As a warning to my fellow bandsters

[my_friend_amber]

I'm taking Evette's advice and posting this information so that my fellow bandsters do not have to go through the terrible experience I went through. I've copied and pasted my original post below for the information of anyone who may not have read it the 1st time around on the 'general discussion' board:

Doctor's name: John Kendrick

Location: Willow Creek Drive, Fayetteville, AR

Original Post:

Last Thursday (the 31st) was my 1st fill. The facility was nice and clean and I went in and laid down on the table and felt like everything would go just fine...but it really didn't go too fine. The doctor had a horrible time accessing my port - he kept "slipping off" as he called it - which would cause that pretty big needle to just jab into my guts. Well after about 30 minutes of tries (and pain) he hit the port, put in 2cc's and told me to drink liquids that day and come back if breakfast went down too easily in the morning.

So the morning came and I could have just eaten and eaten and eaten...no restriction. So I went back like the doctor said and he decided to put in one more cc. Again, it was such a struggle for me to lay still while he stabbed around on me to find the port. I kept telling him I thought he was too high up (he was poking right below my scar and when I feel my port, it feels like it's about an inch below my scar and a bit to the left) but he just kept jabbing in the same area. Finally, he hit the port again and put in one more cc. Immediately I could feel the tightness in my chest and knew he had hit the port. I sat up to try a sip of water and...it stuck! I was like oh no...I'm way too tight now. I was so sad because I knew he would have to go in AGAIN to get some out!

So again I go back to the table, and this time I can physically see how swolen my belly is where he's been poking me over and over again. He says he's having a hard time because I am really swolen inside too. So he's poking and stabbing and "slipping off" the port over and over and over. He keeps smacking the port but cannot seem to penetrate it. And then he gets to pressing down on the needle really hard to make it go through the port and keeps "slipping off" and stabbing me so hard in the stomach muscles down there. Finally, after trying for what felt like a very long time, he pulled the needle out and it was "malfunctioning" and wouldn't draw any liquid. I was so mad because I knew I had to get some of this fill out of me! I knew he had to go back in and try some more!!

To add to it alll, I was still stuck on the water I'd tried to drink and it made me feel like I was choking to death while lying flat on my back. To make a long story short, it took a little over an hour to get it done and I ended up with NINE needle holes in me - and each needle hole represented quite a few minutes being stabbed, and having him "slip off" my port. The pain was so bad that I was physically shaking - just out of control of the shaking no matter how much I tried and tired to calm my mind down and breathe deep. I tried to take a break and just walk and breathe for a minute and try to let that stuck water go down, but I was so shook up by that time that I couldn't stop myself from crying. I honestly though I might pass out really.

In the end, I just said I can't take this anymore and went home. A day later, I can eat again and don't feel too much restriction, but it was a horrible, horrible experience.

I honestly feel a little traumatized from it to tell the truth. I have heard so many of your stories about your fills where the words "virtually painless" or "hardly felt a thing" were used and I kept thinking "this cannot be normal!" I feel terrified at the thought of having to go back for more fills and I know I will have to!

For you newbies out there, please do not freak out after reading this - I know this cannot be right!! Please, please learn from me and make sure to ask how many fills your fill doctor has done. Make sure they have been uber trained and have done hundreds and hundreds before you let them "practice" on you. Consider making the trip back to the OCC or going to a Fill Centers USA location - even if it's a longer drive or more expensive. Believe me, I would have traded the money and time in a heartbeat to have not had to go through the horrible experience I went through.

For you veteran bandsters out there, please tell me I'm right - this is not normal and I should never have to have an experience like this again if I go to a Fill Centers USA location...right!?

[happygirl02]

good job posting the info - i don't think its slander or anything like that! i know that if i ended up at the same doc and found out it was THIS one, i'd wish you'd have named him

i'm so sorry for your terrible experience - i can't imagine how you must feel about it all. i just pray that you will be able to erase the whole thing from your mind and start on a fresh note so that you can loooove your band and look forward to the next fill!

[Chrissyw]

Hi

I'm so sorry you had such a difficult time. I would definitely go back to Mexico to refil instead of induring this. I know that at some centers (not necessarily the fill centers )doctors have nurses do the fills. Also as a nurse myself I have accessed ports before Not for bands but port a caths that run into the heart and other similiar devices and you don't "slip" off a port. You should hold the port with one hand while you inject it. You do not under any circumstances stab a port blind. Protect yourself and either find another fill site or go back to Mexico. I'm still awaiting banding myself. I guess this is why when I spoke with Dr. Ortiz he said come back to him to make sure it's done right.

