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Ports
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
Shaylaandrews
New member
I try to do mine every month, but I'm not that particular at what time of month. That is I know it doesn't get done on a regular basis. I usually average between 3-6 weeks, but I have gone longer. I think the reason the adult clinics aren't as concerned is because most of their patients that have ports are in the hospital often enough that it isn't that long between flushings anyway.
thats what happens here j. apparently the childrens hospital was quite strict about port flushing protocols but from what i hear the adult hospital doesnt seem to care if you go a few months without it. my thoughts? i think its pure lazyness by the hospital staff and it puts the port and patient at risk.
AbsintheSorrow
New member
I do mine on the first of every month.
It is best to do the flushes every month. I still had mine flushed every month and it started to freakin' hurt when I had it flushed... I knew there was something definitely wrong. Turned out to be a clot on my superior vena cava from the catheter. It sucked!!! Everything's great now and all they had to do was take the port out ASAP, but it was a definite scare!!!! Mari 23w/CF
Hi J,
My port is flushed EVEREY 4 weeks, the nurses are very strict that I do not go over my 4 weeks. Want to hear a "funny" story? I was on home IV meds for 2 weeks when the needle in my port fell out, it happened on a saturday and there were no nurses on call that knew how to access my port (this REALLY ticked me off but that's another story) Anyway, they wanted me to go to ER but I refuse to sit in a waiting room for hours. So, I did it myself...first try! I was very proud of myself. Anyone else out there access their own port? The nurses told me that some people do access it on their own all the time.
~Lynn
23 w/CF
My port is flushed EVEREY 4 weeks, the nurses are very strict that I do not go over my 4 weeks. Want to hear a "funny" story? I was on home IV meds for 2 weeks when the needle in my port fell out, it happened on a saturday and there were no nurses on call that knew how to access my port (this REALLY ticked me off but that's another story) Anyway, they wanted me to go to ER but I refuse to sit in a waiting room for hours. So, I did it myself...first try! I was very proud of myself. Anyone else out there access their own port? The nurses told me that some people do access it on their own all the time.
~Lynn
23 w/CF
AbsintheSorrow
New member
I learned after the port had been placed for only 3 months, and I do myself all the time. Much easier.
J,
When I first got my port they made sure they flushed it very month. Now they wait about 2-3 months because it never clots and I was told that it's more safe to flush too little that too often. I gt my first port when I was 10 (I'm 19 now) and it clotted after about 2 years, flushing once a month. I got my sencond when I was 12, so 7 years (wow!), and I've had no problems flushing every 2-3 months. It depends on the person...depends how you feel I guess. Has yours ever clotted or had any problems? Maybe you could learnt to do it yourself, then you wouldnt have to worry about the nurses not doing it. I tried doing mine myself but it freaked me out too much!<hr>
When I first got my port they made sure they flushed it very month. Now they wait about 2-3 months because it never clots and I was told that it's more safe to flush too little that too often. I gt my first port when I was 10 (I'm 19 now) and it clotted after about 2 years, flushing once a month. I got my sencond when I was 12, so 7 years (wow!), and I've had no problems flushing every 2-3 months. It depends on the person...depends how you feel I guess. Has yours ever clotted or had any problems? Maybe you could learnt to do it yourself, then you wouldnt have to worry about the nurses not doing it. I tried doing mine myself but it freaked me out too much!<hr>
J,
When I first got my port they made sure they flushed it very month. Now they wait about 2-3 months because it never clots and I was told that it's more safe to flush too little that too often. I gt my first port when I was 10 (I'm 19 now) and it clotted after about 2 years, flushing once a month. I got my sencond when I was 12, so 7 years (wow!), and I've had no problems flushing every 2-3 months. It depends on the person...depends how you feel I guess. Has yours ever clotted or had any problems? Maybe you could learnt to do it yourself, then you wouldnt have to worry about the nurses not doing it. I tried doing mine myself but it freaked me out too much!
Deanne
When I first got my port they made sure they flushed it very month. Now they wait about 2-3 months because it never clots and I was told that it's more safe to flush too little that too often. I gt my first port when I was 10 (I'm 19 now) and it clotted after about 2 years, flushing once a month. I got my sencond when I was 12, so 7 years (wow!), and I've had no problems flushing every 2-3 months. It depends on the person...depends how you feel I guess. Has yours ever clotted or had any problems? Maybe you could learnt to do it yourself, then you wouldnt have to worry about the nurses not doing it. I tried doing mine myself but it freaked me out too much!
Deanne
My ports been in for 5 months now..and a nurse comes out every month to flush it. Only thing I hate is that if you don't call to remind them..they don't come out!! I get real paraniod if I think I'm going to go over my month (in part bc I dont want another one put in! and I dont want any clots). Right now, its too new for me to try and do it myself...maybe in a few months/years I'll try!! but we'll see...