Infusaport placement

myAZmountain
myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member

Well I have had 2 ports placed on the Right side and both have gotten infected after about 6 weeks, I am dut to have a third port inserted but this time on left side. Has anyone had any bad effects from the port on the left side? My inner nervous Nelly dreads the thought of it so close to my heart. Any info/thoughts appreciated!!

Comments

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Wow

    I'm so sorry to hear that you've had two infections so far.  Sure hoping that this new one will be better.  I've not hear of the port you are talking about but hope it works.

    Kim

  • betula
    betula Member Posts: 86
    Worked out fine

    My husband has his port on the left side.  No problems at all!

    Good luck

     

  • TheMrsCRay
    TheMrsCRay Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2018 #4
    My husband just had his

    My husband just had his placed on Tuesday. What were the symptoms of infection as it started and how soon did they begin? He began running a temp of 103 yesterday. The ER wanted to keep him and treat with Vancomycin without knowing what’s causing temp but he refused and came home. He has stage IV colon cancer with metastatic disease to the liver. I’m wondering if this fever is due to everything filtering through the liver or if his body is fighting the port? He was supposed to start chemo tomorrow. I’m not sure this will happen now. Temp has been down but now 12 hours later back to 100.8, white blood count is normal though. 

     

     

  • mountainhiker
    mountainhiker Member Posts: 54
    Port on port side, not starboard

    My port is on the left side.  It was installed on 05/09/17 and it's been fine.  The only problem you'll have is the seatbelt rubbing it when driving, but it's really not bad.  You could always use a kitchen towel or something similar if it bothers you that much.  Mine had to go on the left side as the doctor didn't think it was a good idea to have the recoil of a shotgun beating against it.

    If it was me, I'd like to know why the ports keep getting infected.  Is someone accessing it without taking proper precautions? 

    mountainhiker

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member

    Port on port side, not starboard

    My port is on the left side.  It was installed on 05/09/17 and it's been fine.  The only problem you'll have is the seatbelt rubbing it when driving, but it's really not bad.  You could always use a kitchen towel or something similar if it bothers you that much.  Mine had to go on the left side as the doctor didn't think it was a good idea to have the recoil of a shotgun beating against it.

    If it was me, I'd like to know why the ports keep getting infected.  Is someone accessing it without taking proper precautions? 

    mountainhiker

    Both ports followed the same

    Both ports followed the same scenario--It functioned beautifully but became very red, warm and started oozing a serous fluid (straw colored) from the area where stitches were--I personally feel my body for some reason does not like the sutures--I had 2 identical episodes. Had second port removed 8/24 and it is still reddened and it oozes very slightly until I actually had a stitch pop out. Doctors just don't seem to tink it is plausible for body to reject the stitches.  With the first port I had a temp of 101.4 for several days before they removed it.  No temp for second round. BOth times was on Keflex but it didn't seem to make much difference.Both lasted about 3 rounds of chemo each.  I have suggested using dermabond to close incision  but it falls on deaf ears. Love that you are still plinking away with your shotgun lol!  Just need to get through 6 more chemo cycles sheesh.

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member

    My husband just had his

    My husband just had his placed on Tuesday. What were the symptoms of infection as it started and how soon did they begin? He began running a temp of 103 yesterday. The ER wanted to keep him and treat with Vancomycin without knowing what’s causing temp but he refused and came home. He has stage IV colon cancer with metastatic disease to the liver. I’m wondering if this fever is due to everything filtering through the liver or if his body is fighting the port? He was supposed to start chemo tomorrow. I’m not sure this will happen now. Temp has been down but now 12 hours later back to 100.8, white blood count is normal though. 

     

     

    I was told that infection

    I was told that infection from the actual insertion would present quickly--within 2 or 3 days after procedure. My symptoms took about 3-4 weeks after insertion so it was not caused by the actual procedure--temp topped out at 101.4. Gosh if he experienced it so fast it may have been the actual insertion? So sorry he is having such a rough time!!! I have not gotten an explanation why this keeps happening, only the Interventional radiologist thinks its "access acquired"  and the Onology dept. thinks its from the Interventinal radiologists. UGH

     

  • mountainhiker
    mountainhiker Member Posts: 54

    Both ports followed the same

    Both ports followed the same scenario--It functioned beautifully but became very red, warm and started oozing a serous fluid (straw colored) from the area where stitches were--I personally feel my body for some reason does not like the sutures--I had 2 identical episodes. Had second port removed 8/24 and it is still reddened and it oozes very slightly until I actually had a stitch pop out. Doctors just don't seem to tink it is plausible for body to reject the stitches.  With the first port I had a temp of 101.4 for several days before they removed it.  No temp for second round. BOth times was on Keflex but it didn't seem to make much difference.Both lasted about 3 rounds of chemo each.  I have suggested using dermabond to close incision  but it falls on deaf ears. Love that you are still plinking away with your shotgun lol!  Just need to get through 6 more chemo cycles sheesh.

