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The Incredible Missing Port!



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Good Morning To All!

I hope this post goes through, because I posted for the first time, last night, and at the end, when I entered it, the forum said I was NOT logged in! :faint: Oddly enough, I WAS logged in. Sooo, this is a test message to see if I'm doing this correctly.

Stand by...for news!

Nonny

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Hi DeLarla,

Thanks for your interest! I had my lap-band put in on Mar 22, 2006. I had it done in Mexico, by the most wonderful Dr. His name is Dr Roberto Rumbart.

I left for home, a day earlier than most people do, because I made a mistake, when I made my airline reservations.

At any rate, all the way home, I kept sneaking my fingers inside my sweater, just to feel for the port. It was placed high, next to and a bit to the right of the center incision. (That's if you're looking At me) On me, looking toward you, it would be just to the right of my heart.) I kept thinking, "Gee...I've been told that our fill center, is run by a woman who is not that experienced, as it is a brand new center, here." And, as I felt the flat, round port, I wondered, "Hmmm. What if she pokes too hard, and hits my heart?"

Ok, here is the problem; I took a very hard fall,:faint: about two days after coming home. I landed face down, arms stretched out, right on my belly! Let me tell you, I screamed so loud :hurt that neighbors across the road must have heard me! Once my husband got me up off of the floor, (which was no easy task, because everything he did, to try and get me up, sent me into orbit! :ban: ) I felt for my port, the moment I was finally on my feet, and I was totally freaked when I no longer felt my lovely, flat, round port! Instead, I felt something which I can only discribe as an object (like a quarter) standing on edge. And, boy...did it hurt! I called my "Patient Co-ordinator" and she urged me to call the Dr., immediately. I was afraid to call, because it was around 9pm....but she reminded me, that Dr. Rumbart takes every call 24/7....and doesn't mind doing so. So, I did call. Dr Rumbart asked me if my center incision was ok, and I said, "Well it hurts like crazy, but I think it's ok". He told me to take the pain medication he had given me, and assured me that I had either fallen so hard that I may have torn a stitch, and the feeling of the port standing on edge, was caused by the trauma of the fall, which created swelling under the port. Then, he said.."Please call me, if anything changes, or you are still concerned about anything." As luck would have it, I tripped on a throw rug, and did the exact same thing; I fell flat :faint: on my belly, AGAIN!!

Yesterday I woke up, and immediately felt for my port. I was shocked to find, that I couldn't feel it at ALL! I kept feeling for it and feeling for it, and I ended up with a horrible Migraine headache because I was so stressed about it. I took my medication, and slept :notagree through most of the day. This morning I woke up....and probed and probed. All I can feel is a rather large lump right under the center incision. Pressing on it, makes it :omg: hurt. But, I pressed on all my other incisions, and they have lumps under them, as well....however unlike the larger CENTER incision, they do not hurt at all!

I hate to call the Dr. again, but I'm thinking that I probably should. Oh, worra worra! I'm so scared!

What do YOU think?

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Uh... yeah I'd call my doctor.

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OK, you must think I'm the most stupid person in the world. Der-da-der! But...I don't know, I just thought that maybe it would suddenly appear, again....as quickly as it disappeared. And, I did talk to him, after I fell the first time, and he told me that I had probably pulled or torn a stitch. And, that it just "seemed" to be standing "on edge", but that it was probably due to the swelling that occurred when I fell and pulled or tore that stitch.

Anyway, I took your advice, and called his office. Of course he is in surgery all day, today, but they offered to page him, so that he could call me BETWEEN surgeries. I told them "NO, wait until he's all done, and then page him to call me." So, he should be calling in a couple of hours, I think.

I don't know WHY I'm so terrified. I just am. But, I'll let you know what he tells me, and again....thanks for the input!

My best.....

Nonny

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Nonny,

I hope you are doing okay.

Sunday I thought my port had torn loose and stood up on it's side just like aquarter also. When I went into the doctor she thought so also. Had emergency surgery on Monday night and it turned out that the port was still sewn in place. THe tubing had buckled over and rubbed the incision causing big Fluid sac(reason we could not feel the port down where it was) My doctor straightend out tube and stitched down. It all turned out fine.

I hope your ordeal does too! Keep us posted.

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Oh, Jana....what an experience, for you! I am so happy that your Dr. was there, and could fix the problem, immediately! Did your Dr. give you an x-ray, first? Or, an ultra-sound?

I didn't reach Dr. Rumbart, but his associate, called. He said not to worry; that most people don't EVER feel their port. He said, "Stop probing for it!" You may never feel it, again. But I'm sure everything is fine."

Hmmmm....I still think something is wrong, since for 6 days, prior to my fall, my port was right under my skin, round and flat, and I knew exactly where it was. I MUST have injured it, in some way.....because right after the 1st fall, is when it went "on edge" ....and then after the 2nd fall, it disappeared.

So, I am taking it upon myself, and have made an appointment, with our little clinic, up here in the mountains. My Dr. is going to x-ray, the area....to see just WHERE the port really IS. You see, it makes no sense to me; Dr. Rumbaut, said it was stitched, with four secure stitches. ...and even if one stitch was injured....torn or whatever, the other 3 stitches would still hold it securely in place. Yet his associate, said, last night....that ports move around ALL the time. Which to me, is in direct opposition to what Dr. Rumbart said. After the x-ray, I will call Dr. Rumbart; only this time I will call his cell phone, so I can talk directly to him. Good plan? What do YOU think, Jana? And, I'm so curious as to what made your DR. do the surgery?

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