I got my very first port in Jan of 08 and I was a nervous wreck. Not just about the procedure, but about having a foreign object in my body. I thought I would get a ton of anxiety having something inside my chest 24/7 and was even thinking of having the port removed (thinking about this before I even got the port) if my anxiety was too bad.
Well, it was the best thing I have ever done and would recommend it and do it again in a hearbeat.
I had conscious sedation (was not intubated). I was asleep most of the time, occassionaly opening my eyes and when I did, I was aware of what was going on. I felt NO pain or pressure. What I did feel was the blood pressure cuff on my arm getting tight every so often. LOL! The procedure took about 20 minutes and I was sore and not able to lift or do much for the first 3 weeks.
My port has been a life saver. No more torture with piccs! It's like 1, 2, 3 and I'm accessed, ready to start iv's with no pain. I have my arm free and it's like I'm not even doing iv's.
Please don't cancel your appointment. If you have any more questions at all, don't hesistate to ask. I was a wreck and I'm totally fine and anxiety free over my port.
Good luck.
Take care,
Michelle
PS My port is located in my upper right chest and it's a small port.