Chemo ports

[Horsesrock]

Morning! It took 5 attempts to get a cannula into me yesterday - I’m only on week 3 of 18 + chemo rounds. Should I get a port? No one has mentioned it until I suggested it yesterday. What is your experience and advice? I already have a pleural drain but I think that may come out in a few weeks as fluid is definitely less. Seems a bit dramatic to have 2 permanent lines into/out of my body! Thank you! Charlotte

[Heart12345]

I had a picc line in my arm it was brilliant, they have a specialist group to place it correctly under ultrasound, it didn’t take long and taking blood was so much easier xxxxx

[Horsesrock in reply to Heart12345]

Thanks. Good to know. I’ve put a request in. X

[SASSY196]

I have an arm port which has made getting treatment and having blood taken so much easier. I have also been in hospital recently and so also have a picc line at the moment. Also so much better than cannulation, needs weekly flush and clean but if you are on weekly Taxol ( as am I ) you have to be at hospital anyway. Good luck with whatever you decide and get xxx

[Horsesrock in reply to SASSY196]

Thanks Sassy - if I get a choice between picc or port which would you go for?

[SASSY196]

Port is internal, if chest I think fitted in surgery. Mine in arm. Less infection risk. more permanent. Picc external. More infection risk but easier to fit and offered more often I think.

You might just get offered one or other. It makes life much easier so far as cannulation getting hard.

Looks like we are both on weekly Taxol. I just had number 4 today.

[Horsesrock in reply to SASSY196]

Thank you! By the sound of it I think I’d prefer a port. I’m hoping to be able to swim again once the chest drain is out and healed. Plus get back on my horse. How long are you on the weekly taxol ? Are you having avastin as well? So far I’m feeling ok - I hope you are too. I still can’t quite believe this is happing to me! All the best C x

[SASSY196 in reply to Horsesrock]

I had a bowel blockage a few weeks ago, they are using chemo to try to unblock me as well as steroids and bowel rest as surgery not a realistic option- too complex and also cancer will just march on in other areas without chemo so can't delay this whilst recovering surgery. Not on Avastin because of risks attached to bleeding in bowel. So sorry it's happening to both of us, we are getting treatment so let's hope it gives us both a lot more time and quality of life xxx

[SASSY196 in reply to SASSY196]

Owww by the way I did go swimming with my arm port, was joyful. Hoping you get to do this xxxxxxxxxxxx

[organicinna in reply to Horsesrock]

My oncologist advised me against swimming pools for a while in case of infections. Public pools of course . But if you have a private pool then its ok ))

[Horsesrock in reply to organicinna]

Sadly no ! but the sea and loads of lochs around!!

[Everhope]

I had a port fitted at the beginning of the year & have no regrets, it has made life so much easier for bloods, chemo and dyes for scans. I had a PICC line for my first line chemo & I must say it did not give me any trouble either - just having to go to the hospital for frequent flushes was a nuisance!

My experience of having port fitted was not too bad. I drove myself to the hospital. Walked into the X-ray room & removed my shirt & bra & put on hospital gown. I then stepped up to lie under the X-ray machine & the radiologist gave local anaesthetic at the insertion site, in the right hand side of my chest just below my collar bone. I was not anaesthetised, I had my CNS with me ( holding my hand!), and the radiographer was also constantly moving the camera over the area. I was not aware of any pain just severe pressure and pushing- not sure how long it took, about 20 mins I think. I got up, got dressed & drove home!! It was used for my chemotherapy two days later. Had very little bruising & am never really aware of it. It can also go weeks without being flushed.

The only downside is I was warned that only oncology nurses can use it so when I was admitted recently to A&E it could not be used as there were no oncology nurses available.

There were several posts concerning ports about 5 months ago. I would not hesitate to recommend having one.

An added bonus - you have the use of both arms while the chemo is being delivered🤗

Good luck with your decision!

Everhope

[Zssu]

Hi, I had a very similar experience to Everhope. During my treatment I had to have a second port put in when it was realised I needed more chemo (had the first removed too early). So I kept the second in for an extra year after the end if treatment. The problem with this is that every 8 weeks it needs reflushing and locking with heparin. No problem but you need to go to hospital. However I would really recommend having one. Never any problem with it and forgot it was there most of the time…. until I bumped it once or twice! Also if you drive you will need a little pillow under your seatbelt.

I also had to be admitted to hospital due to chemo fever and they cannot use your port for any other drugs so had to have cannulas in my feet! I have lymph nodes removed left and right so cannot have arm sites. If you have one fitted remember the size of needle they need to access it. If you are very slim you will need the smallest size. You have to remind the onco nurses of this as otherwise they do not get good results.Good luck with your treatment and keep safe.

