PORT PLACEMENT - Detailed description of process
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Any stories about port removals? I might be giving mine up soon (herceptin infusions end next month). I'm just curious about how they go and if they are easier than placements?
And just curious... Anyone have had to have a port placed again, years later? And where there problems with that because of previous placement?
What would be reasons to keep a port in IF there is nothing obvious? (Me, my veins aren't great... but I can still get blood drawn from my L arm if I'm not dehydrated and the tech is decent. I got my port for chemo and was grateful to have it since I also ended up needing constant IV drips, which were much more bearable through the port. But infusions are stopping and haven't needed IV drip after chemo.)
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My last Herceptin treatment was today!!! Hard to believe it's been a whole year already.
I will probably be getting my Port out sometime after Thanksgiving. I'll report on how it goes.
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April, YAY, an end to treatment. YAY.............My twin had to have her port reinserted a few years after removal. Not for cancer. A differnt medical problem. There was a discussion a few pages back about port removal pros and cons. I'm a pro person. I never had a port, but wanted one. Retrospectively, I would have fought tooth and nail for a port. I would have maintained it forever. I'm now close to 2 years past the last cancer. My poor little right arm veins are scarred. Comments are always made about the scar tissue as phlebotomists try and stick.
I'm six years out from BC(brain tumor and thyroid ca). No clue if I hade a port, how I would feel now.
April, if it's important for you to rid yourself of the port as a symbol of your completion with the BC chit--then do it. If it causes you pain--do it. Please, if it's none of those consider keeping it for maybe a year. You will still be going through scans and draws.
Take time to scan from the beginning of this thread and see what any others have to offer re: removal.
Reinsertion if the need occurs can be done. There can be problems with reinsertion b/c of scar tissue. But it can be done with a good surgeon.
What ever your decision never look back and say I wish I would have done it differently.
God bless you,
and may all that a beautiful life can give be yours 0 -
The thing is... I have still been getting blood draws through my arm... and yes, sometimes it's not easy for them, but they STILL do it through my arm! The only time I use my port is for infusions. And while I was hospitalized during chemo, I had my IV put in there, which was GREAT! Nothing worse than being hospitalized with an IV in the arm for days on end!
However... keeping the port in and getting it flushed every 3 weeks when I might never need it makes me wonder if I'm asking for trouble... I wish I knew if I were going to need it in the future. It's likely it would come in handy if I ever were in the hospital again, but I'm hoping not to be, you know? Of course, things could change in an instant and I'd need a port again... I still don't have enough info on this... I've read the whole thread, but it still ends up being anecdotal... Is there a study somewhere?
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I was so happy to get my port out Did it 3 days after my last. Chemo/herceptin. I was triple positive and they like you to keep your port for at least 2 years but No Way for me. I wanted that sucker out! Have not regretted my decision
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Cowgirl13-- Wow... they wanted you to keep it in for 2 years with triple positive? That sound odd. I wonder why my MO seems to think it should be OK out after my last Herceptin? Maybe I'll ask him again...
I haven't had any trouble with it, but it's not great to have in, either. It bumps against some of my bra straps and the seat-belt hits it... Not painful, but still a little sensitive.
Thanks for your comments!
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April
I wouldn't worry about it. Listen to your onc.
So glad I had mine out
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I have heard from local ladies here that removal is a breeze and just an office visit. I still have almost a year of herceptin, so removal isn't going to be anytime soon for me.
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I will say my port has caused me the worst aesthetic issue of all. At least my hair will grow back but I hate where they placed my port and it shows with a majority of my shirts.
Please put at the front of this thread a strong recommendation to wear a shirt you like to the surgery and make them write on you with marker where they are going to put the port so you know!
This has caused me so much grief I only wish I had done this. I would rather have it under my bra strap then where my neckline shows and it really depends on who puts it in.
Also some doctors put them in too deep and that causes a really hard time in infusions so best to talk to your doctor about that beforehand as well.
I like my port but Hate where it is in my neckline.
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Exercise, I totally agree. The look of the port bothers me more than the surgery scar, hair loss, or spare tire. If I had only known, I would have asked for 1/2" lower. That would have made a big difference for me. It is darn useful and spares me a lot of pain and anxiety. I just wish I had known to ask to meet with the surgeon before installation to get more information and tell him where I'd prefer to have it placed.
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April - I am having my port removed in 2 weeks ( 3 weeks after the last T-DM1 infusion). If I need to have another port in the future, I'll get another port! My MO had no concerns about removing it. My BS questioned whether I wanted to keep it for a while and do the 3 week maintenance. I figure the MO has the best crystal ball and trust my BS to put a new one in if ever needed.... So pleased we made it through this year!!! Maggie
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Cowgirl13 -- Thanks! I do trust my MO, so I'm reassured yet again!
