'd better be sure my shoulders and arms are strong so I'm hitting the weights at the gym very regularly. Man, was I sore for a few days, but it is better now.

Are you fixing the Thanksgiving dinner or are you traveling to one of your family's homes. I'm doing the cooking and will probably get the last of my shopping done today. I think I'll brine my turkey this year. It'll be interesting to see what I can and can't eat and I'll have to be especially careful with the current fill I have. I wouldn't want to PB in front of the family since they all have no clue about the band. Again though, I am soooo glad I didn't tell anyone. DH keeps an eye on me whenwe eat out or around friends and will ask me quietly if I'm ok if I lay my fork down (ha ha ha) -- something I'd rarely do beforehand. Now I try to put it down inbetween bites.

Do you waterload before meals? I try very very hard to drink a full 16 oz. before I sit down to eat a meal. It does help with that temptation to drink during meals. At restaurants I often suck on an ice cube rather than taking a drink. I remember Dr. Miranda suggesting that and it works well. I get that need for a drink taken care of without water choking me.

Take care hon, let me know how it goes.

Janice

[Donna34]

WHOO HOO! That is great news. I am so pleased things are ok with your band. I'm still feeling a pretty good restriction. I don't even try to eat my usual breakfast any more...one warm low fat cocoa until about 10:30. Sometimes I can eat a small amount of cereal then, other times I just end up eating a granola bar. Have you tried those KASHI ones? Delicious and they aren't too bad calorie wise. The rest of the day is made of healthy choices. I wish apples were easier to eat, but oranges are a good afterschool snack for me. I have a few things I'll be packing my MX bound suitcase, the granolas being one of them.

I'm working harder at the exercise too. I pretty much took the first quarter of the school year off, but now I'm back at it. If I'm going to try surfing down in MX at Christmas i'd better be sure my shoulders and arms are strong so I'm hitting the weights at the gym very regularly. Man, was I sore for a few days, but it is better now.

Are you fixing the Thanksgiving dinner or are you traveling to one of your family's homes. I'm doing the cooking and will probably get the last of my shopping done today. I think I'll brine my turkey this year. It'll be interesting to see what I can and can't eat and I'll have to be especially careful with the current fill I have. I wouldn't want to PB in front of the family since they all have no clue about the band. Again though, I am soooo glad I didn't tell anyone. DH keeps an eye on me whenwe eat out or around friends and will ask me quietly if I'm ok if I lay my fork down (ha ha ha) -- something I'd rarely do beforehand. Now I try to put it down inbetween bites.

Do you waterload before meals? I try very very hard to drink a full 16 oz. before I sit down to eat a meal. It does help with that temptation to drink during meals. At restaurants I often suck on an ice cube rather than taking a drink. I remember Dr. Miranda suggesting that and it works well. I get that need for a drink taken care of without water choking me.

Take care hon, let me know how it goes.

Janice

Hi Janice!

Yep, I was PRETTY HAPPY that my band was OK. Ill have to try the Kashi bars. And, yes, I'm cooking the Thanksgiving dinner this year. Just for my immediate family, (hubby & kids) but I still tend to do the full blown deal! LOL We are gonna try to head back to TN to see family for Christmas. Thanksgiving is just TOO close to have to do that trip twice!

I definitely have restriction! I'm SO glad. I'd really like to be smaller at Christmas when the family sees me. I do try to drink something REALLY cold before I eat. I still sneak a drink sometimes though. Gonna try to QUIT that though. I did good yesteray! LOL

You take care too!

Love,

Donna