Port - Friend or Foe?

[wvgal33 0]

Hello all, I was banded 10/29/08 and keep bouncing from losing 14 pounds to 11.5 pounds - which really ticks me off! It is close to aunt flo.....so...as to be expected.

I have this pair of jean capri's that fit snug this summer...and now they are actually comfy. I put them on today to lounge around the house in and found very quickly that I can't stand to wear them! I haven't put on a pair of jeans since my surgery because I was afraid my port incision would be aggravated by the jean material. So, I have been wearing track suits. So, I put these on today (and remember,they are not tight, but I have this lovely "roll" that I have been blessed with for so many years, and even though it is smaller, it is still there. So, when I sit down, this lovely roll goes over my waistband and feels like the waistband is "under" my port. It was the weirdest feeling and so I took them off and changed to my track suit. It did not hurt but it felt like the port was turning or something. I really don't know how else to explain it.

My questions are: Have you experience this? Will it go away? Will I ever be able to wear tight jeans? Will I never be able to FORGET about my port?

I also wear Spankies sometimes - for those who are not familiar with them...they are like spandex underwear to hold you in...and I haven't been able to wear them either since the surgery...because weird port feelings.

Thanks for listening!

[hpegg 0]

I love the way you write. I have been chuckling over your descriptions of your rolls. I had a similar problem. About one week after surgery, I noticed that the area where my port was had swelled to the size of a baseball and the port itself felt huge! I paged my doctor right away and he told me that it was normal and if it did not get better, to call him monday morning and he would squeeze me in. When he saw my port location on monday, he said everything was fine and I was coming right along. I have since discovered that my port went down in size but it took several weeks and the stitches were sensitive to almost any rubbing contact. I stopped babying my port site and started wearing spanks with all my clothes. I also started to do lots of crunches and now the area looks much better.

Hope my sharing helps.

Helen

[AliNSanDiego 1]

It will go away. I had to wear very low waisted loose jeans for the first few weeks post surgery and they still aggravated my port incision.

By 8 weeks pot-op I didn't even realize I had a port unless I pressed down on the spot.

[wvgal33 0]

Thanks! I am still not able to wear jeans yet!! and I am sooo excited because they will be loose! I just wonder if this isn't going to be a chronic problem because the port is there for life...and it didn't hurt per se, just felt weird. I hope that I can forget about the port...it freaks me out that I might kink it or something LOL.

Anyway, thanks for responding and HOORAY for SPANKS!

[laurigee 545]

I have started wearing the low rise jeans. I do have a problem with the port. It feels like it gets shoved under my ribs when I sit down when I wear jeans that are at the waist. I actually have come to love the low rise, they are more comfortable in general for me. My port sticks out ALOT under my skin, and I do have problems when I lay on my stomach on exercise equipment or any hard flat surface. I guess it can get a little annoying, but it has been worth it to me. It just becomes a part of you.

[Band_Groupie 3]

WV- Where is your port located, if you don't mind me asking? I've been trying to get opinions since my Dr. will let me chose the place and I keep reading how people get bothered by the location. Thanks!

[partyeddie 0]

WV- Where is your port located, if you don't mind me asking?

My port is located 3-4 inches left of center...my left...and it's 4-5 inches under my rib cage.

[Nessa38 0]

Band_Groupie, my port is located in the middle between my rib cage right under my breast bone. I have not had any problems at all so far. Its too high for jeans to irritate and low enough where my wired bra does not sit on it. I just had my frist fill and was terrified. I have read stories about how the doc has to push around to find the port. Well where mine is placed where isn't much fat (unlike the rest of my stomach ha) so it kind of sticks out a bit when I lay down. I didn;t even feel my first fill. It was great! So if you have a choice where you want your port to be this would be my pick.

[Jachut 487]

I always wear lower rise jeans and when they werent what was mainly available, I bought guys jeans for the lower rise. I always found a high rise uncomfortable and I've always thought it looks pretty hideous too - it is SO unflattering.

Buy yourself some lower rise pants! They dont ahve to be but crack baring, just dont buy anything with a fly a foot long.

[Band_Groupie 3]

Thanks Eddie & Nessa- Sounds like you don't want it right at the belt line. If you have it high (below ribs), do your ribs ever push on it when you bend (like WV was describing pants did)?

[partyeddie 0]

Mine is far enough below my ribcage that it does not push on it. I really have had very little trouble at all out of the placement of it. It seems to be in a very convenient place.

[HeatherO 7]

My port is located 3-4 inches left of center...my left...and it's 4-5 inches under my rib cage.

Mine is in the same exact spot but maybe only 3 inches under the rib cage (but I am also short at 5'3 so I may have less torso to work with). It is really kind of evenly in between my waist and ribs.

This has been the perfect locaton for me. It is above the waist so no pants problems and well below the bra line & ribs so no discomfort there. I have also lost my weight and it is not protruding at all.