mediport concerns

Deborahann

Hello all,

Just for info. with regular flushes(which depends on the maker of the port) ports can last up to 10 years.  I personally kept my port in two years after I completed my chemo.

Lcharmie

Deborahann,

Thanks for the info.

Linda C.

babyblue6228

My daughter had childhood leukemia(ALL). She had a mediport placed almost under her arm nipple high.The doctor said she didn't have enough fatty tissue in the front and being so young this would be better also with the scar being able to be covered in the future by her bathing suits and bras. Her body would not accept the foreign body though. The first mediport worked it's way to the surface and stayed covered by a very thin layer of skin. At her Dr.Appt. i asked if that is what I was seeing and he said it had to come out. He called all his interns in to see it also because this was quite unusual. She had a 2nd mediport in and they left it floating due to the 1st instance. At one point she had a sharp pain in her juggler. When we went for chemo. the medicine would not go in. here the line had gotten blown out of her heart -they said it was probably during gym class- from her heart beating so hard. Any way they had to do a cath. and go in to lasso it and reposition it correctly. after all this it worked it's way out also and had to be removed prematurely. Now, what they hadn't told us was all this was going to mean was her getting shots every visit instead. BUT,  that her chances of getting infections were now way lower. she was fine with that because she is one that doesn't mind needles.   if your doctor or hospital has not given you emla cream ask about it, we got it from Children's hospital to put under Tegaderm before the appointments and it would numb the area. Our local hospital had never heard of it . it is awesome. Hope this helps, just a few things to ask about. Bless you on your journey.

msbt1

I am starting chemo in May. I dont have good veins, so i will probably end up with a port. I am terrified about chemo.

riley702

I have a port. I was just told "You really need this." and I said "OK." They put it in the afternoon before my first chemo session and I haven't had any problems with it. I use the Emla cream for my weekly labs, too. When I'm done and eventually get it out, I'm thinking of getting a tat over the scar (I'm very fair and scar easily). But then again, I refuse to not wear my favorite shirts if the scar shows. I figure I have to deal with this and other people can just get over the horror (sarcasm) of seeing someone with a port and scar. 

Amanda_in_Alaska

I'm so sorry that happened to you. Your experience seems that this is far more common than it should be. It happened to me and also to two friends of mine. The port install was worse for me than the mastectomy! Now I'm afraid to have it removed. I've had it for over 3 years. I would have to insist on general anesthesia in order to take it out. I don't want to have to go through port drama again.

From what I've been told, when people are hurting you in the hospital, the magic two words to say are, "STOP NOW!"  No one deserves to be treated this way. ESPECIALLY cancer patients. 

kt2u

I had a port inserted in my left chest 8/25/2011.  All was fine until a few weeks ago, I've started getting a stinging/burning feeling around the port area.  I'll need to keep it in until Sept. when I've completed the Herceptin study I'm enrolled in and then OUT it comes.  Should I be concerned over this?  No swelling or redness is noted.

floridatworeds

Hey ladies my doctor order the mediport be done before I started treatment, so was sore for first treatent. On my third trearment now herceptin weekly and abarxane every three weeks, no problems yet. I have to admit the pinch of attaching the IV still creates anxiety. How do I get the cream?