Port Placement this week and starting chemo

mrs gadget
mrs gadget Member Posts: 118
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
This week is my treatment "kick off party"...I will be getting port placement tomorrow and then my first chemo on on Wednesday. I am a little nervous about getting the port and don't know what that is going to entail. On the other hand, with all the meds that I received to combat side affects, I feel pretty good about the chemo.

Mrs Gadget...

Comments

  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
    #2
    wishing you the best
    i didnt have a port when i had chemo but i wanted to wish you the best!
    take care of yourself lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids it helps!


    teresa
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #3
    Wishing you the best of
    Wishing you the best of luck! I did not have a port so I can't say anything about that. I had 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxin. They do have lots of meds to help with side effects which is great. I did really well through my chemo. I was tired but not sick. So overall I feel blessed to have done so well. I am halway through my rads now. Remember drink lots and lots of water, rest when you can and just take care of yourself. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • mrs gadget
    mrs gadget Member Posts: 118
    #4
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    Wishing you the best of
    Wishing you the best of luck! I did not have a port so I can't say anything about that. I had 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxin. They do have lots of meds to help with side effects which is great. I did really well through my chemo. I was tired but not sick. So overall I feel blessed to have done so well. I am halway through my rads now. Remember drink lots and lots of water, rest when you can and just take care of yourself. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    thanks guys....I wasn't
    thanks guys....I wasn't planning on having a port either, but they decded that it would be better than dealing with my little tiny veins every time I go in. They are giving me 6 rounds of TC..
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #5
    Good luck! Port surgery is a
    Good luck! Port surgery is a piece of cake, I was surprised at how little pain I had afterward, and I have just a tiny light scar. It is kinda weird feeling that big bulge right underneath my skin, but I'm so glad I have it - I've seen some of the nurses really struggling with some other patients when I've gone in for chemo or blood draws. I had my 1st of 6 chemo treatments a week and 1/2 ago, and it wasn't so bad. I just felt icky the first 3 days after, now I just get really REALLY tired alot. I know it's kinda scary going in for your first one because it's all unknown, but I'm sure you'll do just fine :)
    *hugs*
    Heather
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #6
    Hi mrs gadget
    Having the port installed really wasn't bad. I was in the hospital for about 5 hours. Most of it was waiting to have it done and then recovery. The worse part was not being able to shower for a couple days. Plus you can't lift anything heavy. Good luck with your port and your chemo. Let us know how you do. Hugs, Jean
  • JanInMN
    JanInMN Member Posts: 149
    #7
    You have a big week! Are
    You have a big week! Are you having your port placed under general anesthesia in an OR, or are you having conscious sedation in Radiology? I had mine in radiology, and when the Radiologist asked if I had any concerns, i just said "I want to be VERY conciously sedated!". I was, and it was fine. Ports are wonderful! Don't forget to ask for Emla cream to numb your port area when they acess it for chemo. :-) Best of luck!
    jan
  • MomMichelle
    MomMichelle Member Posts: 93
    #8
    I got my port Friday and I
    I got my port Friday and I was super scared because I wasn't put to sleep. The doctor told me I would be so high that I could hunt ducks with a rake. I do not remember a thing other than coming back to reality in the operating room. Worst part for me was sleeping reclined and not on my belly...love to sleep on my belly. Good luck with port and chemo. I will be thinking about you. I start Thursday if all goes well with my sinus infection.
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #9
    Mrs. Gadget
    I had a port placed under "awake" sedation in radiology. Recovery was easy. I really didn't have any pain. I'm hoping to get my sutures removed tomorrow (11 days). I got a script for Emla cream but my onco nurse also sprayed the bump to make sure it was numb. Chemo went much easier than I had anticipated. I've been fortunate that I've had few minor side effects. The Neulasta shot did me in 48 hours later. I had an achy body all weekend. Extra st Tylenol took care of that to go to bed. I will be having at least 4 TC, maybe 6. One down and the rest to go..... Wishing you well with the port and chemo. We're all here for whatever questions you might have. {{hugs}}
    Char
  • Snowkitty
    Snowkitty Member Posts: 295
    #10
    Ports are the best. For the
    Ports are the best. For the chemo and blood draws also. Last week I needed blood drawn 3 different times, then a couple days later, chemo. Port sure saved a lot of pain and irritation as tape or bandaid adhesive is no friend of mine. The little pick you get when they access port is less then a regular blood draw. Better on the veins too.

    Take care, cindy
  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175
    #11
    Good luck with your kickoff
    Good luck with your kickoff party hope you had a blast.
    I love my port, i wish i could keep it but its gotta go soon since im done with chemo now. I also have small viens so all the better with the port.
    Its a little uncomfortable but doable, they can numb it for your first use, if they dont automatically do this ask them to cuz it might hurt a little being so fresh from surgery. After that i never needed anything for it, it didnt hurt at all and you barely feel anything.
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #12
    teresa41 said:

    wishing you the best
    i didnt have a port when i had chemo but i wanted to wish you the best!
    take care of yourself lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids it helps!


    teresa

    Wishing you the best too
    Wishing you the best too with your port and with chemo!
  • mrs gadget
    mrs gadget Member Posts: 118
    #13
    JanInMN said:

    You have a big week! Are
    You have a big week! Are you having your port placed under general anesthesia in an OR, or are you having conscious sedation in Radiology? I had mine in radiology, and when the Radiologist asked if I had any concerns, i just said "I want to be VERY conciously sedated!". I was, and it was fine. Ports are wonderful! Don't forget to ask for Emla cream to numb your port area when they acess it for chemo. :-) Best of luck!
    jan

    thanks for the heads up on the cream!!
    I am having it done with just lidacaine only. They said that it is similar to a core biopsy and that I should be just fine. We shall see...I am a little nervous but that seems to be the name of the game throughout this whole thing...
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #14
    cahjah75 said:

    Mrs. Gadget
    I had a port placed under "awake" sedation in radiology. Recovery was easy. I really didn't have any pain. I'm hoping to get my sutures removed tomorrow (11 days). I got a script for Emla cream but my onco nurse also sprayed the bump to make sure it was numb. Chemo went much easier than I had anticipated. I've been fortunate that I've had few minor side effects. The Neulasta shot did me in 48 hours later. I had an achy body all weekend. Extra st Tylenol took care of that to go to bed. I will be having at least 4 TC, maybe 6. One down and the rest to go..... Wishing you well with the port and chemo. We're all here for whatever questions you might have. {{hugs}}
    Char

    Wishing you good luck with
    Wishing you good luck with your chemo tomorrow.


    Hugs, Angie

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