tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Since fighting insurnace was going to take forever and we did atleast get 28 days of IV paid for and we will do the rest out of pocket if our appeals don't go through, I did still have some questions.
I go in to get the port installed on Friday at 8:30 am. Can anyone that has done this give me a little information on what to expect.
I'm told there is no pre op like in other surgeries. I've been told that since I'm tiny to make sure they are using a smaller port, but how do *I* know one from another. Are there any tips to make the healing process easier?
Also, I have my infussion company with the visiting nurse coming in the afternoon of the same day I have this surgery. Is this normal? They told me to tell the hospital to just leave the port accessed since I"m getting a treatment later that day.
Everything is happening so fast and I'm not even sure what to expect since I haven't actually talked to the person putting in the port and they say I'll talk the morning of it. But do we have questions that should be answered? Any advice?
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I just got a PICC ( peripheral inserted central catheter) line placed on 7/17. It's in a vein on the inside of my left upper arm. I went into outpatient at the hospital and they took me by gourney to radiology. A Dr. (some places have specially trained nurses) used ultrasound/live x-ray to place it. They numbed the site with a little lidocaine, cleaned the area and draped it. It was not painful at all. Lot of hoop-la for a few minutes work. I don't know how would know what size---they should know you would think. Getting your IV antibiotic the same day is ok Good luck.
Posts: 383 | From Ar | Registered: May 2007
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I Hope everything goes well for you!
Posts: 371 | From CT | Registered: Jun 2008
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Zil,
I'm not doing a picc line. I'm doing the surgical procedure that puts the port-a-cath in your chest. But thanks for trying.
JKMMC09,
Wow...that's quite a web site. Thanks for sharing. I'm really just jumpy and the unknown is always scary. I've heard such positive things about going this route....but it's still nerve racking. Thanks for the web site!
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
as long as they xray your port after placement to ensure that is is properly placed it is ready to use. you should insist on going home with the needle already in and dressing intact so that you do not have to be stuck by the nurse again when you get home. hospital nurses sometimes forget about this.
the needle and dressing will stay in place for one week. each week your nurse will change the needle and the dressing. it will be sore but should not be too terrible. you should keep it dry. if you want to shower use some glad press and seal or cut open a plastic bag and place over the port and dressing. then tape half on dressing half on skin to ekep out water.
port sizes are pretty standard. you will see a little bump where it is under your skin if you are thin. the diameter will be a little smaller than a quarter. if it sticks out a little this is good as it is easy for the nurse to accces and get the needle in. on chubbier individuals it is a little harder to locate to get the needle in.
good luck
Posts: 26 | From verona, nj | Registered: Jun 2008
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Hi Cathy,
I recently posted in General Support about getting a port...."Port a Saga"
We're dealing with all the stuff port-newbies have to deal with.
You may have to tell the nurses or surgeon that the L-shaped Huber needle is in the pack the port is in so they don't throw it away.
They may be wary of letting you leave with an accessed needle, but it can be done. Have your infusion company contact your surgeon to work out kinks before the surgery.
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
hshbmom,
Hopefully I will understand more of the terminology that you are using once I get in the swing of this. But "L shaped Hubber needles" are totally Greek to me.
Why would they be leary of letting us leave with our port accessed. I know my visiting nurse told me to tell them to leave it accessed since I was getting a treatment that afternoon.
Wouldn't we be walking around in life with it accessed and why would this be any different? If this is a silly question, please understand I'm really trying to take a cram course in learning the ropes.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
generally when you are discharged from the hospital all "needles" are removed. be it a regular iv or port a cath needle. but under special circumstances they can be left in as long as you let them know what is going on. it won't be an issue. a huber needle is a needle that is a 90 degree angle one part is in the port itself and the second is lying flush against the skin. huber is the standard needle used in a port and no other needles are used so you will not have to tell the nurse this. but you should remind your doc prior to surgery that you want the needle left in to go home for antibiotics later that day. this is the most important thing and your nurse at home will fill you in on everything else.
Posts: 26 | From verona, nj | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
I had a port put in a few months ago. It is honestly a piece of cake. It's really not "surgery" per se, they call it an out patient "procedure". For me, I had hardly no pain whatsoever. The most pain (which wasn't much) was the stupid IV they put in your arm before the procedure. Once you get into the surgery room, they will give you a little something through the IV that makes you feel good, and than the next thing you know, they are wheeling you back out into the recovery room. I ate lunch immediately after and was back to work the next day...(for a few hours).
You will be sore for a few weeks, but it's more the type of sore like if you got hit with a baseball and got bruised.
Yes, you can get treatment the very same day. Staying accessed means you'll just have a needle accessing the port that they will then run the meds through. You can keep it in each time, or have it taken out. I always have mine taken out, and reaccessed the next time I get treatment.
Just tell them before you go in for the procedure to give you the smallest one possible. They will know which one that is. I am small too, and am VERY happy with the size of mine. The top of it is about the size of a dime...even the nurses tell me it's the smallest they've ever seen, so it almost undetectable. I still wear tighter fitting tops and noone can tell I have a port.
If you have any other questions, let me know! I was scared beforehand too, but afterwards realized I had absolutely nothing to be afraid of. It's honestly a piece of cake!!
Rachelle
Posts: 215 | From Phoenix, AZ | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
One more thing...someone mentioned that port sizes are pretty much standard in size. This isn't true. They come in ALL different sizes. If you ask for the smallest, they will give you the smallest. If you don't ask specifically for the smallest, they may put a larger one in. They come in different sizes in terms of width and depth. Since you aren't getting chemo (I assume), you won't need a larger port anyways. There are "power" ports out there that are larger and are for chemo and other cancer related things.
Posts: 215 | From Phoenix, AZ | Registered: Jul 2008
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tdtid
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10276
posted
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! It's always the unknown that leaves the anxiety.
As to whether the hospital will actually allow me to leave with the needle, I guess I'll find out when I get there. I thought I needed time to heal, but the visiting nurse called me and told me to tell them to leave it in.
If they don't, I'll obviously suggest we start treatment later.
Someone mentioned a stitch....do you have to go back to the hospital to have that removed or can someone like the nurse take it out?
And yes, I too had heard there were all different kinds of ports and sizes....but that's why you all have been great. I think that knowledge is a powerful tool with this illness and the more information we can get, the better.
Thank you. Two more days!!! Eeeeeek.
Cathy
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
The stitches stay in and dissolve naturally. You shouldn't have to go back to have anything taken out...
There shouldn't be a problem with them leaving the needle in, and if they don't leave it in, you can still have treatment that same day. It will just get accessed when you recieve treatment.
You can also get numbing cream to put over your port so it's not as painful (not that it's that bad anyways) when they access your port. Ask for it, but I've found that it really doesn't do much good and it's easier just to get accessed without any numbing agent. It only pinches for 5 seconds and than you really don't feel anything at all while you're getting treatment.
Email afterworads and let me know how it goes!!
Rachellemarie
Posts: 215 | From Phoenix, AZ | Registered: Jul 2008
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lightfoot
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2536
posted
Good luck....I've had mine for 5.5 years....no problems.
-------------------- Healing Smiles.....lightfoot Posts: 7228 | From CO | Registered: May 2002
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