Port

ppurdin, before I had cancer I didn't know that chemo makes your veins hard, so it make may it harder to get 'stuck' each time.  Some women have their ports in for a few years, their doctor recommendation in the event they need more chemo in the future.  I will search for other threads to tag on, but here is what I have found so far.  It is a little old but the info is from a good source - other warriors.

http://csn.cancer.org/node/156088

Here is another:

http://csn.cancer.org/node/210605

Finally:

http://csn.cancer.org/node/302723

I am sure one of the lovely ladies can add their experience with one since I can not be of any help on this.  

 Hello Pat –

 I “second” everything “wholfmeister” said.  The first thing I said to the oncologist when I knew I was going to have chemotherapy was, “I want a port.”  He said, “No problem.”  Then he scheduled an appointment with a trained radiologist for me to have the port put in place.    

 This is a very short video of a young lady getting ready for one of her many chemo treatments.  It’s the same procedure I go through. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKXmySpexi8

 FYI--Prior to going in for chemo treatments, a trained radiologist will have placed a port in your chest.  Actually it will be placed above your breast on the right side close to your collar bone (clavicle).   And when mine was put in, chemo treatments began about 3 days later.  So there’s no long waiting period from the time you have it inserted until you begin your treatments.  Probably only 3 days or so.  So you don’t wait a long time from the surgical insertion of the medi-port until you can use it. 

          Although you will be in a hospital gown when you have it placed,  I would like to make a suggestion.  Be sure it is placed in a position so as not to be too close to your bra straps.  I asked the doctor to let me put on my bra so that the port would not be in the same place where my bra strap would be.  And so he let me put my bra on so he could see where the straps were normally.  (Some bras have wide padded straps while others are rather thin.)  Then he positioned the port so it would not rub against my strap.  The port is a very small device and depending on the shirts or blouses you choose to wear, it isn’t visible.  You can feel it though if you rub over it with your hand.  Now Pat, if you wear a “plunging neckline”….well…that might be a problem! 

           And the port will be flushed by a special nurse trained in the art of “flushing ports” every 4 to 6 weeks from the time you have it inserted in your chest.    I’ve never had a problem with it.  The oncologist schedules in a time for the nurse to flush my port, so the lines are always clear and readily accessible. 

          At first I pulled up a video that showed the actual doctor marking the place for the port on the patient’s upper right chest, then making the incisions, and then I thought better of that.  NOPE that’s a bit graphic and not really necessary unless you are a medical student.  But I’ve watched so many videos of procedures, surgeries, etc. it doesn’t bother me anymore.  But I must confess, when I first started looking at different medical operations, especially Esophagectomies, because that’s what my husband had, I had to turn my head away.  I said, “Oooh I don’t think I can watch this,” but now I do, and find them very interesting and informative.  But bottom line, you DO want a port. 

           And sometimes when I go for a CT scan, the techs will ask if they want them to use my vein or use my port.  I always say, “It depends on how well you know how to access a port.”  Some say, I don’t know how to access a port, while others will say they can do either, whichever I prefer.  So it depends on the expertise of the attending nurses and how much they know before I let them use the port.  But naturally, the nurses who will be administering the chemotherapy drugs are totally adept at finding a vein or using the port. 

          Don’t be afraid.  You’ll love it. 

 Loretta

 P.S.  Here’s a technical but informative article from Sloan Kettering on the placement, use and maintenance of a medi-port.

  https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/your-implanted-port

Hello again Lori –

 Don’t sweat the port.  It’s really no biggie.  Take a piece of clear plastic and tape it around the site while you shower.  My port procedure went smoothly and I had no difficulties or bruising.  It really did not hurt.  My husband had his port put in on a Friday and started chemo on the following Monday.  I don’t remember the exact number of days between my insertion and the time of my first chemo, but was put in place right before I started my chemo. 

 You’ll just have to take it from those of us who have already had the port placement.  It’s really not that painful.  I believe the words “port insertion” sound scarier than the actual procedure. 

 Let me give you a suggestion.  Prior to my surgery @ UPMC back in 2013, my surgeon wanted me to bathe with a special kind of wash called HIBICLENS.  It is described as an antiseptic/antimicrobial skin cleanser.  You can buy it at the drug store.  I showered with it for 3 days prior to my surgery.  I keep it in the shower, and often wash the area of skin around my port, just to be sure it’s as clean as possible.  I do this before I go in for a chemo infusion, and I use it on that area the next time I shower as well.  Instructions will tell you not to wash the genital area with it, and I don’t wash my face with it.

