power port - your views please

Hi everyone
I’ve just had my 10th weekly taxol and yet again we struggled with my pathetic veins.
The Onc nurse has suggested a power port, as the hospital does not offer PICC or Hickman lines - please can anyone tell me what you think of these.

I’m getting more and more worked up each week about the IV and bloods, so on the surface it seems like a good idea. Up to now though I had only heard of PICC and Hickman lines.

I am also on Avastin which I know has a negative effect on blood clotting - so I am also worried that there may be complications. (I will make sure I discuss this with the docs before proceeding)

All comments much appreciated

Linda
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Hi Linda I have today had my 10th Taxol via a Portacath. All my poisons have been through this system. Def recommend any of these as saves yours veins. Even today they had trouble getting blood through it so imagine poor veins. Lots of excercies and we got the blood in the end. My portacath sits adjacent to my bra strap and just feels like a lump. It was put in under local anaesthetic and will be coming out once I finish. My surgeon recommended it as using just one arm (had total lymph node axillary) would have killed my veins and the trauma would have been too much on top of everything else. Surprised they have left it this far down the line before looking at other options. Good luck with it and if you need any other info let me know and I will try and help. Adi x

Hi
I have a port and it has been a godsend.Had all my chemo through it and had 16 out of 18 Herceptins at home through it.It was put in under general anaesthetic and was not painful after the initial bruising.Will be having it removed in 5 weeks time after my final Herceptin.
There is less chance of infection with these and mine is not visible unless I am wearing a strappy top.Would be a good idea for your surgeon to mark on you where your bra straps sit so that he can place the port slightly to the side so that the straps do not irritate.
Tracy
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I had a portacath put in before my first poisons and it’s been great, I highly recommend it. It’s much less obtrusive than PICC or Hickman so I can just get on with life and not be constantly reminded of chemo and cancer. I’m due Herceptin and really didn’t want dressings on my skin for the guts of 18 months so it’s been brilliant. As long as the Emla cream is left on long enough. Today’s blood test hurt a bit because the cream hadn’t been on for very long.

What a shame you’ve had to have knackered veins BEFORE getting it, it would be much more humane if we were offered lines before our blood vessels give out.

I’ve got a PortaCath (similar to PowerPort, PowerPort access needles are longer).
It was put in under a local - didn’t hurt at all.
The area was sore for a few days following the op but it’s fine now.

I don’t have any numbing cream prior to accessing the port, it’s no worse a scratch than getting a cannula fitted.

If you have to be hydrated in hospital, sleeping comfortably is a breeze with a port; sleeping with a cannula is pretty awful.

If you have to be hydrated over several days, with a cannula I always had to have it re-sited every 12 hours due to soreness or haematomas; this doesn’t happen with a port.

It’s pretty useful.

I have a Powerport (I have THE POWER apparently - v American!). I had it put in under general. First chemo was easy peasy, didn’t feel a thing. Unfortunately I had a complication yesterday (which was very rare and only the second time my hospital had seen it happen and they’ve been using them for years) when the tube got detatched and went AWOL in my body! Luckily they found it with the help of a CT scan and managed to fish it out. That said, they offered me a PICC, Hickman or to do the rest by cannula, but I have opted to have another one fitted. They are considered the “best” and top of the range. You couldn’t see it, I had a tiny scar, and it is usually very quick and efficient to take bloods and administer the chemo. I think they also put saline or something that sits in the tube when not in use to prevent clotting (you don’t want clotting).

I would go for it!! :slight_smile:

Sandytoes, that’s Heparin, an anti-clotting agent. I have that shoved in after every access.

Aha! There you go then!! :slight_smile:

CM - Think the steroids are kicking in. Have suddenly got a craving for chocolatey baked goods. I blame you.

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Hi Linda,

The other advantage to having a power port as opposed to a standard portacath is that it can be used for high speed infusions - I have had the contrast for my most recent CT scan injected via my power port which made the whole process much simpler and easier.

As others have said, getting it fitted is straightforward, and once the wound has healed the maintenance is minimal. The type I have has to be flushed once a month if it has not been used in that time, but the special valve inside means that heparin is not necessary, only saline (not sure if that applies to all power ports).

The needles used to access the port look a bit scary at first, but I find it much less of an ordeal than canulas used to be.

Best of luck,
Jx

Actually the PowerPorts for some reason don’t need heparin, they just use saline - no idea why. I was told it’s an advantage but can’t really see what difference it makes.

I’ve got a German thing, “Infusion Port Contrast: Portsystem zu Hochdruck-Injektion”, so in English, a high-speed one that can be used for CT scans, and I always get Heparin, not just saline.

Thank you to you all
I think its fair to say you’ve all put my mind at rest and subject to my Onc being happy about it being fitted, I will ask for it next week.

I guess my only concern is that I am currently going private and if my cover runs out and I go NHS neither of my local hospitals have apparently been trained in using the power port?? I assume however I can cross this bridge when/if it happens and have a PICC fitted.

Anyhow off to watch the Apprentice now
Thank you again and hope you’re all doing Ok

Linda
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Linda - I’m mostly private due to an AXA policy as part of my job, not cos I’m rich. The Oncy, surgeon and all docs etc also work at the local hospital.

The only folk at the private hospital who are qualified to access/remove access to ports are the Oncy nurses and any doctors (the doctors who also work at the NHS).

When I needed my port accessed on Stalagluft 2, they just got the on-call doc to access it and later, the other on-call doc to remove it because the oncy nurses were all busy.

Hi Ninja
Thanks for that. I would also add I’ve got cover thru work - I’m certainly not rich - I gulp each time I get an invoice and make sure they’re not expecting me to pay! (They’ll be waiting along time if they do)

You’ve also made me think - both Oncy and surgeons also work at NHS hospital - its just the nursing staff that apparently aren’t trained so it shouldn’t be a major problem.

Do you know how long your private cover will last for? I haven’t asked my Insurance comapny as I sense my Onc would rather talk to them (I don’t want to tell them the wrong thing) but as i know my treatment is probably long term I’m sure it will run out eventually

All the best
Linda
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Linda, my cover will last as long as the treatment lasts. The company renew their policy each August but they didn’t change the provider last year (they did in 2009) but they kept on all the current terms and conditions.

My policy covers acute conditions - once my Crohn’s had been diagnosed last year and I was just put on drugs, then I transferred to NHS.

The BC stays on AXA though and I agree, the bills are eye-watering!

It’s a good job that we are covered through the DDA/Equality Act and can’t be sacked for being ill with cancer or my AXA would stop if the job stopped. I have already had the deeply unpleasant experience of being forced out of one job that I’d been doing for 9 years for being off ill for more than a certain number of weeks. Employment law lets them do that these days - you are in breach of contract by being off ill. Thank whichever deity is your choice that the law covers us now!