    Stitches...Dermabond?

    Might be time to find another doctor.  My surgeon closed up the port incision with a couple steristrips.  I had neither stitches or glue.  

    mountainhiker

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member

    Stitches...Dermabond?

    Might be time to find another doctor.  My surgeon closed up the port incision with a couple steristrips.  I had neither stitches or glue.  

    mountainhiker

    I did try and find another

    I did try and find another doctor --went to Mayo in PHoenix and he was very dismissive and told me not to plan 20-30 years, only make One year plans and that I would be on chemo forever. The sutures used to close the incision are supposed to disolve. I live in a very rural part of AZ but the Interventional Radiologists are all Mayo trained in Rochester and are "supposed" to be very good. I just wish I could find a Doc that treated me as an indiviual and fight for meo

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    My body rejected my port over

    My body rejected my port over a year after I got it. It was horible to have, I was always cringing when someone wanted to hug me, and the seatbelt was uncomfortable. I also didn't feel like it helped much. You still get a needle poke and the needle is much bigger than a regular IV needle. It hurts either way.

    Mine eventually started to get really close the the surface and finally the little bumps on it started to come through my skin and were bleeding. That's when they decided it had to come out.

    Jan 

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    JanJan63 said:

    My body rejected my port over

    My body rejected my port over a year after I got it. It was horible to have, I was always cringing when someone wanted to hug me, and the seatbelt was uncomfortable. I also didn't feel like it helped much. You still get a needle poke and the needle is much bigger than a regular IV needle. It hurts either way.

    Mine eventually started to get really close the the surface and finally the little bumps on it started to come through my skin and were bleeding. That's when they decided it had to come out.

    Jan 

    Oh Jan Jan that sounds

    Oh Jan Jan that sounds painful!  I am the same way about hugging and the seatbelt. Did your docs think that your body just did not like the foreign object? Mine won't biuy into that. Did you just take oral medication after that?

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    It actually wasn't that bad.

    It actually wasn't that bad. They came through slowly and developed scabs right away. I wasn't impressed with it anyway. It's supposed to be less painful but it's actually more painful than having them look for a spot to place an IV. You have to get it cleaned out, is it once a month? Mine clogged several times. Not to mention the day they put it in they hit a nerve and all hell broke loose. They had to call a heart guy because my heart went nuts. They finally got that settled and then it turned out that because they hit a nerve it was extremely painful for two days. It fely like someone had a hot iron on my chest. They knew they'd hit a nerve, they could have given me an RX for painkillers.

    Sometimes i'll get a doctor or nurse that suggests getting another one. Yeah, I think I'll pass.

    Jan

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member

    Both ports followed the same

    Both ports followed the same scenario--It functioned beautifully but became very red, warm and started oozing a serous fluid (straw colored) from the area where stitches were--I personally feel my body for some reason does not like the sutures--I had 2 identical episodes. Had second port removed 8/24 and it is still reddened and it oozes very slightly until I actually had a stitch pop out. Doctors just don't seem to tink it is plausible for body to reject the stitches.  With the first port I had a temp of 101.4 for several days before they removed it.  No temp for second round. BOth times was on Keflex but it didn't seem to make much difference.Both lasted about 3 rounds of chemo each.  I have suggested using dermabond to close incision  but it falls on deaf ears. Love that you are still plinking away with your shotgun lol!  Just need to get through 6 more chemo cycles sheesh.

    I worked for a Doctor

    and yes, people did have reactions to their stitches. 

    I had steri-strips closing my incicion when I had my port removed (I was alergic to them). 

    Time to take the upper hand. Do some serious research adn go armed with info to your next appointment. 

    Tru

  • mountainhiker
    mountainhiker Member Posts: 54
    JanJan63 said:

    It actually wasn't that bad.

