Chemo port …along with 2 biliary catathers
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MyMomMyLife, I think most of us are scared of the unknown but it seems that those who get a port are so glad they did and the port becomes their best friend. I hope everything goes well. Where are you now? Are you back in Phoenix?
Thanks everyone for your response, mom read your comments, she’s scared and gets the port implanted tomorrow. She had her preop today, my dad said she was crying during the appt and while they were explaining to her as to what was going to happen my brother who had accompanied her got light headed and they had to attend to him for a while …ahh fingers crossed everything goes smoothly for her tomorrow since she’s going in for another round of chemo Wednesday morning.
I had a port for 6 months in 2010 before I convinced them I didn’t need it anymore. I had one installed again during one of my liver biopsies in anticipation of starting chemo again. If I had known I would be doing chemo again I would have kept it as it wasn’t a bother at all other than having to get periodic flushes when not actively using it. If you have to make a trip to the emergency room having a port is handy as there are no issues of multiple pokes to get an IV in.
Stan
I have my port for 1 1/2 years now and I forget it’s even there when it’s not being accessed. I’ve had no issues with it.
If I remember correctly, when it was first put it I couldn’t take a shower for a day or two but then could as usual. They will tell you all this when it’s put in. It wasn’t painful. I’m an anxious person and I was very aware of it in the beginning – always looking at that part of my chest to see if it was okay. But now I don’t even think about it.
They flush it (saline to flush then heparin so it doesn’t clog up when not in use) after they use it. They if it’s not being used for awhile – which is what I’m going through right now – they flush it every 5 weeks. Again no big deal. They don’t like to take it out right away when you’re done with treatment in case you have to go back on. I haven’t had chemo since 1/29 – am going to have radiation in May with no plans for chemo at this time but I still have my port. Better to keep it in and not have to go through procedure again to have another one put in if I do need chemo again. As I said, I just make sure I have it flushed every 5 weeks.
Good luck with you Mom.
Mary
My husband had a port installed last November and has had no problems at all. He had minor pain for a day or two afterwards but none since. There were some precautions regarding bathing for a few weeks but once the skin grew over, he was able to shower normally. It’s now just a small bump in his chest and he doesn’t give it much thought. The best thing is that they are able to use it for all of his blood tests as well as his chemo.
Hello everyone, I just wanted to post a dilemma that I’m having, I’ve asked my moms oncologist to book an appointment for her to get a port because she has tiny veins and the poor thing gets poked 4-5 times before they find a good vein for chemo. She’s been on cisplatin and gemzar since last year, twice a month.
I know the biliary catathers give her grief, getting them exchanged every 6 weeks under anesthesia and then they leak for a few days once she gets chemo, for those of you that have a port, have u had any issues? pain wise?what’s the protocol for keeping it clean? and how much does the port affect your day to day routine?
I leave today and need to talk to her about the upcoming appt, she’s aware there is one coming up but doesn’t know that it’s booked, I know she will get stressed about having a third “incision” being made in her fragile body.
Thanks in advance!!!
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