Inserting Port or not

[Mercy110]

My mum is now undergoing chemo treatment of Folfox and Avastin. She has just completed her second treatment. As she has serious diarrhea last time, the onco offered her a discount of 85% so the chemo drugs being used this time has been reduced.

However, my mum's arm has been red and a bit swollen this time. The onco thus asked my mum to consider inserting a port. She is quite scared and discomfort for the idea because it seems that the port needs to be carefully taken care e.g. during bath etc. And it is not sure where the port will be placed as I noticed most of the cases shown on the Internet are located in chest, which further worried us.

I know there are members here using port for chemo and find it acceptable. I would like to ask a few questions:

1. Where does the port being placed? The chest or it depends?
2. How should the skin being taken care of or what does it feel as the port is under skin?
3. Is the port a faucet or just a tube?
4. As my mum is a stage4 patient, does that mean the port will not be removed?

Thank you very much for reading/answering my doubts.

[ANDRETEXAS]

From personal experience....I highly recommend a port.

My port was placed in the upper chest area.

After awhile, you'll forget it's there. You may want to keep the area dry the first few days when showering with something like Press and Seal, but I didn't. You can also get a numbing cream to use on the port area before the needle transmitting the chemo drugs is placed, but after the first time or two, I dispensed with that -- too much trouble, and the procedure didn't hurt at all.

A port is a small disc made of plastic or metal about the size of a quarter that sits just under the skin. A soft thin tube called a catheter connects the port to a large vein. Your chemotherapy medicines are given through a special needle that fits right into the port. You also can have blood drawn through the port.

Port removal depends on how the treatment goes and for how long. I had mine of a year.

[Robino1]

The port just looks like a bump under the skin. The skin grows over the top and when they insert a needle and remove the needle, it closes back up just like when the draw blood from your arm. My port is in my upper left chest. All my clothes cover the area, even my tank tops will cover it. My doctor that implanted it was good about figuring out where my clothing and bra straps normally sit.

I can feel the tube that goes to my vein and can be seen when I look at myself naked. Otherwise, it doesn't bother me. It took me a while to get used to it and only patted the area when showering for about a couple of months. I now will lightly wash it but I am still scared of pain. I won't push on it. Probably won't have any pain. It's just my own insecurity.

I now give full hugs instead of sideways hugs. : I also can now wear my seatbelt without pain from rubbing. I did use a clip to keep it away from my port for months. I haven't clipped the seatbelt back the last month or so.

The port has become my friend in that all blood draws and chemo go through there. No burning or redness and no bruising if they can't get it right the first time through an arm vein.

Hope this helps.

[horizon]

1. Where does the port being placed? The chest or it depends? - Mine was in the chest.
2. How should the skin being taken care of or what does it feel as the port is under skin? Unless you're 1-2 weeks since it has been put in you don't have to do anything with your skin. The person who helped me decide to get one went scuba diving with his in. I went to the gym and lifted weights with no problem with mine in. You forget it's there a lot of the time. It's not fun having a bump visible when you take your shirt off but it was a lifesaver during chemo, blood draws, and CT scans.
3. Is the port a faucet or just a tube? - There's the port itself and a tube that runs up towards your neck.

[Rainykatie]

Hi Mercy110- I am a caregiver for my mom who also is a stage IV patient. She got her port right away after her diagnosis. I admit it seemed very scary and weird at first- especially as everything was happening so fast. However- after sitting through 8 rounds of chemo with her and numerous other doctor and hospital visits- I honestly can't imagine doing this without a port at this point. It is a very long journey with LOTS of infusions and bloodwork, and having the port makes it all so much easier.

I can't profess to know what the port feels like- but I can say that my mom has told me on numerous occasions that she LOVES her port. Sometimes if we go to a non-oncology lab for a bloodwork reason, they draw from her veins instead of the port, and she is uncomfortable, saying she can't imagine if all of the infusions had to be done that way.

