Fills

[MrsParris]

I know that with flouro is the best scenario. Some fill centers don't use flouro. Some physicians don't use flouro.

I would like to hear from any bandsters that have had fills done without flouro. and your experience.

Thanks for the help!

Kimberly

[CottonwoodAZ]

Well I have only done with Flurro and it was so comforting to hear and see the band looked perfect. My friend does blind fills (no flurro) and has had no problems other than she says it hurts when they put in the needle and I had no pain. I just liked knowing everything was ok

[julieburns]

Hi Kimberly:

Here's my experience. I was sold on the fact that I should have my fill(s) with fluoro from what the OCC had said. I surely thought especially the first one so I flew to TJ and had my first fill done at the OCC. As I thought everything looked fine, it was cool to see the band in my stomach and the liquids go through it etc. In retrospect I found out that they have a limit for how much fill they will put in the first time and it is for our own good they do this. The stomach is still healing at the first fill so they don't want to make it too tight when you are still healing. Also I thought in 6 weeks unless you really blew your recommended diet that your really wouldn't/couldn't do any damage in that short a period of time . If it were me I now would not find it necessary, unless of course it's not a burden on me, to have fluoro on the first fill especially.

Now with the second fill I went back and forth about what to do. I decided to go to the OCC again because they had said if anything ever happened to my band and I hadn't had all my fills there they wouldn't take care of it for free if deemed necessary. This made sense so I once again flew to TJ for the 2nd fill. I had 2.0 cc from the first fill and then they gave me 2.8 more cc (under fluoro of course) for a total of 2.8 cc. I sipped on an 8 ounce bottle of water while there afterwards and then went back to the hotel. That evening I could only swallow liquids but late in the evening I did eat some pudding. The next morning I was slightly concerned as I still could just get liquids down but they did go down, I tried something soft and PB'd right away. My plane left early on Saturday so I thought about it and after PBing just thought I had swelling and went on home. Well for 3 days I could barely even sip on liquid without PBing. I even woke up choking on my own spit at night. I called the OCC and never got a return call. Desperate for something to be done I almost just got a ticket to the OCC to go get an unfill. Because of the expense of that and also the lack of reply from them(another long story doesn't need to be rehashed) I called the closest Fill Center USA which was about an hour drive, got right in and got an unfill. The Fill center Nurse was awesome. No fluoro. She first removed everything and sent me to eat because in 5 days I lost 8 pounds (yahoo) but was severely dehydrated. I then went back and she refilled me to 2.25. The fill center requires you to drink what seems lile alot of water but it helps them know how the fill is working. My point with this 2nd fill story is that having it done under fluoro at the OCC did not help at all to prevent al overfill. Seeing the flow on the screen was not enough. Each persons body reacts differently and I am now a firm believer that fluoro isn't absolutely necessary to perform the fill. Perhaps for a persons peace of mind if you can afford the time and money then yes by all means do fluoro. The non fluoro fill/unfill was absolutely painless and she got my port with no problem. She taught me many things that I had not learned before which has been invaluable information. I will happily go back to her locally for another fill if needed. So far I am still ok 2 months later with restriction.

This is a little long but it gives people something to think about.

[Dontondan]

I have had the opportunity to have both and it didn't make a difference either way, but I am still going in Dec to OCC to have one with flouro. I figured that I would go and have a flouro done every year to check everything out.

[MrsParris]

Hi Kimberly:

Here's my experience. I was sold on the fact that I should have my fill(s) with fluoro from what the OCC had said. I surely thought especially the first one so I flew to TJ and had my first fill done at the OCC. As I thought everything looked fine, it was cool to see the band in my stomach and the liquids go through it etc. In retrospect I found out that they have a limit for how much fill they will put in the first time and it is for our own good they do this. The stomach is still healing at the first fill so they don't want to make it too tight when you are still healing. Also I thought in 6 weeks unless you really blew your recommended diet that your really wouldn't/couldn't do any damage in that short a period of time . If it were me I now would not find it necessary, unless of course it's not a burden on me, to have fluoro on the first fill especially.

