Port Questions

[krisjohn53223]

I love my port!! I had PICC's, central lines, you name it in the past and the port is the best!! I have had mine about 7 years and it works great. I had it placed on the side of my breast (below my armpit) so it was hidden. I can wear tank tops, swimsuits, and it was not visible at all in my wedding dress either!! Love it. I am on IV's about 3 times a year, I get it "flushed" once a month. It hurts a little, but you can use emla cream to numb it and you won't feel a thing. When it is accessed you can draw labs off of it as much as you want without worrying about it clotting. I was scared to get it a first, because it was just another permanant reminder on my body of CF, and I was paranoid about what my husband would think everytime he would see it or touch it, but he calls it my milkdud!! I love it!!

 

[krisjohn53223]

I love my port!! I had PICC's, central lines, you name it in the past and the port is the best!! I have had mine about 7 years and it works great. I had it placed on the side of my breast (below my armpit) so it was hidden. I can wear tank tops, swimsuits, and it was not visible at all in my wedding dress either!! Love it. I am on IV's about 3 times a year, I get it "flushed" once a month. It hurts a little, but you can use emla cream to numb it and you won't feel a thing. When it is accessed you can draw labs off of it as much as you want without worrying about it clotting. I was scared to get it a first, because it was just another permanant reminder on my body of CF, and I was paranoid about what my husband would think everytime he would see it or touch it, but he calls it my milkdud!! I love it!!

 

[krisjohn53223]

I love my port!! I had PICC's, central lines, you name it in the past and the port is the best!! I have had mine about 7 years and it works great. I had it placed on the side of my breast (below my armpit) so it was hidden. I can wear tank tops, swimsuits, and it was not visible at all in my wedding dress either!! Love it. I am on IV's about 3 times a year, I get it "flushed" once a month. It hurts a little, but you can use emla cream to numb it and you won't feel a thing. When it is accessed you can draw labs off of it as much as you want without worrying about it clotting. I was scared to get it a first, because it was just another permanant reminder on my body of CF, and I was paranoid about what my husband would think everytime he would see it or touch it, but he calls it my milkdud!! I love it!!

 

[krisjohn53223]

I love my port!! I had PICC's, central lines, you name it in the past and the port is the best!! I have had mine about 7 years and it works great. I had it placed on the side of my breast (below my armpit) so it was hidden. I can wear tank tops, swimsuits, and it was not visible at all in my wedding dress either!! Love it. I am on IV's about 3 times a year, I get it "flushed" once a month. It hurts a little, but you can use emla cream to numb it and you won't feel a thing. When it is accessed you can draw labs off of it as much as you want without worrying about it clotting. I was scared to get it a first, because it was just another permanant reminder on my body of CF, and I was paranoid about what my husband would think everytime he would see it or touch it, but he calls it my milkdud!! I love it!!

 

[Jane]

Josh has a port, Jesse still gets PICCs. Since they had the mycobacteria and anticipated having more frequent IVs, their doctor suggested it. We were very against it (just one more permanent thing on their little bodies). Josh had several PICCs that caused him trouble so he made the decision to go ahead with the port. It was a very good choice for him. He plays tennis and didn't have to worry about the PICC lines interfering. He hasn't been accessed since October, but we have it flushed by a home nurse once a month. No problem so far.

Jesse has not needed IVs since last fall, but my guess is next time our doctor might push for a port for him too.


BTW- nice to hear from you Steph!

 

[Jane]

Josh has a port, Jesse still gets PICCs. Since they had the mycobacteria and anticipated having more frequent IVs, their doctor suggested it. We were very against it (just one more permanent thing on their little bodies). Josh had several PICCs that caused him trouble so he made the decision to go ahead with the port. It was a very good choice for him. He plays tennis and didn't have to worry about the PICC lines interfering. He hasn't been accessed since October, but we have it flushed by a home nurse once a month. No problem so far.

Jesse has not needed IVs since last fall, but my guess is next time our doctor might push for a port for him too.


BTW- nice to hear from you Steph!

 

[Jane]

Josh has a port, Jesse still gets PICCs. Since they had the mycobacteria and anticipated having more frequent IVs, their doctor suggested it. We were very against it (just one more permanent thing on their little bodies). Josh had several PICCs that caused him trouble so he made the decision to go ahead with the port. It was a very good choice for him. He plays tennis and didn't have to worry about the PICC lines interfering. He hasn't been accessed since October, but we have it flushed by a home nurse once a month. No problem so far.

Jesse has not needed IVs since last fall, but my guess is next time our doctor might push for a port for him too.


BTW- nice to hear from you Steph!

 

[Jane]

Josh has a port, Jesse still gets PICCs. Since they had the mycobacteria and anticipated having more frequent IVs, their doctor suggested it. We were very against it (just one more permanent thing on their little bodies). Josh had several PICCs that caused him trouble so he made the decision to go ahead with the port. It was a very good choice for him. He plays tennis and didn't have to worry about the PICC lines interfering. He hasn't been accessed since October, but we have it flushed by a home nurse once a month. No problem so far.

