Port removal tomorrow. Any advice?

Mama G

Seems like it should be pretty easy.... right? Will I have any after pain?

Aortus

Hurray for You!
Moopy got hers taken out this morning. The surgery part was a snap: it took them longer to get her prepped than it did to take the port out. She's got some pain tonight, and had to take a pain pill - but it wasn't so bad that she wasn't able to shop at the book store. The only advice I have is... it's great to be deported!

Congratulations!
Joe

Marlene_K

Aortus said:

Hurray for You!
Moopy got hers taken out this morning. The surgery part was a snap: it took them longer to get her prepped than it did to take the port out. She's got some pain tonight, and had to take a pain pill - but it wasn't so bad that she wasn't able to shop at the book store. The only advice I have is... it's great to be deported!

Congratulations!
Joe

HAHA! I love it...
HAHA! I love it... deported! I can't wait. I'll be watching this post, Lorraine. I'm kind of in limbo as I'm switching oncologists. My old one likes to wait three months before he advises to get it out. I'll see what the new one says, but it's something I'm looking forward to. Good luck... I'm sure it can't be worse than having it put in and that seemed like a breeze. Please post as to how to went.

Hugs, Mar

Mama G

Marlene_K said:

HAHA! I love it...
HAHA! I love it... deported! I can't wait. I'll be watching this post, Lorraine. I'm kind of in limbo as I'm switching oncologists. My old one likes to wait three months before he advises to get it out. I'll see what the new one says, but it's something I'm looking forward to. Good luck... I'm sure it can't be worse than having it put in and that seemed like a breeze. Please post as to how to went.

Hugs, Mar

Thanks to both of you for your quick reply
I'm thinking the same as you, Mar. Putting it in was a breeze. From what I understand the longer you wait the more difficulty you may endure. So I'll be DEPORTING tomorrow around 2pm! YIPPEE! I'll let you know how it goes. I do have some pain pills from before in case I need them.

arkansasgirl

Port out?
Hi

I have been wondering about this. My oncologist wants to leave my in for about a year. I got my in June 2009 and have taken 6 chemo treatments. I have a very rare BC that chemo and
radiation has no effect. The surgeon put me out to put the port in and when I asked how to
take it out was "this will be done in the office", and I said I don't think so. lol I have
been through enough pain already because no one told me about the cream or spray to use for
when you take chemo. I just found out when I needed my port flushed at the onocologist office there was such a thing. So I sat through 6 treatments every 3 weeks and took the
pain of being stuck. So please let me know how it goes. I don't mean to sound upset because
as of right now I'm CANCER FREE. Thank God!!! So keep us up to date.

God Bless you
Arkansasgirl

Moopy23

arkansasgirl said:

Port out?
Hi

I have been wondering about this. My oncologist wants to leave my in for about a year. I got my in June 2009 and have taken 6 chemo treatments. I have a very rare BC that chemo and
radiation has no effect. The surgeon put me out to put the port in and when I asked how to
take it out was "this will be done in the office", and I said I don't think so. lol I have
been through enough pain already because no one told me about the cream or spray to use for
when you take chemo. I just found out when I needed my port flushed at the onocologist office there was such a thing. So I sat through 6 treatments every 3 weeks and took the
pain of being stuck. So please let me know how it goes. I don't mean to sound upset because
as of right now I'm CANCER FREE. Thank God!!! So keep us up to date.

God Bless you
Arkansasgirl

Hello
Hi, ladies, as my wonderful hubby said, I am having some pain and on pain med tonight(fortunately, I visited the bookstore before the worst kicked in). But, it is nothing compared to the mastectomy I had. I feel very sore in the area and must be careful not to stretch the muscles there.

My surgeon always intended to remove my port via outpatient surgery. I did have a local anesthesia rather than general, you know, the kind where you don't remember anything. Some have had their ports removed in office and have been just fine. Mimi comes to mind.

In-office removal would be a timesaver as I was waiting in the Surgery Center for 2 hours. This was the worst part because the pre-surgical procedures and the surgery center brought back vividly the memory of my mastectomy and the bad news afterwards. Still, other than the recalled sadness and the time spent waiting, the outpatient surgical removal was no problem.

Actually, I felt good that my surgeon was taking every precaution. I felt no pain and have no memory of anything traumatic. Everyone was all smiles, including my surgeon, as removing a port is a happy event, unlike having one inserted. (As a bonus, the doctor of anesthesia was a young, charming blonde fellow. Made me feel old to see so young a physician---at least the nurse anesthetist was my age!)

I am, I admit, very, very tired. Joe just mentioned this thread and MamaG having her port removed tomorrow, so I wanted to contribute. Sorry if I don't make much sense.

As for my port being taken out now, my onc. had said it could be removed back in December, but I was hesitant. The cancer I had is extremely aggressive and at high risk of recurring within the next 2 years. I had originally planned to keep the port for that time.

However, another triple negative patient kept her port for those 2 years and had it removed only after that time. The cancer recurred shortly after. So I figured why keep the port and deal with the inconvenience and being stuck by insensitive nurses every 6 weeks?

(Arkansasgirl, just like you, nobody offered me any local lidocaine; I learned about Emla cream on this board, after 3 rounds of chemo and 3 stabs by the chemo nurses. I share your pain and anger about that.)

Anyway, that is my story. Again, sorry for any incoherence. It has been a long day.

All the best, MamaG. Your port removal will go just fine, as mine did. Just plan on resting afterward, unlike me. (Also, take a book or mag or something while you wait your turn in the surgery rotation.)

