To have a central line/port or not?

[napa]

I have started treatment and it will continue for several months, have been offered a central line/port or to continue with peripheral IV, looking for your input regarding this decision/choice. Thanks.

[GMa27]

Definitely get a port! Saves veins & keeps hands free. Easy in and removal of port. You can get it wet after few days and after a week you will forget you have it. 🙏💕

[louie48]

Howdy napa, I agree with GMa27.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

I would have loved one during my treatment, as it would have saved me from developing very painful cellulitis in both forearms from multiple daily IVs. I wasn't offered one because due to my chronic neutropenia, it was considered too risky. Given I was struggling with febrile neutropenia at the time, despite IV antibiotics and daily G-CSF injections, this just goes to show that there is no universal right answer.

Neil

[Hidden]

Do yourself a favor, Get the port now. I was supposed to be on oral treatment, yet I ended up being stuck over 80 times, had too many missed sticks, and half a dozen veins permanently damaged in about 6 months time. My port is a Godsend. I call her mini mouse as she looks abit like a corded computer mouse under the skin.

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer]

We are all different. One consideration is what is being infused. If FCR (infusions, not pills as some get) or BR were being considered for me I would seriously consider a port. I have gone 18 years, with monthly IVIG and 4 different infusion rounds of Rituxan / Gazyva, plus blood draws, without a port and am doing fine. I am an easy stick, and my veins have done well. I think that it is a very individual decision.

[napa in reply to MsLockYourPosts]

Thank you, it is BR.

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer in reply to napa]

I have friends who have vein damage while getting BR. If that were coming for me I would definitely discuss a port. Be sure to talk to your doctor and the person placing your port about location relative to your daily routines. No one seems to consider those things until there is an issue - for example, are you usually the driver or passenger in a car? Seat belts can be irritating. For women, you don’t want it to sit under a bra strap or do you carry your purse on one side. Sports related issues - carrying equipment bags, dominant hand when playing. How do you carry your baby? You get the idea. Don’t be afraid to insist that you are listened to!

[BeckyLUSA]

I get IVIG infusions every 6 weeks and after 3 years of it, my veins were shot, and it took up to 4 sticks every time to find a vein that would work. I have a love hate relationship with the port. I love it when I am getting an infusion and the nurses really love it. But it can be a little bit uncomfortable at times, tender to the touch occasionally, but is definitely worth it. BeckyL USA

[Srli]

Get the port, B&R ruined my veins and now getting a blood draw is very difficult. I kid you not, the last blood draw the nurse crossed herself before starting (it didn't help).

[wmay13241]

My wife got her central line port in November 2011 - never had a problem with it. She does get it flushed every 4-5 weeks.

[SofiaDeo in reply to wmay13241]

FWIW, I think protocols have changed so they are currently flushed more often. I wanted to mention this in case you go for the port, and they want to flush it more, and you remember reading another protocol was monthly versus a different protocol. A central port will save peripheral veins from irritation as well as make blood draws easier. The only caveat I ever saw, was a patient I once had who kept getting hospitalized with port infections. In chatting with her, I discovered she happened to have an unusually large number of punctures weekly. She needed a number of other IV meds in addition to her chemo and blood draws. I discovered her poor site was getting several dozen punctures before it was changed. We added an addition injection site saline lock to her port that was changed daily. It made the port site a little larger, with not one saline injection site taped down but 2 in a line. However, this stopped her infections & hospitalizations. Her main port was now only getting 7 punctures a week instead of 12-15 a day on chemo days.

[2016miniman]

No doubt it's the best, easiest, and most pain free way to go..I loved mine!

[Big_Dee]

Hello napa

Great question. I decided on doing all my 6 months of chemo treatment using arm IV. My decision was based on not wanting to go through the required cleaning of port tube, possible infection at port entrance, chemo drugs injected that close to my heart and possibly to leave port in for extended period after treatment as precaution. Having said all that my arm veins were damaged by IV treatments, took about year or so to return back to somewhat normal. Almost a toss up which way to go. I wish my doctors had given me more information to make a decision. Blessings.

[CLLBGone]

YES YES YES .... by all means get the port. It makes it super easy both for you and the nurses. The veins in your arms will thank you 😊. Also, if you need scans that require dye, having a port makes it a much more pleasant procedure. I had a Bard Power Port installed. No regrets at all.

[CLLBGone]

And one other thing, in case you weren't aware. The port is concealed under your skin. No valves or tubes stick out. It is a little lump. I wore T shirts and that lump wasn't visible. The procedure before your meds infusion usually involves the nurse injecting saline to ensure flow both before and after the meds. There is no maintenance on your part .

[Davidcara]

Ports are great for the patient. The exception being, when they rarely get infected, or lead to a blood stream infection. Rare, but it does happen.

[64lusso]

I see most all vote for the port, I had the 6 round treatment of B+R in 2017 and that was preceded by a once weekly injection of Rituximab to deal with AIHA. I did not get a port and in hindsight don't feel I needed one. I have one small piece of advice if you elect not to get a port which is to tell the nurse putting the line in on the first day (B+R is a two day event) that you want to keep it over night. That reduces the number of sticks by 1/2 as well as the time needed to get started on day 2 so you are out quickly on the Bendamustine only day.