PORT PLACEMENT - Detailed description of process

What was your physical reaction to port removal? Did you feel as tired as when you had it put in, less, or more?

I had my chemo this past week. The increase in fatigue seems to have gotten bigger each time on the last few infusions, and I am thinking the final three will be even more exhausting. When I had the port put in, four months into a 6 month course, I was extra-tired for about a week.

I would love to have the port out as soon as I finish my course of chemo, but I don't want to knock myself completely flat. Or maybe I will already be completely tuckered out and can recover from that and port removal at the same time. I have an appointment with my oncologist next Weds and I think if I want the port out ASAP I need to tell him then in order to get on the schedule.

Curveball, and Laurie, hello glad you found this thread Tbird57 wrote such a great description of the port procedure. Follow up posts by BCO members may help you. I've been bumping it as time goes by,so, it doesn't get lost in time. By now the pain feeling you had has likely been addressed by your doc or as others suggested time and distance from surgery have resolved the issue. If it hasn't keep on your surgeon to address your concerns.

See the chemo threads for chemo questions:)

The only thing I will add, is consider keeping your port after chemo for awhile. You will need blooddraws for a least a year. The keeping of the port is individual to each persons needs. MY twin has had hers for several years and wouldn't trade it for anything. But she and I have difficult arm veins. Again an individual preference. Good Luck, sheila

Pixie, the port removal process is identical to the insertion process or should I say it should be. I have heard of ports being removed by surgeons in the office. But all the same reasons  for infection and complication risks exist at removal. I've never heard of an adequate reason to have it removed without the same precautions. Thanks sheila:)

Going to cut and paste this to the three of you since time has passed

bump

This was such a great description of what to expect - I'm so glad I found it!  Thanks so much!  I'm getting my port tomorrow, followed immediately by my first chemo session.  I was really concerned about having both on the same day but I guess it's done all the time.  Was also kind of freaked out about a catheter going through the wall of a big main vein (vena cava) and being so close to the heart, but again, millions of people have ports, so I guess I'll be fine.  I'm definitely going with the sedation!   Thanks again for the great post!

Bump

GailAnn ~ so glad it went so well for you.  Good luck with your chemo!  The port makes things soooooooo much easier.

Hi  CristlC, I hope all is well with you.  I had a port place on my left side just over my breast.  I had this port for 5 years.  I ended up with a blood clot in my left arm and neck. It's been 3 years since they took the port out, but now I have to get treatments again and they want to put the port back in.  I'm not sure weather I should let them put it back in the same place or do something different.  Did you find out what's the better route?  If so can you share with me your experience.  My treatments start on Friday of this week. 

thanks for your time and be blessed. 

Kingdom

grover , sorry no knowledge. Scan the pages from the first and see if it's been been posted, sheila

Great, informative post. I've had my port in for a few months and I wanted to add that it gets bruised everytime it is used and stays that way. My doctor has said this is nothing to worry about. Just in case someone else had this issue. 

http://chemobiyatch.blogspot.com

You might want to mention that to your onc, Janet.  When they place the port, there is a long tube that goes into the vein and stops near the heart, that is probably what you are feeling.  Probably it is just the newness of it being placed, but I always mention everything to the doctor (even if they aren't sure what to do with it - like my first onc).  I was one of those whose body could not handle the port, tried to reject it, and it was never comfortable for me.  Others have had absolutely no issues after it was placed.  Good luck and just be aware of your body and the reactions it is having.

Virginger, I hope all goes well with your first chemo treatment. I had 6 days between port placement and first chemo, so the port area was still a little tender, but now I've had the port in for about six weeks and two treatments. I'm not nearly as aware of it as I was that first ten days or so. I'm very glad I had it put in and will be even more glad when it's time for it to come out!

Sheila, I did have my port done on my arm vs the traditional way on 4/4, I love it. It was done in radiology using local anesthesia. My arm was cleaned and sterilized with iodine and I was draped with blue sterile surgical blanket and my right arm was strapped to a board to keep motionless during the procedure. It was done by an intervention radiologist and the procedure took about 3/4 hr, they numbed the area with lidocaine and my radiologist also added epinephrine to the shot so that bleeding would be minimized. One incision is made through which both port & catheter is placed. I did not feel anything, the placement of the catheter is done using fluoroscopy. The Port is above the elbow and on the inside portion of my arm. There are dissolvable stitches on the inside and the outside of the incision was closed with glue and steri-strips. A bandage was placed over the steri-strips and I was to leave it on for 2 days after which I could take it off and take showers. There was some pain after the local wore off but nothing that Motrin did not cure.

I had my first infusion on 4/11 and it worked great. I would definitely recommend if this is an option.

The only drawback is that I cannot have blood pressure done on that arm until everything is fully healed - about a month, so the nurses have to do my bp on my leg.

Good luck to all of you...

Good Morning-friends, have been working on an issue with a member. Wanted to share with you all the note below b/c of it's importance. Hope you find it useful Sassy

If you get the AARP magazine this months issue ( dated april/may 2013) , there is a story about the safest hospitals and what safety procedures that are in place that cause them to be safe. The article cites that 180,000 people die a year due to medical/surgical errors AND 400,000 drug errors are made a year. The articles states that these numbers are likely higher b/c these are the ones that are reported. I agree. I know you've seen where I've said on the threads "Sorry etc for too much info, just want too make you(BCO memebers) safer". Guess I should stop apologizing for writing stuff in this regard. These numbers are higher then the last set of numbers that I had known. The problem is either getting worse OR there is better reporting. I'll go with better reporting.

It cited that one of the safety items was having an ICU Intensivist. It cited that only 35% of hospitals had Intensivist. I was dismayed at this percentage since residencies for Critical Care Medicine have been available since the 1980's. Truly thought by now that the "industry" would have been driven by demand for better care that this statistic would be 70 to 80%. ICU medicine is absolutely in need of a specially trained doc. Just as in all subspecialties of the American Medical Association(AMA), the knowledge and skills of this subspecialty are critical to survival when a patient is at this level of need.

 My hope is those seeing this will locate a copy of the AARP article. Read it throroughly. Then question there local hospitals on each item. Based on what they elicit re:safety of each facility, they can choose the safest hospital near them for care. It can mean the difference between life and death, and or avoidable complications. Spreading the word to others regarding this may save lives.

I am deciding for the port 

How is the port scar? already so upset for my mastectomy scars

is it worth it to place a port for 4 cycles? (4 cycle TC 3 weeks apart) is it going to ruin your veins for future blood draws if i don't place a port? 

does not add a source of infection?

nurses are pushing for it I want a non bias opinion!!

reposting from pg ten, I am a retired RN am very biased in favor of ports. Trying to locate one previous post that really says how I feel In this post I'm pissed b/c I wanted a port and denied, MY DH was immediately offered a port, both were to be non-dessicant chemo. As I stated at the last of the post, that would never happen again.

http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=69&id=721889&page=10

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Duh LoL, the post below was on page 15. It really teaches why PORTS are so valuable. I was really on a rant here. Some nurse whispered to a patient who didn't want a port "that they were just for the convenience of the nurse". If I could have I would have complained to the state Board of Nursing. So, even in the midst of a rant is good info

http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=69&id=721889&page=15