Burning Port?

[KRZYGIRLNSTL 0]

I am noticing that my port area is starting to have these random BURNING sensations...it lasts for like a minute and then goes away...i was kinda worried about it and called my Dr...i left a message but recieved no call back.

I also noticed it happens when i stand up or sit forward too much, could this be the port pulling away? is this normal to feel?

[the best me 6]

Sounds like it's healing. Is it red, or swollen, or otherwise possibly infected? If it's healing nicely on the outside, your chances of it healing nicely on the inside are better, so it may be just healing. Plus, if you did stretch the healing tissue, it has to regenerate. Glad you called your doc, though. Don't take chances with port infections! And take it easy on your port, maybe move a little slower standing, and lean back when sitting, if possible. As long as it's not infected, all the port discomfort WILL get better.

[donali 57]

Krystal -

The tissue that your port is sutured to (the "fascia" of the muscle) is very thin and tears easily - particularly when you are beginning to heal, it is easy to irritate the site where the port is sutured down.

Take it easy, and try not to stretch and bend too much while you're healing. Take liquid Tylenol to help with the pain if you need to.

I tore my port partially free of the sutures about 5 months out - and boy, oh boy, you want to know pain! I had to have another surgery to have it battened back down again.

I knew right away though that something was amiss - I was reaching in the back of the car for something that was just out of reach, and did a little bounce super stretch, and I felt the pain right away. Then my port started to bulge out a little bit - turns out it was still anchored in one place, but refused to lie flat any longer. OUCH!!

You probably haven't torn your sutures, but just irritated them since you are still healing. Like I said, take it easy, and you should feel better.

Oh, I will say, that when I was full often times my port would ache. I believe it was pressure from my stomach pushing out the band, forcing Fluid down the tubing towards my port, which put pressure on the port (kind of like a hose with the Water turned on full blast tries to straighten out). That may be the source of your irritation as well, even though you don't have a fill yet.

Definitely keep an eye on things and if it appears that the area is getting fevered/infected, time to see the doc!

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Okay....I have similar port issues. I get a sharp BURNING pain right next to my port, esp when I twist or roll over in bed. It's the only pain I have that remains. It is SHARP but lasts only for a few moments. It helps when I use my hand to put pressure on that spot when it happens. Normal? Or sufficiently weird to put in a call to the Dr? I have an appt. on 7/20 but should I wait that long? It looks great on the surface....could it just be the sutures being tugged on?

Thoughts?

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Where are your ports located exactly?

My port is located about three inches directly above my belly button. The burning pain is off to the left of there by about an inch.

[momof4 0]

I have the same pain. Sometimes it's a burning the only lasts a little while, but other times it's a pain that doesn't go away for hours. I twisted and reached when vacuuming last Saturday (6-25-05) and felt an ache in there. As the days went by it progressed and finally on Tuesday night I was in tears and not even the hydrocodone that I was sent home from the hospital with would ease the pain.

I went to the doctor the next day and he said it was probably just a pulled stomach muscle since he stitched my port down in four different places. But he had me hold my breath and tighten my stomach and that didn't hurt. When you tighten you stomach you're using muscles so that still would have hurt. I know I did something internally, but I haven't bent over, picked anything up or done anything to irritate it and the pain is going away. I still feel it a little bit when turning over in bed. I think whatever damage I did inside is healing, but I'm still concerned that I broke the stitches (or at least one of them loose). Donali, what did it feel like when you broke your port loose? Maybe we can talk so I know whether or not to go back to the doc and demand a CT scan or something

[donali 57]

Tearing your port sutures is not an urgent matter unless:

1. You develop infection.

2. You are in too much pain.

3. The port pushes out enough that it is susceptable to irritation, and/or the tissue above seems to be getting thinner, like the port is going to pop through the skin.

4. Not urgent, but may be a reason for re-operation: if the port turns and becomes inaccessible, even with direct manual manipulation.

Many foreign docs don't suture the port down at all - most American docs do, mostly, I believe, to aid in locating it.

If the pain is bearable and/or going away, I wouldn't worry about it. You can have your doc check it at your next visit, but generally, if it's not causing you any problems I doubt he'll do anything about it.

In my case, the port was still stiched in one place, and had twisted sideways, so the pain was almost unbearable the first two weeks and I lived on liquid Tyenol (extra strength!!). The only reason I didn't go to my doc right away was because I was on vacation (of course!). By the time vacation was over, the pain was greatly improved, but it was still uncomfortable, and I could see the port pushing out and I was afraid it would eventually erupt - but mostly it was the pain I was concerned about.

My doc wasn't concerned when I showed him how it was pushing out against the skin, but I insisted it be fixed anyway, because it hurt!

