I had my Chemo pre assessment today and was told that I will be having a Port (a disc about 1-1.5 in) inserted into my chest with a catheter under the skin of my chest and attached to a major vein in my neck.
I’m nervous but know it will be better than the nurses trying to find a vein in my ‘good’ arm. It’s a shame because my lympodema arm has lovely veins!
The nurse today told me all about the side effects of Chemo and I suppose because he was so confident and positive it eased my nervousness and fears slightly.
The nurse also took me and my husband around the Chemo suite which is at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage. The room where you have the treatment is small but very light due to the full width windows (I think you can see the motorway. I hate a dark room lit only by artificial lighting.
There were about 6 or 8 beds or chairs in the room and were all full apart from one solitary Parker Knoll comfy chair. I will be sitting in a chair unless I faint from the sheer panic of it all or my low pressure causes me to faint.
My first chemo is tomorrow at 1pm and I will be having 3 FEC 100 and 3 Taxotere plus 18 Herceptin all to go through the Port I am having fitted at Mount Vernon Hospital in Watford.
I feel for everybody having Chemo and after reading the negative side effects, I just think at least this Christmas 2010 I can celebrate properly instead of coming home on Christmas Eve.
My husband is taking me every time for my Chemo and will stay with me and take me home again. I am so lucky. I don’t know if he will be taking me to my radiotherapy as well though or to my Herceptin infusions.
You’ll love your port! I’ve had Hickman, Picc and central lines-the first two ended up causing me to contract infections (5 days in hospital on both occasions on iv antibiotics!), and the latter, a blood clot.
The port is much less likely to cause you any problems as risk of infection is minimal. Its unobtrusive, and accessing it is virtually painless. It feels a bit odd at first, but I wouldn’t be without it. Good luck with the treatment.
I join Elaine in my love of my port :). I have had 3 hickman lines over the years and they are such a hassle. The port is unobtrusive and relatively pain-free in accessing. I have had mine for 3 years now and wouldnt be without it.
My port is great - I believe in France all women with secondaries are automatically offered a port - rather than waiting until their veins collapse as seems to happen here.
Hi i had a portocath, and it was ok, the only thing i wish is that i had asked for it to be in a more fleshy part of my chest, as i felt it rub against the chest wall. I had chemo, bloods and a couple of transfusions through it.
I had a portacath too. I love it, it makes life a whole lot easier. Unfortunately mine sticks out a bit (not enough fat) So it looks like I’ve got my own doorbell!
Rhian mine is high up - about 1" below collarbone so no fleshy tissue! A lot of the chemo nurses have remarked at how good the siting is because those in more fleshy tissue give problems in that they can twist when being accessed.
I’m another one who wants to join the “I love my port” club
I had it fitted before chemo started - and was immediately grateful as they struggled to find a vein to give the sedation for the fitting procedure, so glad I didn’t have to go through that every chemo!
It was sore for about 10 days after the fitting, mainly due to the dressings irritating and pulling my skin, but has been fine ever since, I can feel it when I move sometimes but it doesn’t bother me. It’s very easy to live with, no special care required, the fact that it’s under the skin is great for me as I have young children so no fear of them yanking it out! Blood tests and chemo have been fine through the port, no problems at all (I’ve had 4xFEC so far and 12xTaxol to come).
I have a tube of Emla cream (local anaesthetic) that I apply to the skin above the port about an hour before my appointment and I don’t feel a thing when the needle goes in. Might be worth asking chemo nurses or GP about this is you find the needle uncomfortable - I wasn’t that worried but since they offered the cream I took it!
BTW I live in Watford although I’m not being treated at Mount Vernon, but my friend had cancer treatment at MV and found all the staff there to be lovely so I’m sure you’ll be in good hands for the port fitting.
Good luck with the port, it’s definitely worth having!
I live in France and I was fitted with a port under a local Anaesthetic before my first chemo which was a week later.
It saw me through all treatment, chemo, herceptin and mastectomy.
However, since I finished my treatment last July I can’t wait to be rid of it, as I do still find it a bit uncomfortable to lay on that side.
It’s fitted just below my shoulder and goes into a main vein down by the heart. I call it my fashion accessory, but having said that I will be glad when they remove it.
Hi mnc,
I had my port fitted at Mount Vernon by Dr M*****i (Not sure if I can say the name here!)Everyone said he was very good, and he was.I had sedation, which had mostly worn off by the time I got down there as there was a hold-up, so we chatted all the way through. I had a local anaesthetic, and it completely numbed the area, so you just feel a bit of pressure with his hands. I was on Marie Curie ward and the staff were lovely.
Really good luck - hope you get it soon so you don’t have to worry
Jacquie x
Hi Dawn mine was put slap bang middle of my chest (even though my breast surgeon warned me to ask for it to be put out of sight, the guy who fitted it didn’t listen) and i found it really sore, the scar left after having it removed has never properly healed which is poo as i now have a scar so don’t like to wear a v neck, but i am glad i had a port for the period i was on chemo and feel its a small price to pay
can’t say I love it ! I’m longing for the day in 2011 that I get rid of it but I do think it is better than the alternatives. Mine sits under my bra strap on the right hand side, I’m not particularly fleshy so it is a bit uncomfortable to lie on that side but it does make it easier for the nurses to access it if they can see the bumps clearly.
I’m sure it does make life easier particularly if you, like me, have a long haul in front of you - I have 2nd Tax of 4 on Monday then rads then 18 x herceptin so it will be a long time till I say tata to the port
Thank you jacquie. I haven’t got the date through yet but you’ve eased my mind about Mount Vernon. I did find it difficult with my first chemo (nerves and shaking mostly). But sitting on my sofa typing this on my iPhone so apologies for any errors - no spellcheck on this on this device that I can find!
Hi I had my port inserted and it is fine, but be careful of bra straps pressing too much etc. I do find that sometimes if I am doing something for too long, i.e. typing etc that my port arm can ache, so have plenty of rests. Also sleeping on that side can be uncomfortable but not unreasonable. I have a patch to put on it an hour before the infusion and it is fine. They also use it for blood tests! I too am in France and this is the accepted way of infusing.
Have a red mark under the arm when the vein is I guess. Been no problems though. Good luck with all your treatment. Celeste - wherabouts are you? I am North west (44).
I had a port fitted and it’s great. The radiologist checked with me as to where he was fitting it and it’s perfect - doesn’t interfere with bra straps etc and the scar has already faded even tho I have only had one FEC so far. I had the 1st chemo about 2 hours after the port was fitted.
Ruthx
I am also in France and had a port fitted after 2nd chemo. It’s more convenient than trying to find a vein every time especially when the veins are damaged and it works well when taking blood. However, I do find it uncomfortable at times. It tends to ache if I overdo it. So there are pros and cons to it!
Hi everyone, I had my port fitted on Friday after my veins were completely wrecked during chemo. I was nervous about the procedure, which I had done under a local anesthetic, but I must say I couldn’t feel a thing. There’s a bit of brusing around the area but it’s not uncomfortable. I’m due to start herceptin shortly hence the reason for the insertion.
xxx
I love my port, too. It was inserted during surgery (I’m also in France), so an extra procedure wasn’t necessary. It’s in my recon breast, so I can’t feel a thing, either.
I’d thoroughly recommend one; it saves your time, the nurses’ time - and your veins.
