Question:
I am terrified of the idea of the port. Do you feel it?
Does it protrude from your stomach. If you lay on your stomach do you feel it? How do they keep track of where it is? — eahumphries (posted on May 19, 2008)
May 19, 2008
Nothing to be terrified of. Port is under the skin surface, it does not
protrude. Each time you go to get a fill, the doctor will use a floroscope
and locate the exact location to perform your fill. If you are really
frightened, I suggest you discuss this with your doctor and get as much pre
op counceling and preparation before you have this or any proceedure.
Good luck.
— Jeanne Aldrich
May 19, 2008
HI!well my doc does not use fluro each time, they can feel for it or have
you do a half sit up and find it.Dont worry about it,my husbans has not
even felt it and its been 16 months.Sandy Hanson
— Sandy Hanson
May 19, 2008
I had Lap Band done 4-16-08 and I don't feel it. I have my first fill
5-28-08 and I really don't know how he will do it but I am pretty sure he
knows where it is located. I really never thought about it until I saw
your question, I just trust my surgeon. I don't keep up with it. I know
that it is a foreign body in your body but I look at it this way, I have
two knee replacements and a metal rod and screws in my back and a heart
filter and it couldn't be any different than those.
— dyates2948
May 19, 2008
Hi, well in my own experience, no two ports are located in the same place.
I had my lap band on 2/29/08 and my colleague had hers on 3/15/08 and her
scars and port are in an entirely different place than mine. She cannot
feel her port. I can feel my port, but it doesn't hurt or anything like
that. I think it is all in the way you are built, body wise. When I stand
up and feel for my port, I feel it about 4 inches below my bra band, but
when I lie down, it "moves" lower on my body. Dr. Cook explained
that to me, he said, "the port is sewn into the muscle underneath the
top layer of skin, and therefore, the top layer of skin does move back and
forth, but the port is stable". I don't lay on my stomach so I
couldn't attest to how that feels, but I am sure someone can tell you that.
Also, as earlier stated, the doctor will use a flouroscope to locate your
port when he does your fill. The port does not move, it is sewn into
place. Good luck in your weight loss journey! Margaret
— largeangel
May 19, 2008
Emily - I had my band placed on 10/29/07. I'm able to do everything I was
before the surgery. Even when I lay on my belly I don't feel the port.
There is the rare occasion that when I bend down to tie my shoes or get
something from the ground that i will feel something, but there isn't any
pain. My husband can feel my port when I lay down, but even then I have to
guide his hand as to where it is.
You will do just fine. Think of it like this - when you get your hair cut,
you just get used to it, it a part of you that will forever be. All this is
meant in a positive manner.
Best of luck to you with your weight loss journey.
— Rebaboh
May 19, 2008
As the poster above me said, it's firmly attached to the muscle so it won't
get "lost" and I can feel it if I press down on the area where
the port is located...but very subtle. I have not had a fill yet, possibly
I will on Thursday. All the posters have given really good advice so I
have nothing to add except additional support :)
— [Deactivated Member]
May 19, 2008
The port is attached to muscle of the abdoment bneath the fat & skin.
Early on it can be hard to find. That is why some Dr's always use floro.
Mine only uses floro the 1st time if they have trouble finding the port.
It's about 1-1.5" across & less than .5 inches deep. Even if you
lose all the excess weight, it most likely will not be visible.
— Donna O.
May 20, 2008
The port is sutured (sewn) down to your abdominal muscle and is not free
floating so there really isn't any need to "keep track" of it.
Some surgeons use ultrasound or fluoro to access the port to guide the
needle to the port after surgery. Mine doesn't, he just feels around and
isolates it and then accesses it easily. The thinner you get, the more
likely it is that you can feel it or see it. I'm still chubby enough where
mine can't be seen, just felt.... still a layer of fat over it. Others in
my support group that have reached goal weight have had their ports changed
to smaller "low profile" or neonatal ports when they have their
tummy tuck done. As far as laying on the stomach, I don't know, I don't do
that. Again, I imagine the more padding you have, the more comfortable it
is.
Hope this helps,
Dawn Vickers, RN, BLC, CLC
— DawnVic
May 20, 2008
HI Emily, I'm new to this site and had Lab Band done on Monday. I am so
glad I did it. Still don't feet the port yet but the nurse that helped me
while in the hospital was 10 month outs out and had me feel where her port
was. It is nothing outstanding. Sure was great to have her as my nurse!
— mannecote
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