Ports in the Arm?

J

jenhum

New member
I'm on my third port, I've had one in since I was 13. I LOVE my ports. I hated the constant digging and sticking when trying to do a peripheral IV, and I hated PICCs too. It allows so much more freedom for me. I flush it monthly myself, and I also access/de-access and change my needle and dressing while doing home IVs. I personally wouldn't want one in my arm b/c I don't think I could access it myself that way.
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<br />When I first got one in, I was very self concious (of course- I was 13!), and so they placed it pretty deep and you couldn't really see it at all (just the scar). But then I got boobs and b/c of the tissue it got pretty difficult to access. So now it does stick out just a tad, but it doesn't bother me at all.
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<br />I know the idea of getting a port is overwhelming, but honestly I would recommend them to anyone who has to do IVs on a regular basis.
 
E

ej0820

New member
When I first got a port, I was told they could generally put a port anywhere...thighs, chest, arms, where ever. However, certain places are better than others. I've heard that arm ports don't last as long as ones placed in the chest, and there's a greater risk of infection than there is in the thigh or chest. I actually just got my first port a couple months ago. I HATE where they put it, but I'll admit that I love having it. When the docs need blood, it comes out of my port. IV meds go so much more smoothly now than they ever did with IVs or a PICC line. I've had some pretty bad low blood sugar episodes that required EMS/ambulance and they were able to use my port for the glucose solution in place of an IV. IV sticks, blood draws, all that nonsense is either painless or not even necessary. I hesitated on getting a port for a few years and wish I had gotten one after my very first PICC line. It is WELL worth it...just make sure you have a surgeon that will talk with you about placement and actually take the time to really determine where it's going and respond to your questions/concerns.

Being able to see a port under the skin really depends on where it is on a person and how much weight a person has. My port is in my breast tissue which makes it hard to see if you don't know it's there. I've seen others with ports that really stick out, just because of the location or their having a really small stature or being underweight. Your son can also get a pediatric port which is smaller than the adult ones. If he has this port through puberty and growth spurts, the fact that it's a pediatric port shouldn't matter. I'm a 25 year old who's probably a little OVER weight and was given a pediatric port. It's just smaller, but works just the same.
Good Luck! You're in the right place...these guys all responded when I was concerned about getting my first port and no one steered me wrong! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">


Jenny (jenhum), where exactly is your port located, if you don't mind my asking? Is it in your breast tissue? Mine is, right next to my armpit, and I think it's one of the worst places EVER. If you want to answer and not hijack this post, please PM me. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
E

ej0820

New member
When I first got a port, I was told they could generally put a port anywhere...thighs, chest, arms, where ever. However, certain places are better than others. I've heard that arm ports don't last as long as ones placed in the chest, and there's a greater risk of infection than there is in the thigh or chest. I actually just got my first port a couple months ago. I HATE where they put it, but I'll admit that I love having it. When the docs need blood, it comes out of my port. IV meds go so much more smoothly now than they ever did with IVs or a PICC line. I've had some pretty bad low blood sugar episodes that required EMS/ambulance and they were able to use my port for the glucose solution in place of an IV. IV sticks, blood draws, all that nonsense is either painless or not even necessary. I hesitated on getting a port for a few years and wish I had gotten one after my very first PICC line. It is WELL worth it...just make sure you have a surgeon that will talk with you about placement and actually take the time to really determine where it's going and respond to your questions/concerns.

Being able to see a port under the skin really depends on where it is on a person and how much weight a person has. My port is in my breast tissue which makes it hard to see if you don't know it's there. I've seen others with ports that really stick out, just because of the location or their having a really small stature or being underweight. Your son can also get a pediatric port which is smaller than the adult ones. If he has this port through puberty and growth spurts, the fact that it's a pediatric port shouldn't matter. I'm a 25 year old who's probably a little OVER weight and was given a pediatric port. It's just smaller, but works just the same.
Good Luck! You're in the right place...these guys all responded when I was concerned about getting my first port and no one steered me wrong! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">


Jenny (jenhum), where exactly is your port located, if you don't mind my asking? Is it in your breast tissue? Mine is, right next to my armpit, and I think it's one of the worst places EVER. If you want to answer and not hijack this post, please PM me. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
E

ej0820

New member
When I first got a port, I was told they could generally put a port anywhere...thighs, chest, arms, where ever. However, certain places are better than others. I've heard that arm ports don't last as long as ones placed in the chest, and there's a greater risk of infection than there is in the thigh or chest. I actually just got my first port a couple months ago. I HATE where they put it, but I'll admit that I love having it. When the docs need blood, it comes out of my port. IV meds go so much more smoothly now than they ever did with IVs or a PICC line. I've had some pretty bad low blood sugar episodes that required EMS/ambulance and they were able to use my port for the glucose solution in place of an IV. IV sticks, blood draws, all that nonsense is either painless or not even necessary. I hesitated on getting a port for a few years and wish I had gotten one after my very first PICC line. It is WELL worth it...just make sure you have a surgeon that will talk with you about placement and actually take the time to really determine where it's going and respond to your questions/concerns.
<br />
<br />Being able to see a port under the skin really depends on where it is on a person and how much weight a person has. My port is in my breast tissue which makes it hard to see if you don't know it's there. I've seen others with ports that really stick out, just because of the location or their having a really small stature or being underweight. Your son can also get a pediatric port which is smaller than the adult ones. If he has this port through puberty and growth spurts, the fact that it's a pediatric port shouldn't matter. I'm a 25 year old who's probably a little OVER weight and was given a pediatric port. It's just smaller, but works just the same.
<br />Good Luck! You're in the right place...these guys all responded when I was concerned about getting my first port and no one steered me wrong! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
<br />
<br />
<br />Jenny (jenhum), where exactly is your port located, if you don't mind my asking? Is it in your breast tissue? Mine is, right next to my armpit, and I think it's one of the worst places EVER. If you want to answer and not hijack this post, please PM me. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
A

