I need info from other Cystic gals! I am considering getting a port (or port-a-cath, which is an entry way for IV meds that stays in a person, long term), but love my chest the way it is. Meaning, I am a boob girl. I am fine to admit it, my chest is my best asset. I wear v-neck shirts and necklaces and love love love my body from waist to shoulders. I am not interested in fucking it up. I like it. Not because guys like it (I don't have big boobs even,), I just like it for me. Always have. It's a staple of my fashion sense and my sense of femininity.
Boobs and Port. Give me the info!
Does it feel weird if a man hugs you with a port? Can you feel it pressing? Does it hurt?
Can a man feel it with his hands? (When it's not being used for IV meds, I mean)
Does it heal closed between treatments? Like if you had 3 months with no IVs, would it heal up?
When you are doing IVs, how much "geography" of your chest does it take up? Is it like a PICC in your chest? Are you destined to sweatshirts and woolie sweaters while on IVs?
GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT, GALS!!
Love, CG
I totally understand your viewpoint on this!!! Although I don't have big boobs at all.
ReplyDeleteFirst I wanted to say that you don't have to get the port in your chest! You can get it on the side...a lot of CFers have it placed there. Also, at our CF Centers, they have placed a few in the leg...which the patients love, but not sure if they do that where you are or not??
As far as my port (same place as yours), you can't really tell I have one when I wear shirts that reveal that area. I'm not big chested..but hey! The only thing you can see really on mine is my scar (which is small) and the vein on my neck through which the port is run through sticks out a little, but not much!
When I'm doing IV's and my port is accessed, I can't wear really tight clothes, because yes, it interferes with your port and it will stick out. I think the dressing of the port is a little less than a PICC. It's a smaller area. The needle lays pretty flat against your body (depending on the size you use). Not too much "geography." I wouldn't say you have to wear sweatshirts and hoodies, but not a shirt that clings to that area, if that makes sense?
For me, if a man touched that area, he could feel it...and i would think for any port, you could feel it, but how much a person can feel depends on how much padding you have around it as well =) For women that are really big chested...the port sort of "gets lost" in that area!
Not sure exactly what you mean by the port healing between treatments. It will not close up (where you can't use it if that's what you mean?) It doesn't leave a whole though either after de-accessing it. You have to flush it once a month to keep it from getting clogged/blocked! That's a must to keep it running good!
Hope some of this info helps! Although I would rather not have a port in that area, I choose it over being stuck for IVs so much. I don't have veins left for PICCS. If you can still get PICCS though, then I would stay with that while you can. I was able to get PICCS until just 3 yrs ago (post-transplant). And yes, in my opinion, they are much more of a pain then ports, but they are not embedded in your body all the time!
Have you thought about an arm port? Piper has one and she loves it :)
ReplyDeleteYep, my port is in my arm. There are pics up on my blog. It's basically right where a PICC would be inserted -- about 4 inches above the elbow on the inside of my left arm. When I got the port (9 years ago) they told me arm ports don't last as long and that I wouldn't like it. But I was 18, going off to college and not about to let anyone go messing with my chest area. So I was stubborn (erm, I mean politely persistent) and I got it where I wanted it.
ReplyDeleteGood things about my port placement:
1) no boob interference
2) no Vest interference even when accessed
3) I remember having like zero pain when it was inserted so I think it's less sensitive
4) easy to cover, even when accessed, by a long or even 3/4 length sleeve
bad things about my port:
1) well, it is sort of visible even when not accessed in short-sleeved shirts (again, pics on my blog)
2) when accessed in summer I either have to wear an ace bandage on my upper arm or wear long sleeves. I'm looking into cute picc covers to use though.
3) it's different so some nurses can't access it or are scared, and I obviously can't access it myself. This is the worst part of it -- no self-access.
I love it. So much that I've blogged about it multiple times, so check it out. And I've never had any problems with it besides a refusal to give blood once or twice. Love it, love it, love it. Good luck!
Btw, so you don't have to search all over.
ReplyDeletePics of the port without access:
http://amatteroflifeandbreath.blogspot.com/2009/04/self-shout-outs-and-sammy-of-course.html
Terrible pics of me that also happen to show the port accessed:
http://amatteroflifeandbreath.blogspot.com/2008/08/pics-ports-and-ponderings.html
Random post about the port:
http://amatteroflifeandbreath.blogspot.com/2009/03/confessions-of-iv-junkie.html