Jesse has not needed IVs since last fall, but my guess is next time our doctor might push for a port for him too.


BTW- nice to hear from you Steph!

 

[Jane]

Josh has a port, Jesse still gets PICCs. Since they had the mycobacteria and anticipated having more frequent IVs, their doctor suggested it. We were very against it (just one more permanent thing on their little bodies). Josh had several PICCs that caused him trouble so he made the decision to go ahead with the port. It was a very good choice for him. He plays tennis and didn't have to worry about the PICC lines interfering. He hasn't been accessed since October, but we have it flushed by a home nurse once a month. No problem so far.

Jesse has not needed IVs since last fall, but my guess is next time our doctor might push for a port for him too.


BTW- nice to hear from you Steph!

 

[Jane]

Josh has a port, Jesse still gets PICCs. Since they had the mycobacteria and anticipated having more frequent IVs, their doctor suggested it. We were very against it (just one more permanent thing on their little bodies). Josh had several PICCs that caused him trouble so he made the decision to go ahead with the port. It was a very good choice for him. He plays tennis and didn't have to worry about the PICC lines interfering. He hasn't been accessed since October, but we have it flushed by a home nurse once a month. No problem so far.

Jesse has not needed IVs since last fall, but my guess is next time our doctor might push for a port for him too.


BTW- nice to hear from you Steph!

 

[blondelawyer]

My husband got a port about 2 years ago and loves it. The biggest advantage for him is that he can start on IV antibiotics without stepping foot into the hospital. At our previous hospital he would have to be admitted for a couple days and get a picc placed before he could do IVs. Then when we moved, the hosptial here would place the picc without requiring him to be admitted, but he would still have to go to the hospital and have it placed, etc. Now, he just calls the doc, the doc sends orders to the home health people, meds are delivered and he starts them himself. For my husband, this independence is fantastic.

As for reason that he decided to get one, it mostly had to do with increasing difficulities in placing piccs--he has had so many that the scar tissue was sometimes interfering with placement. The doctors were concerned about bleeding, so there was quite a bit of discussion before the would do the port. So, if you have bleeding issues, that could be why your doctor hasn't brought it up or why it might be a concern.

 

[blondelawyer]

My husband got a port about 2 years ago and loves it. The biggest advantage for him is that he can start on IV antibiotics without stepping foot into the hospital. At our previous hospital he would have to be admitted for a couple days and get a picc placed before he could do IVs. Then when we moved, the hosptial here would place the picc without requiring him to be admitted, but he would still have to go to the hospital and have it placed, etc. Now, he just calls the doc, the doc sends orders to the home health people, meds are delivered and he starts them himself. For my husband, this independence is fantastic.

As for reason that he decided to get one, it mostly had to do with increasing difficulities in placing piccs--he has had so many that the scar tissue was sometimes interfering with placement. The doctors were concerned about bleeding, so there was quite a bit of discussion before the would do the port. So, if you have bleeding issues, that could be why your doctor hasn't brought it up or why it might be a concern.

 

[blondelawyer]

My husband got a port about 2 years ago and loves it. The biggest advantage for him is that he can start on IV antibiotics without stepping foot into the hospital. At our previous hospital he would have to be admitted for a couple days and get a picc placed before he could do IVs. Then when we moved, the hosptial here would place the picc without requiring him to be admitted, but he would still have to go to the hospital and have it placed, etc. Now, he just calls the doc, the doc sends orders to the home health people, meds are delivered and he starts them himself. For my husband, this independence is fantastic.

As for reason that he decided to get one, it mostly had to do with increasing difficulities in placing piccs--he has had so many that the scar tissue was sometimes interfering with placement. The doctors were concerned about bleeding, so there was quite a bit of discussion before the would do the port. So, if you have bleeding issues, that could be why your doctor hasn't brought it up or why it might be a concern.

 

[blondelawyer]

My husband got a port about 2 years ago and loves it. The biggest advantage for him is that he can start on IV antibiotics without stepping foot into the hospital. At our previous hospital he would have to be admitted for a couple days and get a picc placed before he could do IVs. Then when we moved, the hosptial here would place the picc without requiring him to be admitted, but he would still have to go to the hospital and have it placed, etc. Now, he just calls the doc, the doc sends orders to the home health people, meds are delivered and he starts them himself. For my husband, this independence is fantastic.

As for reason that he decided to get one, it mostly had to do with increasing difficulities in placing piccs--he has had so many that the scar tissue was sometimes interfering with placement. The doctors were concerned about bleeding, so there was quite a bit of discussion before the would do the port. So, if you have bleeding issues, that could be why your doctor hasn't brought it up or why it might be a concern.

