port question

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Cinkal
Cinkal Member Posts: 161
in Breast Cancer #1
I will be getting a port in a couple weeks and the oncologist said I can get my first chemo treatment the same day. I was wondering if anyone has done this?

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  • missingtexas
    missingtexas Member Posts: 146
    #2
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    Day after
    My first chemo was the day after they inserted my port.
    Dana
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #3
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    2 days after
    I had my port put in on a Monday. Had my chemo training on a Tuesday and chemo on Wednesday. However, I know that others on here have had chemo the same day. Hope they can let you know. Hope everything works out for you. Keep us posted.

    xoxo,
    Jean
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #4
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    Jean 0609 said:

    2 days after
    I had my port put in on a Monday. Had my chemo training on a Tuesday and chemo on Wednesday. However, I know that others on here have had chemo the same day. Hope they can let you know. Hope everything works out for you. Keep us posted.

    xoxo,
    Jean

    port
    I think it was about 4 days after my port installation that I had my first chemo ... but I know that many on this site have it on the same day.

    You will be sooooooo glad you've got a port. Greatest invention EVER!

    hugs.
    teena
  • new2me
    new2me Member Posts: 177 Member
    #5
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    Jean 0609 said:

    2 days after
    I had my port put in on a Monday. Had my chemo training on a Tuesday and chemo on Wednesday. However, I know that others on here have had chemo the same day. Hope they can let you know. Hope everything works out for you. Keep us posted.

    xoxo,
    Jean

    My port
    I am so glad I have my port - I had absolutely no problems, infact the whole chemo injections were easier and I felt nothing. I have had mine for 9 months now due to Herceptin - but will have it removed as soon as I'm finished (June 13)
    I'm sure you will have no problems :)
    Yes, please keep us posted :)

    Kelly
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    #6
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    Cinkal
    I have read about several women having Chemo the same day or very shortly after placement. For me, it was a few weeks. The best advice I received was to get the Emla (Lidocaine) cream. You put it on about an hour before Chemo & it will numb the area & all you feel is a little pressure. It made the Chemo experience alot more tolerable!
    ♥ Cat
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #7
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    Cat64 said:

    Cinkal
    I have read about several women having Chemo the same day or very shortly after placement. For me, it was a few weeks. The best advice I received was to get the Emla (Lidocaine) cream. You put it on about an hour before Chemo & it will numb the area & all you feel is a little pressure. It made the Chemo experience alot more tolerable!
    ♥ Cat

    Cat64 ... you hit the nail right on the head!!!
    Cream and spray .. insist that your Onco RN sprays, sprays sprays your port with numbing medication, before your new freshly insert port is accessed.

    Emla cream didn't work so well with me .. body composition and all .. only the spray made entrance into the port, bearable. Please note .. we are all different, along with tolerance levels. My port was located inside upper left arm .. so keeping the lidocaine cream on .. 1 hour prior to chemo was impossible ...as everything I moved, or walked my arm with move with my body. I tried wrapping my arm with plastic wrap, ace bandage .. gauze and tape .. cream just wore off onto my clothing.

    Good luck ..

    Vicki Sam
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #8
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    6 Days later
    I pulled out my 2010 calendar and looked. I started chemo 6 days after the port was implanted. The first couple of times the port was accessed the nurses sprayed it with some sort of numbing medication but I must admit it still hurt. After that it was a quick poke and I was fine. I got a prescription for the lidocaine cream (Emla)but never bothered to use it. In fact, this past Friday I had a 6 month check up with my oncologist and gave my Emla cream to him. I asked him to give it to a patient who could not afford to buy it themselves. He was happy to do it.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #9
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    Next day
    I started Chemo the day after my port was put in - no problems.

    The Center I went to used numbing spray and it was just a tiny prick. I had my port access once for a CT scan by the hospital - they didn't have the spray and it HURT - much worse than even hitting veins on hand! Now I use EMLA cream for my flushes and it's even better than the spray - all I ever feel is a little pressure. A hint about using EMLA that helps it work and stay off of any clothes near it - put a small piece of Saran wrap over it - no need to tape - it just sticks to the cream and stays in place.
  • Cinkal
    Cinkal Member Posts: 161
    #10
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    Thanks ladies, for all of
    Thanks ladies, for all of your advice. This sight sure helps calm my nerves, knowing how many brave warriors are out there and have already experienced what I am embarking.
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
    #11
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    Jean 0609 said:

    2 days after
    I had my port put in on a Monday. Had my chemo training on a Tuesday and chemo on Wednesday. However, I know that others on here have had chemo the same day. Hope they can let you know. Hope everything works out for you. Keep us posted.

    xoxo,
    Jean

    I didn't take chemo, but,
    I didn't take chemo, but, want to wish you good luck with chemo!