Good luck

Christine

[karabara]

Oh my gosh! I had the exact same experience with the same doctor! It was horrible and I too felt traumatized. I have not had another fill since then and that was my first. I got on the forum to find someone else and ended up finding your story. I am so glad to know that I'm not crazy and that the enormous pain isn't normal. Thanks for posting!

I'm taking Evette's advice and posting this information so that my fellow bandsters do not have to go through the terrible experience I went through. I've copied and pasted my original post below for the information of anyone who may not have read it the 1st time around on the 'general discussion' board:

Doctor's name: John Kendrick

Location: Willow Creek Drive, Fayetteville, AR

Original Post:

Last Thursday (the 31st) was my 1st fill. The facility was nice and clean and I went in and laid down on the table and felt like everything would go just fine...but it really didn't go too fine. The doctor had a horrible time accessing my port - he kept "slipping off" as he called it - which would cause that pretty big needle to just jab into my guts. Well after about 30 minutes of tries (and pain) he hit the port, put in 2cc's and told me to drink liquids that day and come back if breakfast went down too easily in the morning.

So the morning came and I could have just eaten and eaten and eaten...no restriction. So I went back like the doctor said and he decided to put in one more cc. Again, it was such a struggle for me to lay still while he stabbed around on me to find the port. I kept telling him I thought he was too high up (he was poking right below my scar and when I feel my port, it feels like it's about an inch below my scar and a bit to the left) but he just kept jabbing in the same area. Finally, he hit the port again and put in one more cc. Immediately I could feel the tightness in my chest and knew he had hit the port. I sat up to try a sip of water and...it stuck! I was like oh no...I'm way too tight now. I was so sad because I knew he would have to go in AGAIN to get some out!

So again I go back to the table, and this time I can physically see how swolen my belly is where he's been poking me over and over again. He says he's having a hard time because I am really swolen inside too. So he's poking and stabbing and "slipping off" the port over and over and over. He keeps smacking the port but cannot seem to penetrate it. And then he gets to pressing down on the needle really hard to make it go through the port and keeps "slipping off" and stabbing me so hard in the stomach muscles down there. Finally, after trying for what felt like a very long time, he pulled the needle out and it was "malfunctioning" and wouldn't draw any liquid. I was so mad because I knew I had to get some of this fill out of me! I knew he had to go back in and try some more!!

To add to it alll, I was still stuck on the water I'd tried to drink and it made me feel like I was choking to death while lying flat on my back. To make a long story short, it took a little over an hour to get it done and I ended up with NINE needle holes in me - and each needle hole represented quite a few minutes being stabbed, and having him "slip off" my port. The pain was so bad that I was physically shaking - just out of control of the shaking no matter how much I tried and tired to calm my mind down and breathe deep. I tried to take a break and just walk and breathe for a minute and try to let that stuck water go down, but I was so shook up by that time that I couldn't stop myself from crying. I honestly though I might pass out really.

In the end, I just said I can't take this anymore and went home. A day later, I can eat again and don't feel too much restriction, but it was a horrible, horrible experience.

I honestly feel a little traumatized from it to tell the truth. I have heard so many of your stories about your fills where the words "virtually painless" or "hardly felt a thing" were used and I kept thinking "this cannot be normal!" I feel terrified at the thought of having to go back for more fills and I know I will have to!

For you newbies out there, please do not freak out after reading this - I know this cannot be right!! Please, please learn from me and make sure to ask how many fills your fill doctor has done. Make sure they have been uber trained and have done hundreds and hundreds before you let them "practice" on you. Consider making the trip back to the OCC or going to a Fill Centers USA location - even if it's a longer drive or more expensive. Believe me, I would have traded the money and time in a heartbeat to have not had to go through the horrible experience I went through.

For you veteran bandsters out there, please tell me I'm right - this is not normal and I should never have to have an experience like this again if I go to a Fill Centers USA location...right!?

[Doug]

Sorry to hear of your problems.....makes one think on just who does the refills....Hope you are feeling better........I did put a small post regarding a Doctor in Arizona, however that is a ways out from you.....good luck