Chemo Question

Dear Melissa,

I was not offered a port for my 4 cycles of gemz/cispl. I have never really had a problem with needles until my chemo started. It became more and more difficult to find veins and I then requested it after my second cycle.

It was declined because I was already half way through and they thought it was unecessary....I had to hang on in until the end of the chemo.

It became a sort of phobia for me against the needles as often I had to be pricked 2/3 times to get the infuse in a good vein.

I really hope I never have to have chemo again but certainly would have a port installed if it came to it.

Leigh

I guess everyone is different...Angelo does not have one...We were too afraid of infection....

Karen

my SO had a port for her breast cancer..everything was alot easier/cleaner with port

Hi,

I had/have a port....Biggest reason is to save the veins. Chemo scars them and they become very tough to get IVs in. Second, the chemo gets dropped into an artery and is supposedly less stressing on the body if I understand correctly. Personally I appreciated the livin heck out of mine as it was a gaurentee on the first try to get a line going.
My chemo ended last Aug but I still have the port. I get it "flushed" once a month to keep blot clots away. They felt it was prudent to leave mine in under the circumstances I am in. God Bless, Holly

Hi everyone,

My father had his second tx today (Gemzar) and I was just wondering whether or not he should be having a port put in? What are you experiences with this? What are the advantages/disadvantages of it?

Thanks and hope you are all doing well,

Melissa