chemo question

speace

Hello everyone, can anyone tell me if all Chemo treatments require a port to be put in??

Spookiesmom

Not all chemo tx need a port. Depending on the chemo, it's MUCH easier on your veins, and you. Adrimycin is very hard on the veins. Makes it much easier for blood draws or any lab works or extra fluid.

I still have mine, been in 3 years.

speace

ugh! Thankyou for the info. I'm just horrified o er having to have another surgery.

SpecialK

My port was put in during my bi-lat mastectomy.  Have you had surgery yet?  If not, see if you can do both at the same time.  If you have had surgery already, port installs are an outpatient procedure that is pretty quick.  Depending on how many infusions you need you can try it without a port, or use a PICC line instead.  As spookiesmom said, I would not do Adriamycin without a port as it is a vesicant and can damage veins and skin.

speace

Thanks, I've already had 2 surgeries. A lumpectomy and a sentinal lymph node removal. It didn't spread to the nodes at all. And now I'm waiting the results of the genomic test to determine treatment. I'm really hoping to not need chemo. I was told it's stage 1 and she removed all the cancer so I'm really hoping for just radiation and pill therapy. But I don't get my hopes up.

Jennie93

I had 6x TC and did not get a port. I do have one good arm, though. If you had BMX with nodes removed on both sides, then they couldn't use either arm for blood draws or IVs. Most nurses are not pleased with using alternate locations so the port makes it all much easier.

Kicks

Talk to your Dr about the chemo you might be doing and his/her tboughts.

All 'chemo' isn't the same. Remember that after surgery, the surgery side arm should not have BP, brood draws/IVs or vaccinations so that only leaves one arm for that. Or if bad issues from chemo, then foot/leg has to be used. If you have issues with easily doing blood draws then there will be issues with establishing an IV line for infusion without a port (or PICC line). If you have great veins - then protect/save them with a port. Talk to your Dr and find out what/how many you might be doing and why they are making their suggestion.

If you haven't yet seen a LymphEdema Therapist (not just a PT who claims to 'know everything about LE) request a referral to one to get a 'baseline' established and education on LE. Unfortunately, many/most Dr/surgeons have little to no education about it. It does not matter how many nodes are removed (if any are removed), LE can developed after any surgery or traumatic injury and the sooner educated/deal with it the better.

MsPharoah

I had 6 TC cycles each one IV administered to the veins in my good arm. As the treatments wore on, it was more and more difficult to administer the IV as my veins were pretty much shot. I also had two pretty severe vein burns from the treatment. If I had to have chemo again, I would have a port installed.

MsP

Trvler

I was petrified of the port installation especially after they would only give me a mild sedative because I screwed up my pre surgical instructions by eating and drinking too late. But it was nothing. Now I won't say that recovery from it was easy. It took me about 3 weeks to be fully able to do everything. I had mine in my upper arm.

Bippy625

hi speace,

Yes I think it depends. I had a port installed and it was not as bad as you would think. It would have blown out my veins otherwise. Most women have no issues with it and it gets removed after.

Sounds like you may not need one. Hugs and bet wishes!

speace

Wow! Such terrific information! !! I can't thankyou all enough! !! Your all so informative! !!

speace

OH one more question, if I have to have the port put in do I have to go under general anesthesia again?

Kicks

i was totally knocked out and it was put in OR in hospital but some say theirs were put in under 'twlight'.

Viceroy

I had 4 dose dense AC and 3 taxol infusions without a port. I talked to my doctor about it and her attitude was to try it and see how it went and if I wanted to get one at any point I could.

Getting AC without a port definitely made it more stressful for me and for the nurses as well, but I am happy with my decision to not get one.

AmyQ

I have tiny hard to find veins so a port was mandatory. I found the procedure to be very easy to endure because I was asleep for it. I was very happy to have it but when my treatments were finished I was happy to say good-bye to it. Heaven forbid I need more chemo, I woukd not hesitate to have another inserted.

Amy