I've realized that my port is directly underneath the incision, which is the longer, raised incision compared to the others. Like many of you, this incision site is the most tender and I'm getting nervous about my first fill, which I admit is still a couple of weeks away. As I review more and more pictures and videos, it seems that usually the port is located at least some distance away from the incision.

Does anyone else have their port located directly underneath their incision, and if so, was it particularly painful/difficult to palpate the port and have the first fill? I don't believe that my doctor uses fluoro for his fills and I don't know whether he uses any type of numbing agent when doing the fills.

Thanks for your advice/experiences!

I just had my first fill last week and my port is right under my incision, but pretty deep. The NP was feeling something else she thought was my port and she kept trying to get the needle in, that was painful. She finally called the DR in and he put the needle right in the middle of my scar and found it immediately, didn't hurt at all. They didn't use anything to numb me either.

The only thing I wasn't prepared for is when he was injecting the saline in it felt like I was having a heart attack. I guess the gas pushes up into your chest.

I had my first fill a few weeks ago. I was so scared because until you actually experience it, you imagine all kinds of things! The doctor gave me a shot of lidocaine in the area around my incision, and that kind of burned. Then he just put the needle in right under my scar and I kind of felt like a corkscrew would feel being put in a bottle of wine. I did feel pressure but not really pain, but just take a deep breath and you will be fine. It only took about 30 seconds to fill me with 3cc in a 10cc Realize Band. He put a round band-aid and ask me to drink some water. I did feel restriction the first day but I made another appt for 2/21 to get another fill. I want more restriction, I can eat too much by the end of the day. Hang in there it will be fine.

My port is 1 - 2 inches below the incision, and to the right.

was it particularly painful/difficult to palpate the port and have the first fill?

Palpatating is sore to me, just like if I push on my own port, which I don't often do. Not terrible pain, but uncomfortable, maybe like pushing on a bruise (but a very different sensation).

My first fill hurt because I let him use lidocaine. That lidocaine shot was a doozy. The fill itself did not hurt, and I did not have any sensations as the fill was being put in (nor have I sense, without lidocaine).

I just had my first fill last week and my port is right under my incision, but pretty deep. The NP was feeling something else she thought was my port and she kept trying to get the needle in, that was painful. She finally called the DR in and he put the needle right in the middle of my scar and found it immediately, didn't hurt at all. They didn't use anything to numb me either.

The only thing I wasn't prepared for is when he was injecting the saline in it felt like I was having a heart attack. I guess the gas pushes up into your chest.

Huh? There is no gas involved in a fill, and there shouldn't be any pushing sensation in your chest. What did the doctor say when you told him you were experiencing that?

Personally, I feel absolutely nothing from a fill besides at my port area.

Huh? There is no gas involved in a fill, and there shouldn't be any pushing sensation in your chest. What did the doctor say when you told him you were experiencing that?

Well, I didn't even say anything to the DR., but I guess he saw the uncomfortable look on my face and told me that any pressure I may be feeling is normal.

I don't know if it merits a call to your doctor about it after the fact, but definitely say something if you feel the same way again at your next fill, and ask if that's normal. "Pressure" may be normal, but I wouldn't think "Pain" would be.

I don't know if it merits a call to your doctor about it after the fact, but definitely say something if you feel the same way again at your next fill, and ask if that's normal. "Pressure" may be normal, but I wouldn't think "Pain" would be.

No, I never said it was painful(except for the NP poking me and not being able to find the port), it was uncomfortable and lots of pressure in my chest. I was concerned about the pressure I was feeling and the Dr must have saw it on my face because he brought it up, not me, and told me the pressure I was feeling was normal. I don't know if I was feeling lots of pressure because he was pulling the saline out and then injecting it back in, he did this at least 3 times to make sure everything going in was coming back out, but whatever the reason he seemed to know exactly how I was feeling without me saying a word.

The fill experiences i had were not painful at all .. The first one it was slightly tender but thats because he had a hard time finding the port... he actually had to do it under fluro because he felt bad that he was poking me so much.. but he told me that as i lost more weight it would be a lot easier for him to find the port i had 3 more fills after that an he always got it on the first try... no pain at all!!!

Its nothing to worry about... Trust me we all get nervous at our first fills.. but you'll see that after you have it that you worried for now reason!!!

if you have any discomfort there may still be (seroma) which is fluid around the port area and you need a few more days to heal. Some physicians place the port under the incision but I truly think that an inch or two below the longer incision is best. This incision is used to place a larger trocar during surgery and the band is introduced via this incision.

My large incision is about 3 inches above my port. My first 3 fills were great. I had a new Nurse yesterday and it was the roughest experience ever, now I feel like my port area a bruised. I even woder if she put anything in or if saline is now floating around my body....it was really awful.

I will insist on the DR next time (couldn't yesterday becuase she was out on maternity leave)

I recently had my surgery and mine is DIRECTLY underneath my incision. It's kinda scary!!!

My port is directly underneath my large incision, but towards one end of it. It doesnt feel good to press on it, it doesnt hurt but its just one of those creepy weird things. And I just realised I can feel the first inch or so of TUBING as well before it disappears into my flesh. Ergh.

Fills dont hurt. There's a slight needle prick but that's nothing. Normally with an injection that hurts - like a big fat penicillin shot in the bum, its like they're pushing an egg into your flesh, all the Fluid into your muscle, that's the bit that hurts. With your fills, when they push the saline in, it's going into your port, not your flesh, so you feel nothing.

It would only hurt a bit if they miss and dig around for it, which has never happened to me. But needle phobia makes it unbearable for some people, I was nervous too.

My first fill went fine, no pain, no lidocaine. The second fill he had a bit of trouble getting through the scar tissue. The doctor said I had lost weight so quickly that my scar had shifted (actually the baggy skin had shifted) so he had to get through the scar tissue to get to the port. He had to apply quite a bit of pressure and eventually get a bigger, stronger needle to get through. I was tender for a couple of days afterwards, but still it wasn't as bad a going to the dentist.

I understand your concerns...my port is under my incision, though I don't think the center of the port (the spot they try to access) is directly under the incision line. I've had one fill so far and it was no sweat at all. Your surrounding skin is still a little numb from the surgery itself and it's just a tiny pinch of the needle going in.

What was strange was the sensation of the needle going into the "rubber stopper" part of the port. My NP couldn't find the exact center initially, so she kept taking the needle out of the port and sticking it in a new spot without removing the needle altogether...so she didn't keep sticking my skin, just the rubber port under the skin. Strange sensation but not painful.

So, relax and know that it won't be entirely pain free but it's more than tolerable; you've been through worse already!

Jen:

My port is right under my large incision. I had hiatal (spelling?) hernia repair too.

Fills are a piece of cake (oops, not eating cake anymore:lol:). My doctor uses a numbing medication first, then the fill. I can hardly feel it. He doesn't use fluoroscopy, just experience, and surgeons skilled hands.

I was a bit stressed before first fill because of the unknown. It's so easy though, not worth worrying about.

Hope yours is easy too.

Sue