AimeeSue82

New member
I have an arm port. It's a pediatric port placed on the inside of my left bicep, about 4 inches from my armpit. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! I got my first one about 10 years ago, it lasted a few years before it turned and needed to be replaced, now I've had my 2nd one about 7 or 8 years. I got it place at the Children's Hospital in Denver when I was a patient there and it was fairly common at that hosp. Now I live in Illinois and go to an adult clinic...I'm the only arm port any of the drs or nurses at the hosp have ever seen. It is difficult to access sometimes because it sits in the fatty tissue in my arm, so it kinda moves around. So the nurses have to make sure to hold it flat and tight when they access it. It also doesn't always return blood (because it's so old), but I can always tell when it's accessed properly because I can actually taste the saline flush when it's in the right spot. Weird, I know, but very helpful. I've been told that when this one finally fails, I probably won't be able to get another arm one, which totally sucks. When this one isn't accessed, no one knows it's there. I have a slight scar from when it was placed, but since it's on the inside of my arm, no one sees it. Otherwise, it barely sticks out. The only problem I have with it's placement is that when I drive up to my atm, my port sits exactly on my window of my car! Obviously, not a major deal! When it is accessed, it sticks out a bit because they have to use a long needle (3/4") even though the port is flush against my skin. So I end up having tons of gauze and padding taped onto my arm. Then the problem is that it hits my side all the time and gets irritated. I actually tried to take a pic of my arm with my phone, but there's really nothing to see, you could see it protruding or barely even the scar. I can try again and PM it if anyone really cares. Anyway, I highly recommend the arm port!!!

~Aimee, 28 CF w/ PA & MRSA
 
A

AimeeSue82

New member
I have an arm port. It's a pediatric port placed on the inside of my left bicep, about 4 inches from my armpit. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! I got my first one about 10 years ago, it lasted a few years before it turned and needed to be replaced, now I've had my 2nd one about 7 or 8 years. I got it place at the Children's Hospital in Denver when I was a patient there and it was fairly common at that hosp. Now I live in Illinois and go to an adult clinic...I'm the only arm port any of the drs or nurses at the hosp have ever seen. It is difficult to access sometimes because it sits in the fatty tissue in my arm, so it kinda moves around. So the nurses have to make sure to hold it flat and tight when they access it. It also doesn't always return blood (because it's so old), but I can always tell when it's accessed properly because I can actually taste the saline flush when it's in the right spot. Weird, I know, but very helpful. I've been told that when this one finally fails, I probably won't be able to get another arm one, which totally sucks. When this one isn't accessed, no one knows it's there. I have a slight scar from when it was placed, but since it's on the inside of my arm, no one sees it. Otherwise, it barely sticks out. The only problem I have with it's placement is that when I drive up to my atm, my port sits exactly on my window of my car! Obviously, not a major deal! When it is accessed, it sticks out a bit because they have to use a long needle (3/4") even though the port is flush against my skin. So I end up having tons of gauze and padding taped onto my arm. Then the problem is that it hits my side all the time and gets irritated. I actually tried to take a pic of my arm with my phone, but there's really nothing to see, you could see it protruding or barely even the scar. I can try again and PM it if anyone really cares. Anyway, I highly recommend the arm port!!!

~Aimee, 28 CF w/ PA & MRSA
 
A

AimeeSue82

New member
I have an arm port. It's a pediatric port placed on the inside of my left bicep, about 4 inches from my armpit. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! I got my first one about 10 years ago, it lasted a few years before it turned and needed to be replaced, now I've had my 2nd one about 7 or 8 years. I got it place at the Children's Hospital in Denver when I was a patient there and it was fairly common at that hosp. Now I live in Illinois and go to an adult clinic...I'm the only arm port any of the drs or nurses at the hosp have ever seen. It is difficult to access sometimes because it sits in the fatty tissue in my arm, so it kinda moves around. So the nurses have to make sure to hold it flat and tight when they access it. It also doesn't always return blood (because it's so old), but I can always tell when it's accessed properly because I can actually taste the saline flush when it's in the right spot. Weird, I know, but very helpful. I've been told that when this one finally fails, I probably won't be able to get another arm one, which totally sucks. When this one isn't accessed, no one knows it's there. I have a slight scar from when it was placed, but since it's on the inside of my arm, no one sees it. Otherwise, it barely sticks out. The only problem I have with it's placement is that when I drive up to my atm, my port sits exactly on my window of my car! Obviously, not a major deal! When it is accessed, it sticks out a bit because they have to use a long needle (3/4") even though the port is flush against my skin. So I end up having tons of gauze and padding taped onto my arm. Then the problem is that it hits my side all the time and gets irritated. I actually tried to take a pic of my arm with my phone, but there's really nothing to see, you could see it protruding or barely even the scar. I can try again and PM it if anyone really cares. Anyway, I highly recommend the arm port!!!
<br />
<br />~Aimee, 28 CF w/ PA & MRSA
 
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