Hi
I have my last FEC on Tuesday and yesterday I had my onc appointment. I aksed when I could have the port removed and he said 6 to 8 weeks after last chemo - why so long? I can’t wait to get rid of it as it has never fully settled, is still bruised and is a bit sore (nothing major).
For those who have been through it, how long after chemo did you have the port out? Did you have to wait until after rads?
Thanks
Jayne x
If you’re to have Herceptin they usually leave the port in till you at least get started on that.
I had my PICC removed at the last chemo appointment - but only because I had a blood clot and am on blood thinners. The onc wanted to leave the PICC in in case I got an infection later on, but keeping taking the blood thinners would have delayed surgery.
Peg
I had my Hickman line out within a couple of weeks as they needed it out of the way in order to do my surgery. If you are not expecting to need it for anything else then I see no reason why it can’t come out. They can get them out quick when they want to. Maybe they are just waiting for a non urgent slot to do it? I think you are entitled to ask for it to be brought forward or for an explanation of why not. They don’t realise how much we hate the things. Good luck, x
I won’t be having Herceptin so shouldn’t need it after last FEC. Guess it must be in case of infection but I would rather have antibiotics via cannula than keep threport on the off-chance.
Like Pegglass, I had my PICC line removed at my last chemo. I hadn’t asked the onc, so just asked the chemo nurses if they could take it out and they did (while I still had the cold-cap on).
I had used my PiCC line for a/b’s when my husband lovingly shared his man-flu, but the nurses didn’t suggest keeping it just in case. I was just happy not to need the district nurses round any more to flush it and for the skin under the dressing to have a chance of recovering from the excema caused by the dressings.
Myorg port only came out when I had the surgery as it would have been in the way. This was two months after completing chemotherapy. They offered me a local anaesthetic to remove it before but after the trauma of getting it in ported to wait. Good luck x
I had my surgery before chemo so will have to have the local to remove it - the insertion wasnt great and I had an enormous bruise. It has never fully settled so cant wait to get rid of it!
The BCN told me yesterday that 3 weeks is fine, just need to get through the low immune days first as they cut into the skin to remove it.
thanks for all the tips and advice x