Does anyone have a port or had one before?

[earnellzwifey]

I am going to start IV roids for the first time tomorrow. I had one treatment in the ER yesterday and the nurse had a really hard time finding my veins. It runs in my family my mom have really little deep veins also. You can't even find one in my hand with out really smack on it.

Well, anyway the one she tried to put in my arm blew so she had to put it in the large artey in my wrist. Hate when they have to go there it hurts like crazy and leaves a big bruise afterwards.

Back to topic. The nurse said they will probablly put a port in main vein in my neck because it will be to difficult for them to keep finding a vein to give me the treatments over the next four day.

Has anyone ever had one put in before? If so could you tell me what it was like and if the leave it there permanently or will they remove it after treatment.

[Redwings]

If you're having trouble with venous access now, you're ALWAYS going to have trouble. That's good rationale for leaving the port in permanently (as long as they put in the kind of port that's intended to be used that way). You'll just have to flush it periodically to keep it open and sanitary.

[RoyaleMSer]

Ports

I have the swame vein issues as you do. Every time I've done steroids, they have put a port in. The nurse usually removes it after the steroid treatment is done. Having a port is soo much easier that having to find a vein every day. It's really not a big deal. I'd rather have one good poke than 1 poke every day of the treatment. Remember, this is just my experience and opinion!

[HCB]

I had a permanent port put in in 10/2007 as the nurses' had such a terrible time giving me my tysabri treatment each month. After I have my treatment, the nurses flush my port and put heparin in it so it doesn't clot off. Believe me it was the best decision I could have made. Good Luck

[onlyairfare]

My husband had a port in for 8 weeks after an operation so that he could have medication that way instead of finding a new IV site every 3 or 4 days. It was so much easier. It was in a vein under the collarbone, and the hospital staff just showed me how to keep it flushed out every day. That way he could come home instead of staying in the hospital for another 8 weeks.

[mibishe]

port versus picc line

a picc line can be placed usually in upper arm into artery (by a trained nurse) and it can stay in up to 1 year. it has to be kept dry and must be flushed with 1st saline then heparin everyday.

a port (port a cath) is placed usually in clavicle area under the skin (day surgery) and threaded jugular to the vena cava.
when not accessed you can shower swim ect. w/o covering. a port must be flushed with saline and "packed" with heparin every 4 weeks. ports can stay in for years.

i have had 2 picc lines and a port that has been in 1 year.
i had a port placed since i knew i would be getting monthly treatments.

when i was not getting monthly just periodic steroids i had a picc line.

[earnellzwifey]

im home

They decided to just put in a iv and leave it for the 4 days of treatment. It is in my wrist just above my hand and it a little uncomfortable.

They said my dr will have to order the port. maybe he will have it done if I need to have the solumedrol again.

thanks for the information. I kinda wish they would do the port. I have when they keep poking around for a vein. My record is 7 times.