chemo without a port?

Kathy39

I had no port for the 1st.Chemo, but I have a port now.

Mom2JJ

Help! I am scheduled for a port tomorrow but am wondering whether I should have a PICC line instead. I am having four rounds of TC, but I have very bad veins and am right arm restricted, so I opted for the port. I am now worried about the potential problems with the port and the pain of accessing the port for chemo the day after the port is implanted. Does anyone have experience with PICC lines? Any recommendation on port verus PICC?

Merrinell

I begin my chemo today, with no port.  MO said I only have 4 rounds and have good veins.  This outweighs the side effects or problems with ports.

Jacki2005

I agree depends on your veins and your fear/non-fear of needles. I have battled this 3 times now and have a port, my veins are the size of a babies, so I really didn't have a choice, butI am sure even if I did have a choice I would still pick the port.  Chin up ladies.. One day at a time

Layla2525

Can you get an oral chemotherapy? I know the Xeloda is used mostly for advanced cases.

Anonymous

I have great veins too, but have a port now after input from one of my friends who had b.c. 7 years ago and said she wouldn't have done chemo w/o it...but my chemo tx, altogether, will last about 4 months: ACT (I'm nearly done) so I'm glad not to get stuck every time.

My port and I are friends and I didn't notice it from the time I woke up from surgery after having it installed till now.  I never think about it until I get hooked up for infusions.

My 2 cents.

Claire

Seagrover

I am having 12 rounds of Abraxane and Carboplatin over a 12 week period. My onc recommended me having the PICC line. No problems so far.

dreaming

As you can see I am a long term survivor, I did not want a port, and a machine to take home that will give chemo, many patients did it.

My oncologist wanted that I get chemo at home, no port, a nurse came and I had my chemo slow dense drip on a Friday and the next Friday I would get a booster.

I did not want nothing in between treatments that will remind me of chemo.

It worked fine for me, the nurse was always the same,very caring, made sure to remind me to have ice chips or ace cream during the treatment.

Momine

I didn't have a port, because my onc forgot to arrange for it. With FEC I got some inflammation and with taxotere I got more, leading to cords in both arms. The idea of the port terrified me too, but in 20/20 hindsight, I could have saved quite a bit of trouble, most likely, if I had had one.

exbrnxgrl

This really depends on your veins and the type of chemo you're getting. I use mine,right now, only for monthly Aredia and blood draws. Don't forget that power ports work for blood draws too. I have terrible veins, can only use one arm and have major needle phobia. They use an excellent numbing spray before they access the port and I don't feel a thing. It doesn't bother me in day to day life and is not at all noticeable. Bard power ports are pretty low profile, 3 raised dots under skin, even on someone very thin like me. I might add that I love it even after spending 6 days in hospital with a collapsed lung. An extremely rare complication of port insertion (1%).

Caryn

LisaG65

My breast surgeon talked to me about a port today (our first meeting) he is talking about me getting herceptin treatments before surgery to shrink the bc. i am wondering with all this talk of how hard the meds are on the veins, why would the put a port on an artery in my neck? port or no port, if it damages the veins why damage my main artey in my neck?  this all scares me. i have good veins right now and am going to resist the port. anyone have any info on herceptin please feel free to send me any info. i am newly diagnosed and overwhelmed. thanks.

love and light,

Lisa

Alicethecat

Hi Lisa and ladies

I'm doing chemo without a port.

So far, I've had one FEC infusion (three to go) and will then move on to four rounds of Taxotere. Herceptin will start for a year as well in round two of Taxotere.

Having read about ports on this website, I decided I definitely did not want one. Once the nurse had seen my veins, she agreed that I did not need one.

She did warn me about the risk of chemicals leaking out of the cannula in my hand but I decided it was worth taking.

In between chemotherapy, I can almost forget all about breast cancer as I have been blessed by having few side effects.

If I had a PICC line or port it would be a constant reminder of something not being quite right. This way, I can get on with my life and live as I see fit.

A personal choice, of course, and everyone is different.

Good luck to everyone.

Alice the Cat

GrowStrong

NO PORT for me! I just finished my 4th and LAST cycle of Taxotere and Cytoxan 2 days ago. Pretty much the first thing my med onc said after recommending chemo was I needed to get set up for a port. Wait a minute! It helped that I'm a pharmacist and knew that I didn't necessarily need a port for these drugs. My stepdad got Taxotere without a port and several others I know as well. My surgeon told me where she trained they didn't necessarily put a port in everyone. Yes, the drugs can be irritating to the veins and I don't have the best veins, but I wanted to have some control to at least try without having something else done to my body. Plus for whatever reason the thought of the port sticking out from under my skin just creeped me out; I'm very sensitive to any tactile stuff. 

