port (ohhhh yeah it is a go after todays trouble)helppppppp

ElizabethB
ElizabethB Member Posts: 89
I had to have a heart scan today to make sure my heart is OK for the chemo treatment and it took 3 people before they could get blood out so the can add stuff to it and then put it back in me well the first guy blew out a vein in my hand oh my gosh the biggest bubble ever on the top of my whole hand. If I was undecided about my port going in i now welcome it lol there is no way with IV and blood test will they be able to draw from my one and only arm so I have no choice. But big question is it ok for them to do blood draws threw the port .........

Comments

  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175
    Hi Elizabeth sorry about
    Hi Elizabeth sorry about your veins blowin. I personally loved my port i felt less like a pin cushion with it in...i also have trouble veins, they dont like to give up my blood easly and they make the nurses work to get any...lol!
    Most ports are designed to draw blood and get your chemo treatments. I had a power port which they could do all of it thru my port like blood draws, chemo tx, IV's, dye and constrasts from scans ect...it was nice...one stick for everything and i didnt even feel the poke when they inserted it into the port. Downside is sometimes you get these yahoo people that arent familiar with ports and try to take it from your arm like normal...my doc said thats a big no no but some people it doesnt bother but they say it can colapse your veins when you by pass the port depending on the location of the port and also it can clog to. Mine clogged a few times after chemo since i wasnt using it as much...thats when i had it removed.
  • Hippiechick58
    Hippiechick58 Member Posts: 320
    jo jo said:

    Hi Elizabeth sorry about
    Hi Elizabeth sorry about your veins blowin. I personally loved my port i felt less like a pin cushion with it in...i also have trouble veins, they dont like to give up my blood easly and they make the nurses work to get any...lol!
    Most ports are designed to draw blood and get your chemo treatments. I had a power port which they could do all of it thru my port like blood draws, chemo tx, IV's, dye and constrasts from scans ect...it was nice...one stick for everything and i didnt even feel the poke when they inserted it into the port. Downside is sometimes you get these yahoo people that arent familiar with ports and try to take it from your arm like normal...my doc said thats a big no no but some people it doesnt bother but they say it can colapse your veins when you by pass the port depending on the location of the port and also it can clog to. Mine clogged a few times after chemo since i wasnt using it as much...thats when i had it removed.

    I'm with JoJo. I love my
    I'm with JoJo. I love my port! At first I hated it but then I saw the ease of use and the fact that it didn't hurt to have it accessed. I finished Chemo last week, but my Onc wants it to stay in for at least another six months! She said you never know, plus I go for hydration with added potassium once a week and it's so easy just to access my port for that.

    Be Well,
    Dianne
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member

    I'm with JoJo. I love my
    I'm with JoJo. I love my port! At first I hated it but then I saw the ease of use and the fact that it didn't hurt to have it accessed. I finished Chemo last week, but my Onc wants it to stay in for at least another six months! She said you never know, plus I go for hydration with added potassium once a week and it's so easy just to access my port for that.

    Be Well,
    Dianne

    LOVE my port too !!!
    I love my port too! The fact that they can use it for chemo ... AND to draw blood makes it the greatest invention EVER! No poking or prodding for veins ... just one tiny prick in the same spot ... and they know exactly where that spot is ... and you're good to go. I couldn't have done chemo without it ... especially since I had to have herceptin for a year.

    I love my port soooooo much ... that I'm not quite ready to have it removed. Sort of a "security blanket" thing for me. I finished herceptin about a year ago ... so I just have to go in every 5-6 weeks and get it flushed out ... which takes about 30 seconds. And ... it's good to see the nurses at the infusion center. They are wonderful!

    hugs.
    teena
  • jamiegww
    jamiegww Member Posts: 384
    Ports are great but......
    I would suggest you ask your surgeon if he/she thinks the port can be used for blood draws. My surgeon claims she told me my port could only be used for chemo infusions. My port never worked for blood draws and I was extremely angry. The chemo nurses were never surprised that it didn't work when they asked who put the port in. I went through chemo feeling like I had a defective port and I don't want you or anyone else to feel that way. That's why I suggest you ask your surgeon and if they say it can't be used for blood draws, try another surgeon until you find one who says "yes" it can be used that way. The chemo nurses probably can tell you which ones to use if you don't know where to go.
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    Blood draw through your port
    I had 16 rounds of chemo and before EACH one I had blood drawn through my port. The only issue is whether the person drawing the blood has experience drawing the blood via a port. In my case the doctors office and infusion center were on the 2nd floor of the office building and the lab was on the 1st floor. I would go to the infusion center where the nurses would access the port and draw the blood and then someone (usually my husband) would take the tubes of blood downstairs to the lab.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    tgf said:

    LOVE my port too !!!
    I love my port too! The fact that they can use it for chemo ... AND to draw blood makes it the greatest invention EVER! No poking or prodding for veins ... just one tiny prick in the same spot ... and they know exactly where that spot is ... and you're good to go. I couldn't have done chemo without it ... especially since I had to have herceptin for a year.

    I love my port soooooo much ... that I'm not quite ready to have it removed. Sort of a "security blanket" thing for me. I finished herceptin about a year ago ... so I just have to go in every 5-6 weeks and get it flushed out ... which takes about 30 seconds. And ... it's good to see the nurses at the infusion center. They are wonderful!

    hugs.
    teena

    Barring something happening
    Barring something happening - my port is staying for 5 years. My choice (and my Drs are good with that) as the odds with IBC aren't that great (except as far as I'm concerned it either 0% or 100% - I can't get a 25% reoccurance I'll personally either get a reoccurance/mets or I don't).

