OK...Port Removal....Local or put to sleep
Comments
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Here is my story- the horror
Here is my story- the horror of emergency surgery and the chemo experience was still way to fresh in my mind when I had my port out. I was crying to my oncologist about my fear of hospitals, doctors, needles- he called and talked to the intervention radiologist who was to take it out and nobody had a problem with me being, well, ah, heavily medicated. As in starting the night before. I was on valium up until the twilight drug kicked in. Oh, my oncologist doesn't take these out- it is done in outpatient at the hospital. Am I am whimp? Absolutely. But I also appreciate my oncologist who doesn't expect his cancer patients to chin it up and just take it. I thought, with good reason, that I had been through enough already, and something so simple as getting the port out, that I wanted that to be a piece of cake. And it was! So I say to you, "man it up Buzz and demand the good twighlight stuf!"0 -
Hey
When my time comes to get this little port out (my grandson is going to miss it, his little chubby hands always ends up trying to play with it, but he's got a good couple more years or so with it) I'm going to S L E E P!!!
Yep, that's the way to go Buzz!!!
Winter Marie
PS, CONGRATS on getting it out!!!!0 -
Yay!
Great that you are getting the port out. To me if signified the end of treatment! I had a local, just a little tugging and it was out. The doc asked if I wanted to keep it or have him just throw it away - I did not want to see it so he tossed it. now I wish that I had kept it and thrown a stompin' party!0 -
OMGoshsoccermom13 said:Yay!
Great that you are getting the port out. To me if signified the end of treatment! I had a local, just a little tugging and it was out. The doc asked if I wanted to keep it or have him just throw it away - I did not want to see it so he tossed it. now I wish that I had kept it and thrown a stompin' party!
A stompin' party sounds so fantastic when it comes to saying goodbye to the port and all it means!!0 -
done both
I've done both. Local was OK but I agree with others -- after all we've been through.....whether a "light general" or a "heavy local", I tell my docs I want to be in la-la land.
I had one surgeon ask me what music I wanted to be listening to during a procedure (I think it was insertion of a port). I told him he should chose whatever HE wanted to be listening to -- because I didn't intend to be awake enough to hear it! He got the point....
Good luck!
Tara0 -
Knocked Out!
I still have my Port, but I have already discussed the future removal ( when the time comes ) with my surgeon. He can remove it in his office with me being "awake" or I can go to the hospital and get the la la land stuff. I opt for door number 2 please!
I was asleep for the Port placement done by my surgeon and later found out that I would have been awake if the radiologists had done it as I had originally been told I would be getting. I happened to mention getting a Port to my surgeon and he said he could do it if I wanted
( He did my sigmoid colectomy, so I already knew him )
I am a severe medical chicken and ended up in the ER three weeks ago after collapsing in the Oncology Office during a "routine" Port Flush. After three days in the hospital I was told I
probably "fainted" which I highly doubt as I made it through 12 rounds of Folfox without having that issue!
If given a choice I always opt for a good sleep. I always let the docs know that I am a needle phobic and would appeciate some drugs! ( I usually hesitate to take any pain killers and try to tough out pain as I tend to have unusual reactions to meds )
Have a nice sleep.....you feel more refreshed if they do it right!
Take Care,
Barb0 -
Do what you feel best with, as long as the port is gonejararno said:Knocked Out!
I still have my Port, but I have already discussed the future removal ( when the time comes ) with my surgeon. He can remove it in his office with me being "awake" or I can go to the hospital and get the la la land stuff. I opt for door number 2 please!
I was asleep for the Port placement done by my surgeon and later found out that I would have been awake if the radiologists had done it as I had originally been told I would be getting. I happened to mention getting a Port to my surgeon and he said he could do it if I wanted
( He did my sigmoid colectomy, so I already knew him )
I am a severe medical chicken and ended up in the ER three weeks ago after collapsing in the Oncology Office during a "routine" Port Flush. After three days in the hospital I was told I
probably "fainted" which I highly doubt as I made it through 12 rounds of Folfox without having that issue!
If given a choice I always opt for a good sleep. I always let the docs know that I am a needle phobic and would appeciate some drugs! ( I usually hesitate to take any pain killers and try to tough out pain as I tend to have unusual reactions to meds )
Have a nice sleep.....you feel more refreshed if they do it right!
Take Care,
Barb
The surgeon who did my colostomy also inserted and removed port. Port removal was done in his office with local applied to chest area....It hurt a bit, esp when he twisted and turned it to pull it out. Wanted to save it but then remembered I'll have the stoma he created forever so why save the port? You'll end up with a little scar where port had been to go along with all the other battle scars......best of results, Clift.......steve0 -
They put me out for about 15Sundanceh said:Take A Nap:)
Best move to make, Buzz. You close your eyes, then open 'em, and it's all over. And congrats on the removal. I've had 3 installed and 2 removed. Looking forward to getting #3 out one day too.
Enjoy your Versed and Fentanyl "Margarita."