I did have a plan each time I went in in order to be warmed up enough for me veins to be better accesible. I drank lots of fluids before my infusion, dressed in layers, did some jumping jacks in the bathroom before going into the infusion room (may sound crazy but it gets your blood pumping!), and sat on the warm blanket they provided in the infusion room. For 2 of my treatments I only needed 1 stick, the 3rd I needed 2 sticks, and my last for whatever reason it took 4.....but I didn't care because it was my LAST! Several of the nurses wondered why I didn't have a port, and 1 very rude one was annoyed and told me I didn't have to go through all my prep if I just got a port.....YOU go through this is what I thought before you give me your opinion on what I should do. Thank God she was the only nurse who treated me like that; but I never let her touch me again. 

Sometimes a port will be necessary even if you don't want one. Depends on the drugs, your veins, any problems with lymphedema. But at least ask...it is your body.

Good luck and Grow Strong! 

slousha

Hi,

I'm older and have had 6 rounds of chemo and 17 Herceptine at one big Oncology Chemo center without port. No inconvenience. Nurses must be really trained in sticking the right veins. Mine have had up to 100 patients a day!  Only ones have been sticking twice. But it's depending on the drug too!

Greetings

dechi

I didn't have a port 9 years ago with 6 CMF.  It went fine but my veins are small on that arm and I can't use my right arm b/c of mastectomy.  Advance 9 years, I had a local recurrence on my mastectomy side.  I got a port this time, which freaked me out and I don't really like the bump on my chest b/c you can see it with any scoop necked top but I am SOOOO glad I have it.  It makes blood drawing and chemo a breeze.  Only 1 poke and it's in there and ready to go.  I would recommend it.

IllinoisNative

I needed a port because I have horrible veins.  Horrible.  They can never get a vein in my blood draws.  They usually have to use my hand.  And chemo can't go through the hand.  I had no problem with my port, although I was more scared of it, and it took my a while to get used to a foreign object in me.  I always felt I couldn't exercise because I would rip it out...LOL.  I had my port out just less than a year later.

shaah2468

My first 2 chemos were a bit tricky to find a vein and I was offered a picc line but refused it because I did not know if I could cope with seeing one there all the time.  But the canulas for my last 4 chemos were no problem and yes, I had the last 2 in my hand, no problem.  I even had one in my wrist, but that was a bit sore.

RuthieG

I am through 3 of my 4 TC treatments, no port, and I wish I had gotten one.  I had good veins to start with, but they are already a mess.  Lots of bruising, pain, and phlebitis.

exbrnxgrl

LisaG65,

Ports don't damage the main artery in your neck, from chemo. I am not medically trained s o can't give you an explanation but that is not a complication from a port. Mine is tucked in the space where my shoulder meets my upper chest. I can wear tank tops, with 1" straps and it is not visible. I exercise, including weights and have no problem. Mine is a small Bard Power Port. Three bumps in a triangular pattern are all,that is seen and only if I wore a tube top! I love it.

Caryn

libraylil

My doc does not routinely order a port. Finished 6 TCH and a year of herceptin without.

Alicethecat

Hi everyone

I am half-way through chemo (4 x FEC, 4 x Taxotere + Herceptin for a year to go) but no port, no pain (apart from slightly irritated veins) and no desire ever to have a port. Only took one stick each time to find a vein.

It really is a psychological choice. When I leave that infusion room, I'm back to my old self (well, near enough) and there is no way I would have a foreign body in me unless it was a matter of life or death.

Everyone to their own, of course!

Alice

DocBabs

Years back, very few people had chemo with a port or a picc line but today it's pretty common , and for a good reason. Chemo agents are very caustic to normal tissue. If the IV being used should slip out of the vein the fluid infiltrates the area . This can cause severe burning and a permanent sclerosing ( hardening) of the area.If it's a hand vein being used, there could be permanent mobility issues with the hand. Not a pleasant thought.I have been lucky not to need chemo or any other long term IV therapy but if it should become necessary I will definitely use either a port or a picc.

