PORT PLACEMENT - Detailed description of process
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Momma---threads can go inactive if there's no posting. In the case of this thread, it's a technical thread versus a social thread. I and others watch and "Bump" it to get it into the actives list.It's helpful to those that are seeking info on a topic.
Does that answer your question?
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Hi Kicks didn't notice the page turned
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Yes that does make sense. Thank you.
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Momma- it'd be nice if you kept this in your favs and bump if you see it hasn't been bumped Thanks0 -
I've been using my port a LOT.
My third cycle and I still need IV drips for dehydration/diarrhea... This time I have a home set up (portable drip in a shoulder bag!!!), and it's hooked up to my port. Last time in the hospital, all IV stuff was through my port. Most all my blood tests have been through my port, done at the infusion center...
Poor thing is getting poked like crazy!!! But I'm glad it's there for that. SO Much more easy than having stuff stuck in my arm!!!!
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april25, sorry to hear that you need all the IV drips. That has to be rough. I hope you don't have to keep doing that. I am praying for you.
Take care.
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April I'm just the opposite LOL. If I could have IV bags at home for my self and DH , things would have flowed soooooooooo much better. If you get my drift or drip hehehehehe.. My CC has even opened on Saturday to give shots and fluids. With the fluids , I'm guessing it reduced their hospital admission rates.. Smart move. Good patient care. Good economics------Yay a two for one. )So was that why they did it? Or am I spouting off in the wind
. Can't wait to here what you have to say sassy0 -
I'm guessing it's to save on hospitalization. It seems to be happening like clockwork every cycle! As I approach the nadir, about a week after chemo, I get diarrhea and immediately dehydrated. First two times I ended up in the ER exactly a week after chemo and stayed exactly 6 days... JUST getting constantly dripped (and tested a lot in case it was something else, but it never was).
I guess they figured that was too much dripping to just come into the infusion center to do, so they found a home-service. The pharmacy sends over all the bags and equiptment and a nurse comes to set it up and tell you how to change the bags and set the machine, which is done once every 24 hrs. They set it up for 2 solid weeks of this, but I'm hoping to convince them to set me free before then, since I'm usually OK the 6 days before the next session of chemo... Although it may be getting worse, since I was already a bit dehydrated 5 days after chemo this time...!
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Oh stay well, April Dh in 2010 had 10 admissions. 4 chemo. 6 for complications. Fluids were a big part of it. Definitely would have liked to have known how fluids at home would have made difference
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The home IV drips are not so common, I think. It took me going into the er both first and second cycle... and testing out all sorts of things that didn't seem to make much of a dent. It was either go into hospital every time for 5 or more days or do the home thing. I think it could be as easy and as expensive to just go into hospital... the portable machines are thousands of dollars or something like that, and you need a lot of equipment and a nurse to come in weekly, or maybe every few days, and access the port and show how to use it all... and a patient/person willing to go through hooking everything each day and injecting saline and heparin when needed and making sure things stay clean... It's a bit of a risk, since I feel I CAN mess it up! It helps being able to text the nurse with problems... but it's still a bit confusing... I'm pretty much just guessing I'm doing it right if the machine isn't leaking or beeping frantically at me!
It's only a bit more freeing than being in hospital... I mean, I'm still limited, since the thing isn't that easy to haul around... I mean, it's not bad, but I'm still worried i'll catch the stupid line on stuff and yank it right out of my port! Plus, I don't have meals made and brought to me, so I have to get someone to go shopping or go myself, and fix stuff... It's good and bad. Probably more good because hospitals aren't fun, particularly when they are waking you up at all hours and taking bp and temp or taking blood!
I think the nurses and the equipment might not be available everywhere. It took a while for my MO to set it up, and I'm near big medical centers in a very large city (Los Angeles)...
But hopefully it will be more available and more easy as time goes on! It's definitely a good option to have!
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april25, I am so sorry you have to go through all this. I can't imagine being hooked up at home at my house. The kids are too active and dependant on me for that. And my kids aren't too young. they are teens. I have been very lucky I haven't had to go to the hospital because of chemo side effects. I almost did once but took as many meds as I could without over doing it. I am praying for you!
