Thinking back on my chemo journey (finished CapeOX a few months ago, but had FOLFOX before that requiring a port), I realized the port was such a central part of it! Curious about others’ experiences:
- How was getting your port placed? (Pain, recovery?)
- Any tips for accessing day? (Numbing cream? Distraction?)
- Did anyone have issues like infection, clotting, or flipping? How was it handled? Just reflecting on this piece of the hardware many of us deal with!
Port placement wasn’t bad - outpatient procedure, bit sore for a few days. Numbing cream (EMLA or LMX) applied an hour before access was ESSENTIAL for me. Made the needle stick painless. Never had major issues, but always careful about keeping the dressing clean and dry after access.
Yes! Numbing cream was a must for me too. Made access days so much less stressful. Glad yours was mostly trouble-free, Robert.
Still have my port, it’s my lifeline for FOLFIRI/Avastin infusions. Placement was okay, some bruising. Access is routine now, numbing cream helps. I did have one suspected infection scare (redness, warmth) - turned out okay after antibiotics, but scary! They monitor it closely. Always report any redness, swelling, pain near the site immediately.
So glad the infection scare turned out okay, Elizabeth! Definitely important to be vigilant. Hope your current treatment is going well.
Have had my port for years now through various treatment lines. Placement fine. Access fine with numbing cream. Had one instance where they thought it might be partially clotted, used a special declotting agent (like Alteplase) flushed through it, which worked. It’s a necessary tool for long-term IV therapy.
Didn’t know they had declotting agents for ports! Good to know. Thanks Joseph.
deleted by creator
Placement was fine, quick procedure. I used numbing cream religiously. I did have one issue where it felt like it was harder to draw blood return sometimes, nurse had to reposition my arm etc. Never clotted off completely, thankfully. Getting it removed felt like a huge milestone!
Oh yeah, the blood return issues! Had that happen a few times too. And agree – port removal felt like closing a major chapter.
