Port or not?

Gizz
Gizz Member Posts: 8
edited January 2020 in General Cancer
Should I have a port incerted when I have my surgery. Chemo doctor said I was having only 3 sessions. So is it worth putting a port in or just using my veins.

Comments

  • NeckCancer
    NeckCancer Member Posts: 20
    edited January 2020
    That would depend on if you're an "easy stick" or not. How are your veins? Can they usually find one to draw blood or start an IV? If not I would say yes, get it. But if they can usually find one then only three sessions isn't going to be bad at all. I hope you do well with your treatments!
  • JaneA
    JaneA Member Posts: 335
    edited January 2020
    Since you are Stage IIIB, I'm thinking that you might be having strong chemo and a port would be better. Do you know what chemo you are going to have?
  • Gizz
    Gizz Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2020
    Thanks for your help. I am a easy stick and no I have no idea which chemo treatment I will be having. Guess I should find out huh!
  • Bengal
    Bengal Member Posts: 518
    edited January 2020
    I would think of it's only 3 infusions you might forego the port. If you read some of the comments to the question on port pain, sometimes they can hit a nerve during the insertion surgery which can set off a whole new set of problems.
  • cllinda
    cllinda Member Posts: 153
    edited January 2020
    It really depends on how you feel about a port. But it can be used for blood draws, dye for tests, and other things.
    In my case, I was a hard stick, and had chemo for a whole year. So it was a good choice.
  • PattyF
    PattyF Member Posts: 7
    If you are going to have only 3 infusions, then I would not get the port. I had a port inserted because I had 12 rounds of Folfox and it was good to have. I will say that whenever the port was accessed, it was a more painful prick than using a vein in my arm.

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