In addition to the infusions, she usually goes in once a chemo cycle for rehydration since she sometimes gets sick or doesn't feel like eating/drinking in the first few days after her infusions. The port makes the whole process super easy.

[Shana]

Hi Mercy,

I got my port before starting chemo and had no issues with it. I saved me from extra poking and IV's when I was in the hospital. I pretty much forget it's there exceot for when it's being accessed or when I'm showering and feel it under my skin.

I had my first port removed when I had an infection, they wanted to make sure that it wasn't the source (it wasn't) so I had to have a second one inserted. I had one chemo treatment before getting my second port. My arm ached for a week after which I never experienced with port infusions. I expect to have this port for a long time unless it needs to be replaced for technical reasons. Hope that helps!

All my best to you and your mum,

Shana

[Mercy110]

Thank you for all your advice. My mum is considering insert the port for it is horrible to find it on chest. If it is on the arm it would be much more acceptable for her.

Moreover, her hand is still painful and bruising as the vein has been used to inject chemo drugs. She is so worried that the vein is damaged and not going to be better. We are worrying for her as well. We will talk to the onco next time. More experience or advice would be appreciated, though I know it is better for her to have a port...
Thanks a lot.

[Sunwaterandsky]

Hi Mercy, I had trouble with my first Oxi treatment and insisted on a port. Unfortunately, at the time, the QMH would not support ports for CC patients. I ended up with a PICC line. It required a bit more care than a port but was well worth it.

I would encourage your mother to get the port. Anything that makes Chemo easier to handle is worth it!

SWS

[lovelife789]

Hi Mercy,

I got the port but only after my 6th infusion because back then nobody has ever mentioned to me about the possibility of a port...
From those 3-day Folfox infusion, I ended up with a dead vein (not just a damaged one) the doctor said I can probably see that vein back to life in 10 years, it's hard as a rock. So it's that dead. On top of this dead vein, I also have no more available vein left on my hands.
They would try to do an IV, blood would come out but no medication would go through. My record was they made 6 attempts to find one workable vein. They even suggested to do an IV on my feet and I said NO.
So I got the port for my leftover chemos. But, I must confess I endured a lot of pain when I first got it. It would hurt a lot whenever I move my arm. Since I got liver resection a week before I got my port, I complained to my doctor my port area actually hurt more than my liver surgery wound.
Now close to 3 months since I got the port, I am loving it, no more pain, I do exercise with it I do everything with it. The only thing is I can't lay on my chest because it sticks out so much! I blame it on my surgeon who picked a slightly wrong spot for the port and the fact that I am on the skinny side so it shows more. I'm however, so much happier with no more messing with my veins, no more swollen hands, no more trial and error, no more squads of nurses sweating over giving me an IV. It's worth it, so worth it.

[orlar]

I had my port installed a day before my first Folfox treatment so I can't comment on not having it. I can say I'm very glad I have it. It is on my upper right chest and sticks out a little, but does not interfere with anything I try to do. I think it makes the days with the pump easier as my arm is free (sleeping seems pretty easy too). I never have any vein pain with the chemo or for any reason it's accessed. Like the others, I would suggest the port. Good thoughts out to you and your mum!

[susie0915]

I didn't have a port. The oncologist said I could try without, so I thought I would try. My infusions were once every 3 weeks and 6 in total, so I thought I would try. It worked pretty well. There was only one time at the end of treatment that finding the vein was an issue. You have to be sure you're hydrated if not the veins do collapse easier. I think if I had to do more treatments more often I would've done a port. I did have hydration once as well, and I took xeloda for two weeks in between my 3 week infusions so I didn't have a pump. Otherwise, it may have been an issue.

[mhf1986]

DH had his port put in before first treatment. We are so glad! There is never any struggle to insert a needle for chemo. He comes home with his 5fu bottle and I pull the needle in 2 days. Very easy to do...just get some training and keep everything super sanitary.

M