HELP: terrible pain after band removal

[tohealth 8]

Hi all,

I had my band removed four weeks ago and had very little pain after surgery. I felt great, so, I overdid it and paid the price. One week later, I got a rash and then an incisional infection - the port site actually opened and drained some serosanguinous Fluid for a few days. I have been on strong antibiotics ever since, and the infection seems to have cleared - no fever, wound looks good, etc. I have been to two follow ups. At the last one, I shared with my surgeon that I experience terrible pain in the port site after riding my bike (around the neighborhood, not seriously), sitting for long periods, standing for long periods, etc. He pointed out that any abdominal surgery affecting the muscle will result in pain for a few months, possibly. I mentioned a small solid mass under the incision, and he seems to think this is the muscle still healing. I asked about a hernia, wondering if when I overdid it and opened the wound i might have done so all the way down into that tissue, but he thinks that is not the case but will investigate further at next month's follow up if I still feel the tough spot.

However, starting recently, it seems that the pain at my port site is terrible at times. Yesterday and today, I have gone out for meals with family and had to come home and immediately lay down. Trying to figure out: is eating causing my stomach to expand and then hurt the healing muscle, or is sitting for a long period of time causing the muscle to get sore/tight?

Putting a heating pad on the site seems to decrease the pain quite rapidly; ice does nothing - it was so ineffective yesterday that I had to take a percocet, which I most certainly do not want to make a habit!

To clarify, when my port site does not hurt, which is 90% of the time, i feel great. But when it hurts, it makes me sweat and almost hurl.

Has this happened to anyone else? How long did this last? How did you avoid it?

Thank you in advance for any ideas, help, suggestions. If you think I should repost on another forum, please lmk.

[UsernameTaken 283]

I had my lap band removed and revised to bypass but about 1.5 after surgery I had a lot of pain in port site area, had fever and underneath the incision was this big bump.. Ended up being Abcess that had to be opened up and drained... I still have it open its been 3 weeks and still have Fluid coming out of it, I was also on strong antibiotics... Hopefully they figure out what is happening with your pain, I have been told that I will have soreness for a while in the port area after surgery because of the muscles they had to go through and scar tissue to remove. Hope you feel better

[NeedaBreak4Me 1,755]

When i had my band removed i had pain near my port and a phantom band for approximately 3 weeks... and during the following weeks every now and then i would get a dull ache near the port...or if i twisted the wrong way..... would say it was a full 6 weeks till it completely felt 100% normal.

If it is making you worried, and something doesn't feel right.. contact your surgeon and insist they look into it

[summerset 5,265]

When i had my band removed i had pain near my port and a phantom band for approximately 3 weeks... and during the following weeks every now and then i would get a dull ache near the port...or if i twisted the wrong way..... would say it was a full 6 weeks till it completely felt 100% normal.

Had the same when my band was removed (especially the phantom band and this pain near the port wound).

@@tohealth Did your surgeon do an ultrasound? I'd say this kind of pain is not normal.

[tohealth 8]

@@summerset, my dr. sent me for a CT with contrast yesterday morning, so I am waiting for results. Strangely, I have felt well all day today...Let's hope this is the sign of a turnaround.

I am not sure I have correctly responded here, and if not, I apologize. I really appreciate all the responses I received.

[summerset 5,265]

CT is fine as well. Did you hear anything about the results so far?

[tohealth 8]

Sorry for late response. The CT came back all clear, and I really have felt rather well. On the last day that I had awful pain, I massaged an area right under my rib, and I feel like I must have manipulated the muscle back into place. I am taking it easy and feeling better.

Thank you very much for ur concern and help.