Mama G

Moopy23 said:

Hello
Hi, ladies, as my wonderful hubby said, I am having some pain and on pain med tonight(fortunately, I visited the bookstore before the worst kicked in). But, it is nothing compared to the mastectomy I had. I feel very sore in the area and must be careful not to stretch the muscles there.

My surgeon always intended to remove my port via outpatient surgery. I did have a local anesthesia rather than general, you know, the kind where you don't remember anything. Some have had their ports removed in office and have been just fine. Mimi comes to mind.

In-office removal would be a timesaver as I was waiting in the Surgery Center for 2 hours. This was the worst part because the pre-surgical procedures and the surgery center brought back vividly the memory of my mastectomy and the bad news afterwards. Still, other than the recalled sadness and the time spent waiting, the outpatient surgical removal was no problem.

Actually, I felt good that my surgeon was taking every precaution. I felt no pain and have no memory of anything traumatic. Everyone was all smiles, including my surgeon, as removing a port is a happy event, unlike having one inserted. (As a bonus, the doctor of anesthesia was a young, charming blonde fellow. Made me feel old to see so young a physician---at least the nurse anesthetist was my age!)

I am, I admit, very, very tired. Joe just mentioned this thread and MamaG having her port removed tomorrow, so I wanted to contribute. Sorry if I don't make much sense.

As for my port being taken out now, my onc. had said it could be removed back in December, but I was hesitant. The cancer I had is extremely aggressive and at high risk of recurring within the next 2 years. I had originally planned to keep the port for that time.

However, another triple negative patient kept her port for those 2 years and had it removed only after that time. The cancer recurred shortly after. So I figured why keep the port and deal with the inconvenience and being stuck by insensitive nurses every 6 weeks?

(Arkansasgirl, just like you, nobody offered me any local lidocaine; I learned about Emla cream on this board, after 3 rounds of chemo and 3 stabs by the chemo nurses. I share your pain and anger about that.)

Anyway, that is my story. Again, sorry for any incoherence. It has been a long day.

All the best, MamaG. Your port removal will go just fine, as mine did. Just plan on resting afterward, unlike me. (Also, take a book or mag or something while you wait your turn in the surgery rotation.)

Thanks Moopy
Well, I'm already hungry... hahaha I have to teach 5th graders until 11:40 then come home.
At least they said to call before I head down there to see what they're schedule is like.
The WORST for me was waiting for the Mastectomy. They told me it would be 7am and it ended up 6pm. I was in the hospital at 5:30am and laid waiting all those hours....
I'll NEVER go back to that hospital! (I'm such a griper when I have no food in me, so you can imagine how bad I was)

Moopy23

Mama G said:

Thanks Moopy
Well, I'm already hungry... hahaha I have to teach 5th graders until 11:40 then come home.
At least they said to call before I head down there to see what they're schedule is like.
The WORST for me was waiting for the Mastectomy. They told me it would be 7am and it ended up 6pm. I was in the hospital at 5:30am and laid waiting all those hours....
I'll NEVER go back to that hospital! (I'm such a griper when I have no food in me, so you can imagine how bad I was)

All Done?
Wow, I'd be mad, too, if I'd waited that long for the surgery. Hoping your port is gone,gone now and that you've been fed.

Oh, I am having a stinging pain today, a day after port removal. Like a giant killer bee stung my upper right chest. If you're like me, then, you'll need whatever pain med the doc gave you by tomorrow. But--being portless is worth it.

Wishing you a happy first port-less weekend!

Mama G

Moopy23 said:

All Done?
Wow, I'd be mad, too, if I'd waited that long for the surgery. Hoping your port is gone,gone now and that you've been fed.

Oh, I am having a stinging pain today, a day after port removal. Like a giant killer bee stung my upper right chest. If you're like me, then, you'll need whatever pain med the doc gave you by tomorrow. But--being portless is worth it.

Wishing you a happy first port-less weekend!

DePorted and fine!
Thanks for the support, Moopy. I thought of you through the whole thing. It all went well except for the waking up part. I was really dizzy for quite a while. No real pain, though. On a pain scale I'd say a 1.5. hahaha Hope I don't have that stinging tomorrow, I have a full day planned! Guess I'll have to take my pain meds and a driver with me.
God bless! Such a good feeling to have that part of my battle over! Let's hope we don't ever have to place it back in!

Moopy23

Mama G said:

DePorted and fine!
Thanks for the support, Moopy. I thought of you through the whole thing. It all went well except for the waking up part. I was really dizzy for quite a while. No real pain, though. On a pain scale I'd say a 1.5. hahaha Hope I don't have that stinging tomorrow, I have a full day planned! Guess I'll have to take my pain meds and a driver with me.
God bless! Such a good feeling to have that part of my battle over! Let's hope we don't ever have to place it back in!

Yea!
Glad to see your update, MamaG, and that you're off and on the go in your newly deported status! Permanent deportation sounds great to me, too. You have a fun Saturday, OK? If any bees show up, you just smack 'em and keep on going.

ladybug22

port
The doctore took mine out in his office. I had no trouble at all my 22 year old stay in the room with me when doctore removed the port she want to watch and doctors said ok.good luck tomorrow

rene9

ladybug22 said:

port
The doctore took mine out in his office. I had no trouble at all my 22 year old stay in the room with me when doctore removed the port she want to watch and doctors said ok.good luck tomorrow

Can't wait!
I cannot wait to have my port removed. I got it in Jan.14th and started chemo on the 18th. I should finish chemo on May 7 and my Oncologist said I can have it removed 2 weeks after chemo since it is only used for the chemo. I'll be dancing at the end of May and skipping to radiation!

rene9