Do you get port draw/flush on your infusion day?

EissetB
EissetB Member Posts: 133
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I don't understand why do I get port draw/flush on my infusion day? Why it has to be on the port every time now? I thought port draw is done every month not twice a month? I know I should make a list of questions for my onc. She might have all the answers. She seems nice and understandable and kind doctor. She's from Russia. But my trouble is I always forget to take the list with me!! Darn brain fog...and it's getting worse too. And something else I don't understand is that why these nurses inject saline on the tube before and after chemo? I hate the smell of it....and the worse thing is that I can almost taste it all week!! Yuck!! You can call me a complainer or a whiner, I don't mind at all....like everybody else I am also in pain and I want it out by saying it out of my lungs. I wish I could scream from the top of my lungs and cry till there will be no more tears left in my eyes :( I hate being sick!!!!!

Comments

  • lizard44
    lizard44 Member Posts: 409 Member
    #2
    It's normal to have the port flushed at every infusion

    The once a month flushing is for when the port isn't being used regularly. As I understand it,  the flushing helps prevent occlusion in the catheter, such as from blood clots.  The procedure at the clinic where I get treatment is to have blood drawn prior to the infusion to make sure blood counts are high enough to  administer chemo.  The port is flushed after the  blood test  and again after the chemo treatment.

    Have you tried sucking on a peppermint just before they begin flushing the port?  The saline doesn't bother me but I can definitely taste the heparin and the peppermint does seem to help. If I forget, the nurses often remind me to get my peppermint ready when they  are  getting ready to do the flush and hep lock :-)

    Grace/lizard44

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #3
    Always Got Port Flush On Chemo Day

    The port is being accessed for the chemo, so they flushed it.  After I was done, I was told to get it flushed every 6 to 8 weeks.  Usually between scans and blood work, it was rare that I had to schedule a flush without an appointment going on for something else.  Once things spaced out and was not quite a constant going to do things, and just when I thought a bit of normal set in without constant reminder, had to go to get port flushed.  

    It is a TON easier using the port once you have it as compared to the regular way.  Went to my GP who want to do some blood work.  Told them no thanks unless they can use my port :)  (It was something that was a tad optional on whether bloodwork needed)

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited July 2017 #4
    Yup

    Always a flush day on chemo day.  That's what they did before and after chemo.  It's better to keep the port flushed than the clog up.  If getting blood work they did a flush also.  Wishing you well.

    Kim

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