Any other Power Port patients here?

Chelee · 01-28-2010, 04:50 PM

I have that newer Bard Power Port that "they" talked me into. I have no veins left so as you all know the Power Port can handle the contrast in PET/CT's, MRI's, etc. But I'm wondering how many of you have had on-going problems with blood return when your port is first accessed each time? They always get it to work...but it's been a pain.

Also I am am frustrated with the fact I can't get anyone to use it when I ask them to. All I get is excuses as to why they can't or won't use it. This port is "hugh" compared to my first one & it's not right that not one person will use the darned thing other then my chemo nurse. I wished I'd stuck to my guns and insisted on the same small one I had the first time since no one will use this port. Am I the only one having these two problems with this Bard Power Port?

Chelee

CourtneyL · 01-28-2010, 07:55 PM

Hi Chelee - Funny you should ask about this - after resisting for nearly two years, I finally bit the bullet and had a power port put in today. I'm currently sitting at home reading all about my "Smart Port CT". I am hoping I don't have the problems you describe but I will definitely let you know if I experience them. After nearly 2 years of non-stop IVs for diagnostics, treatment, blood draws, my veins have had enough. I'm actually really excited to have the port. I am so sick and tired of getting my veins poked and prodded repeatedly and walking around with huge bruises on my arms. Enough is enough. I hope they actually use the port because I can't take any more needles. I hope they will start using your port too!

Darlene Denise · 01-29-2010, 07:27 AM

Chelee and Courtney: I had my dual lumen Power Port put in last Monday. Had it acessed on that Wednesday for a bone and CT scan. All went well. Like you Miss Courntey, I put it off too. When I went for my last Muga a few weeks ago, it was cancelled because of no vein access. I knew that day was coming, just trying to avoid it! I told my vascular surgeon he better use his best plastic surgery skills and make my port the envy of the chemo room. My last port stood out like I had an MP3 player under my skin. This one looks gooood! Put it in the same place but you can't see it, gotta feel for it! Very happy with its appearance.

Chelee, some facilities don't have trained IV folks available in the nuclear med and scan areas. My suggestion is to call around where you can get scans and see if they are routinely acessing power ports. Whenever you set up your scan be sure to tell them you have a power port. We still have hit and miss access at different facilities, but I found the place and that's where I will be going from now on.

Oh, and I asked for my own power port access kit to carry in my purse just in case they claim they don't have what they need for the scan. I've been told they know how to use it, but the department dosen't stock them yet. Yeah!

One downside, my husband says it's my early Valentine gift. Damn those co-pays!!!

May the Power Port Force be with us...does this make us Power Rangers?

Darlene

Chelee · 01-29-2010, 03:17 PM

Courtney, Since I posted this question, I'd done some digging and what I found is what Darlene is saying. There just aren't enough people trained to use these ports. In fact one page on the Bard Power Port said they do an "inservice" to teach techs, nurses how to use these ports. But obviously not all facilities are getting this inservice training.

I was up at City of Hope and even had problems getting people to access my port at that hospital...I was shocked. I had to fight all the way to get them to go find someone that knew how to access my port. Even the anesthesiologist I had for my femur surgery refused to use it regardless of how insistent I was. I told him I had NO veins left & I expected my Power Port to be accessed! He told me once I was knocked out for the surgery he would find a vein with no problem. I explained that was not the point...I had this port put in for a reason and it WILL be used. (When I was in recovery...found out he used my hand anyway.) ARGH!

Darlene is right...from now on what I plan to do is call "ahead" of time and let them know I have a Power Port and I do expect it to be used. This way someone trained in the use of the power port will know I'm coming. This might end this on-going problem I keep having. Courtney, to be on the safe side until you know for sure...I would take Darlenes advice and call ahead of time. It will save you major headaches and needle sticks.

Darlene...thanks for the idea. I had to laugh at your "MP3" comment. HA! Thats almost how I feel about the one I have now...it's so big compared to the first one I had. You can see mine a mile away. Glad you had a great surgeon to place yours. Good luck to you both from one power ranger to another. lol

Chelee

Sheila · 01-29-2010, 03:46 PM

Chelee
My brother teaches the inservice to nurses etc...he works with the Bard power Ports all the time...his main base is Kaiser Permanente Hosp. He brought one home for them to put in me a couple years ago (they didn't have them here yet), but my veins were too small...so I have a regular Bard Port.....

Make sure whoever is accessing it is trained!!!

Rich66 · 01-29-2010, 09:01 PM

FYI, make sure you're not getting the recalled needles:http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/26...all/index.html

ElaineM · 01-29-2010, 09:23 PM

I don't have a power port. I have an old fashioned one. However, if I want to use my port for a test outside of my doctor's office my doctor has to write "orders" and send them to the hospital department where I am going to have the test. Technicians who work at that hopspital aren't certified to access ports-------only veins. Only
I. V. nurses can do it, so special arrangements have to be made to get an I. V. nurse for me.

jgneco · 02-01-2010, 05:31 AM

My power port was put in two weeks ago. I was frustrated because my weekly blood test was drawn from my arm, not my power port. I insisted to use the port to draw my blood last week. What a mistake! It was so painful that I will never do it again. The nurse pull and use a large needle which me fell like I was knife on the chest. The nurse got the blood after pulling and pulling the needle.
When the port was used for Chemo, it was great. It eliminated 2.5 hours of Chemo. the Chemo was only 4.5 hours.

