Help How do you know if your port is infected? I have Pain and some swelling..

Summer87 · 12-01-2007, 12:44 AM

:help:I am five weeks post op and never had any pain or issues in my port area until this week.

The port area is hot to the touch, a little swelling and it is sore and tender. I feel pain when I try to move in bed or sit up.

When I bend over I feel pain in the port area and it hurts when I cough. I also feel pain in the areas surrounding the port. I never had these issues earlier in my post op......

No fever, however, I have slight chills...

Anyone else experience this? Or maybe I did something to the port?

make33 · 12-01-2007, 07:10 AM

Well, Summer, it's probably best if you call your Bariatric Center and ask them if you should go in.

I still have port pain at times when I get up or just sitting at my desk at work (port is on my lower right hand side). Even my waistband will sometimes irritate it.

When I asked my surgeon, he said it may be on a muscle, so I don't worry--but I would worry if it was inflamed and hot to the touch, so go now to the phone! :cry

green · 12-01-2007, 12:15 PM

Yep, the fact that it is hot to the touch along with the pain and tenderness to the touch would seem to signify that you have an infection going on. I would see a doc ASAP in order to get yourself onto antibiotics. You definitely don't want to end up with an abcess. Maybe you should stop by your local hospital considering that we are at the start of the weekend. Good luck.

Summer87 · 12-01-2007, 07:29 PM

Thanks everyone for your support!

Longhorn · 12-01-2007, 08:12 PM

When I realized my incision was infected, it was also a Saturday. I called my doctor and he called in the antibiotics for me. That way, you don't have to go to an ER. Just find a pharmacy that is open late before you call him if you want to pick them up tonight. My doctor told me ahead of time that it is fine for me to call him for something like this. Good luck!

green · 12-01-2007, 08:59 PM

Good advice, long horn. Now, Summer, it is important that you take care of biz with respect to getting yourself checked out by your surgeon or whoever and get yourself on to a pile of antibiotics.
Untreated infections can be dreadfully destructive, indeed they can kill you if worse comes to worse and they can certainly force your band to be removed. Play it safe.

Summer87 · 12-09-2007, 05:56 PM

:help:Infection In Port Area Nine Hour ER Visit! [Edit Post]
I am truly surprised and a little discouraged.

On Monday I went to see my surgeon because all ofa sudden my port area, and the skin around it was very hot to the touch, painful, swollen and there were red streaks. The pain was tolerable, however, this had been going on for a week and I had the chills!!

I never had any issues with my port or incision, and barely noticed the port until last week when this pain started. I noticed it hurt in the port area to sit up and bend over or turn in bed.

Dr. Tran told me not worry that it looked like Hematoma under the skin which is a pool of blood/ fluid that can occur after surgery. I asked if I needed medication and he said no.

I was not satisfied, however, left the office feeling he must be right, and that I over reacted.

Thursday I woke up and I knew something was not right. My port area was enlarged and hard like a golf ball sticking out, more swollen, and the redness had spread into a huge circle. Tylenol was no longer working anymore for the pain so I called my surgeon on Thursday first thing in the am. Dr. Tran was in surgery so he did not get out into 2 and did not call me back until 4:00!

Dr. Tran instructed me to go to the ER at Potomac ASAP that night (he met me there), and the ER Doc confirmed I had an infection.

I was at the ER for nine hours, (all night until 5 AM) and put on an IV Antibiotic. My husband slept in the chair and to make it worse it was his birthday!

A CT scan confirmed that the infection had not spread deep into my stomach, and that the infection was only under the skin area.

Confirmed diagnosis is Cellulitis.

ER doc said this is serious if not treated aggressively.

So I was sent home on Bactrin antibiotic, and Vicodin for pain.

All weekend I have felt like I have the flu and just really wiped out.

Not much improvement, although the redness has gone down a bit I still feel pain, and the swelling has not changed much. I still have like an enlarged golf ball in my port area.

I really need to listen to my body, and be assertive about this...surgeons can be egotistical, and may not hear you the first time when you say something is wrong!!!

I am hoping this clears up very soon. I am fearful this might affect my port, and I am trying to stay positive.

I was really looking forward to a first fill tomorrow, however, this may not happen due to the infection.

My question is how did I get an infection seven weeks after surgery!#$?

Tralynn222 · 12-09-2007, 06:12 PM

Summer,

Just this past week I went in for my post op exam. My doc took one look at my port site and insisted that I had the beginnings of an infection. He said that it would be terrible to have an infection at the port site because that's where the mesh is..etc etc. He put me on Keflex and made me come back to see him in three days. He said that if it didn't get better by then I would have to do the antibiotics through an IV.

Fast forward to Friday.....I go in and show my port site to the nurse. She said it looks great just finish the antibiotics. She said that if there is any temp change (heat) at the port site, or if there is a round red circle, that indicates an infection. Obviously that is exactly what you had.

This is important for anyone out there reading this that they know what to look for and how important it is to have it treated asap.

I'm glad you did get yours taken care of, even if it took the longer route. I've heard of infections happening at the port site up to a year later, so...I guess we'll always have to watch out for the signs.

Good Luck

Summer87 · 12-09-2007, 07:08 PM

Yes I am glad that it has been addressed, I do wish my surgeon had taken the shorter route for me and just prescribed antibiotics just in case on Monday when I pointed the out to him.

Instead he waited until it was serious serious and sent me to the ER which is a 50.00 copay, I missed a half of day of work and spend 9 nine hours in the ER!

Are you doing now?

green · 12-10-2007, 09:56 AM

I am glad you got help in time.