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Thanks, mommacat4. It is a royal pain in the b*tt, and gets me a little depressed at times, but I guess it could be worse. I'm at my sister's house, since she's nearer all the doctors (there are tons all around, but the MO I ended up with is just 10 minutes from her but an hour from me). I have a 16 year old nephew, but he's pretty self-sufficient aside from needing rides (he'll be taking his driving test soon, though). I'm lucky that I don't have a lot of people depending on me. Although I guess it would be a distraction, at least. This way I'm mostly lying around not getting enough exercise... and occasionally feeling sorry for myself!
Most of the time it's OK, though.
I might get annoyed enough to secretly go off the IV without telling my doctor, if I feel good enough. But no... I don't tend to be a rule breaker, so I'll probably just ask him about it again, later! (the rebellious thoughts come and go, though. I think maybe it's just part of the urge to have SOME control over the uncontrollable, though... So i'm trying to ignore those thoughts!)
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Hi april25. I am curious about all that use of your port. Don't they have to use a special 'needle' set up to access it? Or maybe it depends on the port that was used-mine is a Bard Power Port and it states, "A special needle is placed through the septum (flexible cover)".
Do you poke your port for your home IV drips?0 -
Hi Birder -- I also have a Bard Power Port. And, yes, it needs to be accessed a particular way, by nurses trained to do it. A nurse comes to access it, and to change the IV every week. All the stuff needed (special needle-things and wipes and tubes and syringes of heparin and saline to flush the port, and the drip bags, etc) is delivered to the house.
Usually it's the nurses at infusion clinics who know how to do this. One of the hospitals I was admitted to did not use my port at all--they put an IV into my arm. Another hospital had the ER nurse access my port for the IV. Same for the people putting in IVs for scans... Mostly they stay away from the port and use my veins... but one place used my port (although it actually had an IV attached for my drip, so that made a difference). I guess it all depends on the place and if they have nurses trained to do that, and all the right equipment!
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tbird57: Thank you so much for the detailed info on port placement. Doctors seem to have so little time to fill you in on the procedures—I'm betting mine won't even bother to ask if I want the sedative, but now I know it's ok to do without.
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Yes, it does take a special needle to access a port (mine is also a Bard Power Port). It also is not just sricking the needle in and pushing the fluid. Have to draw back to be sure of a good blood flow and the flushed with saline to get the heparin block moved on away. After done with use it has to be flushed again with saline and then the heparin block put back in. It takes an RN or MD to access a port - not a tech.
If the port is not accessed monthly (as it is during active chemo) it has to be flushed. (Some facilities say it's OK to go longer but the card from Bard says every 28 days so I do over just a few days and do it monthly.
I do not use mine for draws as it is much easier to just hit my vein when need to do a draw, I have great vein. I did have one draw done through my port but only because I had a flush scheduled for that day so Lynette (RN) just went ahead and did the draw when she flushed.
My port has only been used twice other than for chemo. Once was for a CT scan - somewhat long story but that was when I learned it HURTS to access without numbing spray or cream. It was used for one of my cataract surgeries as in pre-op they were having major problems with getting a gentleman read to go into emergency surgery and I was asked did I mind if they went ahead and used my port as it would be quick -sure. The other times I've had surgery (UMX, cataract, wrist,, retina detachment) they did not want to use port but wanted to use vein.
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Bump
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I just got an MRI this morning and had to get poked twice before they found a vein. I am SO glad I have my port. I've been using for IV drips and the infusions with no problem.
I actually haven't had a spray or numbing cream since the first few times... The nurses just poke me without using anything now. It doesn't even bother me at this point. I have cream and I could ask for the spray, but just can't be bothered. And I kept forgetting to put the cream on before-hand anyway. I guess I'd remember better if the pokes really hurt!
I know some people really feel a bit more pain when accessing ports than I do... I sat across from someone in the clinic who was having quite a bit of pain getting her infusion, poor woman.
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Thanks, April for sharing your experience
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Hi all. I'm newly diagnosed and trying to decide whether to get a port or not. Right now, after meeting with the surgeon, I'm leaning towards getting one. How did you guys decide? I scar easily and the thought of having a port in my body for months freaks me out a bit. Thanks so much for any advice.
