Chemo Port Questions

jazzy1 said:

Power Port
The port I've got is manufactured by BARD. I've had it in for 2 years and have no complaints about movement/activity restrictions. Was never told about ANY restructions even after the outpatient surgery to implant.

Now my job is more a desk type, but I'm not a sitter in any sense of the word. I run, lift heavy weights, move heavy boxes, swim, etc, etc. The only restriction I can see is something laying on top of the port or you putting some type of blunt force on top of it as well. If I think about it, I never changed my lifestyle after receiving the port.

What type of job do you have which makes you think about restrictions due to the port?

Might I suggest calling your doctor or the facility which implanted the port and ask further questions.

Good luck!!
Jan

kkstef said:

Power Port
I had a power port and had no restrictions. I never felt it when moving, etc. Never hurt. It is an outpatient procedure and you will be up and out of the out patient area before you know!

Karen

lindaprocopio said:

You should be fine with a weekend to recover from insertion.
I know people who have had a port inserted in the morning and gotten chemo in it that same afternoon. You should be fine with the weekend to recover from the surgery. I think I went to a ballgame the same evening I had my port inserted. I am thin and boney and have a Power Port that stands up about 1/4" off my chest. (Power Ports are "do-all" ports but they do stand up more than regular ports.) I LOVE my port because I can use it for CT/PET scans and chemo and transfusions and never need to get stuck in my veins any more for anything.

I will share with you a tip that my surgeon gave me: He said that the weight of the breasts & gravity put more strain on a port than anything. He recommended that during the 1st month after the port insertion that I put on a good supportive bra immediately after getting up and don't take it off until I am ready to lie back down into bed. In the beginning I even bought "sleep bras" and wore those at night to keep that 'pull' at a minimum. (I wear those sleep bras now for scans since they have no metal on them anywhere.) Even now, more than a year later, I still keep the straps yanked up on my bras to lessen the pressure on my skin from my port. I'm not busty by any means, but yanking those puppies up does push some extra skin and fat over the port that cushions the strain on the thin layer of skin that covers my port. Charlene, a poster on the Ovarian Cancer Discussion Board had her port break through her skin because she is skinny & boney like me, so I try to be extra careful about wearing good bras that prop me up.

Looking for advise...real, truthful advise that doctors can't give unless they have been through it kind of advise.  I had a port two years ago for chemo treatments and went into respiratory arrest and they had to remove the port.  So now I need to have a port placed for more of a life time medication purpose.  I've been sick since I was five and getting stuck for labs about every six months since then equals out to crappy veins.  My BIG question is....my husband and I were in the process of adopting an infant before all of this came up.  We have since put things on hold because I am not sure how safe it would be to care for a child or myself with having a port.  (babies tug and pick on everything and the risk of infection with poop and puke).  Is there anyone out there who can help me sort this out?  At 36, I just want to be a mom, but not sure if the port would put a stop to that or not.  Any help, support or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  

Kate Grady said:

Need some support

Looking for advise...real, truthful advise that doctors can't give unless they have been through it kind of advise.  I had a port two years ago for chemo treatments and went into respiratory arrest and they had to remove the port.  So now I need to have a port placed for more of a life time medication purpose.  I've been sick since I was five and getting stuck for labs about every six months since then equals out to crappy veins.  My BIG question is....my husband and I were in the process of adopting an infant before all of this came up.  We have since put things on hold because I am not sure how safe it would be to care for a child or myself with having a port.  (babies tug and pick on everything and the risk of infection with poop and puke).  Is there anyone out there who can help me sort this out?  At 36, I just want to be a mom, but not sure if the port would put a stop to that or not.  Any help, support or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  

I have,had the port I have now,for three year and I don't even notice,it anymore.  The tiny sport where they access it,for,chemo heals over in a day or two.  Mine is just a small bump that is hardly noticeable.  i usually feel comfortable sitting in my hot tub with in a few,days.  I would think that if you sanitized and,just used good cleanliness measures that everything should be fine.  A head butt from a baby migh hurt though..  it can easily be covered with a water proof bandage for the first day of two,after it,was,accessed.  

Hugs nd prayer, Lou Ann

I've had my port since April. I wouldn't do chemo any other way. The lidocaine is magical. I'm done with chemo but will keep my port indefinitely because of the risk of reoccurrence. It really comes in handy if you have to get contrast with an MRI, etc or a blood test where they can access it (I've been in the hospital a

couple times not related to cancer. You just have to get it flushed regularly if not in active treatment. They told me every 12 weeks. 

Kate, I would strongly recommend getting another port if you didn't have any trouble with it the first time. I love mine and was so glad to have it during treatment.

My infusion nurses never use any kind of numbing cream when they access it. It hurts for a second and then nothing. Now that frontline is over, I get it flushed every 6 weeks. That may be more often then some others but I appreciate having that level of contact with an important part of my support group now that treatment is over.

Hoping all goes well for you with your medications and your adoption. Kim

The port manufacturer (Power Port) says every 4 weeks but while I was off of chemo my onc's office said 5-6 weeks. 

This range of schedules for port flushing is kind of funny. I was worried about the fact that my doctor's office was extended it two weeks past what the port manufacturer recommended!

is out now but it was flushed every 12 weeks.  I also thought of it as my buddy.