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Looking for people who have encountered band / port leaks . . .

top_kat

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,

I'm just wondering who of our banders here have encountered problems with leaking from their ports with their band and if you have, what you've experienced in terms of feeling with restriction etc prior to this being discovered and how things went after.

I have known for a long time that something isn't right with my band, the sheer lack of restriction, the always feeling hunger and that never being taken away. Having seen my provider today for a fill, they have discovered that there are some issues with my band. (goes to explain my hunger, the fact a fill never changes my hunger or restriction)

Anyway, I should have had 11.6 mls in my band so she said if I could tolerate the needle being in place for a long time she was going to completely empty the band. She did and I had 8.2mls in it. 3.4mls short of what I should have in there. She said a possibility was that my fills had been recorded wrongly, but I know they haven’t as I’ve kept a record and check it off . But she said it appears that the band is leaking for there to be such a dramatic difference.

She asked me if I cant eat any foods, and whether I can eat bread or pasta. I explained I can eat all foods and in whatever quantity if I chose to. But that I don’t have problems with bread and could eat a baguette if I wished. She said at the level I had in my band, bread would be the first thing to have gone quite a long time ago. So, she gave me another diaphragmatic fill taking me up to 11.5mls so in theory 0.1ml less than what should have been in there, but in reality 3.4mls more than what was in there.

She was surprised however at how I didn't feel any difference in the fill, despite only having had 8.2mls in there and her taking me up to 11.5mls. She explained its quite possible that when it goes in, that its leaking quite badly. :(


I then have to go back in 3 weeks (so going Feb 13th) where she’s going to empty the band again and look to see what is in there. If it is less than what she has put in today, then I will need to have checks done under Xray, but the port and tubing will then need to be replaced via surgery.



While its crap, I’m relieved that she listened and that when I explained lack of restriction etc and never not feeling hungry, she said a leak would explain that. If it had moved I would be suffering pain behind breast bone, acid reflux, vomiting and not being able to eat, drink or tolerate a whole host of foods. So, it looks as if I’m leaking, and despite being on track with eating, portions, limiting cals etc, running 3 x week, gym and walking between 14,000 and 20,000 steps a day (between 7-10 miles!) I'm actually gaining! It's bizarre and something isn't right, but until this nurse came back from maternity leave nobody has actually listened to me properly! :(

Just wondering what other people who have experienced leaks have encountered, found and gone through.

Any feedback would be much appreciated :)

 
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Mazza

Administrator
Staff member
Oh dear, sorry to hear that TK! and I'm glad you found you were listened to.

I've had a defill to check how much was in and I'd lost a few mils too. But they put that down to a combination of having two ops and the aneasthetic doing something and that some would be in the tube.

There's a few banders who still post who have had ports repositioned but I'm not so sure about leaks!
 

top_kat

Well-Known Member
Thanks Mazza,

She said had it been a ml or two, she could put it down to miscalculating perhaps, but it was such a large amount difference and with the lack of restriction and constant hunger she said it points to the leakage.

I'm sat here now with 3.4mls more in it than what was there when I went in this morning, but even drinking I don't feel a difference (she said that I would as its such a jump up) which she said if it goes on feeling that way, then there's something not right. Still, she's on the ball which thankfully is a good job as I only have 7 months left of my after care (although have 19 months left of warranty/insurance)
 

NT1977

Member
I don't have any experience of this but just wanted to say that I am glad someone has finally listened to you and although it may not be the best outcome, hopefully something can be be done to sort this out if your band is leaking - keep us up to date x
 

BlueDiamond

New Member
Hope you get it sorted asap, i had my port repositioned , no leaks though. Least its being acted upon. All the best BD x
 

sarahrob

New Member
I'm so glad she is taking it seriously TK. It sucks if you do have a leak, but at least it would explain what's been going on.
I hope you get it sorted x
 

top_kat

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone.

I wish that they had listened a bit more carefully to me as for months I've been saying that I don't feel restriction and each fill doesn't change that. I was just told that "Some people need more in their bands to get it to work!" which yes is true, but there are also other potential reasons.

They had a new nurse start last summer so she was the one who I was seeing, but I don't think she had much clue when it came to bands (at the time, she was even receiving training for fills so it didn't give me much confidence).

Still, now that someone has listened and checks are happening, I'm just hoping that things will get seen to. The one thing that I have been concerned about is that my port has moved such a long way it now rides under my rib cage every time I bend over and I did raise this back in the summer as I was concerned. They said I could have further surgery to put the port back into a different position but as I don't do anaesthetic very well I said I'd leave it unless it got painful. I'm wondering whether because of where it is and the friction that it must have on such a regular basis whether its caused damage to the port/tubing.

But, 3 weeks now to see how it goes. But even though I actually have 3.4mls in there more than I did yesterday morning, I don't feel any difference in the drinking as yet.

Oh the joys LOL
 

Llora

Well-Known Member
Must be such a relief to be finally heard! Hope they will find out what is happening soonand sort it out quick too. Good luck.
 

westiedog

Member
Must be such a relief to be finally heard! Hope they will find out what is happening soonand sort it out quick too. Good luck.
Hi

Sorry if I am looking in the wrong place but do you have any update as I appear to have a leak x
 
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