Power port

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JR6020
JR6020 Member Posts: 14
edited March 2023 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Had my power port put in about hour ago. Not bad of course still numbed up from local. Said it shouldn't b much discomfort though. Went to radiation and cancer Drs yesterday very helpful and compationate. The nurse practioner that works with oncologist seems awsome really connected think that helps going through this. Going to have six weeks of 5FU (approperately named) chemo along with radiation starting May 10th pre surgery. Bad part is they pretty much agree with surgeon on permanant colostomy. Since tumor only 2cm from opening. Will have to live with. Hoping for not to many life style changes. Also hoping to b able to irrigate? to where not having to wear bag all the time, even if it's for a few hours if I want to swim or wife and I want to get groove on :) just think it would b a little more intimate. saw patches and what not for stoma. Hope all is well with everyone

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  • khl8
    khl8 Member Posts: 807
    #2
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    JR,
    you have a wonderful
    JR,
    you have a wonderful attitude, keep it up! I know what you mean about the 5FU, I still giggle when I say it!
    Kathy
  • Jaylo969
    Jaylo969 Member Posts: 824 Member
    #3
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    5- FU
    I always wondered if I was the only one calling it a "F*** Y**" pump...LOL. Very appropriately named, huh?

    Hoping for the best for you.

    -Pat
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #4
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    poor 5FU!
    Isn't the pump filled with Leucovorin? I always received a bolus of 5FU, then the pump was filled with Leucovorin, who's sole purpose is to keep the other drugs (in my case the 5FU and the Irinitocan) in my body longer than they would normally. Of course, that means it enhances the side effects those drugs have, since they are in the body longer, but they are fighting longer too! This would also explain why you don't need a pump when you do Xeloda (the pill form of 5FU) because you are taking it daily so the extent 5FU is in your body is longer. Am I wrong here?
    mary
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #5
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    msccolon said:

    poor 5FU!
    Isn't the pump filled with Leucovorin? I always received a bolus of 5FU, then the pump was filled with Leucovorin, who's sole purpose is to keep the other drugs (in my case the 5FU and the Irinitocan) in my body longer than they would normally. Of course, that means it enhances the side effects those drugs have, since they are in the body longer, but they are fighting longer too! This would also explain why you don't need a pump when you do Xeloda (the pill form of 5FU) because you are taking it daily so the extent 5FU is in your body is longer. Am I wrong here?
    mary

    The pump is filled with 5FU
    You get the leucovorin in your clinic infusion. Since 5FU breaks down in your system so quickly, they start you with a large dose (the bolus) and then put you on a continuous drip for 46 hours.

    Daily Xeloda pills keeps that 5FU coming on a regular basis
  • Jaylo969
    Jaylo969 Member Posts: 824 Member
    #6
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    abrub said:

    The pump is filled with 5FU
    You get the leucovorin in your clinic infusion. Since 5FU breaks down in your system so quickly, they start you with a large dose (the bolus) and then put you on a continuous drip for 46 hours.

    Daily Xeloda pills keeps that 5FU coming on a regular basis

    Yes abrub
    that is my understanding of it too.
  • dschreffler
    dschreffler Member Posts: 58 Member
    #7
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    I ended my 6 week
    I ended my 6 week pre-surgery chemo/radiation about 4 weeks ago and feel great now. Really keep ahead of the skin issues due to radiation burn! Self examine and demand the radiation nurse looks during the check up, not just ask you. That was the worst part for me and took the longest to recover from.
  • Kerry S
    Kerry S Member Posts: 606 Member
    #8
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    You do what you got to do
    I guess things have changed from 08. I had that pump on me from Monday morning to Friday afternoon. It was pushing 5FU the whole time. The last week of the 6 was hell week for me, but everyone is different. I will never forget sitting on the john about 2 am with my lips bleeding and my butt sore, hearing that tool of the devil going wisssh as it pushed more of that hideous crap into me. My doc told me skinny folks like me have a harder time of it as we don’t have the fat to absorb the rad. Then why the hell don't they lower the dose. But, I am alive today. You do what you got to do.
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #9
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    abrub said:

    The pump is filled with 5FU
    You get the leucovorin in your clinic infusion. Since 5FU breaks down in your system so quickly, they start you with a large dose (the bolus) and then put you on a continuous drip for 46 hours.

    Daily Xeloda pills keeps that 5FU coming on a regular basis

    I'm claiming chemo brain!
    see how much a person forgets when they haven't been in chemo for a while? Thanks for straightening me out on that one!
    mary
  • Jaylo969
    Jaylo969 Member Posts: 824 Member
    #10
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    msccolon said:

    I'm claiming chemo brain!
    see how much a person forgets when they haven't been in chemo for a while? Thanks for straightening me out on that one!
    mary

    chemo brain Mary?
    Don't feel bad Mary, I have chemo brain too.Last week I couldn't find my car in the parking lot. I thought it had been stolen and I started to panic. But what really scared me is I was standing right next to it and didn't recognize it. I talked to my Onc about it and she comforted me by saying that it is the chemo...and that I had a very serious operation, chemo, and several other 'events' all within a relatively short time and that didn't do anything to help my brain. She says my mind will come back.....I wonder. We live in hope though.

