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Anyone have a port inserted?

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Posted 5/30/2010 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
My hematologist thinks I should strongly consider getting one, and the two infusion nurses I see on a regular basis both told me it'd be a good idea.

Right now, I'm on weekly iron infusions but each week the IV is more and more difficult. He is giving me a month off just to let my veins heal some. The hematologist told me that since I have regular health issues that require labs, infusions, etc that it would be worth it. The constant pain and brusing from multiple IVs is getting old.

Anyone have one?

Posted 5/30/2010 5:42 AM (GMT 0)
After years of medical issues and many IV's especially 3 years of remicade every 8 weeks my veins are starting to have problems. If I had to get an IV every week, I think I'd insist on a port.
Posted 5/30/2010 7:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Aimee, I too have bad veins and had a port-a-cath implanted ,best thing ever. It was so hard to hit the veins that I finally had one , mine is a Brad port , in was done in day surgery , I insisted on being out for the procedure, all when well and that was almost 3 years ago.The port is under the skin so no risk of infection ,only risk is when the port is acessed and that is once a month for either
my remicade infusion or normal flush and heprin replaced.
Talk to your Dr. and good luck.
Posted 6/1/2010 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
My aunt had it done when she had to go for monthly cancer treatments. Its still in there for blood draws and such. And she DIDN'T have super bad veins like I do. I'd totally go for it. I've had plenty of folks tell me I should get something in the coming months and I haven't gone for it yet but if I end up back in a hospital I'm telling them to port a cath me. They stuck me twelve times trying to get a good vein the last time I was in the hospital. The original IV failed that night and then it was shots in the hip/thigh/stomach/bottom until I could handle pill versions.
Posted 6/1/2010 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
I have terrible veins too. I had Remicade every 8 weeks for 3 years and right at the end it literally took almost 2 hours or more for them to get the IV in before they could give the drug to me and sometimes it would infiltrate after they started the infusion! The nurses emailed my GI and recommended a port a cath for better access etc. I talked to my doctor about this and he was against the idea and switched my medication to Cimzia which is given by injection. I have had some secondary problems like infections happen after PICC lines removed etc. So far Cimzia has worked and I just take it every 4 weeks. I still dread IV's and blood draws even. I just got out of the hospital and it took forever in the ER for them to get an IV started, I lost count of the number of times I got stuck.
Posted 6/1/2010 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have one and it sure beats the stab stab stab I use to have to endure.
Posted 6/2/2010 4:40 AM (GMT 0)
Sniper and SoSueMe -

What was the recovery like after the procedure to insert it? My hematologist said it's an easy outpatient surgery but I wonder what the recovery is like. Will I miss any work? Could I have it done one day and be at work the next?

I'm seeing my GI on Friday and am going to ask his opinion before making any decisions.

Thanks!
Posted 6/2/2010 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
I had no recovery time at all and were I working I would say maybe I would have missed one day if at all. Its a small incision in the upper chest side that you choose,,I chose the left because I need my right side clear for shooting,,then there is a minute incision in the neck where it ties into the artery . The tube can be felt under the skin so there is no deep cut. I dont recall any pain but pain is a relitive thing and I am sure if you need a pill for it they will provide it. I would think that unless you do heavy lifting on your job you could go to work the next day.
Posted 6/3/2010 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
Great to hear, thanks Sniper!
Posted 6/3/2010 3:21 AM (GMT 0)
Sniper said: "I chose the left because I need my right side clear for shooting"

Thanks for posting that. I don't need a port, and hopefully I never will, but I wouldn't have thought of that. Well, I would have, but it would have been a few milliseconds after the first round left the barrel!
Posted 6/3/2010 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
Sniper: You have the best responses . . .and one always has to have priorities in life!
Posted 6/3/2010 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
My wife has hers on her right side because she was worried about the seat belt bothering it. I dont find the seat belt bothers mine on the left but a shotgun being quickly shouldered and fired on the right gave me concern . One has to be able to shoot or one does not get to eat a good teal gumbo. By the way, my wife had her first chemo the same day she had her port put in and then went to work the next day. She just reminded me of that. Old mind of mine is a bit rusty lately. By the way , mine is much larger than hers so they come in sizes .
Posted 6/3/2010 4:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Aimee, Sniper pretty much covered the procedure, simple day surgery, small incision and after that an ex-ray to make sure the port is in the right position. For 3 days after the port is implanted home care came once a day to flush it ,on the third day after flushing with normal saline 5mgs of heparin was injected and the"gripper" was removed. Very little pain in that area if any if i recall correctly. Your blood work can be collected from that site by a RN on the days that it is to be flushed.The gripper is an angled metal needle with a short IV looking tube on it ,that is inserted after the port site has been properly cleaned with swabs. they will then pull back with the syringe to get a blood return and then procede with the flush ,followed by the heparin and then remove the gripper , all the time it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. good luck with what you decide .
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