Do any of you guys get any kind of numbing medication with fills? Mine really hurt to the point I was in tears. I heard from a few people that they have had numbing meds, is this true?

My doctor uses a cold spray, and I didn't even feel the needle go in. Good thing because a needle in the belly really creeps me out.

I have my first fill in a month and the Dr told me he uses pain medication first. Hopefully it is the spray that people have mentioned. Sometimes the numbing medicine hurts almost more than the shot!

I went for my first fill on Monday (4wks after my surgery). I found it an unpleasant experience as well. I wish it would have been numbed because the doctor kept poking through my skin to find the port. It felt so weird when he'd keep hitting the metal around the port as well. I could feel it vibrating through my stomach..yuck!..lol. He said I still had too much post op fluid so it was making it difficult to fill. In the end he was only able to get in 1.5cc. He also said the orientation on the port was difficult. Hope that doesn't mean each visit involves a dozen pokes through my stomach!! I go in a month to try again.

my doctor uses lidocaine which stings a little, but I can't even imagine getting a fill w/o numbing meds :thumbup:

Mine uses a spray that freezes the skin. I didn't even feel her put the needle in and she had to poke me more than once, plus move it around a little bit.

Does anyone get really bruised in their port area after a fill? Mine was - looks like someone punched me hard in the gut. :thumbup:

lidocane here

Wish there was some numbing medication for the numbing medication! Stings! Wah, wah...:thumbup:

I've never had any numbing, but really wish I did. My first fill hurt, but not as bad as the unfill a few days later. I had bruised up pretty badly after my first fill and needed an emergency unfill (too tight). The giant needle had to go through the swollen, bruised area again. I actually screamed. Luckily it was a Sunday and no one else was there. When I went in for my second fill (my refill), I barely felt a poke.

Lauraghsu, I had a similar experience. It was horrible. I had my first fill yesterday. My Dr. gave me some lidocane first--which burns, like it does,then the fill. After the lidocane, the fill itself wasn't bad. After the fill, the Dr. asked me to drink some Water. It felt like it was bubbling up in my throat.

The Dr. asked me to sit in the waiting room a while and see if it got any better while I was sipping water. It seemed to be getting better after 5 minutes or so, so I went back to work.

A couple of hours later, the NP called. By then, I was getting ready to call her. My jaw was clenched and I was having a lot of trouble just trying to unclench it. Plus, I had only had about 4 oz to drink in 3 hours. Plus, I had a lot of saliva. So, the NP asked me to come in for an unfill.

When I got there, the NP gave me some more lidocane, which didn't burn at all this time, and then started pushing down for the port. It was really painful this time because just a few hours earlier the Dr. had done the same thing. Apparently the lidocane hadn't kicked in yet, because when she started to do the unfill it was REALLY painful! I screamed a bit too.

I had asked the Dr. for a small fill since I wasn't super hungry all of the time and I was still losing. He told me that his standard 1st fill is 3 cc's and that he had very few patients that even noticed that they had it. Now I"m down to 2 cc's and on liquids for at least 2 days. I had ice on my tummy all night and am still pretty sore today.

I just hope that the rest of the fills aren't anything like this one!

I hate getting fills, yes they use numbbing medications on me, which they are administred through a needle it sucks... and to top if off my port is right below my breast in the middle of the stomach area.. so you know that hurts like you know what... I go to surgeon on Thursday at 8:45 and I'm regretting it.. I don't need a fill at this point I think I need a little taken out, but it's still the same process.. I understand your pain.. yes I be bout in tears to..

My doc does not use numbing meds. He puts a pillow under the small of my back and has me put my arms over the head. He says it is to help push the port up closer to the skin. He gets it everytime. It is just weird to feel it in my stomach.

I had my first fill on 3/21/10, and my doctor did use numbing medication. I think the process would have been painful without it.

Had my first fill today, no numbing meds, no pain.

I had to have a slight unfill on Friday (band was suddenly tight) and the person who did it used numbing medication. OMG, I am going to request it every time from now on.

I must have a great nurse who does my fills. Never have had a numbing med and never feel anything.