    -Pat
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #11
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    Power Port,5fu, irrigation, and gettin the groove on......
    with tha bag.....swim your tail off... I simply use a shirt so that no one is "put off" so to speak..Its not going to leak while swimming ...The groove is simply a mental thing for the most part but nerve endings are the rest of the story. Viagra does wonders if there is a problem after surgery. Permanent ostomy is a trade off for longevity...and they also have elastic wraps to hold firm the bag when "moments " arrive..or the small pouches will do just fine also........irrigation is great for some but I have never tried it...heres to continued good attitude.........Buzz
  • JR6020
    JR6020 Member Posts: 14
    #12
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    Buzzard said:

    Power Port,5fu, irrigation, and gettin the groove on......
    with tha bag.....swim your tail off... I simply use a shirt so that no one is "put off" so to speak..Its not going to leak while swimming ...The groove is simply a mental thing for the most part but nerve endings are the rest of the story. Viagra does wonders if there is a problem after surgery. Permanent ostomy is a trade off for longevity...and they also have elastic wraps to hold firm the bag when "moments " arrive..or the small pouches will do just fine also........irrigation is great for some but I have never tried it...heres to continued good attitude.........Buzz

    I'm trying to keep up good attitude
    Thanks all for info. I'm trying to keep up the good attitude. It's only been 2 weeks now since diagnosed so I know I'm not even close to the hard part yet :) I have good times and bad, if I keep busy with family(6 day old new grand-daughter!)I can usually do ok. If I'm inactive, I tend to think about it more and then depression sits in, not a poor pitiful me depression, more of a scared @$#*less depression, just not knowing. You're right Buzz about the longevity trade off, just hard to think about but I'll take it. I'm thinking it's 5FU only I'm taking with the radiation for the 6 weeks before surgery, then Folfox post surgery. Wondering what the chances are of me losing my hair. It's not so much my head I'm worried about, it's my 70's porn star mustache (Not really, coworkers joke saying thats what it reminds them of) I don't want to lose!! The wife and kids have never seen me without it, think I've had it since I was 8 :) One of my brothers is in the medical field (radiologist) so he's been around this kind of stuff and said one good thing, maybe, is since tumor is at end of tract, hopefully my "output" in bag will be a little easier to manage? since it will still go through most of the digestive process. Wish all well, Joe
  • HollyID
    HollyID Member Posts: 946 Member
    #13
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    JR6020 said:

    I'm trying to keep up good attitude
    Thanks all for info. I'm trying to keep up the good attitude. It's only been 2 weeks now since diagnosed so I know I'm not even close to the hard part yet :) I have good times and bad, if I keep busy with family(6 day old new grand-daughter!)I can usually do ok. If I'm inactive, I tend to think about it more and then depression sits in, not a poor pitiful me depression, more of a scared @$#*less depression, just not knowing. You're right Buzz about the longevity trade off, just hard to think about but I'll take it. I'm thinking it's 5FU only I'm taking with the radiation for the 6 weeks before surgery, then Folfox post surgery. Wondering what the chances are of me losing my hair. It's not so much my head I'm worried about, it's my 70's porn star mustache (Not really, coworkers joke saying thats what it reminds them of) I don't want to lose!! The wife and kids have never seen me without it, think I've had it since I was 8 :) One of my brothers is in the medical field (radiologist) so he's been around this kind of stuff and said one good thing, maybe, is since tumor is at end of tract, hopefully my "output" in bag will be a little easier to manage? since it will still go through most of the digestive process. Wish all well, Joe

    Joe....
    It's ok to have those momentary scared $hitless days. As long as you don't have them every day, just once in a while. Cancer is a scary word, but I've learned it's not as scary as it was even a year ago. When the doc told me I had cancer, of course you think it's a death sentence, but it isn't. Not anymore.

    The FOLFOX doesn't really make you lose your hair. The hair on my head has thinned a bit, maybe not even by a third, but the stats for FOLFOX and hair loss is split from what I've read. Some will lose 1/3 of their hair, some will lose 2/3 of their hair. My hair loss has been so minimal that nobody notices it on me, except me.

    You really should post a pick of your 70's porn star mustache. I'd love to see it. I've never seen my husband without his mustache, either. :)

    Love and Hugs

    Holly
  • soflajoe
    soflajoe Member Posts: 3 Member
    #14
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    Had a power port device place about 3 weeks ago and then chemo began 4 days later. Sure beats the sh** out of the last 2 cycles received in 2015 and 2022. The old veins had taken a beating and this time it was like “duck soup”. No offense to you duck lovers.:)). This time with the addition of Rituximab to the bendamustine, I figured it would be a good idea to give those veins a rest. Tired of getting poked and missed. I’m sure you all know what I mean. No complications with the port and my plans are to keep it in as long as necessary.after the cycle finishes hopefully on the 16th and 17th of March. Luck and love to all riding the rollercoaster. Soflajoe

  • soflajoe
    soflajoe Member Posts: 3 Member
    #15
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  • soflajoe
    soflajoe Member Posts: 3 Member
    #16
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    Correction to my first post. Received chemo in 2015 and 2021. Not 2022.

    soflajoe

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