Can you see/feel your port?

[Barbwired 13]

I’m only 17 days post op, so I don’t know about it showing yet, but I can tell you that I have always slept on my stomach and I can’t seem to do that now because I can feel my port when I do. If it’s that close to the surface that I can feel it when I lie on my stomach now, I have to think that when I lose all of my extra weight (130 pounds) that it will show then.

I’m not thrilled about this, but I will be SO thrilled to lose 130 pounds that a little protrusion from my port will be a small price to pay for getting my life back and being a part of the “normal” world again, rather than living in the the obese world that I'm living in now.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Barbwired

[gerilc1964 0]

Yes, I can see where my port is because I have gotten nice and thin and I have a lower profile port.It's just a small bump on my right side and I can feel where it is too. It isn't bothersome at all.

[parisluver 1]

Mine is the the side of my belly button and I can feel it if I press on my stomach but it isn't visible when looking at my stomach. I also had a TT 4 years ago so I don't have a ton of belly flab (mainly upper stomach flab). Not sure what will happen when I lose the weight. If it's really noticeable I will ask for a smaller port to replace it if insurance will cover that...big question if they will. But as it is now I don't think it will be really visible as I lose.

I saw a picture of Courtney Love who is reported to have had the band and it looked like you could see her port when she was photographed in a bikini. She was really really thin though.

[Chellz423 0]

I can feel my port. I'm down 36 pounds. It doesn't stick out too much

[BetsyB 9]

Yes, I can feel it just beneath the surface of my skin. I can't yet see it, but am sure that, a few pounds from now, I will be able to.

It's common---and it's also common, for those who do have abdominoplasty when they reach goal, to have the surgeon switch to a low-profile port.

[chrisdirects 0]

I can certainly feel my port...I know exactly where it is, based on the location of my longest incision. I have been teasing my surgeon that I'm going to have a target tattooed over it to help him with my fills, lol! At this point, though, it's not visible under clothes.

Because I have no intention of wearing bikinis or bare midriffs(I'm kinda past that age, at least in my mind), I don't think it's going to be a problem, even if it becomes visible as I lose weight. I surely wouldn't consider having it removed for that reason.

I'm sure it will all work out well for you!

Christine

[M.T. in Indy 0]

I was banded 3/20/10 & my port definitely sticks out but how far not sure yet. Still a bit swollen & sore! My port is on the left and anytime I bend to the left, say tying my shoes for example it digs up into my ribs!! Does anyone else experience this. I was told the port is place so near the surface so that fills are easier...

[susi1662 3]

I haven't been banded yet, and the positioning of the port worries me too a little too. I don't want it to ride right under my bra, it sounds like it would be uncomfortable.

But as for showing, if it where my doc says he is going to put it, it'll be be under my left tata so it won't be seen. Besides, I am not one to be wearing tight clothes or a bare midriff anymore at my age either!

[LapNYC 3]

I just asked the nurse this question at my fill last week. He mentioned a possible switch to a low profile port as others have said, and also mentioned something about moving it to behind the muscle? I was only half listening since I'm MANY pounds away from bikini-land, but he said something to this effect. He did say that it makes it much harder to access the port, although I suppose that's intuitive.

[Mickey527 0]

I am down to goal (YEAH!!!) and my port is showing alot. It sticks out and shows when I wear a t-shirt. I have to wear button down shirts to have it be covered.

I won't every wear a bikini (too old) but do feel comfortable in tucked in t-shirts so I am going to talk to my Dr about moving the port somewhere else.

I can't have it put below my muscle because I don't have any stomach muscle on the right side since I had a Tram flap surgery after my mastectomy and they rebuilt my breast with my stomach muscle. they could move the port to the left side but I would rather have it under the skin than under the muscle where it is harder to access.

I have only had one fill so I only have 2 cc in my port now. I have restriceted my food intake to a normal amount and I am very careful with what I eat so this tool helped me get the start I needed to lose what I have lost and gained over many many years. I feel that somewhere down the line I will start to gain again and need to port to get fills when that time comes.

[vlp1968 83]

As I have lost weight I can just barely see the port now. I imagine it will stick out more as I loose the last 40 or so pounds. It is bothering me. I anticipate having plastic surgery down the road, maybe it can be taken care of then. I didn't talk to my doc. before hand about this. I guess I just assumed they would place it so that it couldn't be seen. I will talk to my surgeon when I go in for a fill Monday.

[Jerit 0]

Thanks for all the excellent answers. I thought maybe I was in some sort of trouble because I can feel not only the port but the band itself, and it makes my upper abdomen really protrude. I thought the saline might have gone into the wrong area or something. My port is extra high, on the left side, and is in the way of my bra sometimes, rather uncomfortable. I wish the docs would've warned me that my body would look a bit lopsided, but oh, well. I'm down 28 pounds and feel like a million bucks, so guess you can't have everything.:cursing:

[lisafitz 18]

Yes you can see my port if I had a six pack maybe it would blend in. lol But you can see it big time. I wear a bikini and it sticks out looks like a growth. When I went to have some taken out my doctor said I can have a smaller one put in. So I am doing that at some point this month. Its been two years since I was banded and I am past goal by 1 lb lol I am smaller now almost back to my old self when I was in my thirties. But yes my port sticks out so much you can see it clearly and grab it.

[kwicken1070 0]

I'm a little concerned. I had my first fill of 2cc and the needle mark and very small bruising are below my scar. I think I feel the port above my scar. Very pronounced round hard bump. I have been losing a good amount of weight since my surgery on Aug. 3rd., WITHOUT anything in my small 10cc band. Does anyone think the nurse made a mistake or is just playing mind games with me? I would hate to think that this was standard procedure. It is really bothering me that this could be done on purpose since I'm losing weight by exercising and eating right.

[kwicken1070 0]

I called the nurse, I'm not the only one that asked that. When you lay down stretch over a pillow the port stays in the same place, your skin moves. Duh! So when your standing it looks like the needle poke is far away from the port.