Skittlegirl -- The year of Herceptin went by much more quickly than I thought. At first I thought they were counting the year of Herceptin alone, but it started with the first chemo, so by the time I went on to LX and RT... over half the year was over... and I found I still wanted to see my MO for the infusions for the rest of that time... It was kind of a good way to wean off of all the active treatment. BUT, I'm sure it'll be fantastic to not go in every 3 weeks, now, and get the port out. Much more of a step towards normalcy...! Anyway--I hope you'll find the rest of your treatment goes by quickly, too!
exercise_guru -- Oh, I can totally understand how where the port is placed can really be a problem! I was worried for a while because some of my bras hit it... but relieved when most of the tops I've worn were OK. Spaghetti straps and sleeveless are out, though! I think I had heard of people who had tried to make sure the port was in a good spot, by wearing their usual bra and telling them to mark where the straps were. I tried asking about it, but the guy placing it in me didn't seem as if he'd go for it. He said he DID try and put it in a good spot, though! I wasn't sure, but it really is OK, but I can totally see how it might have gone wrong!
Agree that maybe it should be in the top post.
Actually, what I found a little worrisome was that they didn't seem sure which side to put it on! I had to ask them if it wasn't usually the opposite side from the affected breast since an operation could mess with it?!!!
ShetlandPony -- I really wonder why they don't think about that more? It IS important...
Mine seems to be low enough. In fact, it was almost hard to get a mammogram because it was nearly getting caught up in the machine, which was no fun! Having it out before my next mammogram will be a relief.
MaggieCat -- It's funny because my BS keeps asking me why I still have my port every time I see him! He asked if i wanted it out when he was going to operate... I told him I'd prefer to have it in for the Herceptin. I think I'm just worrying over nothing (well... my bad veins do concern me). Also--my first docs weren't going to give me a port. I had to change docs-- to my MO who I do trust-- in order to get a port! So maybe that's another reason I worry about it. But I trust my BS, too, so that's the both of them in favor. Plus you all lovely folks!
Congrats on getting your port out soon! Good luck with that.
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BIG thank you!
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Birdie, Ya'll come back now if you need help. Many here that will sit and yarn with you. sassy
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Thank you Sassy
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Birdie Please, remind me to tell the story of my Peace symbol. It is so. 60's
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Bump
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repost from the port removal thread:
Hi Shaz, I'm an old nurse. I agree with port removal in a sterile setting of the OR or a hospital/surgi center procedure room. Doc's offices do not have to meet accreditation standards of disinfection.
Flip over to the Port thread and review info written by myself an other members.
A port that causes pain/discomfort should come out when therapy is over. That pain/discomfort is a signal that the tissue isn't happy. Pain/ discomfort over the long haul may show tissue problems. We all don't want a long haul problem. We have enough chit to deal with. But a port that is blissfully comfortably and working........keep.-----------I'm so opinionated.
I had only one killer chemo. The amount of things that went wrong were ridiculous. First the MO refused to consider a port for 4 recommended adjuvant chemo's, even when I gave him the history of poor vein access. First and only chemo-------3 nurses five attempts. The successful attempt was below one of the higher attempts. This is my 7th year cancerversary. Those upper veins were very dark for a couple of years. Then this last few months noticed they are just darkening like crazy.
Going to repost this to the port thread that I monitor.
Have great health Shaz............
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Very helpful
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Hi JEBA, if you need any help, just post. Several folks monitor this thread
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My port was happy enough, but it was still sensitive to touch and sometimes bras would rub, or the seatbelt. And the tube that ran over the collar-bone sometimes felt like it pulled. I had it a year and was VERY HAPPY with it. But I just had it removed today!
The Port Removal was easy. I had it done at a hospital and they said they handled it as they would any surgery, even if it is one of the most minor and common ones they do. I had very light sedation (as in, it felt as if I wasn't sedated at all!!! Same as when I had it placed). I talked through the whole procedure again, even though I was a bit sleepy from not having any coffee (or food or drink) since midnight before. Felt no pain other than the shots of local anesthesia they give you. They go in through the same incision, take out the port... no need to have that second incision at the neck... flush the area with antibiotics, then sew up with dissolving stitches underneath, then glue the skin and put surgical tape over, which you leave on until it falls off.
I was still awake through an hour of recovery. The nurse was nice and brought me juice and a turkey sandwich to eat. Got dressed and left. Haven't felt any pain since then.
I had to check in 2 hours before--to fill out forms and then get set up in the pre-op waiting rooms. Procedure took maybe an hour.
Felt fine all evening and ate a good dinner. I have to watch and not get it wet for 2 days, and keep it covered in the shower/bath for 5 days, and watch for the usual signs of infection, and that's all.