 

[blondelawyer]

My husband got a port about 2 years ago and loves it. The biggest advantage for him is that he can start on IV antibiotics without stepping foot into the hospital. At our previous hospital he would have to be admitted for a couple days and get a picc placed before he could do IVs. Then when we moved, the hosptial here would place the picc without requiring him to be admitted, but he would still have to go to the hospital and have it placed, etc. Now, he just calls the doc, the doc sends orders to the home health people, meds are delivered and he starts them himself. For my husband, this independence is fantastic.

As for reason that he decided to get one, it mostly had to do with increasing difficulities in placing piccs--he has had so many that the scar tissue was sometimes interfering with placement. The doctors were concerned about bleeding, so there was quite a bit of discussion before the would do the port. So, if you have bleeding issues, that could be why your doctor hasn't brought it up or why it might be a concern.

 

[blondelawyer]

My husband got a port about 2 years ago and loves it. The biggest advantage for him is that he can start on IV antibiotics without stepping foot into the hospital. At our previous hospital he would have to be admitted for a couple days and get a picc placed before he could do IVs. Then when we moved, the hosptial here would place the picc without requiring him to be admitted, but he would still have to go to the hospital and have it placed, etc. Now, he just calls the doc, the doc sends orders to the home health people, meds are delivered and he starts them himself. For my husband, this independence is fantastic.

As for reason that he decided to get one, it mostly had to do with increasing difficulities in placing piccs--he has had so many that the scar tissue was sometimes interfering with placement. The doctors were concerned about bleeding, so there was quite a bit of discussion before the would do the port. So, if you have bleeding issues, that could be why your doctor hasn't brought it up or why it might be a concern.

 

[letsrockcfem]

Ports are sweet!! I currently have one on the inside of my upper left arm...I have it accessed once a month and usually have to go in for IV's 1-2 times a year.

After dozens of piccs my veins were like "No More!!!" so we opted for the port and it was the best thing since. The first year or two I honestly thought about and looked at my port everyday..sounds crazy but it is a foriegn object under my skin in my arm..I am very used to it now though and get the occasional "is that a tattoo" or "kill scar" but that cool, I get to tell these people about me and CF!

I did have trouble with my first port thought..it coiled up inside of my chest and despite best efforts from angio (femural vein puncture) we just had to put a whole new port in. The coiling wasn't painful or anything but was seen on my chest x-ray and if left coiled up it could have fused to my vein and caused problems if it ever needed to come out. So we caught it very quick.

good luck and rock cf,
Em

 

[letsrockcfem]

Ports are sweet!! I currently have one on the inside of my upper left arm...I have it accessed once a month and usually have to go in for IV's 1-2 times a year.

After dozens of piccs my veins were like "No More!!!" so we opted for the port and it was the best thing since. The first year or two I honestly thought about and looked at my port everyday..sounds crazy but it is a foriegn object under my skin in my arm..I am very used to it now though and get the occasional "is that a tattoo" or "kill scar" but that cool, I get to tell these people about me and CF!

I did have trouble with my first port thought..it coiled up inside of my chest and despite best efforts from angio (femural vein puncture) we just had to put a whole new port in. The coiling wasn't painful or anything but was seen on my chest x-ray and if left coiled up it could have fused to my vein and caused problems if it ever needed to come out. So we caught it very quick.

good luck and rock cf,
Em

 

[letsrockcfem]

Ports are sweet!! I currently have one on the inside of my upper left arm...I have it accessed once a month and usually have to go in for IV's 1-2 times a year.

After dozens of piccs my veins were like "No More!!!" so we opted for the port and it was the best thing since. The first year or two I honestly thought about and looked at my port everyday..sounds crazy but it is a foriegn object under my skin in my arm..I am very used to it now though and get the occasional "is that a tattoo" or "kill scar" but that cool, I get to tell these people about me and CF!

I did have trouble with my first port thought..it coiled up inside of my chest and despite best efforts from angio (femural vein puncture) we just had to put a whole new port in. The coiling wasn't painful or anything but was seen on my chest x-ray and if left coiled up it could have fused to my vein and caused problems if it ever needed to come out. So we caught it very quick.

good luck and rock cf,
Em

 

[letsrockcfem]

Ports are sweet!! I currently have one on the inside of my upper left arm...I have it accessed once a month and usually have to go in for IV's 1-2 times a year.

After dozens of piccs my veins were like "No More!!!" so we opted for the port and it was the best thing since. The first year or two I honestly thought about and looked at my port everyday..sounds crazy but it is a foriegn object under my skin in my arm..I am very used to it now though and get the occasional "is that a tattoo" or "kill scar" but that cool, I get to tell these people about me and CF!

I did have trouble with my first port thought..it coiled up inside of my chest and despite best efforts from angio (femural vein puncture) we just had to put a whole new port in. The coiling wasn't painful or anything but was seen on my chest x-ray and if left coiled up it could have fused to my vein and caused problems if it ever needed to come out. So we caught it very quick.

good luck and rock cf,
Em