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Hello Chloe2015,
The decision to get a port or not is truly your own. Some things you should consider are, 1) what are all my options? Port, picc line, IV...ETC. .2) What kind of treatment will I need? How long will I be on chemo if at all? What type of chemo will I be on? 3) what are the risks with each option?
For me I chose to have a port because I have a very aggressive chemotherapy cocktail. Meaning, the type of chemo I am on is very aggressive. I only have use of one arm for any kind of bloodwork or IV or any needle pokes because they removed lymph nodes on the right side. Once lymph nodes are removed you shouldn't have anything tight like a turnicate or blood pressure cuff on your arm due to potential damage to other lymph nodes or potential lymphoma. I didn't want to strain my veins in my one good are because I need them for the rest of my life. I didn't choose a picc line because there is a higher potential for infection and when you are on chemo all you defenses are down. I didn't want to deal with infection as well as chemo side effects. So, these are the reasons I chose to get a port but I strongly encourage you to talk to your oncologist and decide for yourself which will be the best option. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
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Will you be doing neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemo?
I never gave it a second thought - port to protect my veins. I have great veins but chemo can be nasty on them. After surgery, the arm on surgery side should not be used for 'anything' - no IV's/blood draws, BP, vaccinations, etc. Chemo can be very nasty on veins when done IV and cause issues in the future with using the veins. Using the surgery side increases the possibility of developing LymphEdema in the surgery arm.
The incision for implanting a port will possibly be about 1 1/2" - not long at all. How long it stays has nothing to do with the scar. My port has been in for almost 6 yrs and my scar is just a 'hairline'. A PICC line is sort of a semi permanent IV needle. It takes more care and a lot more potential for infection. With my life activities, there is no way I would have done a PICC because of the infections potential - but most do not do all I do outdoors.
Talk to your Dr with your concerns and for info.
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I was told to get a port and I didn't even question it. I was on Herceptin for a year so it made sense. It is really important to save your veins.
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Chole, on kindle, page15 ....rant, but good info
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Right... I've been using my Port a LOT, so it's worth having had it put in. I had the 6 cycles of chemo. My veins aren't great already, so I didn't want that stuff going through my veins for 4 to 6 hours at a time! My chemo made me have to have 24 hour a day for 5 days to 2 weeks of IV drips, which went through my port. Having a needle stuck in my arm for that long would have driven me insane! I'm going to have Herceptin every 3 weeks for a year, so the port is good for that. I still get stuck in my arm for some bloodwork and for some contrast fluids for scans, but it's so much better to have all the rest go through the port.
One MO who tended to cheap out gave me a choice as to whether to get a port. The MO I went with, who gave full-care scans and tests and treatments, told me to definitely get a port. Even if you have good veins, chemo can sometimes destroy them! Not good.
But if you're only getting a few infusions of target treatment, not heavy-duty chemo, then maybe skip the port if you really want to. If they are suggesting a port for you, ask them why. They might be considering treatments that you aren't aware of that might be better with a port!
The scar is small and is next to my bra strap just above my bra and normal clothes hides it. I guess if you're wearing tiny bikinis a lot, it would be seen, but I haven't worn spaghetti straps or strapless or little bikinis for decades!
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BTW, if you have a Power Port, you don't have to have a needle stick for blood work or scans. No sense in having a power port if it's not used the way it was designed. If a port qualified nurse is available, everything can be done through the port. I get my blood drawn at my infusion center, so they're all port qualified. Before scans, I notify nuclear med. dept. andthey have someone available. I don't think doctors are "cheap" about ports. I think some leave the choice up to the patient and/or have no strong feelings either way. Some, however, insist upon it, which can be a problem if you don't want a port!
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My MO told me I didn't need a port but I got chemo (taxol) through veins three times before I decided enough was enough and had one put in. I won't lie - the 36 hrs after insertion hurt a LOT more than I anticipated, but the pain went away really quickly after that and I am SO glad I have one now. I have to get herceptin for a year and the thought of all those IVs was just too much. I have always hated needle sticks and blood draws and now with the port it's no big deal at all. I often forget to put on the numbing cream and it still barely hurts going in.
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Oh, one other thing I like about it is that I have both arms & hands free during chemo. With all the water we have to drink I have to get up 3-4 times to pee and that was always such an ordeal when I didn't have the use of my dominant arm because of the IV.
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