port removed

colon2

I went to see surgeon yesterday to discuss having port removed. He said they would do it with local anesthetic and it would be over quickly. Has anyone else had theirs removed with just a local. If they put you to sleep to put it in, looks like they would put you to sleep to take it out. He told me they could if I wanted them to, but with the local it will be so much quicker. They said I could even drive myself to the hospital.
Carletta

dianetavegia

We posted at the same time.
Mine comes out tomorrow morning in office. Hubby is going to drive me. We only have one car and it's standard transmission and steering. It's about 25 miles to the surgeon round trip. We just felt safer.

I was told you're put UNDER for the insertion because they are x-raying to make sure the line goes into the right area and you're very still so they don't nick the lung, etc. Taking it out is supposedly very easy. I dont' want to see it tho.... and don't want to feel the tubing coming out of my artery!

PamPam2

port removal
Hi Carletta
I have seen that different people experience their removal differently, as with everything. Mine had been in over 4 years, and I guess it is tougher the longer it's been in. For me, If I had it to do over, I would want to be better sedated, the shots for the local were painful for me and the whole thing unpleasant, the doctor did say it was because mine had been in so long and a lot of tissue had grown around it. I was glad to have it out though. I hope your removal goes well.
Pam

Shayenne

PamPam2 said:

port removal
Hi Carletta
I have seen that different people experience their removal differently, as with everything. Mine had been in over 4 years, and I guess it is tougher the longer it's been in. For me, If I had it to do over, I would want to be better sedated, the shots for the local were painful for me and the whole thing unpleasant, the doctor did say it was because mine had been in so long and a lot of tissue had grown around it. I was glad to have it out though. I hope your removal goes well.
Pam

OoO....
...I don't think I'd let the doctor do a local on me, no way, you have to put me under for those kind of procedures, I don't want to be up watching it.

johnnybegood

dianetavegia said:

We posted at the same time.
Mine comes out tomorrow morning in office. Hubby is going to drive me. We only have one car and it's standard transmission and steering. It's about 25 miles to the surgeon round trip. We just felt safer.

I was told you're put UNDER for the insertion because they are x-raying to make sure the line goes into the right area and you're very still so they don't nick the lung, etc. Taking it out is supposedly very easy. I dont' want to see it tho.... and don't want to feel the tubing coming out of my artery!

me too
hey diane im getting my port out tommarow also.he never said anything about doing it in the office.i am to be at out patient in the morning.i dont think i could do a local im glad they are making me go to la la land.good luck to you and Godbless....johnnybegood

lesvanb

Had my port out last Thursday with a local
Hi Carletta

I already answered Diane's post and am I'm reposting this here:
The surgeon who put the port in removed it in his office with a local-took about 15-20 minutes. Don't be afraid to ask for more numbing if you feel you need it (similar to getting novacaine shots at the dentist). What I felt was the tugs of the incision and then the tugs of the stitching. I didn't feel anything regarding the catheter coming out. I also don't think he had to cut much tissue. I wore my Ipod too. I was sore for about a day or two and then yesterday the incision felt like just a cut healing. Today the steri-strips can come off. I'm so happy and relieved to have the port out and I'm sure you will be too.

Good luck, Leslie

PS I had to press on the area the hour after removal because te port leaves a divit. Pressing on it didn't hurt.

dianetavegia

lesvanb said:

Had my port out last Thursday with a local
Hi Carletta

I already answered Diane's post and am I'm reposting this here:
The surgeon who put the port in removed it in his office with a local-took about 15-20 minutes. Don't be afraid to ask for more numbing if you feel you need it (similar to getting novacaine shots at the dentist). What I felt was the tugs of the incision and then the tugs of the stitching. I didn't feel anything regarding the catheter coming out. I also don't think he had to cut much tissue. I wore my Ipod too. I was sore for about a day or two and then yesterday the incision felt like just a cut healing. Today the steri-strips can come off. I'm so happy and relieved to have the port out and I'm sure you will be too.

Good luck, Leslie

PS I had to press on the area the hour after removal because te port leaves a divit. Pressing on it didn't hurt.

Leslie
Any limitations on activities? I seem to remember there were no limitations after insertion. My surgeon used glue when he inserted mine. You could not even tell it had been cut! A teeny white line was it!



Thanks for the info!
Diane

lesvanb

dianetavegia said:

Leslie
Any limitations on activities? I seem to remember there were no limitations after insertion. My surgeon used glue when he inserted mine. You could not even tell it had been cut! A teeny white line was it!



Thanks for the info!
Diane

The only restriction I had when the port was put in (on my left chest) was that I couldn't chop wood. I guess because of where the catheter ran over the bone? There are no restrictions now though I sure didn't want to lift anything heavy, and that seemed like a good idea because of all the stitching (3 on the blood vessel- I assume- and three to close the wound inside and then the steri-strips on the outside). I feel confident lifting up to 30-40 lbs right now.

You'll do fine!

Leslie

lesvanb

lesvanb said:

The only restriction I had when the port was put in (on my left chest) was that I couldn't chop wood. I guess because of where the catheter ran over the bone? There are no restrictions now though I sure didn't want to lift anything heavy, and that seemed like a good idea because of all the stitching (3 on the blood vessel- I assume- and three to close the wound inside and then the steri-strips on the outside). I feel confident lifting up to 30-40 lbs right now.

You'll do fine!

Leslie

PS
My port has been in since early December; almost 9 months

Nana b

lesvanb said:

The only restriction I had when the port was put in (on my left chest) was that I couldn't chop wood. I guess because of where the catheter ran over the bone? There are no restrictions now though I sure didn't want to lift anything heavy, and that seemed like a good idea because of all the stitching (3 on the blood vessel- I assume- and three to close the wound inside and then the steri-strips on the outside). I feel confident lifting up to 30-40 lbs right now.

You'll do fine!

Leslie

So how do you know when
I just finish chemo number 12, how do you know when it's coming out? I know I have a scan end of September but just wondering if there is a time frame that you have to wait after 12 rounds of chemo. I would like mine out.

lesvanb

Nana b said:

So how do you know when
I just finish chemo number 12, how do you know when it's coming out? I know I have a scan end of September but just wondering if there is a time frame that you have to wait after 12 rounds of chemo. I would like mine out.

When to remove port
My medical oncologist was the one who brought it up at my 6 week check-up after my last chemo round. I was surprised because a friend of my who was stage 3 had his in for over a year after chemo ended (different oncologist). I was dx stage 4 with one met to the liver and was NED after liver resection before adjuvant chemo. When I mentioned it to my medical oncologist who does my second opinions, he said I could also wait until after the first PET/CT in 3 months which is what I did but mostly because I didn't want to face ANY medical procedures after ending chemo other than a stick for blood testing. Both oncologists mentioned the risk of blood clots as a good reason to get it out. I had a blood clot in my R leg-popliteal sp? vein-during radiation/chemo so it seemed like a good deal to remove it. I've also had a love/hate relationship with the darn thing and am very very glad to have it gone from my body.

Hope this helps, Leslie

tootsie1

Wish you the best
I don't have any chemo experience, but I just want to wish you the best. I'll be praying for you.

*hugs*
Gail