Drawing Blood Through Port

Jen28

I had blood drawn last Friday and the home health nurse drew blood from a vein in my arm instead of through my port--she said that she could draw blood either way, but that the needle used to draw blood from my arm is smaller than the one she'd use to access my port, and it would actually be more comfortable for me to have blood drawn from my arm.

I thought that one of the benefits of having a port is that they can draw blood through it. I know that it's not a big deal, but I'd like to have them do things the most comfortable way possible. Does anyone think it makes a difference either way?

Thanks,
Jen

markatger

Hi Jen,

I have had a port for a couple months. I don't have a lot of official medical info for you regarding blood draws, just what my experience and preferences are.

I personally do not like to have my port accessed. It makes me nervous about clotting and infection risks. I only let oncology nurses use it and only when I am going to have chemo.

If I was only going to have my blood drawn, I would probably just as soon take it out of my arm. If I am going to have chemo that day as well then I will have my port accessed. When they access the port, they have to draw the heparin out and then make sure to flush it with saline and re-pack it with Heparin.

This is just me and my preferences, which are skewed by my anxieties about my port and possible complications from it. Some other people probably use their ports for everything and don't worry about it. So please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Also I don't have any experience with home health care, which may have slightly different protocols.

Best Wishes,
Maria

Betsydoglover

I don't have a port (yet). I'm starting a chemo break now, but when I restart I'll have to have one (the oxaliplatin is killing my veins).

I have a good friend with breast cancer who has a port and she was told by the hospital in no uncertain terms not to allow anyone to access except an oncology nurse. That's enough for me. When I get mine, I think a simple blood draw can use my arm (even if it takes a few sticks as it sometimes does unless the person doing it is very good.)

Betsy

rthornton

markatger said:

Hi Jen,

I have had a port for a couple months. I don't have a lot of official medical info for you regarding blood draws, just what my experience and preferences are.

I personally do not like to have my port accessed. It makes me nervous about clotting and infection risks. I only let oncology nurses use it and only when I am going to have chemo.

If I was only going to have my blood drawn, I would probably just as soon take it out of my arm. If I am going to have chemo that day as well then I will have my port accessed. When they access the port, they have to draw the heparin out and then make sure to flush it with saline and re-pack it with Heparin.

This is just me and my preferences, which are skewed by my anxieties about my port and possible complications from it. Some other people probably use their ports for everything and don't worry about it. So please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Also I don't have any experience with home health care, which may have slightly different protocols.

Best Wishes,
Maria

I'm with Maria on this one. If they are only taking a blood sample from me, I'd prefer they take it from the arm because it stings like a mother, even if just for a few seconds, when they access my port. I don't even notice anymore when a needle goes into my arm. So, whatever makes you comfortable go with it.

Rodney

scouty

Only certain nurses trained in accessing the port can draw blood from a port. And some nurses (not the oncology ones) are just more comfortable taking the blood from the arm.

The one good thing about having blood taken from an inactive port is that they then flush it and you don't have to have it done later. I am not longer on chemo and have to have my port flushed once a month. My thinking is, if you have to have the thing pricked, get it over with.

Lisa P.

taraHK

I have a Hickman (external central line). I was surprised to learn that they won't draw blood from it -- only for chemo in. (Unless they are accessing it anyway for chemo, then they sometimes draw blood from it). I guess for the reasons outlined -- gotta do the heparin withdraw/input, risk of infection. I don't mind the blood withdrawal from my arm -- almost painless.
Tara

chynabear

taraHK said:

I have a Hickman (external central line). I was surprised to learn that they won't draw blood from it -- only for chemo in. (Unless they are accessing it anyway for chemo, then they sometimes draw blood from it). I guess for the reasons outlined -- gotta do the heparin withdraw/input, risk of infection. I don't mind the blood withdrawal from my arm -- almost painless.
Tara

When I had my port, I thought that they would also draw blood through it, which they didn't. when I asked, the nurse said that if the port wasn't already accessed they didn't want to run the risk of infection if my bloodwork was off and they wouldn't be able to give me chemo that day. The risk of infection in the arm is much smaller and lower risk. Hope this helps.

Jen28

Thanks for the replies! I hadn't realized that they'd have to do another heparin flush if they drew blood from the port, and I definitely want to minimize risk of infection, so it sounds like just accessing the port on chemo days is the way to go.

Jen

SenseShine

I seem to be the only one on this thread to prefer that the oncologist nurse draw blood from my port. My veins are very small and it usually takes a nurse two times at the very least to get blood from my vein.
I believe whatever works best for you is the way to go.
Aloha,
SenseShine