Cream better than spray!

Rague
Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
The CCI I went to for chemo used a numbing spray for the port and it was good - less than a usual arm blood draw prick. I had a CT scan at the hospital that they used my port for and they had no numbing - it hurt. Well now that I'm done with chemo VA wants to do the flushes at their clinic (my PA's RN is the one that's doing it - I like her). My PA gave me cream (Lidocaine 2.5/Prilocaine 2.5% cream) to use. This morn was the first time using it and it is better than the spray (for me at least - not that the spray was bad). All I felt was a little pressure - no prick.

In the future for any scans - I'm going to ask if they are going to use my port and if they are put the cream on 1 hr before even if they have spray.

Comments

  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #2
    Hi Rague,
    Ask your onc. for an Rx for the cream. It's called Emla but I have the generic. It's great stuff! I put a huge glob on top of the port and hour or so before my appt. then take a piece of saran wrap tht just covers the port and tape it down on all sides so the cream stays in place over the port. I use my port for all blood draws (fnished chemo) and I love it. I have no veins to speak of so this is a blessing. I hope to keep my port as long as I can.

    Glad you found out about the cream.

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #3
    Skeezie said:

    Hi Rague,
    Ask your onc. for an Rx for the cream. It's called Emla but I have the generic. It's great stuff! I put a huge glob on top of the port and hour or so before my appt. then take a piece of saran wrap tht just covers the port and tape it down on all sides so the cream stays in place over the port. I use my port for all blood draws (fnished chemo) and I love it. I have no veins to speak of so this is a blessing. I hope to keep my port as long as I can.

    Glad you found out about the cream.

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    I'm VA, so all my scripts
    I'm VA, so all my scripts (and everything) has to go through VA. Scripts I get/got from my chemo or rad Drs or surgeon have to go through my VA PA (or if she's not available and it's needed NOW -another VA PA or VA Dr). I talked with her nurse last week and she called in the script for the cream (I guess mine's generic as it doesn't say Emla) and I picked it up last Friday when I was at Ft. Meade seeing the Lymphademologist - so I already had it to use this morn.

    The spray they use at the CCI wasn't bad at all so I never asked for the cream - but now I know the cream is better. My port has only been used once for anything other than chemo (well not counting the last 2 flushes) - the dye for the last CT scan at the hospital - but they had no 'nummer' at all = it hurt. I have great veins so it's easiest to just give them my left arm for blood draws. BUT we aren't talking about when it will come out other than at least a year but probably 5 which is fine with me.
  • susanleeann
    susanleeann Member Posts: 58
    #4
    sounds like you have some
    sounds like you have some thoughtful and considerate people helping you. good tip!
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #5
    Skeezie said:

    Hi Rague,
    Ask your onc. for an Rx for the cream. It's called Emla but I have the generic. It's great stuff! I put a huge glob on top of the port and hour or so before my appt. then take a piece of saran wrap tht just covers the port and tape it down on all sides so the cream stays in place over the port. I use my port for all blood draws (fnished chemo) and I love it. I have no veins to speak of so this is a blessing. I hope to keep my port as long as I can.

    Glad you found out about the cream.

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    As most have written, I have
    As most have written, I have heard that the cream is better! Good luck!
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #6
    Good call
    Yeah, the spray didn't do much for me. I might be mistaken, but I think it's a different agent than the emla cream? Anyway, the cream was very good at numbing the area.

    Mimi

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