Hot tub after port surgery

Macdougal

Hi there, I have a qustion for the community.  

My port surgeon gave a limit of 4 months of healing before immersing myself in a pool or bath tub or hot tub.  Surgery was Nov 2.

the hot tub is mine, not a community one and I can control the chlorine

I’m not asking the internet to validate my desire to hot tub early, but that seems excessive,especially when compared to information on the internet.

one of the reasons given for long recovery times is not weakening the scar by immersion.  I was thinking about smearing the sites with Vaseline and crank up the chlorinse.

soo, while i’m not going to violate dr’s orders, I’m looking for experience that I can use during a conversation with her.

thanks!

 

Mikenh

I have no opinions on hot

I have no opinions on hot tubs as the last time I was in one was probably over 20 years ago but there are a couple of things that I enjoy doing that I've basically put off doing until my Adjuvant Chemo is done, the ports removed, and I get my reversal. I expect those to happen in about six months. So, if you know that the port is coming out at some point, can you wait? In some cases the answer is yes, and, in some cases, it's no. But it is a consideration.

Tunadog

Hmmm..

I have a spa in,my backyard. I don’t recall any restrictions when I had 2 ports.

It was never an issue for me (everyday)

Trubrit

Ask him why

Sometimes it is just a personal thing with individual Oncologists.

For me, having a long, hot bath everyday was a life saver. And as soon as my surgeon said I could get my port area wet, I was in the bath.  

Sure, when I was hooked up to the pump (5FU), that was different, I still had my bath, but I did not immerse myself. But when I was unhooked, all was well. 

Tru

JanJan63

I'm like Tru, I love long,

I'm like Tru, I love long, hot baths. But I also am careful not to get water on the port area when I had it and the ostomy area that I still have unless it's time to change the bag. I had a nephrostomy tube in my kidney through my back a few months ago and they said not to have a bath until at least a week after it had been removed so it would be fully healed befoehand. I don't know if that helps at all.

Jan

SandiaBuddy

Water

My surgeon cleared me for swimming one month after surgery, but I waited about two months before I got in a public pool.  So far (nine months out) I have not had any problem.  I think I started baths again (clean water) after about one month.

beaumontdave

The ports usually collar-bone

The ports usually collar-bone high, so it could be kept above with maybe vaseline as you suggest.Other then the month of not getting it wet after implanting, I never heard any other caveats like that, four months seems overly long.I don't think anything we say here will move a doctor's mind, but I'm rooting for a reconsideration, the spa made me feel better sometimes when nothing else would..........................................Dave

traci43

new port

My scar did not heal completely while on chemo (6 months), it was hard and a few stitches kept popping out for a couple of months post-insertion.  They are really careful with those ports because if it gets infected it has to be removed and any infection has a direct line to your heart.  It's up to you what you do, but I would think about how well the scar is healing and base the decision on that.  Good luck whatever you decide.  Traci

Macdougal

Thanks all

Thanks for all the replies!  Traci, one of the things I was wondering about was the sutures, thanks for the insight.

I’m not going to violate drs orders just for a soak.  4 months is Feb 2, still enough time in the season to enjoy some bubbles.

Annabelle41415

Never have received a restriction for a hot tub.  If you think about it, if someone stands in front of a hot shower for 15 mintues that probably would be the same thing.  Maybe you could go in the hot tub and just go up to the port point and not immerse it.  You would still get some major relief from the tub and not danger the port at all.

Kim

traci43

Macdougal said:

Thanks all

Thanks for all the replies!  Traci, one of the things I was wondering about was the sutures, thanks for the insight.

I’m not going to violate drs orders just for a soak.  4 months is Feb 2, still enough time in the season to enjoy some bubbles.

stitches

The funny thing was the chemo nurses didn't want to cut them, but if they are exposed they don't dissolve--they have to be under the skin for that.  Good luck to you, I hope you heal well.  Traci

Macdougal

The nurse's advice

I am so sorry!  I went back and read the written instructions and it's 4 weeks, not 4 months!  I can't believe I did this on my first thread!

I'm an engineer and have a pretty good head for numbers, my partner was with me, also an engineer, and we both distinctly remember 4 months.

I'm almost positive the 4 months came from the post-op nurse.  I'm at MDA and frankly the care is spotty outside of the oncology. 

We now have 18 complaints about the port surgery experience, it was that bad.  I asked for home port needle removal training and the nurse trained us on fittings that are not used clinically!  That was very stressful the first time.

Again, thanks for the advice.  I know I screwed up but with all of your experience I went back and read the written instructions, so this thread was very useful.

-Doug

Annabelle41415

Macdougal said:

The nurse's advice

I am so sorry!  I went back and read the written instructions and it's 4 weeks, not 4 months!  I can't believe I did this on my first thread!

I'm an engineer and have a pretty good head for numbers, my partner was with me, also an engineer, and we both distinctly remember 4 months.

I'm almost positive the 4 months came from the post-op nurse.  I'm at MDA and frankly the care is spotty outside of the oncology. 

We now have 18 complaints about the port surgery experience, it was that bad.  I asked for home port needle removal training and the nurse trained us on fittings that are not used clinically!  That was very stressful the first time.

Again, thanks for the advice.  I know I screwed up but with all of your experience I went back and read the written instructions, so this thread was very useful.

-Doug

Ahh Don't Worry

Your post just didn't make sense about the hot tub, but when we are in a frenzy about what is going on, what is said, and what the instructions are we sometimes tend to blend one sentence together with another.  It's good to have 4 ears which it sounds like you did, but also good to call the office if you think you might have heard it wrong.  Have fun in the hot tub

Kim

Trubrit

We're laughing with you and not at you

because, you can bet your bottom drawer, that we've done the same thing, and more than once. 

Cancer has a habit of discombobulating a person.  Don't worry abuot it one bit. In fact, if I were you, I'd get used to it, because once you're into the chemo, wilder things are going to happen to your head. 

Tru