how long did you keep port

sweetvickid

I am finished with chemo and they said they would set up an appointment to get rid of my port at my next appointment. I have grown attached to my port and am kinda freaking out at the thought of not having it.

Rague

Still have it
My port was put in on Aug. 25, '09 and still have it. No plans at this time to take it out. I'm IBC so good chance it might be needed again and with all my Drs' approval it's staying as my "lifesaver". I'd rather keep it where it is and do monthly flushes than to have to have another one put in.

Susan

jessiesmom1

When to remove your port
I had my port removed about 3 MONTHS after I was finished with my chemo. My oncologist said he had no further use for it and said to go for it. I always felt like there was this alien thing inside me and it creeped me out to feel it. The removal was done in my surgeon's office under local anesthesia and it took about 10 minutes. I even drove myself home. There is a small scar left.

On the other hand, my husband who is a colon cancer survivor, kept his port for 3 YEARS after chemo was done. He seemed to be emotionally attached to it. He felt that if he had it removed that would be when it would be needed again. He had to have the port flushed every 3 months while it was still in place. That really wasn't so bad because he went to see the oncologist every 3 months and they flushed the port and drew blood from it at that time. It was a little more difficult to remove the port because it had been in for so long but it was still an office procedure with local anesthesia.

Bottom line: it is a very personal decision on when to remove your port. There is no medical reason of which I am aware that it must be removed immediately upon finishing chemo. Lots of women on the board have kept their port for some time. I was personally glad to get rid of it.

EllenaMaria

jessiesmom1 said:

When to remove your port
I had my port removed about 3 MONTHS after I was finished with my chemo. My oncologist said he had no further use for it and said to go for it. I always felt like there was this alien thing inside me and it creeped me out to feel it. The removal was done in my surgeon's office under local anesthesia and it took about 10 minutes. I even drove myself home. There is a small scar left.

On the other hand, my husband who is a colon cancer survivor, kept his port for 3 YEARS after chemo was done. He seemed to be emotionally attached to it. He felt that if he had it removed that would be when it would be needed again. He had to have the port flushed every 3 months while it was still in place. That really wasn't so bad because he went to see the oncologist every 3 months and they flushed the port and drew blood from it at that time. It was a little more difficult to remove the port because it had been in for so long but it was still an office procedure with local anesthesia.

Bottom line: it is a very personal decision on when to remove your port. There is no medical reason of which I am aware that it must be removed immediately upon finishing chemo. Lots of women on the board have kept their port for some time. I was personally glad to get rid of it.

I had mine out a week after
I had mine out a week after last chemo. My husband wanted it out the next day, onc said that would be fine. Some here have mentioned worrying that once they have it out they would need it again. For me, I figure if I have it taken out I will not need it ever again.

KathiM

September, year after treatment over....
I had my port placed for my rectal cancer, then used it during my subsequent breast cancer...then, at the 'all clear' 1-year mark, I had it removed. Total time of about 3 years. It was high on my breastbone, and was unsightly to me when I wore v-necked blouses.

It's such a personal prefrence....I figured when I need another, I can always have one placed...and, the technology changes, so I will have a better one...

Dutch hugs, Kathi

Sher43009

KathiM said:

September, year after treatment over....
I had my port placed for my rectal cancer, then used it during my subsequent breast cancer...then, at the 'all clear' 1-year mark, I had it removed. Total time of about 3 years. It was high on my breastbone, and was unsightly to me when I wore v-necked blouses.

It's such a personal prefrence....I figured when I need another, I can always have one placed...and, the technology changes, so I will have a better one...

Dutch hugs, Kathi

I had mine out 3 months
I had mine out 3 months after herceptin was done. It was used for over 1 1/2 years. After removal and I put on a tee shirt it was so good not to see that bump. I figure if bc comes back the port can go in again, until then I love not having it.

Sher

CR1954

I had........
I had my port for 14 months, but that is because I had Herceptin infusions for a year.

Neither the surgeon nor my onc told me that it was time to have it removed. Frankly, I wanted to have it removed, but they would have let me keep it longer if I had wished to.

