port being placed tomorrow
- Thread starter Jeana
- Start date
Ah the things I'll do for a cfer! Okay the first shows two scars well right near by bra line. the line is the scar from the surgery where the open you up to slip in the port. Ask to see it before it goes in. This way you'll have a better idea of its geometry when you are trying to stick it. The other scar below it is from appox. 30 accesses...some for IV therapy some just for montly port care.
I don't think you'll need to be put under. You'll likely have twighlight sedation (Versed and Fentyl) Happy New Year - the high is better than being drunk in my opinion.
There is one more scar but it is so little you can't see it unless looking for it. It is where they feed the catheter over your clavicle. In my experience that spot hurt more than the incision site you can see in teh photo. It only hurt when I coughed. They didn't send me home with a pain rx but most have gotten meds. So make sure to get the rx before leaving the hospital. Tylenol with codeine should do it. You'll have pain for 24-48 hrs. then a little pain for a week.
Have them access it while in surgery. If they say no, then ask to have a nurse do it before leaving if you are to do IVs at home. Again, they didn't do this for me. I returned home and the visiting nurse had to come out and try to hit it while it was swollen. Not good! Made for a rough start on my relationship with my port
Finally the side shot shows you mine doesn't protrude really much at all. I'm pointing to it. Most peoples protrude more than this. The drawback to having it like this is it is placed deeply in breast tissue (aka fat) so it wiggles around left, right and up, down and even in the Z axis. Nurses hate it and fail to hit it which lead to me learning how to hit it myself. I get it right the first time everytime.
These are photos of a standard adult single lumen port.
I don't think you'll need to be put under. You'll likely have twighlight sedation (Versed and Fentyl) Happy New Year - the high is better than being drunk in my opinion.
There is one more scar but it is so little you can't see it unless looking for it. It is where they feed the catheter over your clavicle. In my experience that spot hurt more than the incision site you can see in teh photo. It only hurt when I coughed. They didn't send me home with a pain rx but most have gotten meds. So make sure to get the rx before leaving the hospital. Tylenol with codeine should do it. You'll have pain for 24-48 hrs. then a little pain for a week.
Have them access it while in surgery. If they say no, then ask to have a nurse do it before leaving if you are to do IVs at home. Again, they didn't do this for me. I returned home and the visiting nurse had to come out and try to hit it while it was swollen. Not good! Made for a rough start on my relationship with my port
Finally the side shot shows you mine doesn't protrude really much at all. I'm pointing to it. Most peoples protrude more than this. The drawback to having it like this is it is placed deeply in breast tissue (aka fat) so it wiggles around left, right and up, down and even in the Z axis. Nurses hate it and fail to hit it which lead to me learning how to hit it myself. I get it right the first time everytime.
These are photos of a standard adult single lumen port.
Ah the things I'll do for a cfer! Okay the first shows two scars well right near by bra line. the line is the scar from the surgery where the open you up to slip in the port. Ask to see it before it goes in. This way you'll have a better idea of its geometry when you are trying to stick it. The other scar below it is from appox. 30 accesses...some for IV therapy some just for montly port care.
I don't think you'll need to be put under. You'll likely have twighlight sedation (Versed and Fentyl) Happy New Year - the high is better than being drunk in my opinion.
There is one more scar but it is so little you can't see it unless looking for it. It is where they feed the catheter over your clavicle. In my experience that spot hurt more than the incision site you can see in teh photo. It only hurt when I coughed. They didn't send me home with a pain rx but most have gotten meds. So make sure to get the rx before leaving the hospital. Tylenol with codeine should do it. You'll have pain for 24-48 hrs. then a little pain for a week.
Have them access it while in surgery. If they say no, then ask to have a nurse do it before leaving if you are to do IVs at home. Again, they didn't do this for me. I returned home and the visiting nurse had to come out and try to hit it while it was swollen. Not good! Made for a rough start on my relationship with my port
Finally the side shot shows you mine doesn't protrude really much at all. I'm pointing to it. Most peoples protrude more than this. The drawback to having it like this is it is placed deeply in breast tissue (aka fat) so it wiggles around left, right and up, down and even in the Z axis. Nurses hate it and fail to hit it which lead to me learning how to hit it myself. I get it right the first time everytime.
These are photos of a standard adult single lumen port.
I don't think you'll need to be put under. You'll likely have twighlight sedation (Versed and Fentyl) Happy New Year - the high is better than being drunk in my opinion.
