Hello everyone!
It has been over a month since I did my last blog post, cant believe where the time has gone!
I have been thinking about doing this blog post for a while but it never seemed to be the right time. However, over the last view months I have been discussing with my doctor about getting a portacath (port) fitted. It's has been something I have been thinking about for 1-2 years now, but before it wasn't a necessity. However, at this point in my life it seems to be the right time.
I had my first appointment yesterday with my portacath surgeon and I found out a lot of information, so I thought I would write a blog post on my views and experiences along the way. Like a short story.
Soon I will be moving to adult CF care and with having a port, it will make transitioning over easier and much more straight forward. When needing medication, the team will know how to use a port and taking the meds will be less stressful, hopefully making the whole experience better.
The main reason for getting a port is for confidence and anxiety reasons. From a baby I have suffered from 'dodgy veins' where they are not easy to access. I usually have lots of complications when trying to take blood, fit long-lines, cannulas and PICC lines, and nothing ever goes in the first time.
With needing these procedures often, my veins have gradually got worse and I usually suffer from inflammation, tracking and bruising each time.
With having a port fitted, I am able to take blood and give all medication through it, which enables me to suffer less pain and gives the veins in my arms and hands time to rest and recover.
A port can be fitted in various places around the chest area. A - it can be fitted on the top the chest near your collar bone (most boys have it here), B - in your cleavage area between your boobs, however this is an awkward place to give medication, or C - on the right or left side of your lower chest under your arm. (close to wear your bra strap comes round).
I chose option C because I felt this was the most discreet and easy area to access. Also I am able to cover it up with tops, and bikini straps wouldn't be a problem. Lastly, when using the port, it will be easy to find because I don't have a lot of fatty tissue in that area. This is better because you need to be able to grip the port when the needle goes in.
The port cannot be seen easily, however there will be a lump or bumpy edge over my skin. Depending on how much body fat you have, there will be a variation in how prominent your port sticks out.
The port itself is a small circular base, the size of a 50 pence piece which is stitched into your chest wall in a pocket between two ribs. The port base is connected to a tube which will be threaded into a large vein in my neck, over my collar bone and sits in the right atrium of my heart. This is so that the medication goes straight into the blood stream like any other line, however it is more direct. Also, the tubing from the port is thicker so it is less likely for clots to form and block it up.
The diagram below shows the needle being inserted into the port and where the tubing sits inside. The placement of this port in the diagram is option A.
(My doctor told me that the average port lasts 10 years. Although, every patient is different and some may suffer from more complications than others, and possibly have to get it removed sooner. However, these ports are very well made, and it will be very unlikely that I would suffer from any of the complications.
With every operation comes complications, and with having a foreign objective being permanently fitted into my body, some problems may occur. For example:
- As soon as I have the port fitted I could catch an infection in the port. Sometimes antibiotics can help that, although sometimes the port has to be removed.
- Rarely the port can flip over in the pocket. This can be resolved sometimes by hand but other times you may need additional surgery to sort it out.
- Lastly, if the tubing become disconnected from the port or moves out of place, with ultra sound they will be able to detect the troublesome area, and with additional surgery again, hopefully to reconnect it or fit another port.
For me, the pros out-way the cons. With suffering for many years I have come to having no faith and hope in any procedure running smoothly. When I really knew a port was the right decision for me was my last hospital admission back in June 2015. While still under general anesthetic from an operation, it took my doctor 7 attempts to put a long-line into my arm. When coming out of surgery with bruises and pain all over my arms I knew something had to be done!
From a young age my CF doctors and nurses have always jokingly said to me "you should give your body to science because your veins are weird!"
My plan is to be having the port fitted around the time of when I next need a course of IV antibiotics. This is because as soon as I have the port fitted it will be in use straight away and that is the best option than having it fitted and not using it for a few months.
My next appointment is to go and have an x-ray and ultra sound on the large veins in my neck. This is to make sure they are healthy and strong enough to with hold the tubing which runs to my heart.
I really hope you enjoyed this little blog post. My aim is to take you along with me through the journey of having my portacth fitted and how i'm coping after also.
There are some links below for more information about ports if you are interested
Nx
CF Trust Information Booklet On Ports
If you would like to give a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust the link is here > DONATIONS
My links:
Twitter - twitter.com/11nicolee
Instagram - instagram.com/nicskath_
