Where is your port?

[Wheetsin 714]

I never thought to ask my surgeon pre-op where he would place the port. I wanted to ask him which incision my port was post-op, but of course I never saw him post-op. I will see him Wednesday. I assumed it would be on the side, where I had always read it is placed.

I just learned today from someone else banded by my surgeon that she had to request her port be placed on the side, that he told her he normally puts them in the middle (or something like that), and that her largest incision is where her port is. My largest incision is pretty much centered on my belly, about 1 or 2 inches below the bottom of my bra. This is also the only incision bothering me (another indicator that this is where my port is).

Apparently he puts them here on people with higher BMI (40+) to make sure he can find it, because when it's on the fattier side, they can be tricky to find. I will verify he did this with me when I see him Wed.

Anyone have their port in this location? Where is your port?

[PhotoNut 7]

My port is just under my ribs on the right side. The incision is just under and a bit to the left of the port, and is the largest incision of the five that were made during the procedure. I'm surprised that you can't feel yours. Mine stuck out like a lump and was the most sore of all the lap band incision areas. In fact, it still sticks out quite a bit. Sometimes it surprises me when I slide my hand over my stomach and my fingers catch on the port. Creepy!

[Kim_8 2]

Mine is on the left just under my ribs and under the large incision... It really doesn't bother me when I wear clothes - unless pants are high waisted - which I hardly ever wear. I sure can feel the big ole lump though! Creeps the hubby out . My favorite thing to do is to make people feel it... ha.

[PhotoNut 7]

My favorite thing to do is to make people feel it... ha.

Mine too! LOL We are so weird! :clap2:

[StrawartS 2]

Wheetsin - my port is exactly where yours is. My surgeon, who has done over 3,000 bands, says that he has improved his technique over time, and this is the best location in his experience. My port doesn't stick out, but I can feel it if I put pressure on it. My port also shifts depending on what position I'm in...if I'm laying down, the port is underneath my incision, but when I'm standing up, it's above the incision line. I've been filled 3 times with no problems, so it must not have flipped or anything.

P.S. I tried to get the TSA lady at the airport to feel my port to prove that I really had an implantable device and not a bomb, but she was NOT interested. So massaging my breasts is ok, but you get creeped out about my port?

[Morsaille 4]

Ha - you got felt up by the TSA! I am sure it wasn't personal, if it was she'd have cared about your port.

I was so disturbed when I had my fill because I was just sure I knew exactly where it was. From day one I believed it was directly under my port incision. It stuck out a little, bruised hideously, and I was positive I could feel it. I can still feel a port shaped piece of scar tissue, I know it isn't the port because my port is essentially on my waistline about 4 inches to the left of my navel. I saw where they stuck the needle. Weird. I suppose it is better than the sternum placement. My best friend who got banded first has a sternum port that sticks out and looks a little goofy (she has lost SO much weight).

[vinesqueen 2]

My DH's port is on his sternum because he had a BMI of over 80 (yeah, essentially meaningless). My port is port side! (sorry, I couldn't resist.) Right side, under my ribs.

I actually find rubbing my port soothing.

[piercedqt78 658]

Mine is on the left side just under the ribcage. My scar is just above the port. It is starting to stick out a little but not too much. I was thinking about having a low profile port put in but mine is not leaking, infected and my tubing is good. I think I will listen to the old saying, if it ain't broke don't fix it. ~Mandy

[mousecrazy 2]

My port is on the left side, about waist level...not exactly waist level, a teensy bit above. Surprisingly, it does not bother my with clothes. The only time it bothers me if is I eat too much, then I get a pressure feeling there.

Cindy

[Wheetsin 714]

My first day home fromt he hospital I thought I felt something under the incision, but since I "knew" my port was somewhere else, I figured it was just swelling and DH agreed. Now I can't feel anything. But this incision is still sore, even though the other incisions are pretty much forgotten. I've tried putting pressure on it and don't feel anything n the upper side of the incision, and on the lower side it's still too tender for much pressure, but as far as I can feel, I don't feel anything. Maybe I will be able to feel more when the staples are out.

Wed I'm going to verify this is where the port is... it makes sense, now that I think about it.

[princess_n_thep 2]

additional info...

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8325&highlight=port+location

[Dody 0]

I didn't know where the port was placed exactly, but it seems that most people had it placed to the left of their bellybutton, which is where I hope mine will be. After heart surgery (and we are talking 5 years later) I still find bras very uncomfortable on the scar area, and there is no avoiding it. I heard of someone who had their port placed in the sternum. I certainly don't want any more huge scars there. Mine don't heal well and I get what is called keloids, which are really kind of ugly and bumpy. Don't you girls who have ports right below the bra area find bras very uncomfortable to wear? I would think it would hurt that area. I know mine do. I will have to make sure to discuss this with my dr., as I think you can opt for the site you want your port if you talk with your physician. I hear the sternum and around the ribs does make it easier for fills though, whereas, I think the tummy area would be more of a problem, but in my case I don't have lots of options. Hope you all do well with your port placement.

PhotoNut you could really feel yours as a bulge. Wow, I learn something new about lap banding all the time. Did it hurt once you healed or are you just aware of it there? Have you had a fill yet?

[StrawartS 2]

I have pain from my bras sometimes, but not because of my port location. I think it's the actual band that gets irritated, since I was able to pinpoint its location from my last fluoroscopy as being right below the sternum and above the ribcage. I assume this won't be such a problem when the girls shrink down.

[freebit 0]

My port is located 1 inch above my belly button.