Help! Mediport problem

WendyRN

I just found this website today and I am in need of help. I have a inter-jugular mediport and I have had two rounds of chemo. The first time I had chemo when they flushed my port my tongue went completely numb for 5 minutes and then returned to normal. The final heparin flush caused no numbness. The second time a had chemo, they flushed my port and my skin, from my scalp to my toes, had that tingling feeling you get when you sleep on your arm wrong and the blood flow is returning. I also became dizzy and almost passed out. Ten minutes later the tingling was gone but I remained dizzy for a while. An hour later, they administered more medicine by syringe into my port. I then had the tingling sensation return to my whole body but my legs felt heavier and heavier. My left leg was extremely hard to move and my right leg wouldn't move at all. I had them immediately stop all medication and after twenty minutes had complete return of function with no tingling. The pharmacist says it is not the medication and we are questioning when the port is flushed if my mediport line presses up on a nerve and causes this. Has anyone had this happen before? Is there a position in which I could be in so that this sensation does not occur?

208sandy

Any chance there is an interventional radiologist in your local cancer clinic or hospital - they are the acknowledged experts on port placement and surgery, etc. - have you talked to your onc about this and the surgeon who placed it? Those are the people you should be talking to.

WendyRN

I talked to my general surgeon today and she said it might be from the injections being room temp and possible cooling the hypoglossal nerve and making it react. Maybe could ask the radiologists tom. Thank you for your post. My oncologist is also aware. The chemo had less numbness today then last week with the flushing due to mixing medications into a bag instead for administration. I think I am going to ask them if they can heat my syringes a little without changing the chemical compounds. I now they do this for hypothermic patients. We shall see. Thank you for responding.

208sandy

Glad you're well on your way to figuring this out with the help of your surgeon (and your onc) - I am a firm believer in keeping in constant touch with oncs (or onc nurses) while undergoing treatment. Keep in touch and let me know how things are going, I'm curious as to why you're having this reaction. S.