Port Side Effects?

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LauraGI
LauraGI Member Posts: 12
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

I was wondering if anyone has had heart palpitations or pounding of the heart or indigestion a few days to a week after getting the port in?  I start chemo this Tuesday and plan to get AC-TH and I am worried about the heart SE.  My family thinks I am just panicked about starting chemo...anyone hear of any of these SE of port placement? 

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited November 2010
    Laura - my port is on the left side and it took me a while to get used to it.  For about 2 weeks after it was installed my chest felt tight and there was soreness around the port area.  Many women adapt to the port quickly, I have alot of breast tissue and it pushes up and made it take a little longer to get used to I think.  Starting chemo is scary.  My heart goes out to you.  If you are nervous call you oncologist office and talk to them, they may prescribe something to help.  I read on another thread that you were concerned about choosing ACTH vs TCH.  Both have been shown to be very effective.  Numerically the ACTH has a bit of an advantage but also slightly higher risk to the heart.  the first onc I saw suggested ACTH, second TCH.  At that time I didn't know very much but liked the second onc better and so went with TCH.  Best wishes to you.
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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited November 2010

    Laura - don't worry about your heart - they will monitor you very closely. I have quite a few friends who got through AC-TH with no problems. I have regular heart checks and all is fine. The problems do not occur in everyone - probably only a small number of patients.

    Your SE's with your port are probably nerves. Having a port is a great thing, it's going to make your treatment a lot easier.

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  • LauraGI
    LauraGI Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2010

    Thanks to both of you for the support.  I haven't been too nervous up to this point other than the TCH and AC_TH decision.  With too days to go, I may be freaking out a little :)

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited August 2013

    Laura - have you been given any steroids to take the day before your treatment? I was given dexamethasone to take the day before, the day of tx and the day after. I was also given Emend on the day with some to take home for the following 2 days. Also given onadestron to take the 2 days after. All of these combined to stop any nausea and worked a treat. I'm sure you've read lots of chemo advice here but DO NOT get constipated - take sennacot. Also, call your doctor no matter what SE you get as they may have something they can give you to help. I got quite annoyed at having to suffer SE's the first time - mainly leg pain a couple of days after tx and bad stomach cramps which were eventually fixed with Somac. For the leg pain I took Digesic and Claratin.

    I'll be thinking of you on Tuesday while I'm being wheeled to the operating theatre.

    Sue

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  • LauraGI
    LauraGI Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2010

    I have not been given steroids for the day before.  Thanks for the advice on sennacot.  I had some issues with my surgery and I NEVER want to go through that again :)  Good Luck to you Tuesday as well.

     Laura

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited November 2010

    Laura - call your oncs office and ask for some!!! My onc nearly forgot to prescribe them for me and ended up calling the script in to my pharmacy just in time.

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  • LauraGI
    LauraGI Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2010

    I will.  Thanks for all your help.

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited November 2010

    Laura - join up on the December chemo thread if it has started yet (or the Nov one). My girls from Nov 09 are the absolute best. We still write daily even a year later. They are the sisters I never had.

    (((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited November 2010
    Laura - I am on the Aug 2010 chemo thread and it is great - I agree wholeheartedly with suepen.
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  • Boo307
    Boo307 Member Posts: 222
    edited November 2010

    My port slide down when I was up and slide back when I layed down.  After a week or so I settled in place and work very well.  I really appreciated not having to use an IV each week for the Herceptin, until I finished chemo and radiation.  Then I switched to every three weeks.  It was a lot of infusions over that year. 

    I grew rather fond of my port for all the convenience it afforded me.

    Best wishes and chemo is doable, scary until you get the hang of it, but doable.  I found walking helped in lots of ways, even when I could only walk to the end of the driveway.

    Boo

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  • amlg1
    amlg1 Member Posts: 596
    edited December 2010

    The port is a good thing.Especially if you had an axillary dissection,it saves your 1 arm.I was on DD A/C then DD TH.I do hope they prescribe EMEND,and I for got the other steroid,I also was given ativan,I did very well on chemo.Not many side effect.Good Luck.

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