I got my port

[jfarel]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>geckolady</b></i>

i've had about 15 piccs and my arms are really tiny! the last three have been hard to place and there is a lot of scar tissure in the veins in my arms. i'm having circulation problems now acctually. what do ports look like? are htey easier than piccs? where can they be placed? i basically have a million questions.</end quote></div>

Mine is in my arm, but they can place them most anywhere. Most people get them on the chest or somewhere on the ribcage. Actually, I was really suprised because you can't really even see mine. I am really skinny so I thought it would be like a bulge in my arm, but its really not. Its more of a slight swell which is barely noticeable. If you want to see pictures of what they look like you can just do a google search for portacath. Once they are placed they are under the skin, so you don't see anything.

Since you have had so many piccs in your arms you should mention that to the doctor's when you are deciding where to have it placed. With all the scar tissue they may not want to place the port in your arm.

 

[jfarel]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>geckolady</b></i>

i've had about 15 piccs and my arms are really tiny! the last three have been hard to place and there is a lot of scar tissure in the veins in my arms. i'm having circulation problems now acctually. what do ports look like? are htey easier than piccs? where can they be placed? i basically have a million questions.</end quote></div>

Mine is in my arm, but they can place them most anywhere. Most people get them on the chest or somewhere on the ribcage. Actually, I was really suprised because you can't really even see mine. I am really skinny so I thought it would be like a bulge in my arm, but its really not. Its more of a slight swell which is barely noticeable. If you want to see pictures of what they look like you can just do a google search for portacath. Once they are placed they are under the skin, so you don't see anything.

Since you have had so many piccs in your arms you should mention that to the doctor's when you are deciding where to have it placed. With all the scar tissue they may not want to place the port in your arm.

 

[jfarel]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>geckolady</b></i>

i've had about 15 piccs and my arms are really tiny! the last three have been hard to place and there is a lot of scar tissure in the veins in my arms. i'm having circulation problems now acctually. what do ports look like? are htey easier than piccs? where can they be placed? i basically have a million questions.</end quote></div>

Mine is in my arm, but they can place them most anywhere. Most people get them on the chest or somewhere on the ribcage. Actually, I was really suprised because you can't really even see mine. I am really skinny so I thought it would be like a bulge in my arm, but its really not. Its more of a slight swell which is barely noticeable. If you want to see pictures of what they look like you can just do a google search for portacath. Once they are placed they are under the skin, so you don't see anything.

Since you have had so many piccs in your arms you should mention that to the doctor's when you are deciding where to have it placed. With all the scar tissue they may not want to place the port in your arm.

 

[jfarel]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>geckolady</b></i>

i've had about 15 piccs and my arms are really tiny! the last three have been hard to place and there is a lot of scar tissure in the veins in my arms. i'm having circulation problems now acctually. what do ports look like? are htey easier than piccs? where can they be placed? i basically have a million questions.</end quote>

Mine is in my arm, but they can place them most anywhere. Most people get them on the chest or somewhere on the ribcage. Actually, I was really suprised because you can't really even see mine. I am really skinny so I thought it would be like a bulge in my arm, but its really not. Its more of a slight swell which is barely noticeable. If you want to see pictures of what they look like you can just do a google search for portacath. Once they are placed they are under the skin, so you don't see anything.

Since you have had so many piccs in your arms you should mention that to the doctor's when you are deciding where to have it placed. With all the scar tissue they may not want to place the port in your arm.

 

[jfarel]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>geckolady</b></i>
<br />
<br />i've had about 15 piccs and my arms are really tiny! the last three have been hard to place and there is a lot of scar tissure in the veins in my arms. i'm having circulation problems now acctually. what do ports look like? are htey easier than piccs? where can they be placed? i basically have a million questions.</end quote>
<br />
<br />Mine is in my arm, but they can place them most anywhere. Most people get them on the chest or somewhere on the ribcage. Actually, I was really suprised because you can't really even see mine. I am really skinny so I thought it would be like a bulge in my arm, but its really not. Its more of a slight swell which is barely noticeable. If you want to see pictures of what they look like you can just do a google search for portacath. Once they are placed they are under the skin, so you don't see anything.
<br />
<br />Since you have had so many piccs in your arms you should mention that to the doctor's when you are deciding where to have it placed. With all the scar tissue they may not want to place the port in your arm.
<br />
<br />

 

[jfarel]

The other advantage to getting a port is that you don't have to wait as long to start home IV's. Usually with a picc I would have to wait to get picc line set up at the hospital which would take a couple days when I'm already feeling cruddy. With a port you just need your meds and the site accessed. It may not seem like a big deal, but when I get sick, I get worse every day and just having it one or two days earlier is a big deal to me. It may mean the difference between home IV's and a trip to the hospital.

