PORT-A-CATH removal

I'm wondering if anyone has had similar problems after having their port removed from under the clavicle?   After almost 4 years the site itself keeps getting deeper (surgeon stated it would "fill in"...yeah right, not so!)& the muscle from the site up to just under my left clavicle has such terrible spasms & sharp pains.  At times it feels as if it's ripping & the muscle feels like it's been pulled out & turned around & put back in.  I've learned the hard way that I can't lift any heavy object (not even my purse) without suffering repercussions.  I had 3 doctors to check with no positive results or explanations.  We now have no med. insurance & can't afford any further testing, ie. X- Rays, CT Scan etc. Do I always have to live with this off & on pain?

 

On 2/25/2009 Sharon2353 wrote:

I'm wondering if anyone has had similar problems after having their port removed from under the clavicle?   After almost 4 years the site itself keeps getting deeper (surgeon stated it would "fill in"...yeah right, not so!)& the muscle from the site up to just under my left clavicle has such terrible spasms & sharp pains.  At times it feels as if it's ripping & the muscle feels like it's been pulled out & turned around & put back in.  I've learned the hard way that I can't lift any heavy object (not even my purse) without suffering repercussions.  I had 3 doctors to check with no positive results or explanations.  We now have no med. insurance & can't afford any further testing, ie. X- Rays, CT Scan etc. Do I always have to live with this off & on pain?

That doesn't sound normal. I had one removed in 2003 with no problems afterward at all. There's just a bump left from where it attached to a line. I can't think of any reason it would do this. Sorry to hear about the health insurance situation -- that sounds like the biggest problem. Perhaps the surgeon who removed it would be interested in the cavity and the pain you're developing.

 

 

On 2/25/2009 Sharon2353 wrote:

I'm wondering if anyone has had similar problems after having their port removed from under the clavicle?   After almost 4 years the site itself keeps getting deeper (surgeon stated it would "fill in"...yeah right, not so!)& the muscle from the site up to just under my left clavicle has such terrible spasms & sharp pains.  At times it feels as if it's ripping & the muscle feels like it's been pulled out & turned around & put back in.  I've learned the hard way that I can't lift any heavy object (not even my purse) without suffering repercussions.  I had 3 doctors to check with no positive results or explanations.  We now have no med. insurance & can't afford any further testing, ie. X- Rays, CT Scan etc. Do I always have to live with this off & on pain?

I know it's been a while since you've written this, but I was wondering if your problem was every solved?

Reason i'm asking is...I had my port removed 7 months ago. And although the incision site is completely healed up..I am having extreme pain in the area. From the clavicle down to the breast. It even hurts tremedously just to the touch. Almost like it's got bad bruising underneath. Because I did have breat cancer and a mastectomy on the opposite side in 07, I was of course concered that the cancer had returned on this side.

So..I too do not have any med.insurance & cannot afford testing, but i'm going to see my breast surgeon tomorrow and pray that they'll let me make some sort of payment arrangement and I can get to the bottom of this mystery.

I hope you are doing better and have found some releif from your pain.

I just keep getting told that "Gee, that doesn't seem normal"

On May 19, 2009 12:00 AM missdenise wrote:

 

On 2/25/2009 Sharon2353 wrote:

I'm wondering if anyone has had similar problems after having their port removed from under the clavicle?   After almost 4 years the site itself keeps getting deeper (surgeon stated it would "fill in"...yeah right, not so!)& the muscle from the site up to just under my left clavicle has such terrible spasms & sharp pains.  At times it feels as if it's ripping & the muscle feels like it's been pulled out & turned around & put back in.  I've learned the hard way that I can't lift any heavy object (not even my purse) without suffering repercussions.  I had 3 doctors to check with no positive results or explanations.  We now have no med. insurance & can't afford any further testing, ie. X- Rays, CT Scan etc. Do I always have to live with this off & on pain?

I know it's been a while since you've written this, but I was wondering if your problem was every solved?

Reason i'm asking is...I had my port removed 7 months ago. And although the incision site is completely healed up..I am having extreme pain in the area. From the clavicle down to the breast. It even hurts tremedously just to the touch. Almost like it's got bad bruising underneath. Because I did have breat cancer and a mastectomy on the opposite side in 07, I was of course concered that the cancer had returned on this side.

So..I too do not have any med.insura nce & cannot afford testing, but i'm going to see my breast surgeon tomorrow and pray that they'll let me make some sort of payment arrangement and I can get to the bottom of this mystery.

I hope you are doing better and have found some releif from your pain.

I just keep getting told that "Gee, that doesn't seem normal"

I am curious if either of you has ever received any "real" answers to your post cath removal problems and pain.

I had my port removed one month ago after 10 years of cancer related treatments.  It was a very difficult process..took about 35 minutes after the incision was made.  Part of the problem was that it was "clipped" in several spots.  My oncologist said he had never seen a port so well secured, but also said there was no real reason to clip it in so securely.

Anyway, it is still very painful to the touch and just in general.  Also, all of the veins in that area are becoming more and more visible.  It's beginning to look like a road map with blue highways.  

I do have insurance, but I just moved out of state and don't have a new doctor yet.  Quite honestly, I'm not sure who to call or what to say.  I have a feeling I'll get the "Gee, that's never happened before" response that I've heard more times than I care to remember!

I have muscle spasms in that area,and can not lift heavy objects.  it is left a deep hole in my left side shoulder where the port-a-cath.

On Oct 13, 2010 10:53 PM T1959 wrote:

I have muscle spasms in that area,and can not lift heavy objects.  it is left a deep hole in my left side shoulder where the port-a-cath.

I am a survivor of Stage II Hodgkins Lymphoma.  I completed my radiation treatments in Nov. 2001.  My port was removed about a month after my chemo was completed in October 2001.  I have always had a deep hole where the port was removed.  The pain in the area has been there ever since the port was placed.  It has gotten worse over the last ten years, now radiating down my left arm.  I have been told by several doctors, there is nothing they can do, that I have sustained "nerve damage" from the incision that was made in the chest.  After doing some recent research of my own on the net, I suspect there may be some type of involvement with the subclavian vein and thrombosis.

Good luck to all of you.  I see most of you are newer to this pain than I.  I wish I could tell you it gets better, however it would appear to be the opposite.

I find myself having the same problems with tenderness and pain in that area and i got my port out in 2004. did you ever find anything that helped? my doctor's in post-clinic always just say "huh, that's weird!" whenever i mention it.

I am fascinated by this discussion, because I have had very similar symptoms. I also had a mastectomy on my opposite side almost 2 years ago. My port was removed about 8 months ago. I have had almost every test under the sun (chest CT, ECHO, Pulmonary function test, bone scan and several blood tests) to rule out cancer or other serious issues. My doctors have no idea what's going on. Although I don't like the idea of having to deal with this pain indefinitely, I am reassured that I'm not alone.

Hi,

My experience with a port was pretty awful too. Lots of pain, pins and needles in both arms at night, but doctors always shrugged it off. I didn't meet anyone else who had these problems so I guess they are rare.

I was so glad to get rid of it 8 months ago!

But that was not the end of the story by any means. Ongoing pain for months and a hardening of the muscle around the site. What made a huge difference was exercises with small dumbells, but I have had to work up very slowly, starting by doing the exercises without any dumbell at all. Worth a try.

Good luck

Dochas