    It actually wasn't that bad. They came through slowly and developed scabs right away. I wasn't impressed with it anyway. It's supposed to be less painful but it's actually more painful than having them look for a spot to place an IV. You have to get it cleaned out, is it once a month? Mine clogged several times. Not to mention the day they put it in they hit a nerve and all hell broke loose. They had to call a heart guy because my heart went nuts. They finally got that settled and then it turned out that because they hit a nerve it was extremely painful for two days. It fely like someone had a hot iron on my chest. They knew they'd hit a nerve, they could have given me an RX for painkillers.

    Sometimes i'll get a doctor or nurse that suggests getting another one. Yeah, I think I'll pass.

    Jan

    Murphy's Law

    Hey Jan,

    Everytime I read one of your comments, I thank God that although I have stage iv cancer my journey hasn't been anywhere near as eventful as yours.  Good grief you deserve a break!  The fact that you've endured all that you have and still push through is a testament to your character and will.

    You truly are an inspiration.

    mountainhiker

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited September 2018 #15

    Both ports followed the same

    Both ports followed the same scenario--It functioned beautifully but became very red, warm and started oozing a serous fluid (straw colored) from the area where stitches were--I personally feel my body for some reason does not like the sutures--I had 2 identical episodes. Had second port removed 8/24 and it is still reddened and it oozes very slightly until I actually had a stitch pop out. Doctors just don't seem to tink it is plausible for body to reject the stitches.  With the first port I had a temp of 101.4 for several days before they removed it.  No temp for second round. BOth times was on Keflex but it didn't seem to make much difference.Both lasted about 3 rounds of chemo each.  I have suggested using dermabond to close incision  but it falls on deaf ears. Love that you are still plinking away with your shotgun lol!  Just need to get through 6 more chemo cycles sheesh.

    Stitches

    Mine was inserted and only steri-strips were used.  Just told to not bath the area for a couple days but had infusion with it two days after insertion.  Maybe you should be more vocal about no more stitches.  Most doctors fall on deft ears unfortunately.  Hope this round is better for you.

    Kim

  • plsletitrain
    plsletitrain Member Posts: 252 Member
    edited September 2018 #16
    Port

    I don't have a port as I was too chicken to have it (and I don't want another expense to add to my growing chemo expenses).  I was re-reading some old threads about how people dread to have your chemo infused in the veins.  Well in case anyone's reading this and you're curious how it feels to have chemo via veins, especially the oxaliplatin.   I've had 10 full-dose oxaliplatin infusions in the veins.  Yes, it can be painful.  The oxaliplatin takes 2 hours but it is the most painful one.  It makes my hand (until the elbow) really really numb even if you touch it slightly it will burn.  I could curse at anyone who touches that part of my hand. lol  But it goes away after some time.  By the next day the pain will have subsided so I just avoid using that hand meantime.  It even gets more numb when I was on CAPOX.  On FOLFOX the numbness is slightly eased but still there.

    I don't mean to scare anyone.  The numbness is manageable if the oxaliplatin is coursed in the veins.  

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain Member Posts: 417 Member
    Port insertion

    Port inserton was really not painful for me, it was a sore first night and got much better. I am getting my THIRD port inserted tomorrow and praying this sone doesn't get infected. Trying to get 3 more cycles of FolFox in. Remain so confused and conflicted on best options--after 8 week chemo break, my scan showed no growth in the any of the known malignant tumors--(2 in RLL), and the other nodules identified before chemo have not shrunk like the 2 malignant ones leading them to believe they are benign--but they  shoot down me being a candidate for a right lower lobectomy which I would gladly do since in my mind thats where the mets are. They say its too risky since there "may" be stuff in left lung that is too small to detect via scans.  So frustrating that you have to be stressed out while fighting cancer over whether you are getting the best treatment.

     

     

     

  • Bill S.
    Bill S. Member Posts: 3
    edited September 2018 #18
    left port

    mountain, I had a port put in thr right sidde and within 2 or 3 days it was infected ans bleeding, it was removed immediatly.  The doc wanted to wait for the area to heal and try it again in the same area, but after 3 weeks it was still a long way from being healed so he went ahead and put the port on the left side.  His only comment was that the port on the elft side is not as "robust", whatever that means related to a port.  So, i've had the left side port for 2.5 years and have gone through 6 weeks of chemo-radiation, and Two six month round of chemo with no problems. Wish you the best.

    Bill