Port Placement Prior to Starting Chemo
Has anyone started weekly taxol prior to have a PORT placement? My doctor has told me it is ok to start treatments prior to having my PORT placed. I would like to postpone the PORT as long as possible, but I’m concerned how I will feel once I start taxol treatments. Thank you for any feedback.
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sksawyer,
Are you trying to avoid getting a port? There are some members who have not gotten ports. To your original question, yes, you can have a port placed after you start chemo. It’s difficult to predict how you’ll feel with chemo just as it’s difficult to predict how damaged your veins may become without a port. I think that ultimately you need to get to a place where you understand the pros and cons of your decisions and have no regrets if things don’t go as hoped.
I have a wild port story that I’ll summarize. I had an incredibly rare, life threatening complication of port placement. This included a week in the hospital and a month at home with a portable chest tube and… I never had chemo. Crazy but I have no regrets
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With stage 1 in 2008 the plan was AC x4 then Taxol x8. Onc said port not necessary, chemo nurse in pretreatment meeting said YES. Was glad I had it. After treatment, had port removed. But with MBC, my 1st onc tried Taxotere (ever mentioned port) and I took 1 dose and had to wait a month to recover from side effects before continuing treatment. So, I was very glad not to have gone thru that. Now I'm on Halaven infusion. Onc said let's start it and see how you do, might need a port. In my case, I think getting a port will depend on whether Halaven is effective and how my veins hold up to an infusion every other week. Being stage 4, if they put one in, I expect it will never come out which would require flushing even if I'm off infusion drugs.
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My first infusion was delayed because they couldn't get an IV started. I have never had good veins. I had my port placement a few days later and then my first infusion that same day. I noticed slower wound healing once chemo started.I still have my port and get it flushed every 3 months unless it's used. Haven't had any problems with it.
If you're getting a port anyway, I would get it sooner than later. I had 4 AC before 12 Taxol infusions, and with each infusion I did get weaker.
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UPDATE: Thank you for the replies. I decided to go ahead and get the port placement before I start chemo on Monday. Good point about the healing process, and not knowing how I’ll feel from the effects of the taxol.
Regards.
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