Pain from port

JSG47
JSG47 Member Posts: 6
edited April 2019 in Pain

I had a chemo port put in on my left side in April 2018 and removed in August 2018 after chemo was complete. When it was put in, I had horrible pain in my left shoulder and arm for a month. It continued to hurt intermittently while it was in. Now that it is out, I don't have chronic pain but I can no longer do chest exercises like I used to. (quick background--I have always worked out every day and do lots of strength training, I continued to workout and strength train throughout treatment, though treatment and the port forced me to do easier workouts, lift lighter weights and make modifications due to shoulder pain) I am trying to rebuild my strength but I cannot lift heavy like I used to for chest exercises because it hurts my left shoulder and bicep. I can't do push ups on my toes anymore for the same reason--I have to do them on my knees now. My surgeon has acted puzzled about this since day one, saying she has never heard of people having any pain at all from ports, let alone ongoing pain afterwards. My googling has found plenty of people who experience port pain but I cannot find anything about people who continue to have pain after the port is removed.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does it ever get better? Or does this sound like permanent damage was done?

In case it is relevant, I had a right mastectomy in March 2018. My reconstruction surgery is next month.

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Comments

  • teltech
    teltech Member Posts: 14
    edited April 2019

    Hello - I just had my port removed after 3 months and also had pain when it was in. Mine was in my right side (left breast mastectomy) and went into my neck. I had intermittent pain in my neck, back of my head, and right jaw while it was in. It was uncomfortable if I laid on my right side. Now that it has been removed (3 days ago), I am finding the vein the tube was in is still quite hard - seems odd. At first I thought the tube was left in but I called the physician and she assured me it all came out. She thinks it is swollen. Not sure about that..... So far, no pain just uncomfortable if I turn my head to the left. Vein becomes very prominent and ....just...weird.

    I will have reconstruction next week. I hope yours went well.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2019

    I have ongoing pain where the port was.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2019

    I had pain and tenderness in the area that wouldn't go away. It turned out that the dissolvable stitches they used when they took the port out had not not dissolved.

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  • JSG47
    JSG47 Member Posts: 6
    edited April 2019

    Ksusan, How long ago was your port removed?

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  • JSG47
    JSG47 Member Posts: 6
    edited April 2019

    Ruthbru, How long until it dissolved and the pain went away?

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  • JSG47
    JSG47 Member Posts: 6
    edited April 2019

    Teltech, my reconstruction was a week ago. DEIP flap. I am home now but was in the hospital for 3 days. I am now having pain in my left arm/shoulder even when trying to reach for something on the table beside me (I am in a recliner most of the day). Before the surgery the pain was mostly just when working out.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2019

    Coming up on 4 years.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2019

    It never dissolved. I kept going in and complaining for about 3 months until the surgeon (in his office and at my insistence) made a little cut, took a tweezer, started pulling, and a LONG stitch came out. I think he was surprised because he muttered, "What the hell?!" As soon as it was out, the tenderness and puffiness were gone, and I could finally heal. The moral of the story is to keep bugging them. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't!

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  • TriplePHtown
    TriplePHtown Member Posts: 42
    edited April 2019

    I have developed pain since the port was removed in January (none before removal). PT is still trying to figure out exactly what to do to help it, probably some differentshoulder exercises. I also wonder if my stitches ever dissolved.

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  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited April 2019

    TriplePHtown, If your surgeon put in the port I would check in and get an appointment to see if it could be stitches that haven't dissolved. Good luck.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited April 2019

    When I talked to my GP about the undissolved stitches, he said that they are not at all uncommon. According to him, many people who've had open heart surgery have stitches that keep coming to the surface for years. So, it definitely be worth asking about.

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