Port installed - Petscan

hncroper
hncroper Member Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello all! I had my port installed Thursday morning and I got my wish they did general on me. I had a great plan of staying awake for 2 days so I would be sleepy, but I arrived at the hospital and they gave me a starter sedative and it did NOTHING!! So when I got to the OR the anesthesiologist gave me another sedative thru my iv and it did not make me groggy or sleepy so she decided to put the gas mask on me so I would go to sleep! Let me say that I loved her for this! Woke up a few hours later and bam pain!! This pain is much worse than the lumpectomy I had, but now it is Saturday and the soreness and pain is easing away a little more today. My first chemo treatment will be this Wednesday. I do not wish for it to start so soon, but I think it would help with the unknowns also when I get the pet scan it would help me so I quit worrying about the what if's. My question is on the pet scan, I have read that it is injected. Is it done by IV or just an injection? Also if it is an injection couldn't they do it thru my port? Makes sense to me to go thru my port.

Comments

  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    #2
    Hi Hn
    I will be having my port put in Monday & requested to be put "out"! I anticipated pain, but didn't you get any meds for it? I was wondering how long they wait after they implant it before Chemo, you answered that. Thanks! I am at the point where I am actually looking forward to Chemo! I'm sooo tired of all the docs,tests,waiting & wondering,etc...let's move on to "getting rid of it" already! We all know it's there...I can't answer you on the PetScan, haven't had that test.(yet)lol I'm sure someone here has and they will answer your ?
    My beliefs were once you get the port, there is no more "sticking".(YES!) However,the techs cannot do it, a nurse has to come in to inject. I feel like if they are implanting this thing in my chest so they can save my veins, then don't use them anymore! Good luck with your 1st chemo, let us know it goes!
    Prayers & Hugz,
    Cathy
  • Deb1969
    Deb1969 Member Posts: 165
    #3
    Cat64 said:

    Hi Hn
    I will be having my port put in Monday & requested to be put "out"! I anticipated pain, but didn't you get any meds for it? I was wondering how long they wait after they implant it before Chemo, you answered that. Thanks! I am at the point where I am actually looking forward to Chemo! I'm sooo tired of all the docs,tests,waiting & wondering,etc...let's move on to "getting rid of it" already! We all know it's there...I can't answer you on the PetScan, haven't had that test.(yet)lol I'm sure someone here has and they will answer your ?
    My beliefs were once you get the port, there is no more "sticking".(YES!) However,the techs cannot do it, a nurse has to come in to inject. I feel like if they are implanting this thing in my chest so they can save my veins, then don't use them anymore! Good luck with your 1st chemo, let us know it goes!
    Prayers & Hugz,
    Cathy

    When I had my PET Scan done
    When I had my PET Scan done I didnt have my port in place, so they done an injection into the vein, but the surgeon that placed port said it can be used for CT Scans.
    Deb
  • Hardenwood
    Hardenwood Member Posts: 3
    #4
    Petscan
    Hi hncroper!
    I wish I could answer your question on a Petscan. Never had one. You can try to find the info online. When I had to take a Mugga Heart test I went online and found quite bit of info on it. I had my port put in Wednesday. I just had sedation but I had no pain. 17 years ago when I had a cather put in it was worst than the lumpectomy. I can laughed about now because instead of praying to God to take the pain away I was aksing him to keep me from screaming out every cuss word I knew.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #5
    I had my PET and CT scans
    I had my PET and CT scans before I had my port in so they injected into vein. So far the PET/CT scans were the worst 'stuff' done to me. My back and shoulders had excrutating pain so bad I couldn't keep tears away - something I don't remember doing as an adult. It was horrible. Next time I'm going to see if it's OK to take a Vicodin first.
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    #6
    I have had 3 pet scans so
    I have had 3 pet scans so far. They always inject into my arm. They inject you with radioactive materials and this can not be done through your port. It is not painful, only when they first put the needle in. Dress warm and no zippers, the room where the scanner is has to be freezing cold. Take Care, think only positive thoughts.
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    #7
    meena1 said:

    I have had 3 pet scans so
    I have had 3 pet scans so far. They always inject into my arm. They inject you with radioactive materials and this can not be done through your port. It is not painful, only when they first put the needle in. Dress warm and no zippers, the room where the scanner is has to be freezing cold. Take Care, think only positive thoughts.

    Meena
    Thanks for clearing that up and ruining my visions of no more needles! :-)
    Hugz,
    Cathy
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #8
    meena1 said:

    I have had 3 pet scans so
    I have had 3 pet scans so far. They always inject into my arm. They inject you with radioactive materials and this can not be done through your port. It is not painful, only when they first put the needle in. Dress warm and no zippers, the room where the scanner is has to be freezing cold. Take Care, think only positive thoughts.

    Agree with Meena1 .. injection went straight into my vein -
    my port was not used. Slight prick when needle inserted into my vein.

    Dress in sweats if at all possible. Scanning room for me was ..Freezing cold = and I run hot all the time ..even in winter. Tech will put warm blankets on you, if asked.

    Scans, MRI, CT ..etc .. piece of cake compare to my port placement. I was fully awake.

    Peace and strength.

    VickiSam
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #9
    Cat64 said:

    Meena
    Thanks for clearing that up and ruining my visions of no more needles! :-)
    Hugz,
    Cathy

    Even when the port is used
    Even when the port is used there is still a 'stick' into it - though they will use freezing spray first.
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    #10
    Rague said:

    Even when the port is used
    Even when the port is used there is still a 'stick' into it - though they will use freezing spray first.

    Rague
    Thanks! I know they inject the port and have heard about the freezing spray, I also read Emna cream is it? I can't remember where I saw the post, there were two other kinds of creams too that you can use to numb the area b/4 chemo, do you know what they are? I really should write this stuff down!
    Hugz,
    Cathy
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537 Member
    #11
    HI hncroper
    The port is a great little invention but they still need to place a needle into it to access it. Call your doctor and get a rx for emla cream. You place a blob of it over the site and cover it up with a bandaid about 1 hour prior to your appt and it should numb it up so you dont feel any stick.

    As far as ct scan dyes etc, the port can be used for that but Im not sure that the techs know how to access the ports.

    Hang in there
    LInda T
  • sausageroll
    sausageroll Member Posts: 415
    #12
    mlmjt1 said:

    HI hncroper
    The port is a great little invention but they still need to place a needle into it to access it. Call your doctor and get a rx for emla cream. You place a blob of it over the site and cover it up with a bandaid about 1 hour prior to your appt and it should numb it up so you dont feel any stick.

    As far as ct scan dyes etc, the port can be used for that but Im not sure that the techs know how to access the ports.

    Hang in there
    LInda T

    Yes!
    Your port can be used for the scan and a port can be used the same day as insertion...they just leave it accessed. The insertion of the needle is so quick into the port that you probably won't need the cream...My MIL used to say that you can stand on your head for a week if you have too! Don't stress out about it and you will be fine.

    However, Linda T is right..make sure that there is some one in the department who can access the port..or they will have to bring someone in.

    Good luck!

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