I thought a port meant no sticks.

I was given the freeze spray before the port was accessed the very first time, and I still found it quite uncomfortable. I mentioned it to the nurse practitioner later in the same visit and she said that is fairly common and prescribed lidocaine cream called Emla. I rubbed it on the port about an hour before it was to be accessed the next time, and kept it covered with some plastic wrap like Saran. It made a HUGE difference. I also used the Emla cream to numb the area of my abdomen before my mother-in-law (an RN) gave me each Neulasta injection and it helped so much with the discomfort of that.

I also have no pain in being stuck in my port and I don't use any numbing agents. Don't assume it will hurt, and maybe it won't.

Perhaps you are thnking of a PICC line. It is external but requirse care between uses. It is 'older' than ports.

I've had my port in for a bit over 6 yrs. During Chemo, numbing spray was used for access but for maintenance since I have used EMLA/numbing cream - don't feel a thing. Had it accessed once at the hospital for a CT with contrast and it HURT.

A port does not exclude all 'sticks' in all cases. Only MDs, PAs, NPs, RNs that are educated in 'handling' them can access - not the friendly phelobotmist who does most blood draws. It is not as simple as sticking into it. It has to checked for blood flow, saline to flush the heparin block and after use saline flush and heparin block reestablished to prevent clotting.

The best you can do is to call your Dr's office and ask questions of him/her or their PA/NP/RN.

Yes, ports are always implanted,so you are stuck through the skin. Without a port you'd be stuck through the vein (yikes!). Numbing spray works well for many, but EMLA, is a sure thing if the spray doesn't work.
As kicks mentioned, PICC lines do not require a skin stick. However, they require more care (the thin tube sticking out of your arm must be kept covered and can't get get wet), they are more prone to infection and are generally used for short time tx, like antibiotics.

I have never seen that before ! Hi Spookie....

It seems like ports are an essential tool to receiving BC meds. I was thrilled to get mine yanked, seems like many ladies don't hate theirs.

I also had the POWER port. Sounds powerful, eh.....

Hazel, good luck with your treatments..... No fun at all, and then it's behind you.

HazelFrances, Bard Power Ports are great because they can use them for radiology injections (for bone scan, PET, etc.) as well as for blood draws and IV chemo. I definitely need the Emla cream. If it is on an hour before the stick I hardly feel anything. Use a generous amount and cover with plastic wrap.

Yes, power ports are great for blood draws and scan injections. However, quite a few women have mentioned that their facilities do not make nurses who are trained to access ports available for these things, which is a shame. When I need a blood draw, it is scheduled at the infusion center, so the infusion nurses do it. When I have a scan, they always ask if I need port access so a trained nurse is available.