I'm SO GLAD I had a port!!!! I got a lot of use out of it. And I've met several people who have had their veins burned by chemo, so I definitely did not want to risk that. The port was totally comfortable when accessed... so much better than getting my veins poked every time. But I'm still glad to not have to worry about getting it flushed... and as I said, I hope I won't be needing one again!
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Hi, April. Glad it went well. Mine also was fine, but the procedure was different from yours--in-office, no sedation, second incision just above the first, no glue.
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ksusan -- well, it's not like the sedation seemed to do anything, either time (placement or removal). I was wide awake and chatting away.
My placement and removal were both done in hospitals. There are just a ton of them around here, so I suppose they just send me there. But as other in this thread say it's probably safer done in hospitals, I would have asked for that, I think. I'm sure either was is safe, otherwise it wouldn't be done. But glad yours went well--and I hope it heals up quickly and easily.
I'm a bit more sleepy today. No pain, although I'm sure the area is tender... it did get cut into and mucked about with, after all.
I won't get to see how the incision looks until after the tape drops off... I guess that's just as well. So far, doesn't feel hot or swollen. Hopefully it'll heal well.
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I think if I had more on-going health issues I'd have wanted to keep it in. But for now, there's no obvious reason to keep my port, so I'm glad to have it out, useful as it can be.
If things happen in the future, maybe I can get another if needed, but I'm going to be (maybe foolishly) optimistic and just hope I won't need one again!
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Just as a super OCD technical explanation, when they go into the same incision what they really do is pick it up at on end and slice so that the old scar tissue is remove. Then they put it back together. Reason scar tissue doesn't heal well b/c it's kinda not functional. Kinda dead, but works b/c it's a seal. It's a matrix. Hmmmm I get that, but maybe it's not a good description.
What's good with the port removal is if you had a scar there before, it may be better after removal.
Tell your doc you'd prefer as minimal scarring as possible..................
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Sas-schatzi -- Thanks for the explanation! I'll see if it scars better or worse... I'm probably not going to be wearing a lot of sleeveless clothes, but where the old scar was, it was pretty hidden by most all necklines, and was near the bra strap but not hitting it. so that's been fine.
Right now I've noticed a lot more bruising than when the port was placed (pretty much no bruising that I can remember from the placement... and it was usable the next day). This time there's a gauze over it and that clear dermatag? stuff. They said not to remove for a few days and not get wet. I'm worried a bit as there is some pink at one edge of the bruising... hard to tell if it's a sign of infection or just part of the bruising...! Do you think I should ice it (nearly 48 hours after)? Hmm...
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April25
Until Sas-schatzi posts, I would definitely not ice. Also, you could see your onc to have it checked for inflammation. Better safe than sorry.
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April, Icing is indicated in the first 12-24 hours. Just an FYI on icing always have a protective cloth between the bag and the skin. Ice for ten minutes remove for 15-20 minutes. Lot's of variables--base action on dr's order. Reason is prolonged icing can cause frostbite(cold injury) to the tissue and nerves that can be irreversible.
April, I agree with Cowgirl. I always preferred to get a docs eyes on wounds when possible if they're was something unusual b/c they are the one medically and legally responsible.
What makes it difficult with in and out surgery, is it's a trip to the office fro the check. Tissue when it's manipulated, pulled , effectively pinched to hold up edges, cut and clamped, it sets off inflammation. But inflammation can be caused by infection. Doesn't make it easy. Observation is key.
Somethings you can do. Outline the red area with a new sealed pen. That way you can see if the redness is spreading. Also, look at it in the same light, rotating your view around the wound. Take a pic of it, and compare it daily. Amazing how this helps. Picks up subtlety that the eye misses.
I'll link to a thread I did allot of wound care instruction on. Sift through it. The thread is a mish mash of info. I was really floored when She, described the answers as having more usable info than the WHO manual (World Health Organization). That was neat.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/754935?page=1
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Thanks for the advice!
I was watching the pink area all the next day and it was not larger. It's at the edge of the tape and I think it's caused by the tape pulling on the skin! I iced the area just lightly and haven't needed it since. I was pretty sure nothing was seriously wrong, but was just feeling a bit paranoid, and "better safe than sorry"... but so far, so good.
I did notice a painful pull that goes right to the spot when I tip my neck up. It's not too bad. Hopefully it'll resolve itself as it heals up and I can slowly work to stretch things out... I'm sure there's some scarring and tissue adhering to things at work. Weird since the area doesn't really see that much movement, but oh, well!
The dermatag they put over the gauze is fantastic for taking showers, though! I wish I'd thought of that for my lx and snb incisions! It was tough trying to shower and not get those wet! -- When it hits 5 days I'll take it off, since it says it's OK to get everything wet then...
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