Port question

[smmoyer3]

I had my port placed on we'd by a general surgeon and had my chemo Friday. My port is directly under the incision so the nurse had to stick the needle right through the incision site causing severe pain and for the glue to unhinge a bit. The pics and u-tube videos I see show the incision above or below the port! I will be angry if the surgeon messed up as he convinced me to let him do this procedure rather than the radiologists that usually do it. I just don't understand how the incision will ever be able to heal when it's stabbed every other week! And let me tell u I saw a lot of people saying port placement was practically painless and easy! I almost regret it because of how painful it still in at 1:54 am sat morn while I am unable to sleep due to the pain! And I am on Vicodin at that! Ugh sorry I am a bit frustrated and wonder if anyone else experienced this problem?

[Libr8ed]

The Dr. wants to remove my spleen but the other Dr's say no.  I have Hep C which caused Lupus, Cirrhosis, and Thrombocytopenia, which is where my spleen destroys my platelets. (sp?).  My platelets are always very low, around 25, which causes me to not be able to stop bleeding if I get hurt without going to emergency room so I go there a lot.  I wondered how bad the surgery was on you, and if it still causes problems, I am wondering whether to get it done it seems to me it's very needed.  I am a 100%disabled Army veteran, and a grandma.  The VA just keeps putting off every type of help I need, and it was only when they sent me to OSU hospital here in Tulsa that I finally found all the stuff they say I needed.  They even put in a pacemaker which the VA had said needed done for over a year, but never did.  I don't know where to turn or what to do.  When I saw your post on my first day at medhelp.org I had to write you.  Hope it's not a bother but I just don't know what to do.

[grandma0008]

When i had my port put in it took a month for it to heal.I had problems with mine,it was almost under my left armpit and when they had to stick that needle in the pain was horrible,it was unlike anything i had ever felt,so i would talk to your oncologist about it and see what he says.My cancer came back within 2 months of finishing chemo so i requested that the port be taken out when i had to have my spleen removed.I wish you the best and stay strong.

[Aftercancer]

Hi there,im sorry u r n pain as well,I remember when they put my port n ,and the incision is above it,they didnt give me time to heal either,they went n ,maybe ,a couple hours after puttin it n.I cried and prayed but I got through it.What I am confused on ,is u say they stuck u n the incision,not the port?Ive never heard of that,i cant even imagine what kind of pain u r goin through,but I also think u should talk to the oncologist A.S.A.P. Good luck to u

[Ken_PA]

My father has a port, and it was like nothing. Mocha's advice to ask the onco seems exactly right - I'd call on Monday or earlier if the pain gets worse. There are enough medical errors in the world so that you can't assume that everything is as it should be.

[Mochadelicious]

Hello and welcome.  I'm sorry to hear you are having such trouble with your port.  I had a port for 2.5 years (just had it removed on Tuesday).  I was glad I had got a port since I knew it was going to be a long road ahead with lots of treatments.  I've heard horror stories of people who don't get ports and completely ruin their veins.  

I remember it took a good month for the incision to heal enough where I hardly noticed it anymore.  Yes, at first it's hard to sleep on that side...but it will get better.  My incision was just above the port, but maybe once you've had more time to heal it won't be as painful.  Ask the nurse about using a cold spray or numbing cream next time.  

My port was in for just over a week before they started accessing it, with the hope that enough time would pass to heal a little.  Sounds like they didn't give you much time to heal before using it.

I think most people are happy with their ports but I know sometimes they cause some complications and have to be removed or replaced.  Talk to your oncologist about the incision placement and see what he says.  I've personally never heard of that but I'm not a doctor either.