-Craig
They put me out for about 15 minutes or less.0 -
CONGRATS
So glad for you the port is coming out. I opt for sleeping through it too. We have enough junk we cannot sleep through as it is. lol... best wishes! Hugs, Joyce0 -
It isn't bad
I drove to have breakfast after mine. The local "stuff" they used kept me from feeling anything. You can't really see the doc working either with the location.
I always hated having to have a driver so it was an easy decision for me. I had left mine in for 2 years after my last chemo treatment and it was in there pretty good but again I didn't feel anything. The bruise it left looked pretty wicked and I remember being surprised by it.
Lisa P.0 -
Local
You don't want to be put out as in a General Anesthetic. Trust me... we all go through enough "surgical" procedures where one has to have a general and although people feel that is the easiest, it is the hardest on your body, heart and system. Avoid general anesthesia whenever you possibly can.
Having said that... by all means take the "sedation" medication... it's the same sedation stuff they give you for a colonoscopy. The "local" freezing they put in before doing the removal procedure (or insertion), is very, very good and you will never ever feel anything that they are doing even if you are awake. The sedation doesn't work on me as far as knocking me out... I'm wide awake throughout and have no problem with it. I'm sure it must calm me down since I never feel any anxiety or panic... but seriously, I would never go under a general or be knocked out where I then needed to stick around at the hospital for a few hours while the anesthesia wore off (or if you got a general, you might have to stay overnight for observation).
When I had my port installed at the end of January... I had the sedation and a local... once the procedure was done (20 minutes), they wheeled me back to the recovery room and I could get up, dress and leave within 15 minutes of coming out of the operating room. Two friends picked me up and we went out for lunch (I was hungry by then), then they brought me home and I got back to doing some computer work
Buzz... if *I* can do that ... you certainly can too. Don't talk yourself into it being something worse than it is because it really isn't
Cheryl0 -
to sleep or not to sleep, that is the question...
I just got my port six days ago, so here's my 2cents...had a local and they also gave me valium or something for anxiety. It went fine and I'm a way big med-baby too. Being put under completely scares me just as much as the thought of experiencing the actual procedure itself. Also, if put out you take longer to come out from under and are likely to experience more after-effects from the meds.
While we're on the subject of ports, can someone fill me in on the methods/schedule used to keep it clean in there?
Janine0 -
Keep it clean?SisterSledge said:to sleep or not to sleep, that is the question...
I just got my port six days ago, so here's my 2cents...had a local and they also gave me valium or something for anxiety. It went fine and I'm a way big med-baby too. Being put under completely scares me just as much as the thought of experiencing the actual procedure itself. Also, if put out you take longer to come out from under and are likely to experience more after-effects from the meds.
While we're on the subject of ports, can someone fill me in on the methods/schedule used to keep it clean in there?
Janine
Hi Janine,
Are you talking about the catheter/tubing part that goes into the vein and keeping that clean? The device itself is sterile when they insert it and will remain sterile inside (there is nothing to contaminate it). As for the catheter/tube part that is used for infusing the chemo into the vein... it depends on the type of port they installed. After you have had a chemo infusion, the nurse will then flush it with either saline solution or "heprin". The port I have which was inserted in January, only needs a saline flush. The older ones need a flush of "Heprin" which makes sure no blood clots form around the catheter. If you are not using your port (some of us will end up keeping them for a year or two after we finish chemo, just in case we need it again), then they have to be flushed every 4-5 weeks or so. It is a quick 30 second procedure, so you can have that done at a Dr's appt. or when you next go have blood work done. It's no big deal... just a poke with a needle as they put a syringe of saline solution in.
Cheryl0 -
I was put out
But not fully under, if that makes sense, just drugged up enough to not remember. The recovery was not an issue, I never even needed all the Vicodin they gave me for after. I mostly just used Aleve.0 -
I had both port in and out under local
I like to be present, and was comfortable. It also meant I could leave the hospital more quickly after the procedure, and didn't have to wait around several hours. (My husband appreciated that, too. However, I didn't do it for him, I did it for me.)
Whichever way you are comfortable is right for you.0 -
Thanks CherylCherylHutch said:Keep it clean?
Hi Janine,
Are you talking about the catheter/tubing part that goes into the vein and keeping that clean? The device itself is sterile when they insert it and will remain sterile inside (there is nothing to contaminate it). As for the catheter/tube part that is used for infusing the chemo into the vein... it depends on the type of port they installed. After you have had a chemo infusion, the nurse will then flush it with either saline solution or "heprin". The port I have which was inserted in January, only needs a saline flush. The older ones need a flush of "Heprin" which makes sure no blood clots form around the catheter. If you are not using your port (some of us will end up keeping them for a year or two after we finish chemo, just in case we need it again), then they have to be flushed every 4-5 weeks or so. It is a quick 30 second procedure, so you can have that done at a Dr's appt. or when you next go have blood work done. It's no big deal... just a poke with a needle as they put a syringe of saline solution in.
Cheryl
That's exactly what I wanted to know 0 -
Can you spell Versed and
Can you spell Versed and Fentanyl.
That is what I received for both colonoscopies.0
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