hi all,just had a portacath fitted last thursday.i was not given any dos and dont,in fact i never got any info at all.could anyone please give me any info on the dos and donts,still very sore and bruised.
Hi Janet
Here’s a link to the Macmillan web page about portacaths which you may find helpful whilst you await replies:
Take care
Lucy
Hi Janet,
Congrats on getting a portacath!!! Have had mine for 3 years now and it has made so much difference. Yours will be sore for a bit and I would say the only thing you need to be aware of is if it doesnt start to feel better - watch out for increasing redness etc. - anything that might indicate an infection. There really is nothing you need to be doing with it though - you will presumably be visiting the hospital regularly for intravenous drugs so they will take care of flushing it each time and you will have the opportunity then to ask about anything that worries you.
Have you got one of the super new ones? They can now put nuclear stuff through them for various types of scans. The old ones can’t be used for that, just taking blood and putting chemo drugs through. Hope it feels less sore soon.
Dawn
xx
I had one put in in May, and once the bruising etc goes down, they are great. You can shower, bath and swim The nurses do all sorts of things before and after chemo, but there are no do’s and don’t’s for you. It’s great because they don’t have to look for veins now. My chemo is now finished, but I am keeping mine for the moment (just in case) Apparently it will b rinsed out every 3 months at the same time as my appointments with my onc.
Good luck
Maria
Hi Janet
You should have been given a wrist band and a leaflet explaining what type of portacath you have - it’s a good idea to take this with you for treatment, and keeping it in your handbag for emergencies (I get told off if I don’t). I have one of the new ones, and it means I don’t need a heperin flush before and after treatment, just saline - the nurses may not know which type you have so you will need to tell them.
Mine took a little while to settle in, and didn’t work properly the first couple times - but since then it has been brilliant. Also, I was a bit upset at first because it was uncomfortable and I was aware of it a lot of the time - this feeling wore off after a short while.
Dawn I didn’t know about the nuclear stuff, so that is very useful info - thanks - when I asked at my last bone scan the guy was very dismissive. I expect to have another one soon so will be more assertive.
finty xx
thank you all for the replys,they did give me a card to carry in my bag,i dont have the new one then as it has to be flushed through within 4 weeks.where will i get a braclet from?
Hi Janet
I got given the bracelet with the leaflet - it’s just a rubber band thingy. I think they all need to be flushed regularly - just that the PowerPort doesn’t need Heperin, ordinary saline will do.
finty x
Hi Janet,
I also have a recently installed PowerPort, which means that contrast for CT scans can be injected through it too (a boon for me as my last CT had to be done without contrast as they found it impossible to get a vein), and I fully agree with Finty’s post.
The bracelet that came with mine looks like one of those charity rubber ones, and is not the sort of thing I would choose to wear at all - it’s purpose I think is to remind me to tell the relevant staff that I have a power port, but I carry the information card with me at all times, and also take my information booklet when I go to hospital.
I don’t know what your hospital is like, but the staff at mine are currently undergoing training in the use of these ports. I would definitely recommend getting hold of an information leaflet for your specific port if at all possible, both to reassure yourself and to show to the staff if necessary, as there are different brands and types being installed.
Mine has to be flushed every 4 weeks, and as Finty says, normal saline is all that is needed due to the special valve, whereas other brands and types my need hepsyl (sp?) too.
J x