Zsu x

[Horsesrock]

Thanks Zsu, I will definitely make sure I get the smallest size. I presume you had your port in your chest rather than arm ? I want to start riding again and whilst I don’t make a habit of falling off I think I’m less likely to land on my chest than arm. Hopefully wouldn’t matter too much anyway! All the best Cx

[Sashay2020]

My experience has been very close to Everhope’s. I was in quite a lot of pain after my surgery the several days I was in hospital following my debulking surgery (such is NOT the norm). I was so morose that I initially refused the port which I was advised was required for me to start chemo. One of the nurses who cared for me in hospital showed me her chest port. Hers was virtually invisible. She placed my my fingers on it and let me feel the slight bump. She had been through chemo for breast cancer and had finished chemo about three years ago. She explained that her port had been implanted five years ago and that her doctor wanted to remove it. She said she refused because it was “bought and paid for. “ Ports can stay in for years and most ports must be flushed every three months. My brand of port need only be flushed every six months per manufacture specifications. It is a “power port” which means that agents can be injected quickly, such as dye for a CT scan. Like Everhope, only nurses that are “port certified” can access, use, flush and close my port. My pulmonologist of many years visited me in hospital after my surgery and encouraged me to seek remission via chemo, so I did. Every time my port has been accessed these past 18 or so months ( I recently began second-line chemo) , I have been grateful that I have it. I even went helmet diving (about 16 feet below surface) with it without any problem. One stick, that’s it. No more digging in my arms for tiny veins. I did have to be sedated (as one would be for a colonoscopy—my sister drove me to the procedure) during implementation. I have asthma and began coughing during insertion and they had to give me more meds to stop my coughing and keep me still. Other than that, I have had no problems with my port and would most assuredly have it implanted again. Hope my experience helps you reach an informed decision. Best wishes for you in 2022 from New Orleans Louisiana,

Sashay

[SUE7777]

Hi Charlotte, I have a port and it is very good, there is hardly any maintenance and you can showers and bathe without problems also they can do everything through the port take blood etc.. Hope this helps. Sue xx

[organicinna]

Oh yes may be 2 permanent ones is too much but torture yr poor veins is no good either (( Some of my veins on arms is still bruised and painful 4 month after last chemo////

[testarossa71]

Hi Horsesrock, As the lovely ladies here have indicated, you can get either a PICC line into the arm, which needs to be flushed weekly, or a portacath into the chest which needs to be flushed every three weeks. The PICC line requires you to wear a sleeve over it most of the time, to keep the various tubes from being tugged or pulled. You can’t get it wet either, so if swimming is important to you, that might be something you want to consider. I opted for the portacath, which was relatively fuss free to have installed and mostly makes giving bloods and taking treatment a lot easier. I wrote quite a long post on my experience of having it installed back in July/August. I don’t know how to link back to that post but will see if I can find it after sending this. Wishing you luck, whatever your choice.

[Tulips66]

Hi, I have a port in my chest since 2019 & have never had any trouble with it. I was a little sore & bruised for a day or two after it was inserted. The nurses can take my bloods from it when they are assessing it for my chemo so no queuing for phlebotomist to do it. The good thing about a port rather than a picc line is you can shower or go swimming without having to cover it which I think you have to with a picc line. (maybe the ladies with picc lines can say if this is true). After finishing chemo for front line a nurse was able to come to my home every 4 weeks to flush it instead of me going into the hospital but unfortunately I recurred & am back on chemo. Hope all this helps you & anything that makes what you are going through easier on you is a good thing. Best of luck with your remaining chemo & take care X

[Ruebacelle]

Big fan of the port. Mine installed before lst chemo 6 1/2 years ago. Never a problem.

[Cumbrianlass5]

I had a picc line and it was superb. Was not offered a port. Had to have it flushed weekly but hubby and I used to take a picnic and make it a day out, so it was quite fun. It certainly beats all that faffing about with needles all over your arms. Best wishes x

[delia2]

I’m also a big fan of the port. I’ve had mine since 2018 and gotten a lot of use out of it. I hate it when I go to a lab where they have to use my arm to draw blood. I think you’ll be glad if you get one.

[Summergold2]

Absolutely LOVE my port!!! So much easier! Was a bit uncomfortable for the first couple of weeks getting used to it......but oh my wonderful. No digging around trying to find a vein when I go see the oncologist a nurse schooled for ports draws all the blood needed and sets it all up for the Chemo nurses.! My Onc suggested it right off as chemo can damage your veins and picc lines aren't comfortable

[Leniko]

I sure would. My chest Port has been my saving grace.

[purfekt10]

I had the same problem as you and I demanded to have a port placed into my chest. It was a good decision because almost all of my veins are too small which caused so much pain when they tried to insert it in several of those veins.

[Horsesrock]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I went into hospital yesterday for a picc assessment but no ideal vein so they have referred me for a port which is my preference anyway. Yippee! Happy New Year my lovely OC friends. May 2022 be good for us all. Xxx