Hi, my pouch just stings, sometimes during the night when I turn or move during the day. Not sure if it's normal. I haven't had a fill and won't until June 27. I am 5 1/2 weeks out. Should I call the doctor?

Your pouch or your port area? Do you mean your stomach is upset? May be some reflux?

Jenna

Oh, I meant the PORT...sorry.

Hey Laura... Is the incision healing nicely? All closed up or is it still open or draining? I went through periods of itching and stinging.. but there was more time between those periods as time went on.

The incision has healed. The stinging is inside not on the outer layer of skin.

My port incision is healing nicely, but the port *lump* was - and still is - very tender. I suppose I could describe it as stinging. The port is stitched to the muscle wall. I think that it is just taking time to heal - for me anyway.

My "lump" is tender and to me it looks swollen. I went to the dr. and had her look at it and she said that it was in 5" under the skin and that it was fat. I don't think it's 5" under the skin because I can feel it real easy.

laurapar

I think so too. It seems to me that if it was 5" under the skin and just fat that it wouldn't be so easily defined. I definately feel a *round* shape.

Five inches??? That's a long ways in.

I always could feel my lumpy port. Drives me nuts. I can see the lump too. I'm just hoping it goes away when I get thinner. The other day I was making it "dance" by moving my stomach muscles around. *snickers* I think maybe I should get a hula girl tatoo'd over it so her hips can move when I flex my stomach muscles. *laughs*

Anyway, it could be that you're overdoing it a bit. Remember that you have those stitches into the musles that can pull and sting if you're putting too much stress on them. Follow the Dr's guide for weight and activity limits. And if the pain increases, dont hesitate to bug your Dr about it until it's looked at.

I tried to paste the photo that I took a few weeks ago...but couldn't.

thanks Stitchy and PhotoNut...going to bed now...the dog is driving me NUTS!

Laura,

If your port incision looks fine, the stinging is probably ok. If you have any signs at all of infection though, you need to be checked out. I'm talking about fevers, redness, draining pus, etc...

Good luck,

Dr. C

Cincinnati, Ohio

Thanks, DrC

The other thing that bothers me is that my doctor put the port incision right on my waistline. I've had to take the elastic out of all of my slacks, just so they don't irritate it. (just blowing steam)

Try leaning into a pillow for pressure. Also a heating pad on low will take the "sting" out.