Does anyone here have an implanted Port??

 For various reasons, I usually end up needing an IV about once a month. Anytime I need an IV they were having to do central lines. Once I had a seizure and woke up with a femoral line. I started having recurring jaw dislocations and was needing a central at least twice a week. The last central I had, they hit an artery b/c even the veins for the central were little.

 The port I have now is my 2nd since July. The first one I had caused a major infection, which led to removal, and they put in a PIC line for IV antibiotics, but they took the PIC out after only a week b/c they were afraid of another infection. Then I stared having the jaw dislocations in September so they put another Port back in.

  This was all great for a while, but I've been having trouble with it. The last time I was in the hospital, they could get no blood return. So I had to wait till the next morning to have it checked. This ment a night full of IM injections. I cried, b/c I felt like THIS is why I have a port, and the nurse thought I was crying just b/c I wasn't going to get the pain med IV...this hurt me.

 I ended up having a tPA treatment and that seems to do the job. Then, the next week I had to have some IV medication for a migraine.

It took 3 attempts just to access it (this I don't understand), and then they could get no blood return, and had trouble even flushing it.

After some Heprin, they got a drop of blood back so they pushed the meds, and it hurt. It felt like it was going into my chest. Its never hurt before.

I go the the doctor monday to get a referral to the radiologist to get it looked at again...

  Do you all have so much trouble with your ports? Is this common? Why after only one week after tPA would it not work again??

Its so frustrating to go through insert, removal, insert, tPA, heprin, etc and it still not work.

  Also, I have a really bad scar. They used the same incision site for both ports, and it looks horrible. Its shows in a lot shirts I wear (especially dressy clothes) and people always ask about it. Its not like I can say is a 'battle wound' bc i haven't survied anything like cancer. For me its just a constant reminder of all the stuff I go through/ have gone thorugh. Not good memories either.

The nurse the other night had an intern with her, and said "you'll never see that" referring to the scar. I just keep seeing my self walking down the isle one day in my wedding dress, with this big red scar showing.

Most pictures I see of port scars aren't that bad at all, and scars I have from other surgery's aren't near as bad, including the 2 down each side of my jaws. You can't even see those realy.

 I wonder if it healed right, b/c after 2 months pieces of stitches are still coming up through the skin. I really don't think the surgen, well radiologist did a very good job with the surgery...I really want to have someone else look at it and if it has to come out, do the surgery, but he's the only one in the hospital to do it. They don't even put you to sleep. THey give you pain meds and stuff you make you sleepy but I was awake through the whole thing. not fun may I add. (i have a huge tolerance and didn't fall asleep till it was all over) they said I had enought meds to kill a horse.

   Sorry for the long post, but I can't find anyone else with a port.

Wishing you ladies the best and sending you lots of energy and love!

Ang