Permanent damage in port-site area

[Heather8470 0]

I am hoping that someone can relate to my problem. My band was placed in 2002; the port was placed in my abdomen, not sub-sternally. I had severe port-site pain for 3 months and could not sleep in a bed, it had to be a recliner because I couldn't lay back all the way or sleep on my sides. After 3 months, I had the port re-located sub-sternally and after 2 months could sleep in a bed again. I had the band removed in 2005 because I just couldn't adjust to the lifestyle; I couldn't adjust to eating less than 1/2 c. of food at a time, couldn't tolerate chicken or fish or anything except mush and found myself sabotaging myself by eating "easy" foods after the frustration of puking up all the stuff I was supposed to be eating all the time.

But here's the problem: it's been 8 years now and I still have horrible muscle spasms (exactly like you'd experience in your calf, like a charlie horse) in my abdomen, right where the port was originally placed. I don't get these frequently because I am pretty much only "active" in that I do daily activities like showering, dressing, going places, etc. but no exercise except walking (which is limited due to foot damage, a seperate, non-related issue) and light warm Water exercise. I get the spasms if I bend too much, like putting on and taking off shoes, or bending to garden. :thumbup:

In all honesty, I haven't gone back to my surgeon after the band removal. I've pretty much assumed that I'm screwed. I went to my primary care physician, though, and I've been checked for a hernia and I don't have one. I was given lidocaine Patches because it was thought that it was nerve-damage related. How can lidocaine get through a big layer of fat to the area that is spasming???

Does anyone else have this problem and if so, have you gotten a decent answer/diagnosis/resolution?

[sandylane 0]

I've not heard of this before...sorry for the problems you're having...sounds awful? Can you visit the doctor that did the lapband and see what they think?