There is one more scar but it is so little you can't see it unless looking for it. It is where they feed the catheter over your clavicle. In my experience that spot hurt more than the incision site you can see in teh photo. It only hurt when I coughed. They didn't send me home with a pain rx but most have gotten meds. So make sure to get the rx before leaving the hospital. Tylenol with codeine should do it. You'll have pain for 24-48 hrs. then a little pain for a week.
Have them access it while in surgery. If they say no, then ask to have a nurse do it before leaving if you are to do IVs at home. Again, they didn't do this for me. I returned home and the visiting nurse had to come out and try to hit it while it was swollen. Not good! Made for a rough start on my relationship with my port
Finally the side shot shows you mine doesn't protrude really much at all. I'm pointing to it. Most peoples protrude more than this. The drawback to having it like this is it is placed deeply in breast tissue (aka fat) so it wiggles around left, right and up, down and even in the Z axis. Nurses hate it and fail to hit it which lead to me learning how to hit it myself. I get it right the first time everytime.
These are photos of a standard adult single lumen port.
Lauren, you are great; hopefully the pictures helped.
Jeana, as for where the most common places are just below the clavicle (collarbone) or especially on women in the tissue just above the breast which provides some 'hiding'.
The port is usually a bit larger around than a dime, and might be 1/2" tall. If they put somewhere thin/bony such as collarbone and you are petite then it will be more visible than say at the top of the breast, or if you have a bit more cushion to pad it.
I'd talk to the surgeon and ask their thoughts. One thing I would do is push that they place where you can access yourself....ie if you are R-handed, then put on the left side of your body or vice versa. Even if you don't intend to self access right now you want to have that option open to you in the future.
Good luck!
Jeana, as for where the most common places are just below the clavicle (collarbone) or especially on women in the tissue just above the breast which provides some 'hiding'.
The port is usually a bit larger around than a dime, and might be 1/2" tall. If they put somewhere thin/bony such as collarbone and you are petite then it will be more visible than say at the top of the breast, or if you have a bit more cushion to pad it.
I'd talk to the surgeon and ask their thoughts. One thing I would do is push that they place where you can access yourself....ie if you are R-handed, then put on the left side of your body or vice versa. Even if you don't intend to self access right now you want to have that option open to you in the future.
Good luck!
Lauren, you are great; hopefully the pictures helped.
Jeana, as for where the most common places are just below the clavicle (collarbone) or especially on women in the tissue just above the breast which provides some 'hiding'.
The port is usually a bit larger around than a dime, and might be 1/2" tall. If they put somewhere thin/bony such as collarbone and you are petite then it will be more visible than say at the top of the breast, or if you have a bit more cushion to pad it.
I'd talk to the surgeon and ask their thoughts. One thing I would do is push that they place where you can access yourself....ie if you are R-handed, then put on the left side of your body or vice versa. Even if you don't intend to self access right now you want to have that option open to you in the future.
Good luck!
Jeana, as for where the most common places are just below the clavicle (collarbone) or especially on women in the tissue just above the breast which provides some 'hiding'.
The port is usually a bit larger around than a dime, and might be 1/2" tall. If they put somewhere thin/bony such as collarbone and you are petite then it will be more visible than say at the top of the breast, or if you have a bit more cushion to pad it.
I'd talk to the surgeon and ask their thoughts. One thing I would do is push that they place where you can access yourself....ie if you are R-handed, then put on the left side of your body or vice versa. Even if you don't intend to self access right now you want to have that option open to you in the future.
Good luck!
Thank you Lauren for both the pictures and all the info. The more I know about it, the less anxious I am. I will definitely be asking to seethe port andverifying where it will be placedbefore they give me the loopy drugs. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> And finding out about whether they access it. My doc says I will be in the hospital for at least 3-4 days after I get the port, so I'm hoping by that time I won't need pain meds. I will be very excited next time I need IV drugs and I don't need a picc line placement. Woohoo!
Thank you Lauren for both the pictures and all the info. The more I know about it, the less anxious I am. I will definitely be asking to seethe port andverifying where it will be placedbefore they give me the loopy drugs. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> And finding out about whether they access it. My doc says I will be in the hospital for at least 3-4 days after I get the port, so I'm hoping by that time I won't need pain meds. I will be very excited next time I need IV drugs and I don't need a picc line placement. Woohoo!