As always, you must use your own best judgment. The above is just my own personal opinion based on my own personal experience.

Oh - what did it feel like??? It felt like needles of fire where my port was, turning to molten lava, and I can't even describe the pain of trying to turn over in bed. But I think it was SO painful because the port had twisted sideways. If the sutures had torn but the port remained flat, I think it would have hurt for a few days and then returned to normal. I had a fill between the tearing and the repair, and when the doc manipulated it back flat, OH I cannot tell you the relief! I felt good as new! Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way, so under the knife I had to go...

[momof4 0]

Donali, thanks so much for responding. It makes me feel a lot better because I do still have pain. Believe me, I know what pain you're talking about when trying to turn over in bed or even get up. I have to sleep on top of my comforter, sheets, etc. for that extra padding or else it still hurts. Like I said, I had nights where I cried the entire night wondering whether my weight loss would be worth it. I feel pain on the side where my port is and on up into my ribs--sometimes it's worse than others, but it is getting better.

You have made me feel so much better, thank you. I got the feeling that my doc wasn't listening to what I did because he was insistent that he didn't think it was the port. I can't actually see the port sticking out, but I'm pretty sure I can feel it moving around, especially when lying down or trying to get up from a sitting position. You have helped me so much!! I'm so sorry to see that you had to have your port removed. I wish you luck on your continuing journey!!!

Tricia H

[donali 57]

Tricia -

I don't know why the docs don't want to listen to us... It's very frustrating! So you have to be your own best advocate, and get stubborn if you have to.

I know exactly that crying yourself to sleep (or trying to!) helpless feeling, too. Boy, did that hurt!!

And I wish it were only my port that had to be removed... Alas, they had to take the whole darn system out. *sob* :dead

[sandie1958 0]

donali, are you going to get your band replaced ? i am sorry you had to have it removed. sandie

[donali 57]

Thanks for the condolences, Sandie. It was indeed a devastating day.

Will I get rebanded???? Probably not. Mostly because the re-erosion rates sound pretty high. And then almost tied with that is the cost - I'm still paying off the banding/port revision/removal! Just $12,000 more to go, give or take... :sick Not too much further down the list is my huge aversion to needles/IVs, hospitals, etc.

I LOVED my band, though! I miss it everyday, although Casper (my ghost band name!) still makes himself known now and then. I'm trying to learn to listen to it more, like I was actually still banded... Sigh... The food addiction is hard to beat, for sure...

[giveyouthemoon 4]

Ok donali, you've made me feel a bit better too. I also have trouble rolling over in bed and if I lay on that side, I have to push pillow up against my tummy to be comfy. Leaning over to grab the car door to close it is AGONY. I do a little scoot scoot scoot thing trying to pull the door behind me so I don't have to lean.

I actually went and bought one of those girdle thingys that you wear around just your middle and it felt SOOO good, unfortunately my hips are so big that when I sit down the girdle thingy rolls up. DAMN. I was so proud of myself for thinking up the girdle idea.

So I don't know if I have a problem or not.....then again, I'm only a week and a couple days past surgery so who knows what is going on. I guess I'll wait a few more weeks to see if anything improves. As long as I can still get fills and it doesn't stick out terribly I think I'll be okay.

Sigh. Nothing is ever easy.

[momof4 0]

Donali,

I think my doc is just so sure that it couldn't possibly be that I busted a stitch because he thinks that he was extra careful by stitching my port in four places, but I am 3 1/3 weeks post-op and since last Saturday, I am still in pain. It's different than the burning. It's certain ways you twist, reach, sit, stand up, lift up my left leg (lol) to get in my car, etc. I'll just continue to try and take it easy, but at this point, I'm frustrated because I just want to LIVE!!!!

I can't believe that you lost your band. I feel for you--I can't imagine the anguish you feel, but you can continue because of the things you learned while you had the band. Go back to the basics--don't deny yourself anything, but keep it in moderation and remember Portion Control. You've been through so much already.:cry I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!

Tricia H

[Guest YME]

donali, why exactly did you get your band removed??? i am feeling burning pain also have trouble sitting , lying down ,rolling over and doing regular thing i look like i just had surgery ,walk slow bend slow i have lost 56lbs doing great but can not live with this pain. my doctor was suggesting removing only port area what doyou think???

[donali 57]

Tricia - thanks for the kind words. I have certainly learned a lot, but I won't lie - bandless after being banded isn't any easier than before the band... However I have a lot of emotional tools and information now that I didn't have before, and I remain ever hopeful...

YME - I had my band removed due to erosion - nothing to do with my port. Removing your port and leaving in your fill isn't really a great idea. I personally would suggest MOVING your port to a different location and see if that doesn't help. Living in pain if you don't have to isn't very appealing to me, either...

Let us know what happens!!