Ports in the Arm?

M

mneville

Guest
It looks like Aidan will be getting a port because of his sinus issues and need for frequent IVs. We are devastated even though many people tell us it will be easier this way. Aidan will freak out when he hears about it.

I do not want it in his chest. Do any of you have ports in your arms? I would rather his be placed there. Can he still play sports when the port is not accessed? Any advice would be great. I

Megan
 
M

mneville

Guest
It looks like Aidan will be getting a port because of his sinus issues and need for frequent IVs. We are devastated even though many people tell us it will be easier this way. Aidan will freak out when he hears about it.

I do not want it in his chest. Do any of you have ports in your arms? I would rather his be placed there. Can he still play sports when the port is not accessed? Any advice would be great. I

Megan
 
M

mneville

Guest
It looks like Aidan will be getting a port because of his sinus issues and need for frequent IVs. We are devastated even though many people tell us it will be easier this way. Aidan will freak out when he hears about it.
<br />
<br />I do not want it in his chest. Do any of you have ports in your arms? I would rather his be placed there. Can he still play sports when the port is not accessed? Any advice would be great. I
<br />
<br />Megan
 
M

mag6125

New member
I think it depends on the surgeon, mine wouldn't put it in my arm but he did put it lower in my ribs where you can't see it unless I'm in a bathing suit. He may not like the idea but it'll be worth it. I put off getting mine until I was 20 and doing ivs about every other month and I love it and wish I would have gotten it sooner. I've played softball and hockey with mine when it's not accessed.
 
M

mag6125

New member
I think it depends on the surgeon, mine wouldn't put it in my arm but he did put it lower in my ribs where you can't see it unless I'm in a bathing suit. He may not like the idea but it'll be worth it. I put off getting mine until I was 20 and doing ivs about every other month and I love it and wish I would have gotten it sooner. I've played softball and hockey with mine when it's not accessed.
 
M

mag6125

New member
I think it depends on the surgeon, mine wouldn't put it in my arm but he did put it lower in my ribs where you can't see it unless I'm in a bathing suit. He may not like the idea but it'll be worth it. I put off getting mine until I was 20 and doing ivs about every other month and I love it and wish I would have gotten it sooner. I've played softball and hockey with mine when it's not accessed.
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
I would LOVE to see some responses about this too. My clinic has really put the hard sell on for a port too but they only do arm ports here! Round 'cook' ones not bar ones. The nurse even gave me one to fiddle with but it seems big! Won't it stick out heaps? Will it hurt if it gets bumped? Also the nurse was like "oh you can still lift up to like 2-3 Kg's with an arm port. Don't worry!" ummmmm I do way more than that at the gym! What about rock climbing or kyacking (sp?) or yoga? Surely they all place a lot more weight on the arm!

Thankyou Megan for the post. Looking forward to some opinions!
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
I would LOVE to see some responses about this too. My clinic has really put the hard sell on for a port too but they only do arm ports here! Round 'cook' ones not bar ones. The nurse even gave me one to fiddle with but it seems big! Won't it stick out heaps? Will it hurt if it gets bumped? Also the nurse was like "oh you can still lift up to like 2-3 Kg's with an arm port. Don't worry!" ummmmm I do way more than that at the gym! What about rock climbing or kyacking (sp?) or yoga? Surely they all place a lot more weight on the arm!

Thankyou Megan for the post. Looking forward to some opinions!
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
I would LOVE to see some responses about this too. My clinic has really put the hard sell on for a port too but they only do arm ports here! Round 'cook' ones not bar ones. The nurse even gave me one to fiddle with but it seems big! Won't it stick out heaps? Will it hurt if it gets bumped? Also the nurse was like "oh you can still lift up to like 2-3 Kg's with an arm port. Don't worry!" ummmmm I do way more than that at the gym! What about rock climbing or kyacking (sp?) or yoga? Surely they all place a lot more weight on the arm!
<br />
<br />Thankyou Megan for the post. Looking forward to some opinions!
 
M

megan420

New member
I have a port! And I thinks its the best thing ever made! Im in the hospital at least every 2 months and its been this way since 2006 or so. Thats when I got my 1st port, which was located on my upper chest above my heart! I hated it in that location because it was very visible, even when it wasnt axcessed! I havent ever heard of them placing it in an arm, but after my first 1 got old a diffrent hospital further away said that they could place it in my lower rib! I am skin and bones and when its axcessed it only sticks out no more than and inch or so; even smaller unaxcessed! I have a circle one. I can do absolutly anything with it, sports, laying on that side(whens its not axcessed), ect... The only hard part with it axcessed, is showering because it cant get wet! Best invention ever and would recomend it for even people that go into the hospital 5-6 times a year! Thats how wonderful it is! I remember pic lines and hating getting them, it was painful and scary! All that has to be done is one poke and your done! I use a cream called emla cream, it numbs the site because to me it hurts a bit more than a needle poke for blood draw in the arm.
 
