Have to get a port - anything I should know?

Delaney · 06-18-2010, 04:48 AM

Hi, I have to have a port put in next Wed cos my veins are all shot in my one workable arm. Is it straight forward or is there anything I should know beforehand? I thought it was a small procedure but they're bringing me in for an overnight. Can anyone tell me how to look after it and how to avoid any problems? Thanks.

tricia keegan · 06-18-2010, 05:38 AM

I had a bard chest port which was done as a day procedure, they sedated me for it so I felt nothing and awoke fairly quickly and was allowed home about two hours later.
It was a little sore for a week but that was all, when you have chemo they'll probably give you some emla cream to rub over the port beforehand which numbs it a little before the infusion.
Good luck Delaney, I'm sure you'll be fine and for me the port placement was'nt a big deal

Colleen007 · 06-18-2010, 06:31 AM

I'm going to be up for a new one soon and am offering a suggestion from another woman I know who just got a new port. Put on some of your bras before surgery and make lines with a sharpie marker where the straps fall...then ask your surgeon to do what he can to place the port in such a way that your bra straps don't rub against it. Good luck to you!

Delaney · 06-18-2010, 11:42 AM

Thanks for the tips.

1rarebird · 06-18-2010, 06:17 PM

Getting my weekly Herceptin infusions via the Bard port has been a very easy procedure for me. I think you will be glad you are getting one.

Like, Tricia, I recommend using a numbing creme on infusion days. I put a dab of Lidocaine Creme on the surface of skin directly over the port about 1 hour before the IV stick. I don't rub it in but place a small piece of plastic wrap over the dab and hold the plastic in place with small pieces of tape. This keeps the creme from getting rubbed off by clothing. If I do this at least 1 hour before the stick, there is virtually no pain when the needle goes in. Without the Lidocaine, the sticks feel like bee stings. Your experience could be entirely different. I'm a big baby when it comes to needles.

Good luck---
bird

Rich66 · 06-18-2010, 07:02 PM

Colleen's tip makes a lot of sense. Lots of complaints around on that issue. Am I right in thinking that the better one is the "power port"?

kiwigirl · 06-18-2010, 08:17 PM

Hi Guys. My surgeon cut around my nipple of my good boob. They pushed the port into place and i have no scar to be seen. My port is a vita port. This sounds bad but it was all good just a day stay surgery. No problem and no scar. This is new technology according to my surgeon. It work great for me.

Sandra in GA · 06-19-2010, 04:55 AM

When I had my power port, the only problem I had was a reaction to the Tegrederm sp?) tape they used for the dressing. Where the tape touched, my skin became very irritated and red that night and later sloughed off. I would only let them put paper tape on me after that. They put the port in place and I received my first chemo treatment the nex day.

Darlene Denise · 06-19-2010, 07:49 AM

Delany: Insist on a Barrd Power Port which will enable you to have your scan contrast via the port also. I had a regular Barrd port in 1/08 and asked for a power port then and they weren't using them in my area at the time. I had a Power Port put in 6 months ago, it is smaller and so much nicer on scan day.

You can check them out on Barrd's web site. Be sure to ask in advance for it, otherwise, I have known gals who got stuck with the old one.

It is an easy procedure and I'm sure it will go well!!

Darlene

Chelee · 06-19-2010, 02:08 PM

I've had two ports put in since my orignal dx. Each time I have had a port placed it took about 2 hrs total. They were both day procedures...just needed someone to drive me home. I felt absolutely nothing..painless. However as Sandra said I too had a bad reaction to that clear tape they placed over my port...so keep an eye on that. Mine got so red, sore and almost looked infected. Once it was removed it cleared up.

I was talked into the Bard Power Port which is nice since it can be accessed for PET/CT's...saves the arms. But yes the procedure is straight forward as you said. The only thing is some minor discomfort for about a wk after it's placed. When you get home they just want you to keep it clean and dry which is easy with the dressing they place over it. There really isn't much too it. Colleen had good advice...you really don't want your bra strap rubbing on your port as it can get painful. So don't forget the sharpie. You will be glad you got one placed...makes things so much easier on you. Good luck.

Chelee

09-21-2010, 02:04 PM

just had a leaking power port removed,months after infusion nurses kept having increasingly difficult access,finally a nurse refused to access it which precipitated a flow test which showed it had been leaking monocloned antibodies(rituxan) into my chest.there are some horror stories on other websites that you probably shouldn't read if you get upset easily.the catherters can come loose and they will have to call in radiologists to try and locate where it is in your body and try to retrieve it before,well you can quess what,just read one on website pulled up on google where the cath wound in the heart,another where they had to retrieve it thru the jugular.i'm glad i didn't read it before my replacement with a rita double,and will have the stress of this along with the rest.

ElaineM · 09-21-2010, 03:40 PM

I got my double port in March, 2000. I have used the same port for over 10 years. I lost weight, so it moves around a bit, but according to a recent xray it is okay.
I love it for blood tests, because I don't have to deal with people poking my veins.
The procedure was outpatient in the hospital. I even woke up during that surgery which was a little scary at first, but I heard them talking about stitches, so I calmed down and just waited for them to finish.

Jackie07 · 09-21-2010, 04:17 PM

I had never had any problem with my port (installed in 2007) until end of July when I allowed an inexperienced technician to access it. The Clinic of Internal Medicine had a newly trained staff on Board and the staff at the front desk insisted that I should get it done there instead of going to the Cancer Center to flush my port.

The staff did everything wrong and literally made me jump off the chair. Finally I went back to the Cancer Center and luckily one of the experienced staff I know were on duty. She was surprised at the news about the 'trained staff' over at the Center for Diagnostic Medicine.

Tomorrow I'm going to flush the port (every 6 weeks) again. It's been more than 7 weeks because of our insurance problem with Texas Risk Pool. The initial payment was not 'logged' in and the 2nd one we sent in was 'in process'. Today I received another call asking us to fax a 'blank' check for the automatic draft. I told the lady that in our initial contact, that blank check was received - only the payment check was missing. Since she said we could just fax the blank check, we went ahead faxed the photocopy that we had made from the very first ones that were never received.

The same lady called me back and told me that (obviously realizing the mistakes they had made) everything's been taken care of and we can choose to have our insurance start at the original date (September 1) on the application or October1. I asked her how about 'today' since we did not use the insurance at all for the last 21 days in September. Surprisingly she said that would be the date and we should receive everything in the mail by next week.

So tomorrow I'm going to get my port 'flushed'...

kklouisiana · 09-21-2010, 04:51 PM

I have the brad power port. It was put in on a Monday and I had my first chemo the next morning. I tried the lidocaine then keep forgetting it. If the nurse is well trained, then I can stand the short pain but get a bad nurse and OMG. I have had 6 of 8 treatments as of today, so I'm celebrating my next to last chemo in October. I still have blood drawn from my veins but they are so good at this, I don't mind a bit.