Chemo Port Implant: Does it really help ease the process of chemo?

Posted by sos2000 @sos2000, Dec 19, 2023

It was highly recommended to have a chemo port for a chemotherapy. Does it really help ease the process of chemotherapy?
I’m stage III colorectal cancer with one positive lymph node.

Thank you

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@cjay

Have you found anything that helps the neuropathy? I also crashed one day when I went in to get my pump removed. My blood pressure crashed and I got taken back and given IV fluids.(but to be completely transparent,‘I had eaten some THC banana bread my niece made for me that morning, not knowing that THC lowers your blood pressure a lot!🤦‍♀️)

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Thanks for the warning about THC and the story.

When I was going through this, MJ wasn't legal in Minnesota, but now it is legal but you can only buy it now at several native American reservations. The state is working on building the regulations, licensure and taxes. We have some CBD shops, but a state audit found that 39% of their merchandise was above the legal limits. (Oops!)

When I was in treatment, my oncologist suggested gabapentin for the neuropathy, but mine wasn't very painful, so I declined. That may be an option for you.

I'm two years past the end of chemo now and still have some minor residual numbness in fingers and feet, but it's not significant or painful enough to take a medication for it.

Hope that helps.

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Thanks! I’m on a very low dose of Gabepentan twice a day. Hopefully it just goes away with time.

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I only needed three months of chemotherapy, and didn’t do a port at first. I had my first infusion through a vein and at the very end of the treatment, the vein blew and my arm hurt for an entire week. The nurses recommended I get a port and I never regretted it. I only used it once for chemo and then had to stop chemo, but I was hospitalized multiple times and had multiple surgeries over the next five months and they used the port for all of my IV treatments and meds. I also had a PIC installed for nutrition. I would definitely recommend it. I had some pain after the port placement but pain meds helped

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@lisag03

I only needed three months of chemotherapy, and didn’t do a port at first. I had my first infusion through a vein and at the very end of the treatment, the vein blew and my arm hurt for an entire week. The nurses recommended I get a port and I never regretted it. I only used it once for chemo and then had to stop chemo, but I was hospitalized multiple times and had multiple surgeries over the next five months and they used the port for all of my IV treatments and meds. I also had a PIC installed for nutrition. I would definitely recommend it. I had some pain after the port placement but pain meds helped

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Thank you for sharing your experience. I sincerely appreciate it. I am so glad that I shared my concern here. People are so supportive.

Thank you again and wishing you a happy holidays.

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@sos2000

Thank you for sharing your experience. I sincerely appreciate it. I am so glad that I shared my concern here. People are so supportive.

Thank you again and wishing you a happy holidays.

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I had a port implanted with my second lumpectomy when it was decided that I needed chemo. I didn't have pain but rather just mild discomfort barely noticeable. The port was located near my heart (left side) and for some reason its position was awkward at night as I sleep on that side. It only bothered me a few days until it or my body adjusted. Do make sure to get the lidocaine cream or a numbing spray before each infusion. I tried going without once, and the pain was fierce and lasted 20 minutes or more. A month after I finished chemo (to allow your immune system time to recover) my surgeon removed the port at his office with just a local (needle) anesthetic. Again, just minimal discomfort.

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