    I think of it as my 'life jacket' that is always with me. (Long story but I am petrified of BIG boats [aircraft carriers, cruise boats, etc.] even tied to a pier - they will sink!). ANywho - it's in no problems just have to in every 4 weeks for a flush that takes about 15 min. total. Isn't done at the Center but at the VA Clinic so i get to see either my PA's RN or the head RN to do it so if I have any questions I ask - they ask her and get a quick answer.

    Susan
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    I love my port!!!
    I have the worst veins and after the first chemo poking 5 times and over an half hour later, I had the onco come to the infusion room, my port was put in the next morning and they draw the blood, use it for the scans. I got a Power Port. I just wish I would have done it with the first time around!
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    jamiegww said:

    Ports are great but......
    I would suggest you ask your surgeon if he/she thinks the port can be used for blood draws. My surgeon claims she told me my port could only be used for chemo infusions. My port never worked for blood draws and I was extremely angry. The chemo nurses were never surprised that it didn't work when they asked who put the port in. I went through chemo feeling like I had a defective port and I don't want you or anyone else to feel that way. That's why I suggest you ask your surgeon and if they say it can't be used for blood draws, try another surgeon until you find one who says "yes" it can be used that way. The chemo nurses probably can tell you which ones to use if you don't know where to go.

    My surgeon told me that port
    My surgeon told me that port can be used for anything that requires accessing a vein. I remember him telling me to be sure i had a braclet on incase I got in a car wreck - it could be accessed quicker for the ParaMedic than hitting a vein. The Center I went to does not access them for blood draws as their "resident vampire" (her term) is not an RN so she can't access it. When I had surgery, the 'knock out guy' didn't want to use it - he said that as long as I have good veins (which I do) he prefers to use them. Personally for blood draws I'd just as soon that they hit the vein (I'm a several gallon blood donor) as it doesn't bother me at all. i have had one draw done via port but that was only because I had a draw scheduled for the same day that flush was.

    We are all different!

    Susan
  • Katmy
    Katmy Member Posts: 93
    port
    Elizabeth,
    I have a port. After my first chemo, I had 6 blood draws in the first 13 days. However, I only got poked 3 times: once for chemo and 2X for the blood draws. The needle stayed in my port for 5 days so I would not need to be repoked every day. It was fabulous! When I was feeling really low, I did not have to worry about whether they would find a vein 6 times. Every time they draw blood they flush the port with heperin and saline solution to keep it clear for the next use.
  • Mitzi333
    Mitzi333 Member Posts: 511 Member
    Katmy said:

    port
    Elizabeth,
    I have a port. After my first chemo, I had 6 blood draws in the first 13 days. However, I only got poked 3 times: once for chemo and 2X for the blood draws. The needle stayed in my port for 5 days so I would not need to be repoked every day. It was fabulous! When I was feeling really low, I did not have to worry about whether they would find a vein 6 times. Every time they draw blood they flush the port with heperin and saline solution to keep it clear for the next use.

    I'm have a needle fobia...
    So the port works wonders for me. I had a blood draw yesterday for the first time through the port and it was a piece of cake. It's, of course, also used for my chemo. I wouldn't have it any other way. The infusion center nurse informed me yesterday that not all medical staff is trained to use the port for a blood draw. So be mindful of who uses the port and cleans it properly to prevent future problems. All in all, just as must ladies have stated... I love my port!!! Best Wishes on future treatments.

    Hugs~
    Mitzi ;0)
  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    The new power ports can do
    The new power ports can do it all and are wonderful
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member

    I'm with JoJo. I love my
    I'm with JoJo. I love my port! At first I hated it but then I saw the ease of use and the fact that it didn't hurt to have it accessed. I finished Chemo last week, but my Onc wants it to stay in for at least another six months! She said you never know, plus I go for hydration with added potassium once a week and it's so easy just to access my port for that.

    Be Well,
    Dianne

    Looks like the pink sisters
    Looks like the pink sisters have helped you with info. Just saying good luck to you!
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    Elizabeth
    I had a purple power port for chemo but every week for 4 months my blood was drawn from my arm or hands.
    Char
  • aysemari
    aysemari Member Posts: 1,596 Member
    Yikes sounds painful
    My port was taken out during my mastectomy and the unexpected happened, I
    actually missed my "beloved" port. I still had 6 treatments to go. And each time
    they poked me about 3 times before they could find my vein, sheesit really stings
    if they miss it. There was one nurse who found my vein each time no problem, so
    I would look for her the minute I entered the infusion room, she became my go to
    person, she would always watch me from the corner of her eye and come to my
    rescue.

    I didn't have blood withdrawn from my port, since I had to go a lab to work around
    my working hours and could not go to my oncologist, and they would not use my port.

    Hugs,
    Ayse
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    Port is wonderful
    I have a power port and love it. All treatment and blood draws are done through my port. I have finished chemo but still have the port for blood work and am not sure when I'll have it taken out. The only time they couldn't use it was for the PET scan or for surgery. It really beat blown veins and numerous sticks - I had 8 in 5 days before the port. Now I just go for a flush every 4 weeks. It sometimes clogs but they have ways of dealing with that at the oncologist.
  • Reikigemgirl
    Reikigemgirl Member Posts: 278
    I had blood draws.....
    through my port and that made it so much easier because my veins are bad. Also, I had my port out three months after finishing chemo. I have IBC so if it comes back, I will just have to have another port put in.

    Love and Light,
    Vicki