Painful port

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amelia
amelia Member Posts: 56
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello all you Angels of information! I had a port put in place 5 days ago and the darn thing hurts like someone was constantly pushing really hard on that spot. Does this go away? Also they told me I might have to keep this thing in here through radiation treatments. Why on earth would the radiologists need it? I want this thing out of me ASAP and anybody who says I have to keep it in any longer than necessary might not like what I tell them. I know I have a bad attitude about this thing, but it hurts all the time and it looks ugly. Of all the surgerys I've had so far this is by far the most painful. Any information is truly appreciated, Thanks Amelia

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  • rizzo15
    rizzo15 Member Posts: 153 Member
    #2
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    The only pain I had with my port was the actual incision line, which took a long time to heal for some reason. It "pinches" a little when I roll over the wrong way during sleeping. I am constantly told by other doctors and nurses that I have an outstanding surgeon and he does excellent work...maybe that is why I don't have pain. Nobody that I've ever had chemo with has ever talked about the type of pain you are talking about.

    I have heard from other ladies that they have had their ports left in for up to 4 years. They leave it in if they think there is some likelihood you will need it down the line for further chemo...not because you need it for radiation. I once heard of somebody having a port for 10 years...but my oncologist said that would be REALLY unusual. As long as you have the port flushed every 3 months and take the tiny dose of blood thinner every day, I was told there was no risk of the port clogging up.
  • rizzo15
    rizzo15 Member Posts: 153 Member
    #3
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    P.S. from Rizzo. I forgot to mention that I wore a sports bra to bed for 2-3 weeks after surgery. But this is because I am very full breasted and going completely unsupported during the night seemed to pull on the incision at the beginning and cause some pain. I give the port a big plus in my book because of the "one stick" concept. This is really important to me as I have impossibly fine veins. They would have poked me to death if I didn't have it for chemo.
  • JKAlley
    JKAlley Member Posts: 84
    #4
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    rizzo15 said:

    P.S. from Rizzo. I forgot to mention that I wore a sports bra to bed for 2-3 weeks after surgery. But this is because I am very full breasted and going completely unsupported during the night seemed to pull on the incision at the beginning and cause some pain. I give the port a big plus in my book because of the "one stick" concept. This is really important to me as I have impossibly fine veins. They would have poked me to death if I didn't have it for chemo.

    Hi Amelia, I don't have any pain with my port either, and never really did. It pinched a little at first for awhile, but nothing that was a big deal. I do get a weird feeling in my arm occainsionally kind of achy if I have it much above shoulder height for long. Maybe you should call your surgen just to be sure, it would make you feel better. I plan on having my port in for a year, through radiation, because I'm getting herceptin for that long. The thought doesn't bother me at all, I'm with rizzo that I'm glad it's there. Good luck, Judy
  • jamjar62
    jamjar62 Member Posts: 135
    #5
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    Hi Amelia,

    I have to say that I felt about my port the same way you feel about yours. I finished my last chemo on May 22nd and had it out 2 weeks later. For some reason, the port just really got under my skin (no pun intended!) and I hated it.

    My port incision was swollen for about a week after sugery. Once the swelling went down and the true "beauty" of the port was revealed, the pain went away but would return if I slept on it funny or if one of my kids leaned back on it.

    On a lighter note, my daughter was always trying to get a magnet to stick to my port because my husband told her it was metal! I think she tried every magnet off of our refrigerator. You'll be happy to know that none stuck!

    It'll be over before you know it!

    Blessings,
    Karen
  • mc2001
    mc2001 Member Posts: 343
    #6
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    Hi Amelia,
    My name is Michael, and I am not a breast ca. I am a leukemia survivor. After I kept accidentally ripping out my groshung tri-luminal external catheter the doctors finally suggested a Medi-Port to be put under my skin in my left chest wall. Yes, the pain was very bad after surgery, but went away after about ten days. But I did feel and notice pinches, and aches in that area for about a month. I had that thing in my chest for three years. You just have to have it flushed once in a while to keep from clogging. Here is a tip: Ask you Dr for EMLA cream. It is an anesthetic that prevents the sting when the doctor accesses the port. Applied an hour before, the EMLA really helps. Well, good luck with your new "friend" LOL
    -Michael
    acute lymphoblastic leukemia
  • phylise
    phylise Member Posts: 5
    #7
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    I had a port put in on the day of my 2nd A/C chemo treatment. I had such sorry veins, that it has truly been a Godsend...That was in June 2002, I still have it and my surgeon suggested we keep it awhile longer ( guess just in case )..It is so convenient for blood draws, and it is pain free..Only have to go to onc every 2-3 months to have it flushed...Every once in a while, I will get a pain in the area of it, but normally there is no pain related to the actual port.It seems to be alittle uncomfortable sometimes, when my bra is pressing against it,but not so unbearable that I would have it taken out just now...
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #8
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    Dear Amelia
    I hated my port! I could not wait to have it out.It pinched when I raised my arms to high in the air and I was forever rolling on it in my sleep and it would wake me up everytime.

    I had it almost two years and it drove me NUTS for almost the whole time, however, on the days I had chemo I was glad it was there.

    I saw how much trouble the nurses had with those folks that did not have them. Double edged sword as the saying goes.

    Good Luck and God Bless
    Jerilyn
  • amelia
    amelia Member Posts: 56
    #9
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    Thanks for the answers. It seems to be a mixed reaction to this port thing. It's been 10 days now and I am having more troubles and pain. My arm keeps feeling like the blood is getting in but not out. The veins swell up and the whole arm hurts. Doc is sending me in for an ultra sound and x-ray to see what is going on. Boy I hope this doesn't mean another surgery. How does a person keep their spirits up with this stuff going on. Amelia

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