M

megan420

New member
I have a port! And I thinks its the best thing ever made! Im in the hospital at least every 2 months and its been this way since 2006 or so. Thats when I got my 1st port, which was located on my upper chest above my heart! I hated it in that location because it was very visible, even when it wasnt axcessed! I havent ever heard of them placing it in an arm, but after my first 1 got old a diffrent hospital further away said that they could place it in my lower rib! I am skin and bones and when its axcessed it only sticks out no more than and inch or so; even smaller unaxcessed! I have a circle one. I can do absolutly anything with it, sports, laying on that side(whens its not axcessed), ect... The only hard part with it axcessed, is showering because it cant get wet! Best invention ever and would recomend it for even people that go into the hospital 5-6 times a year! Thats how wonderful it is! I remember pic lines and hating getting them, it was painful and scary! All that has to be done is one poke and your done! I use a cream called emla cream, it numbs the site because to me it hurts a bit more than a needle poke for blood draw in the arm.
 
M

megan420

New member
I have a port! And I thinks its the best thing ever made! Im in the hospital at least every 2 months and its been this way since 2006 or so. Thats when I got my 1st port, which was located on my upper chest above my heart! I hated it in that location because it was very visible, even when it wasnt axcessed! I havent ever heard of them placing it in an arm, but after my first 1 got old a diffrent hospital further away said that they could place it in my lower rib! I am skin and bones and when its axcessed it only sticks out no more than and inch or so; even smaller unaxcessed! I have a circle one. I can do absolutly anything with it, sports, laying on that side(whens its not axcessed), ect... The only hard part with it axcessed, is showering because it cant get wet! Best invention ever and would recomend it for even people that go into the hospital 5-6 times a year! Thats how wonderful it is! I remember pic lines and hating getting them, it was painful and scary! All that has to be done is one poke and your done! I use a cream called emla cream, it numbs the site because to me it hurts a bit more than a needle poke for blood draw in the arm.
 
W

windex125

Guest
I have mine almsot 10yrs it is in my upper shoulder area below the collar bone double round COOK. Its the best thing I ever did and I too thought oh NO and cired and cried...But it's been nothing but good to me and have not been in the hosp. since. I do all my IV meds at home and I get pnemonia the way the average person gets a common cold. So please don't panic it really is a blessing is disguise, more or less. I forget it's there when it's not in use, sure I too was always wanteing to cover it in the beg, when not in use, now who cares. but I am older and it's not as important. The emla cream is a blessing when accessing it. WEll said Megan.. good luck to you as well. Pat-56/CF
 
W

windex125

Guest
I have mine almsot 10yrs it is in my upper shoulder area below the collar bone double round COOK. Its the best thing I ever did and I too thought oh NO and cired and cried...But it's been nothing but good to me and have not been in the hosp. since. I do all my IV meds at home and I get pnemonia the way the average person gets a common cold. So please don't panic it really is a blessing is disguise, more or less. I forget it's there when it's not in use, sure I too was always wanteing to cover it in the beg, when not in use, now who cares. but I am older and it's not as important. The emla cream is a blessing when accessing it. WEll said Megan.. good luck to you as well. Pat-56/CF
 
W

windex125

Guest
I have mine almsot 10yrs it is in my upper shoulder area below the collar bone double round COOK. Its the best thing I ever did and I too thought oh NO and cired and cried...But it's been nothing but good to me and have not been in the hosp. since. I do all my IV meds at home and I get pnemonia the way the average person gets a common cold. So please don't panic it really is a blessing is disguise, more or less. I forget it's there when it's not in use, sure I too was always wanteing to cover it in the beg, when not in use, now who cares. but I am older and it's not as important. The emla cream is a blessing when accessing it. WEll said Megan.. good luck to you as well. Pat-56/CF
 
K

krisgabes

New member
I have to agree with a majority here. I had to stop using ports in my arm because my veins couldn't take the constant use. I got a port put in my chest and it was the BEST thing I ever did. It allows you to go on service with your IV's quicker than having to wait for a nurse to come, etc etc.

I hope this helped a bit!
 
K

krisgabes

New member
I have to agree with a majority here. I had to stop using ports in my arm because my veins couldn't take the constant use. I got a port put in my chest and it was the BEST thing I ever did. It allows you to go on service with your IV's quicker than having to wait for a nurse to come, etc etc.

I hope this helped a bit!
 
K

krisgabes

New member
I have to agree with a majority here. I had to stop using ports in my arm because my veins couldn't take the constant use. I got a port put in my chest and it was the BEST thing I ever did. It allows you to go on service with your IV's quicker than having to wait for a nurse to come, etc etc.
<br />
<br />I hope this helped a bit!
 
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.

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.

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.
 
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.

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.

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.
 
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