Port reaction

momoffour · March 20, 2005

Hey everyone. I just got back from TJ and looks like i'm heading back in a couple of weeks to have my port moved over to my side. My port incision just isn't healing after almost 5 mo. Dr says i've lost a lot of fatty tissue and so the port is just rubbing against the incision wound not allowing it to heal. It leaks 24/7. He is going to move it over to my side because there is alot more fatty tissue there. I have to give myself injections 2 a day for 8 more days...YUCK! To try and dry this up before the surgery. I start it on Monday and I am NOT looking forward to it. On the good note, i just got my second fill and man it is a good one! So on that note, i finally broke the 200 mark this week and i am so so happy! I just wanted to let you know what was going on since I haven't posted in awhile.

DeLarla · March 20, 2005

Melissa, what kind of injections are you giving yourself? I've had two ports removed already. I had an open leaking incision for 8 months. I'm really curious, so please write back.

I can share this with you in case your doctor didn't mention it, but the whole reason my wound wouldn't close was because the tube was too close to the surface of the skin, so if your port is right there at the surface, it probably won't ever close till they move it. Also, I just found out that even thought the doctors in Mexico said the Fluid wasn't infected, my new American surgeon said there was most definitely bacteria in the Fluid. So when the slid the brand new port through the area, the new port became infected and caused the same problem.

Let me know if you want to talk on the phone - since I've been through so much with ports. Good luck.

donali · March 20, 2005

Melissa, I would definitely be wary in your position - if your port wound has NEVER healed, I find the explanation given a little faulty - you couldn't possibly have lost enough weight in the first month to have caused that problem, at which point it should have been healed for at least a little while. I would hate to see you have to go through Lisa's ordeal - she had two Mexican doctors NOT culture the Fluid, and although their intentions were good, the end result was many surgeries and lots of money (and WORSE - lots of misinformation about WHY this was happening!), only to find that most of it could have been circumvented if the first corrective surgery had followed more precautions, and if anyone had bother to culture the Fluid.< /p>

Good luck, and be well.

Penni60 · March 20, 2005

Melissa: I too had weeping incisions for almost 4 weeks after my Mexican doctor placed the band. Luckily mine healed. I have had some port issues. My port tilted and the tubing was almost protruding through my skin. If the Port had been placed deeper in the abdomen and the excess tubing either trimmed or pushed back up into the abdominal cavity (which is what the American docs do) the port revision surgery I had by my American doctor would not have had to take place.

I am skeptical with the fatty tissue explanation. My Mexican doc told me that the protruding area would go away with more weight loss. My American doc said that is not possible and it would eventually poke through the skin and that would mean to take the port out till the area heals.

Please take all the precautions and I would even get a second opinion. The liquid needs to be cultured before any surgery takes place. If they don't then you could end up in the situation Lisa found herself in.

I'llsucceed · March 20, 2005

wow.. Please go have a second opinion here in the states BEFORE you go. Truely you would want to be more informed than going soley off the opinion of the Doctor who did the original surgery. Once you have a second one you can be more sure about correcting the situation. I wish you weren't going through this But am happy you've lost such a great amount of weight. Right now though please concentrate on healing 100%. Best of luck to you. Please update us.