Postby weisssoccermom » Mon Jun 18, 2018 9:10 pm
Hi Kathie,
Welcome to the club. Others will certainly chime in but I will give you my take on it. Most people aren't technically put out but rather given a light sedation for the port placement. For me, I felt nothing so I truly wouldn't worry about it. On a side note, I was wide awake when they took mine out.
I do want to give you some advice, however, for figuring out the exact placement of the port. First of all, as a female, make sure that when they mark you for the port, you are wearing a bra AND you are sitting up. There is a reason for each of these. You don't want the port to be placed where your bra straps would hit so for the initial marking for placement (which they do right before the placement), INSIST/DEMAND that you be wearing your bra (obviously take it off afterwards) AND be sitting up. You want to sit up because if they decide on placement when you are laying flat, your breasts won't be in the same position as if you were sitting or standing. In some women (and this has come directly from the surgeon and/or interventional radiologist ....they also place the ports) the port was placed too low and when the woman would sit up/stand, the weight of her breasts would pull downward and made the port placement very uncomfortable. DO NOT let the doctor/nurse talk you out of having your bra on/sitting up for the marking.....it will only insure that, in the long run, you are more comfortable.
Secondly, think about which side you would prefer that the port be placed on. IF you do a lot of driving then you may want to have the port in the left hand side so that the seat belt doesn't rub against it. If you are more of a passenger, then you might want to consider having it placed on the left hand side. Your preferred sleeping habits can also play a role in which side you would prefer. I've only heard of port placements being restricted to a particular side in the case of a medical condition such as breast cancer.
I know it's not fun to be thinking about all of this but truly you will get through it and be surprised at how easy it is to have it done. Personally, I would have liked them to have waited a week or two after my placement before starting chemo. You are a little sore and don't be at all surprised if you bruise around the port and in that side's breast. I know that some people get their port placed on one day and start chemo the next and I couldn't imagine doing that. It is sensitive for a week and to have the area accessed when it is still so tender would not have been a pleasant experience.
You will do fine. Talk to your doctor about your concerns with respect to sedation, etc. and go from there. Good luck and come back and tell us how you did.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
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