Port or IV line

may33
may33 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I've had 2 rounds of chemo and veins are hurting. Dr suggesting hv'g a central port. When is it a gd idea to have a central port? Are hurting veins normal at the beg'g of chemo? I dont want my veins to collapse, but also dont want to rush into having unneccesary port.
I'm newly dx, mar02, looking for pple to email/chat to as well. All replies welcome! thanks.

Comments

  • judy22
    judy22 Member Posts: 117 Member
    #2
    Hi there My name is Judy I have a port and would not have it any other way. I have very bad veins If you would like to chat my e-mail is evansj22@bellsouth.net
  • nocarb1
    nocarb1 Member Posts: 99
    #3
    judy22 said:

    Hi there My name is Judy I have a port and would not have it any other way. I have very bad veins If you would like to chat my e-mail is evansj22@bellsouth.net

    Hi there,
    Well I made it through 6 rounds of ac without getting a port, but yesterday was my 2nd round of taxol and on the 7th try they finally got a vein. I think I am about ready to give in and get one since I have 10 rounds left to go. I think i will opt for the one underneath my skin which you still have a stick, but just one. If anyone has this will you share your experience with me please!! Have a great day!!
    Carlye
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #4
    judy22 said:

    Hi there My name is Judy I have a port and would not have it any other way. I have very bad veins If you would like to chat my e-mail is evansj22@bellsouth.net

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #5
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    I'm new here, but I hope it's okay if I jump right in. I just had my second round of AC and I have a port, one that's completely under the skin. My doc insists on one for AC. The problem I've encountered is that mine is very positional and the nurses have a hard time getting it to work.
    It works best if I'm lying with my feet higher than my head so that's how I spent my 2 hours last time. They give me some lidocaine before the stick so I really don't feel it. Most of the other people in the infusion room with me seem to have ports and don't have the positional problems that I do.
    When it's not being used, it doesn't bother me at all.
  • jmears
    jmears Member Posts: 266
    #6
    I had a Groshon catheter which is tubes hanging out of your chest. It saved my veins from the chemo and for a couple months the nurses could draw blood from it as well which saves so many sticks. However ... the exit site became infrected a couple times and I had to go on antibiotics ... fortunetly it did not hold up my treatment. I highly recommend not using your veins directly but I also suggest the port vs. the catheter. I had a choice. The catheter and the port required hospital surgery to put it in but the catheter could be removed in the Dr.s office vs. the port required another hospital visit. Well... the Dr.s snapped the line when removing it anyway so it wasn't all that easy after all. I think getthing that catheter out was the best thing ... better than the last chemo, better than the last radiation ... I hated that catheter ... go with a port!! Take care. Let us know how you make out. Jamie
  • ludasue
    ludasue Member Posts: 98
    #7
    Hi! My onc insisted that I have a port. I had 12 rounds of A/C/5-FU. I have never had a problem w/my viens, nor have I ever been afraid of needles. I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the port was. It was right under my skin, on the left side of my chest...almost in my left breast. The only time it bothered me was when I had on my bikini and it stuck out ... but that is my vanity. Nobody even noticed it. They gave me EMLA cream to put over the port site 30 minutes prior to treatment. It completely numbed the site, and I never felt a prick. And even when I would be rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night, when they would draw blood from the port, I don't remember the needle stick being any worse than had they drawn blood from my arm. I would highly recommend it!! Also, they removed the port in the day surgery room. I was given local anesthetic and when they were done, I got up off the table and walked myself out the door, and drove home. Piece of cake! Good luck and God bless, angie
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #8
    Dear May
    I have a port..and i think it was good decision to make.. but for me I have been on chemo for almost year.. and still have 18 more treatments to go.. so I would say that it would depend on how long you were going to do chemo.. if it is an extended period of time I would say go for it... if only one or two more .then I dont think i would..but the final decision will be up to you .. Good luck with it..
    Jerilyn
  • redwoman
    redwoman Member Posts: 9
    #9
    bullfrog13 said:

    Dear May
    I have a port..and i think it was good decision to make.. but for me I have been on chemo for almost year.. and still have 18 more treatments to go.. so I would say that it would depend on how long you were going to do chemo.. if it is an extended period of time I would say go for it... if only one or two more .then I dont think i would..but the final decision will be up to you .. Good luck with it..
    Jerilyn