 As shown in the short video below, the nurse will cleanse the area with a special solution prior to the chemo infusion session, and again when he/she removes the lines when you’re finished for the day.  I keep that bandage on until I shower.  And that’s when I use the Hibiclens again.  It can be used for other purposes as well and isn’t very expensive.  However, it may not be something that the pharmacy has on hand and they may have to order it. 

 During the chemo session, the port will be securely covered as you will see in the video.  That way no sudden movements will cause it to come out.  The port area will be cleansed at the end of your procedure and a small sterile bandage will be placed over the port opening.

You will want to bring along your laptop, IPad, smart phone, or a good book, maybe even a favorite pillow, although they supply pillows and blankets there.   Hopefully a good friend will be there to keep you company.  You will be there for several hours most likely.  Eat a good breakfast.

And one very important thing I practiced during chemo, I took my anti-nausea pill the very first thing when I awoke each morning.  I took the pill bottle with me to bed and a bottle of water.  The first time my eyes opened in the morning, I took the pill and drank some water.  And by the time I was ready for breakfast, the pill had time to work like a preventative measure.  I never had nausea, and I attribute it to this regimen.  My nausea med was “Granisetron (KYTRIL)”.  It was fantastic. 

(The only time I had nausea was one time after an injection of “Neupogen” that builds up the white blood cells.  Well, after that I switched to “Neulasta” and had no side effects.)  But you need to read about other precautions I took in my letter to “Brian from the North”.  http://csn.cancer.org/node/301646

The chemo infusion lines are suspended from an IV pole of course, and when you need to go to the lady’s room, you simply disconnect the pole’s plug from the wall, drag the pole along, and go on your way.  The machine will continue to work on time-drip basis.  When you get back to your recliner, remember to plug it back in and that’s the way you will get around during the day.  You can get up and walk around if you need to.  You just have to take the pole and all the stuff with you. 

 And at our clinic here in Virginia Oncology in Norfolk, VA, a volunteer team will come by at lunch time, and offer us an array of sandwiches, cookies, chips and soft drinks, etc.  Believe me, you’ll like that part of the day.  It can be boring when the days are long, so plan ahead to keep yourself busy.  I venture to say the "first treatment" will be the most suspense-filled one. 

 Now some people sleep, but the Benadryl that is supposed to make one sleepy, revved me up instead.  And for a while, I couldn’t keep my legs still.  (Restless legs which I don’t have ordinarily.)  That lasted for about 45 minutes, and wasn’t pleasant.  But it’s part of the preparatory drugs before you get the real chemo drugs.  So keep yourself as pre-occupied as much as possible and don’t constantly stare at the bag up above your head, wondering “how much more of this?”  Remember, it’s killing tumors inside and that’s the good part of the whole ordeal. 

 Loretta

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E8G_8Fk39A

 Here’s another video of a lady having her port accessed and getting ready for the chemo infusion.  This is different from the one I mentioned in my letter to Pat.  This is exactly what will happen when you begin your treatments.

 She made a good suggestion.   When you go in for your treatments, wear a blouse or shirt that is easily open in your chest area.  Don’t wear a “turtle-neck” sweater for instance.  I wear something that is a soft knit with a scoop neckline. 

And your port will be flushed every 4 to 6 weeks for as long as you have it in.  So wear something easily accessible as well when you’re going in for just a “port flush”. 

EZLiving66 said:

How did the port installation

How did the port installation go, Lori and PP??  I was one of the unfortunate ones where the port site never healed and finally had to be removed two months later.  Then it took another eight weeks at the Wound Care Clinic to get that healed.  All around, not a good situation.  They only could use it once, the day after its installation for chemo.  I don't have good veins and the vein infusions were tough.  I think if I ever had to have chemo again though, I'd try for a port again.....but maybe on the left side - way too much scar tissue on the right.

Love,

Eldri

Hi Eldri and all,

Port insertion went well (sorry you went through such a difficult time) I simply put some of the numbing cream on an hour before my appointment and all my labs and infusions are a breeze.  The nurse sprays a topical freezing spray and immediately inserts the line.  I was sitting next to a fellow in the infusion room that had to endure 3 different nurses trying to catch his vein, I'll take the port any day!  Have a safe holiday all