Just Wondering

Sandi1
Sandi1 Member Posts: 277
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My husband still needs to get a port put in for his chemo. Is this done by day surgery? He was supposed to have it put in before he left the hospital from his colon tumor removal surgery, but I think they felt he had had enough at that point and did not want to put him through anymore right then. He won't be starting chemo until the end of October and he was released from the hospital on Sept. 21. We both thought that it was kind of early to get the port put in when he is still recovering from his other surgery.

Any comments would be helpful and appreciated.

Sandi

Comments

  • ADKer
    ADKer Member Posts: 147
    #2
    medi-port
    Installation of the port really is not a big deal. For me, it was an outpatient procedure. The hospital made me stay there for three hours after the procedure was complete and it really seemed like overkill, although I can't fault them for being careful. I say just don't sweat the decision to put it off. Recovery from the colon surgery is a much bigger deal and the port can be installed anytime.
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    #3
    Port
    Sandi,

    Yes, the port is usually (at least in my cases) put in with outpatient surgery. My first 2 were done by general surgeons and the last one by a radiation PA. With the surgeons I was under general anesthesia and with the PA it was conscious sedation, very much like the meds from a colonoscopy. The site is tender for a week or so after but if he gets it put within a day or so of his first chemo they can leave the port accessed from surgery. That is one less poke for that first chemo when everything is more scary and the site is tender.

    The port placement wasn't a big deal for me. And, I was always starving by the time I got out of their so I made my ride (husband once, girlfriend once, mom once) take me immediately to a good restaurant! I love to eat out and since they didn't really know how easy it was they felt bad and bought me lunch. The cancer card trumps again! LOL

    Kimby
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #4
    Port Insertion
    Hi Sandi,

    Port insertion; cool. It is done in day surgery. I seem to recall that it was not under a general, but with a hypnotic like Versed, like when you get your colonoscopy. However, I can't swear to that, because I was in a haze at the time:) He will be locally sore for a couple of days, but nothing huge. Get a prescription for lidocaine to rub on the area about an hour before they use it--the lidocaine will numb it up so he doesn't feel the needle go in. Even if he chooses not to use the lidocaine, it will just pinch for a few seconds when they access the port.

    Initially, he may feel something like a chest pain. I understand that people have this to varying degrees. Mine wasn't so bad. I called it "the alien getting comfortable." The alien is a good thing, though. I saw a few people at chemo who chose not to get the port inserted, and their veins were blown. The nurses had a really hard time trying to find good veins. The chemicals that go in are really harsh and do a real number on the veins.

    So just see this as moving along toward NED. I will be praying for you both.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • Madre
    Madre Member Posts: 123
    #5
    My port was put in the week
    My port was put in the week before chemo started. I had lost a lot of weight so my skin was thin and I really felt it it was more uncomfortable than painful. I noticed for about a month though that when I crossed my arms or my shoulders came together it hurt, but it got better quickly. Mine was done outpatient by the radiology people. From all the alcohol before chemo the skin got dry and the raised numbs were erroding my skin so I kept shea butter on to keep my skin moisturized. The port is probably the easiest thing of all. Have them prescribe lidocane cream to apply about an hour before chemo treatment to numb the skin so he doesn't feel the needle as much.
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #6
    port
    Have to echo what everyone else here has said! The port is a breeze to have put in, is sore for a very short while, and when you compare treatments using vein access vs port access, hands down there is no competition! The small prick for port access is nothing and is over in the blink of an eye.
    Mary
  • apache4
    apache4 Member Posts: 272 Member
    #7
    Madre said:

    My port was put in the week
    My port was put in the week before chemo started. I had lost a lot of weight so my skin was thin and I really felt it it was more uncomfortable than painful. I noticed for about a month though that when I crossed my arms or my shoulders came together it hurt, but it got better quickly. Mine was done outpatient by the radiology people. From all the alcohol before chemo the skin got dry and the raised numbs were erroding my skin so I kept shea butter on to keep my skin moisturized. The port is probably the easiest thing of all. Have them prescribe lidocane cream to apply about an hour before chemo treatment to numb the skin so he doesn't feel the needle as much.

    There is also a spray
    There is also a spray that can be used to numb the skin just prior to insertion of the needle for chemo. Also, be sure that the nurse uses the thumb and forefinger of her left hand (if right-handed) to steady the port while it is being accessed. I had noticed that sometimes insertion hurt and other times it didn't. After moving and starting at Moffitt Cancer Center, I found that this was the difference. I also found the info on the internet. I just think that some of the nurses did not know they should do this. The port is not tied down like I first thought, but floats in the clavicle area. There might be something new out there that I don't know about. Also,the surgery is easy. I know that I had a general anesthesia for mine and it took 45 minutes. It was done about 3 1/2 weeks after resection surgery and a week before 1st chemo.
  • mk1117
    mk1117 Member Posts: 46
    #8
    Port
    I have to chime in here too. The port was easy - definitely the way to go in my case. I had the port put in about a month after my colon surgery, and about a week or so before I started chemo. It was tender at first - the worst thing was not being able to sleep on my stomach with it in. It was done as outpatient surgery by a general surgeon in my case. The port does "float", which sometimes caused pain when the nurse tried to insert the needle. (Some nurses were better at it than others.) It was still way better than being poked by a needle in my veins for every treatment - my veins are hard to find. I would definitely ask for a prescription for something to numb the site before each chemo treatment - I didn't have that, and I definitely would've benefited from it.
  • lfondots63
    lfondots63 Member Posts: 818 Member
    #9
    Chiming in!
    The port was soooo much better then being accessed in the veins. I have no idea how people do that. I had the lidocaine and I would say make sure you get it! The spray wasn't as good as the cream. I was put to sleep to put in my first port so it was a breeze. Was a little sore for about 1 week. I waited a while before they started chemo so was fine when they started. I wish they could have done blood tests from it. UGH. Even with the port the chemo played havoc with my veins. HUGS and tell hubby it is 'easy breezy'!

    Lisa F.
  • bigCrandy
    bigCrandy Member Posts: 75
    #10
    Maybe you should choose when to do it
    Hello Sandi, my prayers are with you and your husband. Healing from the surgery is top priority followed closely by the Oncologist's recommendation to start chemo. My first port was put in 3 days after surgery and started chemo the following week. I had an open wound in my incision due to infection that took over 5 months to heal probably due to being on chemo. I was NED for 9 months and had my port removed after 7 months due to it being completely plugged up. Anyway, the cancer is back so I had another port put in. One hour after I woke up from the anesthesia I was receiving my chemo in the onc clinic. Both procedures were done under general anesthesia. It is sore for about a week, my sutures dissolved rather quickly. I can't believe his oncologist wants to wait so long before starting chemo, they usually like to get started as soon as possible depending on the patient's health. It's an out patient thing and goes rather well. Good luck, God Bless, and hang in there! Keep a positive attitude. Randy PS, ask for a titanium port instead of the plastic one(it plugged up)

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