When was your port removed?

LoverofJesus

I will be finishing neoadjuvant chemo at the middle of October. I will be having a DMX with expanders put in (or that is my goal). I will hopefully not have to have radiation but if I do I'm not going to stress too much as I have prepared myself.

My question is did you guys that did chemo first get your port removed at surgery time? That is what I'm thinking to do is when I have surgery have it removed at the same time.

Please let me know what your story is.

Hugs to all

Lover of Jesus

Spookiesmom

I still have mine after 9 years. Comes in handy for other surgeries. Others can’t wait to get rid of it. Talk to your surgeon

SpecialK

I was triple positive and my oncologist asked me to keep my port for a minimum of two years following the end of chemo. I ended up keeping it for six years total, due to other pressing surgeries and then a recurrence scare. I finally had it removed by my plastic surgeon, but only with the approval of my MO. Something else to consider is which doc is doing the removal - if it is done during your previously scheduled surgery - but not by your BS or PS, you need to set up that aspect in advance.

exbrnxgrl

I’ve got you all beat! I’ve had my port in for ten years yet have never had IV chemo. I do use it for everything else like blood draws, PET scan nuclear tracer, surgeries, etc.

HalfNhalf

I had mine out 15 months later, after I finished the herceptin infusions. My surgeon removed it at his clinic using topical anesthetic. Went fast

Melbo

I was supposed to keep mine for a full year for my herceptin infusions, but shortly after I finished chemo it caused a blood clot in my jugular, so it came out before my surgery. The actual port removal was done in the surgeon’s regular exam room with lidocaine and chit chat — took 45 minutes total and most of that was waiting for everything to go numb.

Jsniffs

I got mine out during surgery. I was SO excited. Even though I often have difficult blood draws, I am still happy to not have the port (my own personal preference). My young child once kicked me in the port, and it hurt so much that I couldn't wait to get it out.

Trishyla

Mine never worked properly, so it was removed during my BMX.

RosieRed

I have had my port for three years and I’m glad I kept it. Was originally diagnosed with stage 2A cancer. This past January I was diagnosed with MBC. Glad I have it for blood draws and other testing as well as for infusions of Zometa.

ThreeTree

I had mine out about 14 months after I had started the neoadjuvant chemo. It stayed in during surgery and they used it during the procedure. My surgeon wanted me to keep it in for awhile in case the oncologist decided to give me more chemo (she didn't), but I guess they do like to watch and wait a little. Finally, it was the oncologist who said the port could come out and that she actually didn't know why I still had it. It's been about 26 months since I finished chemo and so far, so good.

FarAwayToo

My oncologist wanted it out at mastectomy, but I was superstitious and wanted to keep it "just in case". They were also going to remove lymph nodes on both sides, because I had confirmed DCIS in the "good" breast. I was a little concerned about blood draws, but also didn't want to have my port longer than I needed it. It worked well and never gave me trouble, but it was always freaking me out a little, and I felt some deep poking.

I had my port removed during my exchange surgery, which was 6 months after mastectomy with expanders. Since you seem to be planning the same route (DMX+expanders -> exchange), it is an option, if you want to keep it past initial surgery. I was also offered to have it removed in the office under local anesthesia, pretty much any day, but I was too chicken for that.

My oncologist told me that keeping it for years, unless you are using it, is not great due to potential scar tissue. Plus you will need it flushed periodically. I was on Lupron for 5 months between mastectomy and exchange (had my ovaries out during exchange too), so I was at the clinic often enough to have it flushed at the same time I had the shot. Just wanted to let you know - some ports need to be flushed every 4-6 weeks, some can be flushed less frequently - refer to the port documentation.

LoverofJesus

Wow thank you ladies! I was worried that my oncologist would make me keep it. I just felt like I needed it out. Moving on to a new season after surgery.

You guys helped a lot.

Love having people I can count on.

RebzAmy

Mine came out literally very soon after it was inserted because my body decided to reject it!

They tried to take it out under local but then I had to go and have a full on general to get it out. It had become infected and painful and I couldn't tolerate the pain of them trying to take it out. I also had a temperature, and it was that which was causing it! I ended up having chemo and Herceptin just via a "tap" in my arm each time I had chemo and Herceptin.

4sparky

Struggling to decide when to have port removed. I have my final Kanjinti infusion this week and have talked a bit with my MO/NP about port removal options. They say it’s up to me and that although they are hopeful my surgery/treatments have been successful they like to have patients keep port in for a year beyond treatment. My port has not been too problematic but is uncomfortable at times and keeps me from properly wearing a seatbelt. I read previous posts but am curious if anyone else has some perspective to share

LoverofJesus

I had mine removed during my DMX. My last treatment was October 12th of this year.

LW422

My MO didn't want my port removed until he had the pathology report after my mastectomy. Luckily I had pCR so I had the port removed about a month after surgery. I couldn't wait to get that thing out of me.

WC3

I had my port removed shortly after my last targeted therapy infusion. But I had had a pCR to chemotherapy. I'm not sure if the protocol would have been different if I had not.