Can a fill needle puncture the band?

Maria40 · 07-30-2006, 12:11 AM

Hi Everyone.

I am new to this board and have a question. I was banded in Mexico March 3rd, 2006. I have had three fills. The last was this past Tuesday. I went from 1.5 cc (4 cc band) to 2. Drank a sip of water and had MAJOR restriction. Left the doc, went home, and for 24 hours I could not drink water, and pb'd on my own saliva. Went back to the doc on Wed. to have an unfill. They took .25 out, leaving me with a total of 1.75 cc. Now I can eat ANYTHING. I had more restriction with 1.5 cc in prior to going to the doc's on Tuesday. I am so confused. They did have a hard time (both for the fill and unfill) finding my port, and I was poked several times before they got the needle in. Could the needle have punctured the band? Does .25 cc really make you THAT much tighter? Why was I tight with 1.5, but looser with 1.75?

I am sorry about all the questions. I am just curious about the fills. People talk about eating 1/2 Cup of food before full. I just ate 2 sushi rolls with not problem. I even thought that perhaps I had slippage with 1.5cc, and when the doc took out the fill, my stomach went back into place, which is why 1.75 does nothing? I just don't know. Anyone have any ideas?

BTW, I have lost 32 lbs since March 3rd. Have not felt like that was enough so far.

Thank you!

beachgirl · 07-30-2006, 12:17 AM

It can puncture your band but it would be very unlikely. Did they use fluro or not? I think you are somewhere in there for your sweet spot. I've heard of them taking out like.10 to get it perfect. I would just say your inbetween, but in mho I don't think they punctured it.

Good luck and I would give it a week and drink liquids and mushies and don't eat anything on the day of your fill is what they told me to get a correct fit and see if that works. Maybe just have .10 put in instead of .25.

Gope this helps,
Hugs

princess_n_thep · 07-30-2006, 02:23 PM

It can puncture the TUBING, causing leaking.

barbara465 · 07-30-2006, 02:32 PM

THe band and the port are not really near each other. The port is the "opening" to the tubing which leads to the band. I would say they punctured the tubing if anything. It is more likely you swelled after your fill and the little they took out was enough. Now you have little or no restriction. The same thing happened to me.

I got a fill and felt nothing. Almost 6 days later I had a major PB episode and had to have it unfilled a week later. They took out .7 and I felt immediate relief. Now I can eat anything again and must go in for another fill. I think it just takes time to get it right.

Maria40 · 07-30-2006, 03:20 PM

Thank you for your responses. I feel a little better. Now I have to go back tomorrow to see if they will fill a little more. Since I just paid $150 for a fill last week, I wonder if I will get charged again?

wanttobethin1 · 07-30-2006, 08:33 PM

I had the same problem I would request a fill under floro. so you know that they are hitting the port and not going threw the tube. A lot of Doctors don't do the fill under floro but I thank God that I found one that would. You just don't know what is going on in there without a floro and if your port has slipped as mind did it is very hard to find it. When I had my last one done before I found a Doctor that would do floro the Doctor stuck me a lot and my port sight still burns 5 months later...