Hjiian

Hello everyone, I've just been recently diagnosed with bc and I start chemo next week. I'm scare, very scare. I was recommend by onc np to get med port cause my veins are small. Initially I agreed, but after doing some research and many sleepless nights tossing and turning, I declined the procedure. I don't want anything foreign in my body if I don't have to.

I am scare of med port complications. I don't like the look and feel of med port and I hate scars showing when I have swim wear or lingerie on. I'm already told I'm going to have a mastectomy. I cried for many nights. But if I don't get med port, am I risking my veins to collapse and inflammation? I don't want medport.

Kicks

Only you can make your decision. Personally - I never gave it a second thought - power port for me! There is also the option of a PICC line. There was no way I wanted a PICC line as it takes a fair bit of maintenance and more potential for infection which I did not want. (A friend of mine's younger brother had a PICC for his Chemo for leukemia in the '60's.).

There a very few who did have issues/complications with power ports but most do not. There are some who have issues/complications with 'needle stick' infusions and some who don't. Depending on the Chemo done - some IVs can cause a lot of problems. Not just limited to veins but surrounding area if they 'leak'. Power ports can also be used for blood draws, IVs for surgeries/antibiotics/scans/etc. It does take an RN or MD to access them but can be used for more than just infusions if/when needed. I have great veins that are easy to access so knowing that after my UMX only one arm would be use able, it made sense to me to protect. I really did NOT want to have to have draws/IVs done on foot/ankle or BP on leg. There are different ports that are used and not all can do all. Mine is a Bard Power Port and can be used for 'anything'. I do not use it for blood draws as still have good vein which is quicker and easier than using the port. (Yes - after almost 6yrs I choose to keep my port in and flushed monthly, with my Drs approval, even though I am NED.). I have had several surgeries (mostly eye) since and some anesthesiologist have used my port and some used vein. One CT scan used port for radiation infusion - others chose arm vein.

Scar - A lot depends on you and how much you scar with any cut. I don't scar easily, My port implant is only a very fine 'hairline' that no one else would even notice - I know where it is so I can find it IF I try to find it. The expertise of the Dr implanting it also comes into play. Mine was implanted in hospital OR by my breast surgeon. I had no external sutures, he used surgical glue for external (same with UMX when done between neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemo).

You haven't said what your DX is or the TX plan.

Remember, once you have a UMX - that arm will no longer be able to be used for blood draws/IVs/BP/ vaccinations/etc. This is not meant to scare you but to give another perspective you don't seem to have thought of. We are each unique and there is no 'One Size Fits All'. All is not negative and we each need to weigh our decisions with both sides of possibilities and everything in between. Make your educated decision and never 'second guess'!

Thoughts and prayers.

mysunshine48

I was going to do my 4 rounds of chemo with just an IV. Then, of course, you get lots of blood tests, which equal more sticks..Anyway, after one IV, I developed a bloodclot. I wrote a long post just a few minutes ago about taking some control over our situations, on the Starting Chemo in May topic page. I had a power line put in today! Not fun, but tolerable. Localized pain meds and I did it. By the way, I am a wimp!!!!! I hate needles. So, now, no more sticks. This is not a port and not a pick line and is completely covered. Tiny little line in my upper chest right where the top of your bra is. After treatment, they remove it - surgeon - NOT the nurses and tiny 1/4 inch spot, if that. I feel no pain and am enjoying the evening. I had to be assertive to get it, but I got it, without compromising the lympth ode removal arm, or the blood clot affected arm. Private message me if after reading this post sit and and the May chemo topic page if you want more help

vogliodipiu

i got my port put in a week before starting chemo march 9th and i hate everything about it, when i asked my oncologist if it was really necessary she said chemo would damage my veins and just be really hard on them and she strongly suggested a port so i listened. it hurt to put it in, it was expensive (huge copay for me) but it is super easy to get chemo and draw blood, i do get why they put it in…but it sticks out like some alien bug in my chest and i have to be so careful when showering or when i hug people as it hurts when i bump into it even slightly. it took forever for the scar to heal, literally forever and i cannot believe it will be in there for a whole year, i will finish taxol on july 21st (cannot wait) but will get herceptin and perjeta for a year…but it does make sense to get one!

Moderators

Hi vogliodipiu! Welcome to Breastcancer.org. We're sorry for what you're going through, but we are glad that you found this wonderful community. We just wanted to let you know that you're not alone, and wish you the best during treatment. If it helps, take a look at the article How Is Chemotherapy Given? from our main site, for some tips for caring your port and your skin.

Let us know how you're doing.

The Mods