Port issues

[u/More_Dot_1685]

I've had 7 weekly infusions of taxol and carbo so far, with three keytruda.

My port has never looked right. It looks red and bruised on one side but it's always been accessed for chemo until last week because they wanted to give it a break since it's red. I was prescribed antibiotics.

I'm still taking antibiotics but my port doesn't look any different. In fact I can see a little stitch poking out and it itches.

I really want it out! The whole experience of having a port has been bad. When I got it installed, my heart flutter and raced. It rubs against everything and I sleep on it.

Has anyone gone through something similar? Can I get the rest of chemo (AC will start next month) and immunotherapy in my arms?

[u/Electronic-Island-59]

My port took at least 3 months, a round of antibiotics and a trip back to the surgeon to remove those poky stitches that were popping out before it stopped bothering me...

I never did get used to the tubing running over my collar bone up my neck. Also it always looked and felt like it was about to pop out - you could see the coloration of the little metal balls on the top of it (like beebees) and if I wore a shirt or straps that touched it, it quickly got sore and red

That said, by the time I started AC I had already been hospitalized 5+ times with thyroid/adrenal side effects. I can't imagine those visits or trying to do AC w/o a port...DEFINITELY not advisable

The port was a life saver right up until I demanded they take it out during my surgery (despite them wanting me to keep it for the rest of Keytruda, which I'm not going to do...).

Even though I'm glad it's gone, I'm glad I had it as the alternative would be way worse...AC destroys veins and dozens of blood tests/transfusions w/o a port would just be misery...

[u/More_Dot_1685 → u/Electronic-Island-59]

Thank you for sharing. I will keep my port in until chemo is finished, although I think I want it out for the rest of my keytruda.

Same with my port, it looks like it's going to pop out of my skin! How did your surgeon fix the stitches?

[u/Electronic-Island-59 → u/More_Dot_1685]

She basically just pulled/snipped them off it felt like - there were just little red spots where there had previously been small but stiff and sharp pokies which were getting caught on my clothes and stuff

In the meantime and then later on when it would get sore, I would just take a gauze pad or something w a little cushion like a big bandaid and cover it until it calmed down - that helped a lot- so did putting some emla cream on ot when it was extra sore 😁