If you are feeling insecure about losing it just yet, ask if you might keep it awhile longer.

Hugs,
CR

Heatherbelle

ooh I had mine removed as
ooh I had mine removed as soon as i possibly could! I can't remember the exact length of time but i'm thinking it was about a month and a half to 2 months after i finished chemo. Mine was placed right above my left breast, very noticeable and i had grown to hate the damn thing! But, like so many others have said, it is a personal decision. I had some of my chemo nurses reccomend to me to keep it in for a year. I'm glad it's gone though. It just felt so weird right under my skin like that.
*hugs*
Heather

tgf

Heatherbelle said:

ooh I had mine removed as
ooh I had mine removed as soon as i possibly could! I can't remember the exact length of time but i'm thinking it was about a month and a half to 2 months after i finished chemo. Mine was placed right above my left breast, very noticeable and i had grown to hate the damn thing! But, like so many others have said, it is a personal decision. I had some of my chemo nurses reccomend to me to keep it in for a year. I'm glad it's gone though. It just felt so weird right under my skin like that.
*hugs*
Heather

port
I had mine put in a week before chemo ... 3/09 ... and even though I finished chemo quite awhile ago ... the port is still there. My choice. I have such a fear of needles ... just the thought of anyone trying to poke around for a vein to draw blood gives me the willies. I don't mind the monthly flushes ... since I know it will only take one LITTLE poke ... and just a few seconds ... and the whole thing is over. I'm trying to tell myself that after my next diagnostic mammogram in April ... if it comes out OK ... then I'm telling myself it might be time to have the port removed. But ... I'm already trying to tell myself to keep it longer. It's NEVER bothered me ... and I guess I've sort gotten to look at it as some sort of "life-line."

As everyone said ... it's a personal thing and there's no set time to have it removed. My surgeon says he knows of people who have had them for many, many years and often the only time they have them removed is because they become "outdated."

hugs.
teena

sausageroll

tgf said:

port
I had mine put in a week before chemo ... 3/09 ... and even though I finished chemo quite awhile ago ... the port is still there. My choice. I have such a fear of needles ... just the thought of anyone trying to poke around for a vein to draw blood gives me the willies. I don't mind the monthly flushes ... since I know it will only take one LITTLE poke ... and just a few seconds ... and the whole thing is over. I'm trying to tell myself that after my next diagnostic mammogram in April ... if it comes out OK ... then I'm telling myself it might be time to have the port removed. But ... I'm already trying to tell myself to keep it longer. It's NEVER bothered me ... and I guess I've sort gotten to look at it as some sort of "life-line."

As everyone said ... it's a personal thing and there's no set time to have it removed. My surgeon says he knows of people who have had them for many, many years and often the only time they have them removed is because they become "outdated."

hugs.
teena

Port
I kept mine for about 10 months after chemo. The longer you keep it in, the harder it is to remove because scar tissue builds up around it Removal is easy...mine took about half an hour..but she told me that some take a lot longer than that.
Two things to bear in mind are the risk of infection and the risk of blood clots if the port is left in.
Good luck with your choice.

Lighthouse_7

sausageroll said:

Port
I kept mine for about 10 months after chemo. The longer you keep it in, the harder it is to remove because scar tissue builds up around it Removal is easy...mine took about half an hour..but she told me that some take a lot longer than that.
Two things to bear in mind are the risk of infection and the risk of blood clots if the port is left in.
Good luck with your choice.

I had mine removed after I
I had mine removed after I finished radiation. Finished chemo in October and rads on Dec 22nd and had it removed Dec. 28th.
I personally couldn't wait, but a lot of people leave them in longer. I think it is a very personal decision.
Good luck with your decision.

Reikigemgirl

I had my port out....
3 months after I finished chemo. I didn't want to keep going in and having it flushed. I just wanted it out. My surgeon did ask me to keep it in longer, just incase but I wanted it out so my oncologist said to go for it. The reason my surgeon wanted me to keep it in was because I don't have good veins in my chest area so he had to put it in my thigh and he didn't want to go through all of that again. Since my breast cancer is gone, I am expecting to not be needing a port anytime soon!!!