Port Removal

dtat67 said:

Port blocked

I went in for my port flush and to see the Oncologist today only to find out that my Power Port was "clogged". I had been scheduled for a port flush 4 weeks ago but it was canceled because of the Covid-19 situation. I was told just wait until my next scheduled blood draw appointment. They could inject the heparin but couldn't draw blood. It has been 18 months since my chemo was finished. The Nurse had me wave my arms, tilted me back in the chair, move around a lot but to no avail.

I asked the Doc if I should go ahead and get it removed. He sadi that to wait until around Sept. That will be my 2 year anniversary since my NHL diagnosis and if things were cool then the likelyhood of a recurrance would be less likely.

So hoping for another 6 months of remission and then I guess I'll get removed. I had planned on keeping it for several years just in case but it is what it is. Wonder if the delay on the flush might be responsible?

Peace and Love!

I've had my port for 10 years. Only had it block once. Nurse did same thing with me. She said raise your arms and a bunch of other acrobatics. Then another nurse came eover and everything went fine. This was about a year ago. Don't know if because the nurse was new or what happened. I have heard after 5 years if no reaccurance of desease it was less likely to come back but there was no real gaurantees. What kind of lymphoma did you have?  Mine was NHL follicular. Found while having a routine yearly urology exam with an xray.

peanut butter said:

Port block

I've had my port for 10 years. Only had it block once. Nurse did same thing with me. She said raise your arms and a bunch of other acrobatics. Then another nurse came eover and everything went fine. This was about a year ago. Don't know if because the nurse was new or what happened. I have heard after 5 years if no reaccurance of desease it was less likely to come back but there was no real gaurantees. What kind of lymphoma did you have?  Mine was NHL follicular. Found while having a routine yearly urology exam with an xray.

Mine was in my right sinus no lymph node involvement. 6 RCHOP Chemo and 35 IGRT Radiation. Maybe my port will work next time? I had planned to do like you and keep it indefinately. Don't get me wrong, the Doc said after 2 years it was less likely to come back but who really knows. I can say that I have been fortunate in that I have had few if any side affects that I can feel but my RBC and Hemoglobin is low (Anemic) and not as much stamina as before but I am close to 70 so my age could be a factor?

I was told to just leave after the visit and the scheduler would contact be for future appointments (because of the virus). I'll have to see if they schedule me for the normal interum port flushes? They had been scheduling every 6 weeks but the nurse said they were now saying every 3 months? Just wondering if the long time in between had caused by blockage?

I had my port put in Jan 2015. The first R-Chop treatemt was without the port. There was a hang-up with insurance. Once I got it I loved it. I hate needles. The idea of not getting stuck with a needle a gazillion times was heaven for me. I had a bunch of tests and that one round of chemo before the port. Timing was good because the vein in the left arm went into permanent hiding. Once I was in remission I had 2 years of Rituxin. About a year or so after I was done with Rituxin I had the port removed. I did miss it for a while. 

As to those not getting a port. I had a co-worker diagnosed with Multiple Myleloma around 2008. Longest remission was maybe a year. Haw many types of chemo plus 2 stem cell transplants.  remember him sayig they couldn't find veins in his arms anymore and were using his feet. 

After my first 2 chemos (remember 1 without and 1 with a port) I can't imagine how he got thorugh all of what he went through withotu a port!

I had my port put in 02/20 and taken out 5 months later 07/20...I wanted it out as soon as I was done with treatment and the scan was clear. For me, it was mainly because I wanted to go back to working out without restrictions and I also had 3 little boys under 4 at the time who would occasionally bump it. Everyone has to do what they feel is in their best interest (also while consulting with their doctor)

I have had ports and was anxious to get rid of them. My last one I had removed at a hospital 3 weeks after my final chemo session. To some having a port is a source of comfort. But as for me I could not wait to get rid of it. I figured I could always get another one. No regrets but I realize we are all different.

Good luck!

Everyone assesses risk (and financial costs) differently.

My Onc suggested removal 6mths after treatment concluded - I waited a year.

I had no issues with port clogging/infection and would extend flushes to every 3rd month. Still glad to have it removed.

NSHL Stg 3 [CD30, PAX5 (dim) and CD15 (subset). Negative for CD3, CD20 and CD45 w/no bone marrow involvement