Ports

I have been in hospital about 60 times within 2 years and usually at least every month each time I go for IV and now my viens are struggling to play a number of times had cannulae's in the weirdest of places and have had to have Central lines as therre is no where else to go. I know a few asthmatics have ports. What is the criteria for getting one?

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Ports.

Hi Bizkid, sorry to hear about all your admissions. You begin to wonder if you have a home don't you. My daughter had very poor venous access and a needle phobia but I had to fight very hard to get anyone to listen to me. Eventually they decided to put in a portacath ( note needle phobia ) BUT in between it becoming active Bernadette had a respiratory arrest, the surgeon was contacted as an emergency and said we could use the port and that's when the fun and games began. No-one in the medical unit knew how to access the port and when some one was found the needles were the wrong size!!Needless to say I kicked up merry H*** and it was decided to put in a Hickman line ( the kind used for Chemo ). I was taught how to keep it patent and how to access it for when we were at home but what a difference it made to our lives. It was a revelation. I don't know how things have changed as This was around 1995/1996. I hope this is of some help to you and I wish you all the best. LIZ x

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I have a port (my second one infact) it has been an absolute godsend. Bernadette's mum does raise a prominent issue with them though. Very few places have anyone qualifiedto access the ports. I found my way around this problem by learning to access the port myself or get my hubby to do it. I also carry my own supply of gripper needles as not all places stockthem.

E

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i have a port, but its because i go into hospital every 3 weeks for IV and every 3monthish for IV as well! its amazing but you have to make sure you get a specail qualified in ports nurse to acess it. i would ask about it, i had a PICC line for 6 months beofore i got my port and i think my port is great! deffo ask about one! hope this helps a lil bit

xxx