Port relocated 2 times...and ready to poke through again

Thread Starter  

Hi everyone...
Just wondering if anyone has experienced what I have: Since I got my LAP-BAND^® in 2/03, the port has never seemed to stay put - it has constantly been on the move. Originally placed on the left, just above my navel (& properly stitched in place), within 13 months the port had cut through layers of abdominal tissue and nearly popped out. It was so close to the surface - below a very thin layer of skin - that I could almost read lettering on the port. Man, was that a painful time!
Finally, under emergency conditions, it was relocated somewhat up & to the right in March 2004. Unfortunately, within a few months, I felt the familiar burning, cutting sensation, as the port started to push its way out AGAIN. My doctor was sure I was imagining it and told me I probably had just pulled muscles around the port. (Why don't doctors believe that we know our own bodies??)
Sure enough, by June 2005 - 15 months after the last relocation - it became obvious finally to my doctor that my port was going to make an appearance on its own, if he didn't do something about it soon. This time, the port was moved high up below my breastbone, with the thought that perhaps the waistline of my skirts & pants had been irritating the flesh over the port.
Well, here we are about 18-19 months since then, and the port is on the verge of cutting through AGAIN! It's sticking out like an alien - a hard little knot, just below my braline. I haven't seen the doctor in 3 months. Last time I saw him, I brought up my concerns about it, because it was beginning to protrude; but again, he thought it was nonsense and that I was overreacting to normal muscle strain.
I called Inamed around the time of the 2nd relocation and was told that it is very rare to find a patient who needed TWO relocations, let alone three.
Oh, I should add: it wasn't a great deal of weight loss that caused the movement of my port, as is often the case. The bulk of my weight was lost prior to the 1st relocation.
So...my questions: anyone else out there experiencing a similiar apparent 'rejection' of a port? I have heard of patients keeping their lapbands but GETTING RID of their PORTS - anyone have any info on this?? I do not believe I need further adjustments, so perhaps this is a possibility?
Also, I have not any port infections (thank goodness!), so that is not an issue here. My body just does NOT seem to want this port on my belly, and I'm running out of new spots for relocations! (my stomach looks like a war zone as it is!!)
ANY insight would be appreciated.
Thank you so much,
Debra

Wow Debra! The only problem with getting rid of the port is I'm fairly certain you would need to have all fill removed, otherwise, how would you get an unfill? Could you maintain your weight loss with NO fill? I'm no doc, but I wonder if you doc would be able to keep you filled with no port. Plenty of folks have been portless, that's not the problem. Anyhow, I hope it all gets straightened out. Also, do you have the newer, low-profile port? I wonder why it does that?!!

__________________
Kathy-Dr Kuri~April 8,2005~Inamed 9.75mm/4cc
Fills 7/11/05~10/19/05~11/16/06 .75cc total
242high/223.4surgeryday/173.6current/145goal
BMI~40.1/37/28.9/24
~5'5" 68% of excess weight gone!~
36.5 total inches lost so far! (updated 9-12-06)

OMG you poor dear. I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I have no advice for you but I just wanted to say good luck.

Hugs !!

__________________
~ Eileen ~

Wow sounds like it's a pain in the butt!
Sorry to hear it.

Maggie

__________________
To lose 100 lbs you only have to lose 10 lbs ten times.

:cocktail:

Hi Debra,

I have just posted on the general lapbad forum, i went for my first fill today at ten weeks, i have lost nine kilos on my own so i was excited about getting a fill, the only problem was the port had moved, the hard lump below my boobys that i and the doctor thought was my port was not, it was in fact scar tissue, the port had moved a few inched down it was quite traumatic for me, the pain from all the needle attempts to find it in the wrong place is really sore now, but it can only get better, i have 4.5 mils in a ten mill band,good luck,

Jacqueline,xxxxxxxxxxxx

I've never heard of this; how odd that your port should be acting this way! I have no advice, sorry, but thank you for sharing your experience. It seems like there must be SOMETHING they can do for you!

__________________


~~ Alexandra
banded 8/20/03 -- Dr. Abkin, Morristown NJ
band removed 4/9/07 due to slippage REbanded 8/13/07

340 highest / 210-ish lowest / 255-ish now / 200? maybe?
5'10" -- size 28/30 then, 16/18 now, heading downward once again

Thread Starter  

Thank you for your words of encouragement... it is odd...certainly not normal, which is why my doctor has been finding hard to believe that it's happening AGAIN. I'm just so tired of it hurting.
What seems to happen is that it breaks free of its stitches and turns somewhat on its side; then, the edge of it starts to slice through the delicate tissue. It makes it difficult to exercise - and I don't need another excuse!!
Anyway, I'll check into the low-profile port mentioned; but I also know I definitely need the level of fill I have now. (I'm at 2.8 I think) I was hoping the tubing could be closed off somehow - hey, couldn't a cork work??:nervous
If anyone here is 'portless' - or knows anyone who is - please get in touch with me here. I'd REALLY appreciate it.
Debra