ArtistDi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 2297
posted
OK, I had the port placed almost 2 weeks ago, and the procedure went smoothly enough, but my chest was extremely sore, especially when the nurse first accessed the port.
How many times a week do you access the port for infusions? I do three a week, every other day, pulsed. The surgeon who put it in felt the line would be more susceptible to infection accessed with a needle all week.
Also, tegaderm on my chest is causing skin reactions. My skin is more sensitve in that area. What else can be used?
I have to say the jury is still out as to whether I will like this as opposed to the picc lines I had for 5 years. I felt much safer with them, but now my veins aren't as sustainable.
Thanks for all the good words on my first question about ports.
ArtistDi
Posts: 1567 | From Hatfield, MA, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
I use a sobraview bandage. I keep it accessed for 1 week. You can't get the area wet or you wi L get an infection. I think everytime it is poked it leaves you open to infection. My nurse wears a mask and uses sterile gloves when accessing.
-------------------- gatorade girl
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
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ArtistDi
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posted
Are you flushing every day, even if you aren't using it?
Posts: 1567 | From Hatfield, MA, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
I keep it accessed for a week at a time. I found that the solution that is put on your skin before putting the bandage on irritated my skin (I forget what the stuff is called, it's usually in the packet with the mask). When they used iodine to clean my skin, I had no problems.
When I first had mine put in Oct. 2009. I thought I had made a huge mistake and that I should have gotten a picc. Now I am very happy that I didn't do that. I love my port and I beleive it will last a long time.
I flush it once a month when not accessed.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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When my husband was doing IVs with a port, it was accessed a week at a time. As gatorade girl said, it's important to not get it wet. My husband did not do saunas during IV treatment, for fear of infection. I believe we only flushed it on treatment days. He still has his port in (4 years), and currently gets it flushed about every 8 weeks.
As far as the dressing goes, I'm afraid I don't remember what was used, although I do know he used Aquaguard patches for showering, and used a hand-held shower to direct the water away from the site.
I bet an experienced home health nurse should have some ideas on alternatives to the tegaderm, if there are any.
Hope this helps!
Posts: 532 | From southeast US | Registered: Oct 2005
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sammy
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Member # 13952
posted
There are a few different dressings that you can try. Gatorade girl mentioned Sorbaview. Another sterile transparent option is "IV 3000" by Smith and Nephew. Another is called "Mepore film dressing" by Molnlycke.
If you seem to be reacting to the adhesives in these dressings you could try the "Mepilex Border Lite" dressing by Molnlycke. It does not use traditional adhesives. It is made with silicone Safetac technology that allows it to be self adherent. It is hypoallergenic, sterile, waterproof, bacteria and viral proof, and can stay in place for up to 7days. The only drawback with this dressing is the cost.
You can shop around online for the best prices. I've used allegromedical.com before so I knew that they would carry the products that I was telling you about. I just put the links here so that you could see them.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Tracy9
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Member # 7521
posted
I love my port, compared to a PICC. I am accessed all the time. Every nurse I have spoken to says that it needs to stay accessed all week, because the risk of infection is when the skin is broken and you are poked. I have begged and pleaded for them to let me be accessed and deaccessed 2-3 times a week so I can swim, but they won't let me.
Each needle stick is where the risk of infection is. I think the dressing I have is Sorba View. It has white all around it. It looks different from the Tegaderm I had on my PICCs.
I've gotten it damp from showering but I just change the dressing. It's not like changing a PICC dressing because it's all enclosed and sealed in the rubber port under the skin. I just put fresh gauze over it and a new dressing so it would stay dry.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
e. It was a good decision for me. I flush it on treatment days. I believe you flush it once a month if not being used. I am allergic to tygaderm and both sobraview and iv 3000 have worked for me. My nurse taught me how to take the huber needle out . I take a good shower when it is not accessed and then put emla cream underneath a bandage to numb it an hour before she comes. I think the heparin used is the yellow top ( at least mine is) and blue for I had a picc line.
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
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ArtistDi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 2297
posted
Thanks so much for all the information, as well as special thanks to sammy. I already called my nurses about the other dressings and I hope one will work better than the tegaderm.
I am not fond of the port as yet. It is more limiting for me--I can't use a sauna anymore, can't go to the gym if it is accessed, still can't swim, and it doesn't look great with summer apparel. I am not sure what the real benefit is at this point other than I can have a vein accessed for IV.
Time will definitely tell, but thanks again.
Posts: 1567 | From Hatfield, MA, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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Dogsandcats
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Member # 28544
posted
I take my needle out as soon as my five days of infusing are over. Then I get to take enjoyable showers, etc.
I bought a bunch of lite weight tees from wal mart that come up higher on the chest to cover the port when it matters to me.
I get really moist under the tegaderm just because the weather is so hot.
Tracy-how do you change the tegederm? I am afraid I will move the needle......
-------------------- God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there.
Billy Graham Posts: 1967 | From California | Registered: Oct 2010
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
The benefit is that when you don't have the needle in you can do anything you want to. It's completely underneath the skin.
If you have a picc you have a tube hanging out all of the time.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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Amanda
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Member # 14107
posted
I have a port. It is painful to access it, even after 7 months post surgery. I tried emla cream, which works for most people by getting the area numb. But it doesn't work for everyone. You can also try ethyl chloride spray. IT makes your skin cold and numbs the area.
I am accessed 5 days, then pull the needle out myself (that doesn't hurt)
I have a small disc, called a biopatch, that goes between my skin and the needle. The biopatch has the same stuff in it that the dressing change kit has to deter infections.
-------------------- "few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example" - Mark Twain Posts: 1008 | From US | Registered: Dec 2007
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Dogsandcats
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28544
posted
The biopatch seemed to be damp. I stopped using them because it seemed to irritate my skin.
It seems like they do not have alot of helpful products for all our issues......
-------------------- God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there.
Billy Graham Posts: 1967 | From California | Registered: Oct 2010
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Don't worry about moving the needle. That sucker is stuck in there. If you've ever pulled out your own needle, you'll know it takes some strength just to get it out.
I just take off the dressing, by pulling off all the edges first, then taking it off the plastic top of the needle housing. The gauze is stuck to the tape and just comes off. I don't know if I'm supposed to clean anything; the needle housing pretty much covers the whole insertion area so I don't have access to the insertion site like you do with a PICC, so I just place more sterile gauze over the needle housing once I know my skin is completely dry, if it has gotten damp at all from the shower, then peel off the dressing backing and stick it on.
It's super simple. I just did it last night. No matter what, the condensation gathers under there and I'm worried about it creating an infection hazard due to the moisture. Changing the dressing assures me it's clean and dry where the needle is.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I have pulled out the needle by accident when I trip over my tpn tubing. Be careful. It wasn't pleasant! Otherwise I love the port.
-------------------- gatorade girl
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Hi ArtistDi, I agree with everyone that you port should be keep accessed for the whole week while you are pulsing antibiotics. The risk of infection is greater everytime you access the port.
Flushing protocal on the days you are not using the port is usually once a day with heparin. Check with the nursing agency for their protocal.
Others have good ideas. If you are pulsing M-W-F, you can learn to deaccess your port and be free for the weekend. Then the nurse can reaccess on Monday.
Tracy9, When you apply the sterile guaze to your port site, you should be wearing sterile gloves. Otherwise as soon as you touch the sterile guaze with your hands it is not considered sterile anymore.
Grace
Posts: 27 | From central nj | Registered: Mar 2011
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