port removal?

[Ruth]

I was wondering how many of you had your port removed after treatment? I have finished with my year of Herceptin now and was wondering if I should go ahead and take it out? It sits really high and is very noticable when I wear short sleeved shirts.
I know that I am at a high risk of recurrance so I'm kind of stuck on what to do. Did any of you have your port removed and then had to have one put in again? Was it a lot of trouble & pain? Thank you!

[Audrey]

Hi Ruth, I struggled with the same issue when I finished my year of Herceptin and decided to leave my port in. It's been over 18 months now since my treatment ended (3 years since original dx) and I still have my port in. I still have blood tests and meet with the onc. every 3 months and decided that it is worth it to me to keep it in even though it's unsightly because the nurses have such a hard time drawing blood from my arm vein..at least with my port I know they will only need to do one needle stick and they will get the blood they need right away. Also, I hate to admit that I'm somewhat superstitious in thinking that as soon as I have my port taken out, that's when I will have a recurrence and need to have it put back in. Would love to hear from others who have kept their ports in as long as or longer then me, or from those who had it taken out and continue to be NED...-Audrey

[Elena]

I too have left my port in. It has been in 4 years now. I asked the chemo nurses how long they have seen someone coming in just for a port flush. They told me of a pt. that had one for 10 years. I too am a hard stick and even though I only go 2 times a year its nice for that. The maintence of flushing it every 6 - 8 weeks is a pain in some ways but it also gives me an extra chance to ask questions. Hope this helps.

[Linda in Calif.]

I struggled with this issue, too. I had my port placed at the same time that I had my Mast. thus not getting an additional scar by having the port placed at a later time. After I finished treatment and was NED I had real difficulty "letting go" of my port...as if I would jinx myself. I needed to make a decision because my reconstructive surgery was coming up where they remove the expanders and put in the saline implants....I could have the port removed during that surgery avoiding scaring once again. I talked with my Onc. and he encouraged me to have it removed so I could "move on" with my life. And, worst case senario, if I needed it again I could always get another one. That is what I elected to do. It has been a year and I'm still NED. (I was Stage IIIA, 10 of 20 lymph nodes positive at DX so have a high chance of reoccurance.) In retrospect I think, for me, it WAS good psycologically. Although I have to admit I was very nervous the first 6 months. I had tumor markers done every three months for the first year and they stayed low so I had that for reassurance. I hope this has been of some help...ultimatly it comes down to what you are comfortable with doing. Take Care, Linda

[Annemarie]

I just got my port put in yesterday for a second time. I got it put in because I want to go on Herceptin for a prolonged period of time like Christine. I am also a hard stick.

[Peggy]

I had mine removed fairly soon after I completed my initial chemo. Six months later I was diagnosed with mets and had to have it placed again. It was really no big deal to have it put in a second time and, like so many of the others, I'd rather they draw blood from the port than my arm and I have good veins.

Knowing what I know now, I would still have had it removed the first time because it was so easy to place again.

Peggy in Orlando, FL
(Currently waiting for hurricane #3)

[Patty H]

I couldn't wait to get my port removed because I wanted this to all be over and get on with my life. My port would still work for my chemo but it had quit working for drawling blood. I had to have another put back in a few months later but it was no big deal and now this new one drawls blood. So if I ever get done with my treatment I will probably leave it for awhile as long as it draws because I'm a hard stick too. Patty H

[Vicki Z]

Hi Ruth,

I had my port removed this past Thursday (it was in since June). I am small and thin and mine was very close to the skin, but I was told by the nurse that this is so the port doesn't get too embedded in the muscle and is easier to extricate when it needs to be removed and it's easier for the nurses to administer the chemo. My veins must have a lot of scar tissue or I'm a hard stick like some of the others have mentioned after I had the FAC in my veins Feb.-May. I decided to have it removed since this was the end of my treatment and to "get myself and my body back." I must say that having the port was wonderful and I wish I had done it first thing before I started chemo, but we learn as we go along.

Vicki