Port is possibly infected...what happens next?

Hi Ladies. Just back from chemo where I was told my port may be infected. They opted not to use it today and went in through a vein (ouch). They have prescribed antibiotics (among the side effects listed are lowered white blood cell counts, lowered neutrophils and Neutropenia so that makes no sense as my counts are already low) and will check again next week. I have 10 treatments remaining. If the port remains infected, what happens? Will they remove it and the rest of my treatments will be intravenous? Will they recommend a new port on the other side? I'm not a fan of the port to begin with (hard to sleep on that side, always tender, etc.) and might not get another but I also understand that taking chemo through the veins in your arm may cause damage to the vein as well as present leakage Issues? Advice/experience please! THANK YOU

[kittie]

Hi, I to had infections in my port earlier this year , I spent a week in hospital in both January and February before they decided to remove it. It was chase a vein after that having chemo every third week for 5 days in a row didnt help, I t took two months before I got my new port inserted due to low platelets but that was infected from day one and was never used that one was removed in early June so my veins barely held out until I finished my chemo in late June . I had my first port in for over 4 years so it did its job. The best of luck and I hope the Antibiotics work for you. Kittie

[Hidden in reply to kittie]

Thank you for the share, Kittie. I'm hoping too the antibiotics do the trick. We'll know in a week or so. Hoping we don't have to go through the veins ...

[Hidden]

I hope the antibiotics will do what they should do and maybe they can 're use it if infection clears best wishes

[Hidden]

Thanks Suzuki, me too.

[Minniemay]

Alma, I don't have any advice, but I had what I thought was port trouble within the past 2-3 weeks. It was checked out, flushed again & everything seems fine now. There had been a possibility of infection, thank goodness there wasn't, but I had never realized that could happen to these things. The chemo nurse told me that they have one gal coming in there that has had 4 different ports! That's a lot of minor surgical procedures, in addition to the chemo! I want to keep mine in case of a reoccurrence because my veins are just terrible.

I hope it all works in your favor....no infection!

[Hidden in reply to Minniemay]

Thanks Minniemay, Glad yours was not infected. I can't imagine having this one removed and another put in let alone going through that 4 times....poor gal. Hoping you never have to use yours again. Best wishes.

[midcanada]

I hope your infection clears with the antibiotics.

I have a on e month old port and would hate to have to go back to using my arm veins for my chemo.

Best of luck.

[Hidden in reply to midcanada]

Thank you, midcanada. Hoping the antibiotics work too. Hope your port is trouble free and your chemo goes well! Best Wishes.

[rossnbren]

I finished 12 weeks Taxol and Carbo then after debulking another 12 weeks regime all through the vein with no problems except the odd second go😜 hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to rossnbren]

Thank you, rossnbren. It is a relief to know that I can take the balance of treatments without troubles if I have to go through the veins. I heard too many collapse/leakage stories and was nervous. Thanks for helping calm me.

[Naimish]

My wife too had an infection in her port between chemo no 4 and 5. It took two weeks of constant fever to realise that it's an infected port An earlier diagnosis could have saved her the suffering that fever brings for a person undergoing chemo. The port was immediately removed and sanity restored albeit with the last two rounds of chemo being through the vein. They tried flushing with saline and checking for two days , but it didnt work out and had to be removed.

Naimish

[Hidden in reply to Naimish]

So sorry to hear your wife had to go through two weeks of fever and infection. We hope that the ports are easier on our bodies and make chemo less intrusive but they don't always turn out to be as intended. If it is still infected next week I'll have to have it out. Thank you for sharing your experience