 

[jfarel]

The other advantage to getting a port is that you don't have to wait as long to start home IV's. Usually with a picc I would have to wait to get picc line set up at the hospital which would take a couple days when I'm already feeling cruddy. With a port you just need your meds and the site accessed. It may not seem like a big deal, but when I get sick, I get worse every day and just having it one or two days earlier is a big deal to me. It may mean the difference between home IV's and a trip to the hospital.

 

[jfarel]

The other advantage to getting a port is that you don't have to wait as long to start home IV's. Usually with a picc I would have to wait to get picc line set up at the hospital which would take a couple days when I'm already feeling cruddy. With a port you just need your meds and the site accessed. It may not seem like a big deal, but when I get sick, I get worse every day and just having it one or two days earlier is a big deal to me. It may mean the difference between home IV's and a trip to the hospital.

 

[jfarel]

The other advantage to getting a port is that you don't have to wait as long to start home IV's. Usually with a picc I would have to wait to get picc line set up at the hospital which would take a couple days when I'm already feeling cruddy. With a port you just need your meds and the site accessed. It may not seem like a big deal, but when I get sick, I get worse every day and just having it one or two days earlier is a big deal to me. It may mean the difference between home IV's and a trip to the hospital.

 

[jfarel]

The other advantage to getting a port is that you don't have to wait as long to start home IV's. Usually with a picc I would have to wait to get picc line set up at the hospital which would take a couple days when I'm already feeling cruddy. With a port you just need your meds and the site accessed. It may not seem like a big deal, but when I get sick, I get worse every day and just having it one or two days earlier is a big deal to me. It may mean the difference between home IV's and a trip to the hospital.

 

[Shaylaandrews]

I have a chest port which I love. I have had it for 8 years. I only go in the hospital every 3 years, but in 2000 the doctors hit a nerve in my arm which caused years of problems. My sister had an arm port which she had a hard time accessing herself, and she had to be careful when playing sports. That is why I went with the chest port. I am very athletic. I love volley ball, and it seemed like a lot less hassle at the time. I do get a lot of questions if someone sees my scar, but I have gotten use to it. I highly recommend a port, one down fall is that if you aren't in the hospital very often you still have to access and flush it. It can be a real pain.

-Ann 28 w/cf

 

[Shaylaandrews]

I have a chest port which I love. I have had it for 8 years. I only go in the hospital every 3 years, but in 2000 the doctors hit a nerve in my arm which caused years of problems. My sister had an arm port which she had a hard time accessing herself, and she had to be careful when playing sports. That is why I went with the chest port. I am very athletic. I love volley ball, and it seemed like a lot less hassle at the time. I do get a lot of questions if someone sees my scar, but I have gotten use to it. I highly recommend a port, one down fall is that if you aren't in the hospital very often you still have to access and flush it. It can be a real pain.

-Ann 28 w/cf

 

[Shaylaandrews]

I have a chest port which I love. I have had it for 8 years. I only go in the hospital every 3 years, but in 2000 the doctors hit a nerve in my arm which caused years of problems. My sister had an arm port which she had a hard time accessing herself, and she had to be careful when playing sports. That is why I went with the chest port. I am very athletic. I love volley ball, and it seemed like a lot less hassle at the time. I do get a lot of questions if someone sees my scar, but I have gotten use to it. I highly recommend a port, one down fall is that if you aren't in the hospital very often you still have to access and flush it. It can be a real pain.

-Ann 28 w/cf

 

[Shaylaandrews]

I have a chest port which I love. I have had it for 8 years. I only go in the hospital every 3 years, but in 2000 the doctors hit a nerve in my arm which caused years of problems. My sister had an arm port which she had a hard time accessing herself, and she had to be careful when playing sports. That is why I went with the chest port. I am very athletic. I love volley ball, and it seemed like a lot less hassle at the time. I do get a lot of questions if someone sees my scar, but I have gotten use to it. I highly recommend a port, one down fall is that if you aren't in the hospital very often you still have to access and flush it. It can be a real pain.

-Ann 28 w/cf

 

[Shaylaandrews]

I have a chest port which I love. I have had it for 8 years. I only go in the hospital every 3 years, but in 2000 the doctors hit a nerve in my arm which caused years of problems. My sister had an arm port which she had a hard time accessing herself, and she had to be careful when playing sports. That is why I went with the chest port. I am very athletic. I love volley ball, and it seemed like a lot less hassle at the time. I do get a lot of questions if someone sees my scar, but I have gotten use to it. I highly recommend a port, one down fall is that if you aren't in the hospital very often you still have to access and flush it. It can be a real pain.
<br />
<br />-Ann 28 w/cf