Stage 3c

wlkdnose
wlkdnose Member Posts: 45
in Ovarian Cancer #1
That was what we heard from the gyn/onco appt for my sister today. The types were mostly squamous cell and they did find a few clear cells which he said were so small in amount that it was irrelevant. She will have six cycles of taxol and I think Cistplatin? She will have to stay in the hospital overnight while one of them is being infused...I can't remember which one. Good thing my sister wrote it all down! She already has the IP port and she is debating on getting a chest port. What is your advice/experience on that one? She will also be the first person to receive the IP chemo at our local hospital because of her lack of insurance Mass general is not an option right now even though her gyn/onco. is from there. I am telling you, our healthcare system is messed up...again thanks for reading!

Comments

  • leesag
    leesag Member Posts: 621 Member
    #2
    Chest Port
    I love my Chest Power Port! I am one year out from chemo (undergoing radiation for a recurrence in another area), but I plan to keep my chest port as long as it works. It's a dream for blood draws, chemo was easy (I could use my arms freely!), and I just have to have it flushed every 5 - 6 weeks. Make sure your sister has some tight sports bras to hold the girls in place, (I'm fairly well endowed and the jiggling of the jugs was a bit painful)but other than that, it's an easy install!

    I'm sorry that she's been staged 3c, sadly that's usually the norm. There are a lot of long term 3c and even IV survivors out there, I plan on being one of them!

    Hugs and Healing!

    Leesa
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #3
    The chest port is THE way to
    The chest port is THE way to go. Chemo trashes your veins, and once they're gone, every subsequent blood draw for the rest of her life will be an ordeal.

    Be sure she gets a script for the numbing cream. Apply it one hour prior to chemo (or blood draws). Nobody gets extra points for pain, so take all the "helpers" you can get.

    Carlene
  • MK_4Dani
    MK_4Dani Member Posts: 314
    #4
    Chest Port is the way to go.
    I love my chest port. The chest port does not hurt or feel as uncomfortable as the IP port. It is a piece of cake and so much easier to receive treatments via chest port. I had IP treatments and did very well. I was dx Stage 3C and I have been NED for one and half years...tell your sister there is hope and she will get thru these treatments.
    Good Luck,
    Mary
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    The chest port is THE way to
    The chest port is THE way to go. Chemo trashes your veins, and once they're gone, every subsequent blood draw for the rest of her life will be an ordeal.

    Be sure she gets a script for the numbing cream. Apply it one hour prior to chemo (or blood draws). Nobody gets extra points for pain, so take all the "helpers" you can get.

    Carlene

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    #6
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    IP port
    Nancy707: Where was your IP port located and how long did you have that?

    I think Carlene is talking about IF chemo trashes your veins, then you would get poked over and over again for blood draws. Now THAT would be an ordeal!

    LQ
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #7
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    IVs
    Nancy,
    So do you receive all of your integrative IVs via a peripheral vein?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #8
    LaundryQueen said:

    IP port
    Nancy707: Where was your IP port located and how long did you have that?

    I think Carlene is talking about IF chemo trashes your veins, then you would get poked over and over again for blood draws. Now THAT would be an ordeal!

    LQ

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
    Tethys41 said:

    IVs
    Nancy,
    So do you receive all of your integrative IVs via a peripheral vein?

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #10
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thanks
    Thanks Nancy. This is good information. My IVs are going to taper off over the next few months, and I've been debating as to whether to keep my port or not when I'm down to 2 IVs per month. Sounds like getting rid of it won't be a problem.
  • tjpt16
    tjpt16 Member Posts: 27
    #11
    Port? yes!
    Got my chest port about three weeks ago and I'm loving it. Much better than being stuck five times to try and find a vein.

    Teresa

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