HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Port Removal after Treatment

Chelee · 11-11-2007, 07:29 PM

I'm sure this is NOT normal but my port removal was a nightmare. I had mine in my under arm. (Facing outwards on my upper arm.) The port itself worked great the entire time I had it.

But the radiologist that removed my port seemed like he was in a hurry. He removed it and put the sutures in and told me I did NOT need to come back because he used dissolvable stitches. Two techs that were there finished up and covered it with gauze & this clear adhesive stuff that looked like saran wrap. The only thing they said was NOT to get it wet.

I left there and it was no more the 20 minutes and it was bleeding pretty bad. I was told to go to the ER asap where I spent 4 1/2 hours. I was told NO showers or nothing for over a week and to keep it clean and dry. Mine was a little painful and it did get in the way of my normal activities. In fact it ruined a good two wks of my life so I WISHED I had waited to have it removed. Plus my sutures NEVER did dissolve as promised. They were in my arm for almost 2 months till I got my surgeon to remove them. Again, I am sure this is NOT the norm as I've had many women say they had no problems. I believe you will find most women's experience with port removal went as smoothly as Jeanette's. I'm the only one I know of as always that had a problem. I have a good 4 inch red scar across my arm and its been 6 months since my port was removed. I seriously have never heard of anyone having a problem but me...I really think you will be fine.

(It just so happens that Murphy is my best friend)

Chelee

11-11-2007, 07:29 PM	#4
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	I'm sure this is NOT normal but my port removal was a nightmare. I had mine in my under arm. (Facing outwards on my upper arm.) The port itself worked great the entire time I had it. But the radiologist that removed my port seemed like he was in a hurry. He removed it and put the sutures in and told me I did NOT need to come back because he used dissolvable stitches. Two techs that were there finished up and covered it with gauze & this clear adhesive stuff that looked like saran wrap. The only thing they said was NOT to get it wet. I left there and it was no more the 20 minutes and it was bleeding pretty bad. I was told to go to the ER asap where I spent 4 1/2 hours. I was told NO showers or nothing for over a week and to keep it clean and dry. Mine was a little painful and it did get in the way of my normal activities. In fact it ruined a good two wks of my life so I WISHED I had waited to have it removed. Plus my sutures NEVER did dissolve as promised. They were in my arm for almost 2 months till I got my surgeon to remove them. Again, I am sure this is NOT the norm as I've had many women say they had no problems. I believe you will find most women's experience with port removal went as smoothly as Jeanette's. I'm the only one I know of as always that had a problem. I have a good 4 inch red scar across my arm and its been 6 months since my port was removed. I seriously have never heard of anyone having a problem but me...I really think you will be fine. (It just so happens that Murphy is my best friend) Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.