[Heart Sutra]

Hi Andi,

I have a power port and most if not all techs refuse to use it for contrast injections. Even at my onc. the nurses will only do a draw from the port if I'm having treatment at the same time. My onc. feels the more they access the port the higher risk of infection.

My question to them is why the power port then. If no one will use it for contrast/draw why was it suggested I get it instead of a regular port.

The power port is much bigger and sticks up much higher than a reg. port. I'm a fitness trainer (before all this "lovely" cancer) and am very muscular in my chest area, thus making the port very noticeable.

It was suggested by my onc. to get the power port so I didn't have to go through the pain of numerous sticks as my veins roll and are not as accessible in the arm they can use (figures).

So, even with the newest technology available, it seems to follow suit, that all involved need to catch up to be able to use it. In turn this dwindles down to many sticks and many black and blues.

Oh well...if that's the worst of it, I'll take it!!!

Kathy,

I was on Taxol and experienced terrible bone pain. The pain was in my feet, hips, shoulders and ribs. I would have pain for up to 6 days after treatment. So much so I would take Vicoden every 4-6 hrs. or I wouldn't be able to walk. My onc. let me go through 2 treatments of that and then changed the remainder 2 treatments to Taxatere which was a breeze in comparison.

I'm now experiencing pain from the Herceptin in my heels, hips and shoulders.

Will talk to my onc. about it tomorrow as I have a treatment. As suggested by the ladies here, they can reconstitute it with saline and that helped them.

Isn't information a wonderful tool!!!

Thanks for being here, Sue