Chelee · 02-01-2010, 10:20 PM

There are a few take away messages from this entire thread. First one is to make sure as Shelia said the person accessing your port is "trained!" It makes a big difference! And just because they say they are trained to use them...I find it's not always the case. Some seem like it's their first time when they access my port...it's scary and can be painful. Plus I had one nurse in the hosptial get all set-up to access my port with NO gloves...nothing. Obviously she wasn't taught how important it was to be sterile...I told her she wasn't touching me.

Second thing I now plan on doing is to call ahead of time and let them know I have a power port and to please have someone that's well qualified to access it when I get there. Also as Elaine mentioned I will have my onc write it on the orders...that way I have double coverage. For those that just got your new Power Ports I highly suggest you do this prior to going for any of your scans and even surgeries.

Chelee

schoolteacher · 02-02-2010, 12:26 PM

Chelee,

You suggestion is great. I never thought about calling ahead or having the doctor write prior to procedure for them to have a trained person there.

Amelia

v-ness · 02-02-2010, 06:38 PM

i wouldn't want anyone but the chemo people accessing my port. every time i went for bloodwork in the past 4 months (which was pretty much weekly), i had the blood girl use my arm. for one thing, it hurts less, and for another it is farther away from my face. i've donated blood for years, so i am not needle wuss, but i just haven't gotten used to that bigass needle so close to my face. the other day even the chemo nurse couldn't get it in right and put THREE holes in me before calling another nurse to get it right. i was awful holey.

valerie

curryalso · 02-05-2010, 03:38 PM

My surgeon told me not to let anyone access my port unless they were trained. For a scan she said to get a chemo nurse to access the port for the scan.
Infections and clogs can be caused by not accessing the port properly.

Chelee · 02-05-2010, 04:31 PM

curryalso, That is a very good point and one should be taken very seriously. One thing I've learned is just because they say they know how to use your port doesn't make it true! All any of us need is a good infection or a port that is damaged because the person did not know how to properly use it and flush it correctly.

I know a while ago after having my "Power Port' installed I went for a PET/CT. I told the tech I wanted my port accessed for the contrast. Same old thing...excuses as to why he can't do it. Then he went so far as to actually just tell me he "won't" get as good a picture on the PET/CT if he uses my power port. That using my arm gives them a much better image of what's going on. (Give me a break...that was the worse excuse I've heard so far.)

I then told him to call upstairs where my chemo room is and ask for my chemo nurse to come down...or anyone of the nurse up there! He then tells me they are NOT allowed to come down there for any reason. He ended up using my ARM...but later when I saw my chemo nurse I told her what happened...and she said she will gladly come down any time to access my port. I told her he said they weren't allowed too come down there. She said that is not true, and it would be no problem at all.

So see...it's really no more then these people are NOT trained in how to use them so they make up a bunch of stories as to why they don't want to access it. (I'd feel better if they just gave me the truth and tell me they don't know how!) If need be I will start calling my "Portacath Lab" ahead of time and ask for the manager. I'll have her make sure the person that shows up at my scans is highly trained.

06-23-2010, 06:11 PM

Hi. I had a power port and got an infection from a infusion center. It was called the Iraqibacter. If you look it up it will give you the medical name. Not something you want to get in your port. I was very very sick for about 10 days. Now I am infection free and got a new port put in yesterday. It is way to high - up by my collar bone. I'm not happy about that since my last one was really low and didn't show. This one is sore too so I'm not to sure about the placement. But ports are cool - I'm glad to have one.
Becky

fauxgypsy · 07-15-2010, 03:55 PM

I have had a Power Port for about 3 years now. It has worked well. You are right about knowing how to access it, though. I had it accessed at the local hospital once. I don't know what they did wrong but they hurt me so bad I screamed. the only thing it is being used for now is to take bllod occasionally. I hope that contineus.

Rich66 · 07-15-2010, 07:42 PM

Is everyone with a port getting it flushed regularly? My mom hasn't been getting infusional chemo for some months and changed oncs since it was put in. Hasn't been accessed since late October!

Chelee · 07-15-2010, 08:24 PM

Rich, Your Mother really should get it flushed on a semi regular schedule to keep it working. When I was NED for 3.5 yrs...I went in monthly to have it flushed. In case she needs it again I'd have them flush it and see if it's still working? I'm surprised they didn't tell her this.

Chelee

Chelee · 07-15-2010, 08:38 PM

fauxgypsy,
You really do want to make sure the person accessing your port really has the training they need. It sounds like the person at your hospital used a bigger needle or something? It sure shouldn't of hurt that bad. (I hope you gave that person a good smack.)

I know my chemo nurse has warned me to be very careful about who accesses my port. I just had a PET/CT about 2 wks ago and this time I called ahead of my scan and told them I was coming in and wanted someone that was highly trained to access my Power Port properly. It worked out great...this time things went smoothly. (I don't know how were suppose to know which nurses REALLY know what their doing...and those that don't?)

Chelee

Emelie B · 08-18-2010, 09:57 AM

I am shocked at how big this thing is! It sticks out of all my clothing and I am burusied all around it from the surgery. I called ahead to make sure they had someone on staff for my PET next week and they said sure, your appt. is at 11:30 a.m. Are you kidding me? I would probably chew my arm off by the time I left if I didn't get to eat until 1:00 or so. I opted for use of my arm and a 7:30 appt. Jeez, there is nothing easy about this whole deal.
At least I am not alone with an MP3 player sticking out of my shirt!

das · 08-18-2010, 10:20 AM

Gee, I am going to get my port installed today - should I get a different one? The doctor said a power port...Thanks