Now with the second fill I went back and forth about what to do. I decided to go to the OCC again because they had said if anything ever happened to my band and I hadn't had all my fills there they wouldn't take care of it for free if deemed necessary. This made sense so I once again flew to TJ for the 2nd fill. I had 2.0 cc from the first fill and then they gave me 2.8 more cc (under fluoro of course) for a total of 2.8 cc. I sipped on an 8 ounce bottle of water while there afterwards and then went back to the hotel. That evening I could only swallow liquids but late in the evening I did eat some pudding. The next morning I was slightly concerned as I still could just get liquids down but they did go down, I tried something soft and PB'd right away. My plane left early on Saturday so I thought about it and after PBing just thought I had swelling and went on home. Well for 3 days I could barely even sip on liquid without PBing. I even woke up choking on my own spit at night. I called the OCC and never got a return call. Desperate for something to be done I almost just got a ticket to the OCC to go get an unfill. Because of the expense of that and also the lack of reply from them(another long story doesn't need to be rehashed) I called the closest Fill Center USA which was about an hour drive, got right in and got an unfill. The Fill center Nurse was awesome. No fluoro. She first removed everything and sent me to eat because in 5 days I lost 8 pounds (yahoo) but was severely dehydrated. I then went back and she refilled me to 2.25. The fill center requires you to drink what seems lile alot of water but it helps them know how the fill is working. My point with this 2nd fill story is that having it done under fluoro at the OCC did not help at all to prevent al overfill. Seeing the flow on the screen was not enough. Each persons body reacts differently and I am now a firm believer that fluoro isn't absolutely necessary to perform the fill. Perhaps for a persons peace of mind if you can afford the time and money then yes by all means do fluoro. The non fluoro fill/unfill was absolutely painless and she got my port with no problem. She taught me many things that I had not learned before which has been invaluable information. I will happily go back to her locally for another fill if needed. So far I am still ok 2 months later with restriction.

This is a little long but it gives people something to think about.

Julie, thanks. I remember when you were going through all that. I hope your restriction holds out for you.

Here is my dilemma. My nearest fill center charges $550 the first fill, then $285 each additional fill. It is around a 2.5 hour drive for me. I did a lot of internet research and found a doctor in Birmingham, AL with a good reputation. His receptionist says he doesn't need to use flouro to do a fill. He has agreed to do my fills for $100 no flouro. It is about a 1.5 hour drive to his office. I am following my post-op diet religiously, and although I would love to do the fill with flouro the lure of a $100 fill is very tempting. I still owe for part of my surgery and my husband and I are trying to save up for him to be banded, hopefully in April. I can always go to the fills center if I have a problem.

Thanks again for your reply.

Kimberly

[MrsParris]

I have had the opportunity to have both and it didn't make a difference either way, but I am still going in Dec to OCC to have one with flouro. I figured that I would go and have a flouro done every year to check everything out.

That once a year thing sounds like a great idea. Hopefully my husband will be banded in April and I can go with him and get a fill with flouro.

Kimberly

[Kimmy in MD]

I have only had fills without flouro and have been very satisfied. My fill doc uses something to numb me so no pain when she inserts the needle and both times has gotten my port the 1st time. She does have access to fluoro if needed but so far so good.

I would only have a fill with an experienced doc regardless of whether they use flouro or not.

[Dolittle]

I know that with flouro is the best scenario. Some fill centers don't use flouro. Some physicians don't use flouro.

I would like to hear from any bandsters that have had fills done without flouro. and your experience.

Thanks for the help!

Kimberly

I've had both, 4 with fluoro, 1 blind and 1 unfill when I had my LBL last month, The blind fill was way back in May and it was just a tweek fill, the doctor only added .2cc's by my request. In May I didn't know I was going to have my LBL this last October. The doctor who did my blind fill was very experienced,, it was a no brainer. But now,, Dr. Quiroz,, when he did my LBL, he moved my port deeper. I can't feel my port now, I'll have to have my next fill under fluoro.

[GirlBarb]

I get mine done locally with a bariatric doctor, it is less that an hour and only costs 50. He offers a nutritionist and phsycologist for free. They will fill with numbing or without, I like without, the numbing needle hurts more than the fill LOL

That is what works for me. It's what you are comfortable with.

Barbara

[shrty835]

I went back for my first fill to the OCC. Just so they could tell me everything was fine with my band. My last 2 fills have been without flouro the Dr. is about an hour from my house. on the first on it took him 4 tries to find my port. I was so scared that he might have hit the tube. On my second one he poked me twice and he took out all the liquid that was in. By the way the whole amount was still there, and then he added more. It hurt like hell even with the numbing shot. And the cost has been 175 each time.

[MrsParris]

Thanks for all the replies. Since the doctor has a good reputation, the commute to his office is only 1.5 hours and the charge is only $100. I think I will give him a try. His receptionist said he could use flouro if it became necessary, she just didn't know the charge. I still don't think it would be the $550 the Fill Center charges for a first fill.

Kimberly