Scared! my port hurts/burns

pati-o · 01-30-2006, 07:45 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have made an appt with a surgeon for 2/8/06 for a pre-eval for an endo then an upper gi if that goes well. And this burning stinging feeling is definately worse if I eat. No one has ever told me before that this could happen. I work in an OPS/Endo dept and have shown some of my endo co-workers what the pics look like when the pt has an eroded band, so they can be on the lookout. I will show my surgeon the pics too (he is not a band surgeon, but a dr that I trust very much to do my scope).
thanks everyone.

Jamoorse · 01-30-2006, 09:16 PM

where is this burning/stinging at? mine is around the belly button area; but not when i eat, just off and on;; i feel great at times and then others my stomach or the port area just hurts to get up and down; i'm 2 weeks banded; why do you think you need an endo

Jamoorse · 01-30-2006, 09:17 PM

so how do you know if you have an infection:help:

pati-o · 01-31-2006, 01:31 PM

My port site is where my pain/burning is. I would describe it as a twin-gy, burning, it's not constant. I wonder if I have irritated where a stitch is attached to the muscle? That doesn't explain why it hurts after I eat. I wonder if I am SO focused on these erosion posts that I am noticing something that is really NOTHING....I think I fit the profile of a serial hypochondriac!!

Jamoorse · 01-31-2006, 03:50 PM

I'm with you, all this erosion talk is scary if you ask me; so you are just now getting the burning/twingy feel?

DeLarla · 01-31-2006, 04:39 PM

Pati-O, you might consider getting a 2nd opinion on that port issue. Mine never hurt even though it was badly infected. If it does get red/hot/inflammed/itchy/leaky, those are signs of infection that mean the port needs to be removed. Keep an eye on it, and call Kuri.

I also had my endo done by a guy that wasn't familiar with the band. I showed him pictures of erosion and explained the procedure (which my band surgeon explained to me.) My band surgeon says detecting erosion can be very difficult, even for an experienced surgeon, so I'm glad you're on top of the game.

pati-o · 02-01-2006, 08:28 PM

thanks Lisa, I always look for your advice here on LBT and appreciate it!
My trip to Mexico was a one time deal, I will not be going back for any reason, it wasn't that it was a horrible trip, things were fine, but I live in michigan and if I have to have this little bugger removed I'm going to Dr. Pleatman:) I don't have any redness,swelling or leakage. I'll keep my eye on it. I'm just wishing that next wednesday would hurry up and get here-I want this endo scheduled asap, I'm paranoid. I still have great restriction, I have that gurgly "empty the funnel" sound, so that makes me feel better, and the heartburn is only when I eat to late at night. I wonder too what a pulled port stitch may feel like? Hmmm...Oh, and not only is the twingy feeling near my port, it's on the opposite side of my belly. Of course I get all of these weird thoughts like "what if it's infected and the pus is spreading under the fat and across the top of the muscle to the other side of my belly?" OMG... I'm Harriet Hypochondriac. I need to quit reading these erosion posts!

Jamoorse · 02-02-2006, 06:14 PM

I had horrible thoughts too as i have some burning and stinging/twingy feeling but i went to Dr. Jay yesterday in dallas and he said all that can be normal and not to worry about it i'm 2 1/2 weeks out of surgery and i do feel alot better knowing that he has told me that; he said infection would show oozing, redness, puss etc.

youknowit · 02-04-2006, 03:29 AM

Pati-O,

This might sound goofy, I'm not sure... but perhaps you are feeling pain/pressure in the port when/after you eat, because you are putting a lot of pressure on the band for some reason (over stuffing the pouch or something)? PLEASE don't be offended by that question... I only ask because I've felt that pressure towards the port sensation before too, and it occured to me it might be pressure of the food in the pouch, trying to push the band fluid back out into the tubing/port?

Ok, so enough of my rambling... let me know what you think. :)

Jamoorse · 02-04-2006, 08:46 AM

sounds reasonable; i feel much better and am eating a lot more like quesidillas, enchiladas etc; i have not had a fill yet and i am hungry and appear to be able to eat more it's weird

02-04-2006, 10:56 AM

I was banded on Oct. 20, 2005, and I still get some sharp pains at my port, especially when I lay on my back all stretched out. My doctor said that is was normal to feel that for a while because when you move just right (or wrong) it will pull on the area the port is attached too. Have had the burning feel also but if I change positions it goes away.

Jamoorse · 02-04-2006, 12:20 PM

i agree with you angel; i feel it once in a while and getting better all the time; what's interestinig is that i slept in my bed for the first time last night 2/3/06 (banded 1/16/06) and it wasn't easy; i had to lay flat on my back and everytime i stretched i could feel it pull; could not get over on my side with no port as it still felt like was pulling; i am walking every day

right now no fills until the 20th; i will say i am a starving lunatic and i basically can eat anyting and it has not bothered me one bit; lost 20 lbs so far but i can see where i will gain prior to first fill

pati-o · 02-05-2006, 12:50 PM

clevergrrly,
I'm not the slightest bit offended, as a matter of fact, I wondered the same thing- it does happen when I eat more then I probably should. I am going to see a dr on wednesday and hopefully will schedule an endo for the following week. I'm wondering if I have pouch dilitation too. I'm by no means a model bandster. I don't drink sodas or carbonated drinks (not even one since banding) and I rarely take NSAIDS, but I do have PB's more then I should, and when I do have them I don't follow with a day of liquids. I can definately say that if anything is wrong with my band, it is all my fault.

Jamoorse · 02-05-2006, 03:26 PM

i had that burning twingy feeling but very little of it now and i eat about anything, remember i have not had a fill yet but all things are going down just fine and no too full to eat; i walk a mile every day; i still have some pulling when i lay down, can not turn over when sleeping and getting out of a car is like impossible but from what i was told all this is part of it; i read somewhere that one person said its been 4 years and she still gets that twingy burning feeling so.................

pati-o · 02-05-2006, 09:25 PM

Ah-ha! I think I may have figured some of this out- today I was grocery shopping and my cart was full to the top with really heavy stuff (canned goods sale) and it was hard to push and turn. By the time I was ready to leave the store my port was burning like crazy! I strongly suspect that what the pain was is my stitches pulling in the abdominal muscle. (I'm still going to the Dr. wednesday)