Should I have my port removed, or keep it?
Hi everyone, I've been away for a long time - I needed to move away from this lovely site only because I wanted to turn away from all things bc for a while. I truly hope my old, and new, friends are doing well.
I have a question regarding my portacath. It's still in place, although I finished my year of Herceptin ten months ago. A month later I fell in the supermarket and broke both arms, so I've been healing from that, and not felt like addressing my portacath removal question.
Anyway, my veins are terrible, and when I need blood tests it's very hard for the them to find a willing vein. My question is, can the portacath stay there indefinitely? Have people here chosen to keep theirs? If so, can you flush it yourself or do you have to go to hospital to have it done? How often?
Hmm, that was more questions than I'd planned.
Hope you can help.
Best wishes and good health to you all.
Caroline
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Caroline
Diag. March 10th 2006, aged 46.
Invasive ductal carcinoma, 2cm + multifocal. Stage 2, Grade 3
HER2+++, ER+/PR+
Right mast. May 2006. 6 of 20 nodes positive
FEC x 4, taxotere x 4; port implanted after 6 cycles
Rads x 25
1 year of Herceptin ended Nov 07.
Arimidex 5 years
Considering reconstruction, maybe soon...
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