I shall be starting chemotherapy in the not too distant future. I have to decide between a Picc line and a portacath. I am leaning towards the latter. Any comments would be appreciated.
Hi @bingo,
I went for a port and it was the best decision for me. You need to have an operation to put it in but apart from that I could then ignore it and get on with things. You don’t really notice it because it’s under the skin and it doesnt need flushed regularly like the picc so there are no extra trips to the hospital.
I didn’t have a picc so don’t know much about them but would recommend the port to anyone. It’s one less thing I had to worry about xx
I’ve got a picc line. I think if I had been given the choice up front, I probably would have gone for a port because I am an active person and I like weight training and wanted to continue being active throughout my treatment. There’s not a whole lot of guidance about what you can/cannot do and I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to do my training.
In reality, it’s not had that much impact on my life. It is annoying to have to have the dressing changed/picc line flushed once a week and it’s annoying that when I have to shower, I need to wear a sleeve to keep it from getting wet but in the bigger picture it’s been a non-issue. I can’t do handstands (couldn’t do those before cancer though… ;)) or over the head heavy weights but other than that I’ve more or less just kept on doing what I was doing before.
I didn’t have a choice as my hospital only did picc lines.
I had no problem with getting it put in and it served me very well right through my 12 Chemo sessions.
Good luck with your choice x
1 Like
I have a portacath. I initially had it fitted in May 22 before chemo for my primary cancer. I chose it because I wanted to continue running, swimming, working with weights etc through treatment. I subsequently found the cancer had metastasised so have had a further period of treatment - really glad I already had the port. The only downside is that it needs flushing around once a month if not in use. The original procedure to fit it wasn’t particularly uncomfortable and it has never given me any bother.
If I had only had the choice of a PICC, I would probably have tried to manage without. Partially due to the limitations and partially because I am allergic to many types of dressing.
Hi @bingo ,
I was given a portacath and I was glad to have it as I hate getting things like blood tests which always make me faint. I had none of that when using the portacath and had no problems with it at all. Only thing I didn’t realise is that I’d be left with an inch-long scar on my chest where the port was inserted, though it has faded now and it’s pretty much hidden where my bra strap goes. Not sure if the picc line leaves a similar scar or not.
I also was not given a choice but having 12 weekly chemo and bloods the PICC line was great. I did have reactions to some dressings but this was sorted by using Cavilon rubbed into the skin before the dressing and only using IV3000 (least likely to cause allergic reactions) Only once did it block but 7/8 flushes sorted that out.
There is a risk of blood clots, infections but it can be treated. My cancer centre gave me a LIMBO sleeve to wear when showering or in the bath to keep it dry.
FYI I have many allergies including latex, Elastoplast (brown stretchy plasters and many sticky things.
Take care 
1 Like
Thank you for your invaluable advice. After some reading plus comments from people like yourself, I have decided to go for a portacath. Will be inserted mid May.
Thank you for your feedback with its invaluable information.
Thank you for your invaluable and informative comments. Hope all is going well for you.
1 Like
I have a picc line fitted and was hoping to have it out because I had finished my chemo and have had my surgery but just been told I need to have 9 more months of IV treatment. 
does anyone know if it’s possible to switch from a pic to a port? I wasn’t given the option when I was starting off but wonder if that’s because the hospital only do piccs? Any advice would be great. I just want some normal life back and being able to swim with my kids in the summer holiday would be a big part of feeling that way for me. I’ve had this picc in my arm since September 2024.
Hi, I had a Hickman line put in urgently during my original chemo as my hospital won’t do ports for shorter term chemo (I.e my ECT) and my veins had gotten so bad they couldn’t give me chemo without it and couldn’t get a PICC as no access. The Hickman line is similar idea to port but had a long cable like with the PiCC coming out of my chest, which also had to be covered by a clear dressing and the cable tucked into my bra etc. After chemo/surgery I was told I needed 10 months more chemo and I said to them that if that was the case I wanted a port due to infection risk, me being an active person, wanting to get back to work, and general quality of life issues. My oncologist agreed to let me get a port and I had the Hickman removed just before radio and the port put in at the end of it for starting my new treatment. It’s definitely worth asking as I don’t think I’d have been offered it due to cost, but I felt very strongly about it so pushed it 
1 Like
Definitely ask your treatment team about it. I had a PICC line for my first chemo and then got a port before starting targeted treatment but I switched hospitals in between the two. The firs one only did PICC lines because they didn’t have the facilities to put a port in and would have had to refer to a different department that was really backed up and would delay my chemo. The port is so much easier to live with so it’d be well worth pushing them for it like @belle1 did.