IV Port

Because of extremely small veins I'm considering a chemo port.  I have no exerience other than what the nurse showed me yesterday. It seems to me you still are getting to have a stick with a larger needle in the chest?

Does anyone have one that can explain how it feels and works etc and/or direct me to a website.  It took 35 min to get my blood to flow yesterday for a 30 minute treatment with the avastin.

     Any advice would be appreciated.  Thank you Teri

 

 

 

Hello Teri,

An IV port can be placed in the chest wall of on your arm. There is an incesion made and the port is placed into a vein. This is used frequently for people (like you) who have small veins. When you go for your chemo treament the chemo is in a bag with tubing. The end of the tube has a needle that will fit into the port. The port is cleaned with alcohol before and after treatment.

Hope this helps.

I'll be praying for you!

Sheryl

Son dx Mar 08 AA

Teri,

I did some research on this too, but I haven't had one nor has my son, yet. So someone else could probably explain this better than I!

The Power Port is implanted UNDER the skin.They make an incision which is totally sewn up afterwards, so there's no visible device. (I watched a YouTube thing on it.) It's threaded into a vein but the membrane, kind of a rubber bubble, makes a lump under your skin. Then they poke the needle right through the skin, into the bubble, and voila into the vein. After use, it needs to be flushed to get all the medicine through and prevent clotting.

Seems like a good idea for small or deep veins.

Wishing you the best,

Sarah

Hi Teri,

My husband has had a port in his chest since 2002 with no problems.  He has had 3 different kinds of cancer and the port has been a Godsend almost from the beginning.  He didn't think he would need it but after a few chemo sessions where the veins in his arms were used, he was black and blue and his veins were in bad shape.  The nurses can draw blood through the port as well so you can look forward to no more sticks for blood either!  For my husband and all the folks we have met at his different chemo sessions, they all say they are very pleased with their ports.  I say go for it, you won't be sorry.

Good luck.

Joan L

Thank you for your replies.  It sounds like the way to go.  Still looking at a poke tho right but it sounds like it is numbed etc.  My dr has the flu ..poor girl..so when she comes back we'll discuss it.  My poor veins just don't cooperate.

 

Appreciate the info!  Teri

Yes...they still poke a needle into the port but it is not at all like having an iv threaded into your arm. They are also a godsend if you are dehydrated from treatment. It is next to impossible to access a vein on a dehydrated patient. Some of them use something to numb it so you don't feel the poke, but it takes all of a second to put it in. It can be sore for a few days when they install it since it is a day surgery procedure and involves an incision.

Hi Teri, There is a numbing cream to use over the port site. The one my husband uses is a mixture of Lidocaine and Prilocaine. You put it on about an hour before the scheduled chemo session and it numbs the area where the needle goes in. He had a few treatments without the cream before the nurse suggested it and once he got the prescription he always remembers to put it on before treatment so it must help. He still makes a bit of a grimace as the needle is inserted but not a bad as before. With weekly chemo and now daily hydration the port has been a real godsend. I know he recommends it. Best always, Linda, wife of Len, SCC head and neck, occult primary.

Hi Teri,

There's a poke but it doesn't have to "find" the vein. It just goes into the general bubble of the port under your skin. So it's no more stressful than a needle into any skin area. Then the meds go from that zone into the tube that leads into the vein.

I like the good news that it can help the OTHER way too... with blood draws. I have really deep veins and they often have to jab around to find them in there. So does my mother. I think I'll suggest one of these to her if she has a lot more IV or vein stuff up ahead. She's just starting on chemo for multiple Myeloma, but so far it's all oral meds... and then the blood draws.

Anything to reduce stress, and pain!
Sarah

My husband has had his port for over 3 years.  The only disadvantages we have found is the poke when it is used and having to get it flushed with saline and heparin on a monthly basis.  Small price to pay for having easy and less painful access for chemo and blood draws.

Hi,

    I've had my port for about a month now. It's great. They num the area that gets poked with a cream, then when they poke me, I barley feel it. This is much, much better than trying to find a good vien every time.

                                                                                               Archer