    I have had my port for four years now, even though my treatments have been over for three. I hate this thing and I can't wait to have it removed. It helped alot during my two rounds of chemo, but now that I am cancer free, I have to go back there every six weeks to have it cleaned out. It brings back all the bad memories every time I go.
    If you do get one, don't keep it any longer than you have to. I think it's just a way to keep making money after the treatments are over.
    I wish you the best of luck with everything.
    Lois
  • maud
    maud Member Posts: 178
    #10
    Hi May,
    I had a port in for my treatments and I was glad I did.I kept getting dehydrated so it came in very handy.It didn't hurt when they took blood or hooked me up to the IVs.My DR. left it in until I was one year out of treatment and then I went into one day surgery and he removed it.It never bothered me to have it in at all. Hope we have been of some help to you..Let us know how you are doing.
    God Bless
    Debbie
  • laverne
    laverne Member Posts: 75 Member
    #11
    I have the worse veins in the world--even dracula would have a hard time finding them. I never would have survived chemo without my port. I did have a few problems and had to have the initial one replaced but once that was over I was home free. It did not hurt to put it in because I was sedated and there really were no restrictions concerning that area. I had a little lump and now have a small scar but the thought of being stuck in my "invisible" veins made it worth it for me.
    Good luck and god bless,
    LaVerne
  • laverne
    laverne Member Posts: 75 Member
    #12
    nocarb1 said:

    Hi there,
    Well I made it through 6 rounds of ac without getting a port, but yesterday was my 2nd round of taxol and on the 7th try they finally got a vein. I think I am about ready to give in and get one since I have 10 rounds left to go. I think i will opt for the one underneath my skin which you still have a stick, but just one. If anyone has this will you share your experience with me please!! Have a great day!!
    Carlye

    Carlye, I had a port when I was having my chemo. I had four rounds of AC and four rounds of Taxol and it was a life saver. If you have trouble with people finding your veins then a port is the way to go. Yes you still get a stick put one stick and it hardly hurts. I was amazed at how the thing actually worked. If your prown to clotting you might have to go on Caumadin but even that was not that bad.
    Good luck and god bless,
    LaVerne
  • chas707
    chas707 Member Posts: 30
    #13
    nocarb1 said:

    Hi there,
    Well I made it through 6 rounds of ac without getting a port, but yesterday was my 2nd round of taxol and on the 7th try they finally got a vein. I think I am about ready to give in and get one since I have 10 rounds left to go. I think i will opt for the one underneath my skin which you still have a stick, but just one. If anyone has this will you share your experience with me please!! Have a great day!!
    Carlye

    How anyone makes it through any w/o a port is beyond me. Mine is placed on the inside of my upper arm. It hurt like crazy for two days after it was put in but I wouldnt give anything for it now. It has made it so easy, one stick thats all and it stays in through reconstruction and everything.. no more IV'S!! I'm 3 out of 4 through A/C.
  • debw
    debw Member Posts: 99
    #14
    Port! It is so much better. Good luck.
  • britchick356
    britchick356 Member Posts: 45
    #15
    Put me on the Pro Port side. I have deep veins and cannot tolerate sticking expeditions by people fishing for veins. I was faced with the choice before chemo of port or not. I asked several people and the clincher came when I was told by a multi- cancer veteran "do yourself a favor." I had the chest port and it was used to draw routine blood samples too. Emla cream can be used to numb the port before treatment. I wouldn't have had it any other way! Hope this helps. Hugs,britchick356
  • pamtriggs
    pamtriggs Member Posts: 386
    #16
    You don't say which chemo you are on. A/C is damaging to the veins especially if the nurse does not put it in slowly enough & flush it as she goes with saline. That's how it is done here in New Zealand. If it is not done properly it can leak & damage your veins. I have had 6 rounds of Adriamycin & my veins were pretty bad at the end of that but a super nurse usually finds a vein. Then I had 6 rounds of Taxotere & twice that caused leaks in the veins & gave me a chemical burn which blistered. They do not use ports here as much as in US/Canada as there can be other complications with infections & ports blocking up but it turns out I can't have one as I have Deep Vein Thrombosis & am on Warfarin (anti-clotting meds) which rules out a port as I would bleed from it all the time. If you are otherwise healthy a port would seem the way to go as you seem to have fragile veins. I wish I could have a port as my veins are shot to hell now & getting an IV line in is a nightmare. Love & hugs
    Pam
  • banker
    banker Member Posts: 317 Member
    #17
    I am getting ready for chemo the second time around and will have a port put in again, much easier, no poking for vains. I wish you the best.
    Emmi
  • mmtrks6
    mmtrks6 Member Posts: 3
    #18
    I have been through chemo twice and the first with the IV and what a mess because they could only use the right arm and I wasn't sure it was going to make it . This time I had the port put in and it was wonderful, I just had it taken out this week after six months and I would definitely go that route again. Take Care and God Bless Email me if you would like

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