Stubbon Port not Working! UGH

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sharkness
sharkness Member Posts: 11
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Okay here's the deal!  I have been on chemo since October 26thCool so fantastic---hope you are sensing the sarcasm. Went through 4 rounds of ac.  I just finished my 10th taxoyl/hereptin treatment with 2 more to go.  Last week the nurses, bless their heart, could not access my port. So long story short, I was told if they could not access my port today then it would have to be removed. So not only could they not access the port, trying 4 times was alittle painful. So they called my bc surgeon, and removal seems to be the only option, saying that it is a foreign object in my body and my body might be rejecting it now as we speak.  But i have very little veins, so they then proceeded to poke me 4 times to get a vein to do the chemo.

My question to you all through this is, did any of you have this done?  Were you fearful to have chemo done without a port, with the risk of ruining your veins?  I know I only have two more treatments, with herceptin for a year, just wanted some advice.

THANK YOU LADIESWink 

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  • carcharm
    carcharm Member Posts: 486
    edited February 2010

    I didn't have a port until after chemo. I use it for my herceptin but I have to go next week to have it changed because it's not working.

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  • susiered
    susiered Member Posts: 256
    edited February 2010

    Bless your heart. I just had mine removed after 21 months of faithful service. They had trouble with it a few times but where always able to get it going. Can they replace it? My veins would have never held up. I would ask about that. I am sorry you are having so much trouble and sorry I have no better advice for you. Good luck!

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  • GryffinSong
    GryffinSong Member Posts: 439
    edited February 2010

    Mine got plugged once. They injected something into it and let it sit for quite awhile. It took two times of the melty injection stuff to unplug it. I was told that a little flap of skin will sometimes plug it up. This all happened in the chemo suite, and finally, about two hours late, they were able to start my chemo. The dear nurses stayed late that day so I could complete my treatment.

    Did they try to unplug the blockage? I don't remember what the medication was that they used to unblog mine but I could call the chemo suite and ask them.

    Could they put a new port in?

    I'm a tough stick and would have had a terrible time with chemo through an IV.

    Hugs and good luck!

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  • susiered
    susiered Member Posts: 256
    edited February 2010

    Hey Gryffin Song the same thing happened to me. What they put in mine to let sit was Heprin. The same stuff they always flush it with. They just put more and let it sit a while. 

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited February 2010

    Are your treatments 3 weeks apart? I had a friend who did herceptin for a year without a port and had no problems. Her doctors said since the treatments were spread out that far apart, she didn't need one. Another friend who did 4 rounds of chemo two weeks apart without a port and was fine too (I was jealous because I REALLY hated my port and had wished someone would have given me the 'no port' option). Good luck!

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  • Running_Violet
    Running_Violet Member Posts: 17
    edited February 2010

    If by not working, you mean that it is "clogged" ask your nurses if anyone has tried TPA.  This worked for me many months back (after trying switching positions, multiple flushes with heparin, letting the heparin sit a while, and several different nurses trying to access it).  I swear TPA is the "Drano" for port clogs and will try that earlier next time if there happens to be a next time.  Good luck!

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  • lovinmomma
    lovinmomma Member Posts: 1,879
    edited February 2010

    I had to have the tpa also and it worked great. they had to do it while I was lying down with my head lower than my port to make it work

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  • sharkness
    sharkness Member Posts: 11
    edited February 2010

    They did try to declog it, the only problem is that they couldn't even get on damn drop through.  So after two weeks in a row of the poor nurses trying to access this, they are sending me to the bc surgeon to have it removed.  I only have two more rounds of taxoyl and when that is over just every three weeks for herceptin for the remainder of the year.  Thanks for all of the advice.  This just stinks cuz I have the worst veins ever and trying to find veins is now becoming a problem for the nurses.  I swear they see me coming and run for the hills!!! hahhaahaa thanks again chicas:)

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  • GryffinSong
    GryffinSong Member Posts: 439
    edited February 2010

    Oh, bummer.

    If your nurses haven't tried this, make them use a warm blanket on your arm before they attempt to find a vein. It's helped for me.

    Or ask them to install a new port.

    Hugs and good luck!

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