I want my surgeon to put my port on my right side. I have a good reason. In my lower left abdominal wall (nearer to the belly button than the side admittedly) I have an entrapped nerve ending. It causes constant pain. Weight loss should help with it actually and I use the lidocaine patch daily on it and that helps keep the pain level nice and low. But sometimes it is worse than others and the pain can radiate and when it does it is going to do that on the left side first and much more so than it would in the abdominal area on the right side.

I worry that if my surgeon puts my port in on the left side I wouldn't necessarily be able to differentiate between potential port problems and just pain from the nerve ending. Also other pain or injury in the area can potentially make the nerve ending worse-- it can get much worse after a bad fall or illness or muscle spasms, etc. Its not that I expect the port to be a problem at all, I just don't want to have to worry about it.

I know he usually puts them on one side. He gestured at which one, but I wasn't quite able to tell with a fleeting gesture whether it was right or left (I have trouble with spatial things due to a learning disability) and I didn't want to ask about that then when I had other more pressing questions.

So what if he usually puts them on the left side? Do you think he will put mine on the right side? Is that such an odd request?

You need to explain this to the surgeon, I know that some surgeons place the port in the middle, or upper middle. This is something the surgeon will have to decide. He should be able to place the port in a different position from where your nerve problem is. But you need to make sure you discuss this with him.

Good-Luck.

You have a very good reason for wanting it on the other side. Ask him. I'm sure he'll do his best to accomodate you.

As the others have said talk to him about it. Mine is on the left and I wish is was somewhere else. I am left handed and I constantly bump my port with laundry baskets, boxes, pretty much anything I carry. My surgeon would not put it on the right, I asked. But my surgeon was a jerk, I see someone else now I'm sure since you have a medical reason for it they will work with you. Remember if he agrees to placement on the other side or centered, remind him right before surgery. I'm sure the sugeon sees a bunch of people and probably dose multilpe surgeries in the same day, a reminder would be a good idea. ~Mandy

I agree with the others....tell him your situation!!

Also....my port is right smack dab in the middle of my tummy. He *may* have been gesturing there....so best to ask/tell in advance!!!

I had my port placed on the right side for medical reasons, but did not know until after I woke up from surgery. I was in a severe car accident several years ago and too much scar tissue had built up on the left side so they made the decision during surgery to place the port on the right. I have the same problem as some of the people, I am right handed, sleep on my right side, etc... so I am constantly bumping my port and wish it could have been placed on the left side.

_________________

Valarie

My port is on the right side.........why? I do not know, did not even realize that most have it on the left side. So good luck, see no reason not to put it in the right side!

Insist on the right side. I wish I had researched better and given port placement some thought. Mine is right in the middle. I have a job where I carry heavy stuff that rests right there and I tend to lean into bolt cutters and heavy tools there also. I finally made the decision to fix the weight problem and it is frustrating to have to worry about where the port is placed.