    Hugs, Megan
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #12
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    My first chemo
    was the day after also. Everything went fine.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • pokrydi
    pokrydi Member Posts: 99
    #13
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    cahjah75 said:

    My first chemo
    was the day after also. Everything went fine.
    {{hugs}} Char

    Didn't access the same day
    Didn't access the same day as port put in but love the port it makes chemo so much easier. Had to go to the er and they were able to do iv and blood work thru it as well. good luck Di
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #14
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    pokrydi said:

    Didn't access the same day
    Didn't access the same day as port put in but love the port it makes chemo so much easier. Had to go to the er and they were able to do iv and blood work thru it as well. good luck Di

    I also had chemo 2 days
    I also had chemo 2 days after it was inserted.
    Good luck,
    Wanda
  • Katmy
    Katmy Member Posts: 93
    #15
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    port
    Cinkal,
    I got my port 1 week before my 1st chemotherapy. The Radiologist asked if he needed to put a needle in it before I left. Apparently, many people do the port and 1st chemo on the same day. I have not personally, but it must be common.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #16
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    Katmy said:

    port
    Cinkal,
    I got my port 1 week before my 1st chemotherapy. The Radiologist asked if he needed to put a needle in it before I left. Apparently, many people do the port and 1st chemo on the same day. I have not personally, but it must be common.

    Not understanding - probably
    Not understanding - probably me - but why would a needle be put in a port a week before use. Makes no sense at all to me. Opening the body to all sorts of potential problems.
  • Cinkal
    Cinkal Member Posts: 161
    #17
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    Rague said:

    Not understanding - probably
    Not understanding - probably me - but why would a needle be put in a port a week before use. Makes no sense at all to me. Opening the body to all sorts of potential problems.

    I think Katmy means that
    I think Katmy means that the radiologist would have put a needle in if she were getting the chemo the same day.
  • canoegirl
    canoegirl Member Posts: 169
    #18
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    Same day
    Hi Cinkal,

    I got my port in the morning and then went straight to my first chemo. I was really nervous about it, but it was fine. I have a tendency to sleep longer than most people with any sedation, and I was worried about missing my chemo appointment, so they went VERY light on the sedation and I was wide awake through the entire process. Turns out, it was easier than having a root canal and easier than some fillings I've had. I wish I had known someone who had been awake and I could have avoided a lot of stress!

    Good luck! Hope everything goes well for you. Don't forget to drink LOTS of water.

    Hugs,
    Marcy
  • Cinkal
    Cinkal Member Posts: 161
    #19
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    canoegirl said:

    Same day
    Hi Cinkal,

    I got my port in the morning and then went straight to my first chemo. I was really nervous about it, but it was fine. I have a tendency to sleep longer than most people with any sedation, and I was worried about missing my chemo appointment, so they went VERY light on the sedation and I was wide awake through the entire process. Turns out, it was easier than having a root canal and easier than some fillings I've had. I wish I had known someone who had been awake and I could have avoided a lot of stress!

    Good luck! Hope everything goes well for you. Don't forget to drink LOTS of water.

    Hugs,
    Marcy

    Marcy, I am glad to hear you
    Marcy, I am glad to hear you had the surgery and first treatment the same day. I am a little worried about it since I won't be able to eat or drink after midnight. It seems like it went ok for you, so I hope the same is true for me.

    Cindy
  • canoegirl
    canoegirl Member Posts: 169
    #20
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    Cinkal said:

    Marcy, I am glad to hear you
    Marcy, I am glad to hear you had the surgery and first treatment the same day. I am a little worried about it since I won't be able to eat or drink after midnight. It seems like it went ok for you, so I hope the same is true for me.

    Cindy

    Don't worry
    Cindy, Don't worry about the not eating or drinking after midnight. You can eat and drink as soon as you are done with the port and you'll get IV fluids with your chemo. I found that I had a make a couple of trips to the restroom with my IV pole in tow because I drank a huge lemonaid plus a bottle of water on the way to chemo (the offices were about 40 min apart) and then they put a liter IV bag up. I brought juice, water, and snacks with me to chemo and it turned out the facility I was at provided all of that. Check with your chemo place and see if you need to bring drinks and crackers or if they have them. You may want some saltines if you are like me and have a sensitive stomach. All depends on what chemo you get and how your body reacts. I had a friend with the exact same chemo who never felt sick, but she fell asleep on the way home every time. I never fell asleep and it was an hour plus ride. Everybody is different.

    Good luck!
    Marcy

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