Please help. I need advice, I don't want to run to the doc for nothing...

I had my surgery a week ago Friday (17th). I was pretty good about not lifting anything for a few days, but I have two children under the age of 3 (one who is just 13 months old and still nursing). I've also started walking so I've been active.

My pain has never completely gone away, but that doesn't concern me. What concerns me is that it seems to be getting worse around my port incision. I can feel a mass underneath... scar tissue? the port? A HERNIATION??? IDK!!!

It hurts to stand up, but I'd say only a 2 or 3. I'm not on pain meds anymore.

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED OR IS THIS NORMAL??

THANKS!

The mass your feeling is probably your port. Maybe your incisions hurt more because you are off the pain meds. I would put a call in to your doc. and just let them know what's going on. Congrats on your surgery.

Your not alone! I am 6 weeks out and had no choice but to lift my 40lb little within a few days of surgery either! I had the same panic and fear about my port and band. My port was more sensitive and swollen, as well as a long 1'' wide area from where they inserted the band tubing to the port was swollen as well. It took a good 3plus weeks for all the swelling to go down, but if you have burning where your port is, be careful and just refuse to do the lifting, it will take a day or two for the burning to go away and is probably some type of damage to the areas it was anchored. Youll more that likely be fine, but listen to your body.

Hi I have a 14 month old as well, but I am being extra careful not to pick him up, which is REALLY hard. Last night dh had a evening course so my neighbour came to help me to put him to bed. My port incision really still hurts too (4 days post op).

You went thru all this, be careful with your little one, don't lift him/her. It's hard I know, but see if you can get help for a week or 2.

I am about a month out, and I still have some pain at the port site. When I was a week out, was when the port site hurt the worst. I think what you are feeling is normal...even the anxiety about it, because like me (probably), you have been reading all the port horror stories on here...I had stop visiting this site for a little while to regain some reality. Anyway, I think, like stated above, the mass you are feeling is the port itself. I remember it being the same way. That incision site was redder, more tender, and bigger than all the others, and that scared me as well.

I have one child under 3 and she can play pretty hard with me, and even though she has grazed the spot on occasion (since week one) and I pick her up and carry her a lot, my port seems to be fine. Although I will say, I did A TON of house work yesterday, and could feel some strain at the site. I talked to a woman who had the surgery 4 years ago, and she says her port still gets tender from time to time (coughing, sneezing, when she is sick or does a hard workout etc.). Good luck to you, I would still call your surgeon, but I think you are fine.

I had my surgery when my youngest was 6 weeks old - so she was lightweight, thankfully, but I do remember that after a week or so it did seem like my port was really tender....it took the longest to heal of the sites. I had my tubes tied and a hernia repaired at the same time, though, so I wasn't sure how much was tied to what!

Talk to your doc - or nurse - the practice I go to is great about questions like that....do you go to a support group? that's another fabulous place to talk to others and get feedback.

Good luck on your journey - you will do great!