Exercise Soreness???

May 27, 2008

I'm the first one to say, "Talk to your doctor", and I am contacting them today to get their opinion or to see if I need to come in. Now that is out of the way, I have a quick question for everyone.

I started walking last week and noticed a pinch under my left rib cage and a soreness in that general area after I walk. It doesn't occur as long as I am sedentary. Nor does it occur when I eat, only after I've exercised. It really isn't painful, just soreness and tender to the touch.

If ya'll don't know, I have to have my port corrected, it flipped. Do you think it may be the tubing running to my band irritating me under my rib cage? or if it is something else? or is it standard soreness - I went from doing nothing (literally) to walking 2-3 miles a day.

I was wondering if anyone else has run across this after starting an exercise regimine.

Edited May 27, 2008 by Leslie2Lose

HeatherO · May 27, 2008

I had it in the beginning. I still have it from time to time after doing something different or more vigorous in my abdominal work-outs than usual but it has become rare. It was never bad pain, just discomfort and I worried a little about it at first.

I did ask my doctor when I first had it. She mentioned that the port is stitched to my abdominal muscles and it could be that new exercise is causing that soreness because I am working those specific muscles.

The issue has pretty much gone away. I went from being completely sedentary to daily, vigorous exercise for at least an hour. No soreness lasted for more than a week or two at most and was always minor.

If you notice any redness or swelling or the pain becomes more intense or long lasting, you will need to get it checked out. Otherwise it may not be that big of a deal.

May 27, 2008

What worries me is that my port is in my shoulder, not abdomin. The tubing is connected under my breast to my stomach. I'm waiting to hear back from the doctor. Hopefully they can give me some reassurance.

HeatherO · May 27, 2008

Your shoulder??? I have never heard of that before. I am having a hard time imagining a shoulder port considering our anatomy and the placement of the band around the stomach.

If you dont mind sharing, I am very curious. It sounds painful to run tubing under your breast tissue. Was there much pain in your chest area post banding? Is it a low-profile port? Is the port area raised so that you can visibly tell where it is without feeling for it?

Perhaps you can tell in the post-banding scan/x-ray if the tubing is routed under your ribs in the same location where you are feeling the tenderness.

I am also interested to hear what the physician has to say. If your port is not in that area than it could not be the same situation that I have experience with.

I hope you get a good explanation and feel better soon.

May 27, 2008

I heard back from my doctor's office. She said it is probably my bra - which I need to be re-sized. The underwire has been rubbing against my ribs and stomach and riding up my back. I am amazed that I have ribs - I haven't seen them in years, as they have been covered by fat. I'm not used to the irritation. She said unless it becomes painful and consistant it isn't much of a worry.

My doctor places all of his ports in the upper chest/breast area. This is also a common area for cancer patient's and their ports. It is actually in my upper left breast, lower chest. He doesn't place it directly in the shoulder area to keep it from protruding. Also, it is hard to move that area of the body - so it mostly stays put. I guess I am the exception to the rule with my flip. I didn't have much pain in my breast area. It was sore for a few weeks - I think mostly sore from when my port flipped that first week - that HURT!!

Fills should be a breeze. There is no x-ray or barium swallow, they can just fill for the port and do the fill. The cost is low for both his office and the patient. He does 9 free fills a year (every calendar year).

The way he explained it is the tubing runs under the breat tissue (which I assume runs under my rib cage). I think that is what is getting irritated.