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port issues?

tkd3g
tkd3g CSN Member Posts: 767 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Good morning all.

Had my port flushed yesterday and they had a bit of trouble. Seems they got the needle in the port( which they could feel), but there was a lot of resistence in pushing the saline and heprin. Tried 2 different needles and the same result. The nurse was finally able to flush it, but said it could have been fiberis (sp?) tissue or something. She wasn't concerned because I don't get chemo anymore.

I've had the port almost 2 years now. And never had any problems with it.
Well, the worry wort that I am, I'm still thinking about it. I swear my neck hurts today. ( truth be told, it was probably from tensing up my neck when she went in with the second needle)

Anyway, I scheduled the next flush for 4 weeks instead of 6.

Anyone have any problems accessing their port? Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Have a great day,

Barb ( who hates needles and can't wait to get this thing out!)
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Comments

  • fredrick55
    fredrick55 CSN Member Posts: 9
    #2
    Barb, I had neck and shoulder pain shortly after they installed my port. My Doctor said that that was not normal and ordered an x-ray of the port. The x-ray showed that I had a blood clot where the port was. They put me on blood thinners and I am fine, get it checked out!
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  • spongebob
    spongebob CSN Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #3
    Barb -

    I agree with Frederick - I had a friend with the same thing - neck pain & clot.

    "fibrous"

    I never had a port so I never had any port issues; about the only port "issue" I ever had was my brother in law finished off my bottle of 40 year old tawney while I was off on Katrina ops deployment for a few weeks. That was a "Serious Port Issue".

    Get yourself checked out! (and I don't mean by a bunch of construction workers...)

    - George/SB
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  • CAMaura
    CAMaura CSN Member Posts: 719 Member
    #4
    fredrick55 said:

    Barb, I had neck and shoulder pain shortly after they installed my port. My Doctor said that that was not normal and ordered an x-ray of the port. The x-ray showed that I had a blood clot where the port was. They put me on blood thinners and I am fine, get it checked out!

    Hey Barb - why do you still have your port? I know that many choose to keep it.....just wondering. I could not wait to have the bloody thing removed. It was hell - and my surgeon spoke of it being attached like a barnacle - but I am glad for the removal. I don't remember you mentioning having chemo again......so it could just be a personal decision (which I would respect, but might urge you to think about pushing through as the port is a foreign object and you sound as if you are in complete control of your health right now). Take care and all the best to you - Maura
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  • nanuk
    nanuk CSN Member Posts: 1,358 Member
    #5
    You might check the instructions for your port-they were flushing mine for two years with Heparin
    and saline, until a nurse read them one day and discovered that it should be flushed with saline only..also, the size of the needle makes a big difference-they typically use a 22 or 20 for infusion, but a larger-(19) usually works better for a flush.. Nanuk
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