Does anyone have a portacath?

The Med student was actually serious about accessing my port with the 19G needle & 20ml syringe.
Are you on Warfarin?
My port is about a year old now...

So was the nurse.
No I'm not on Wafarin. I was on that only once when they found a clot in between my lungs and heart. That was six years ago.
I use 10ml heparanised saline and then 10 ml heparin under pressure to lock the port so I don't have problems with the patiency. The protocol has changed now where you don't have to flush with heparinised saline but I prefer it so I continue with it

Yeah I get hep saline everytime I use my port.
Some nurses have different techniques in de-needling the port.
Some, they inject the hep saline soltuion into port, than take needle out, while others inject the solution, and towards the last couple of ml's they pull the needle out to have a positive pressure Hep lock.
I prefer this method, but because of the higher risk of needlestick injuries, nurses tend to use the first method, cos in the 2nd method I mentioned, you really need 3 hands to remove needle from port.
Injecting the hep saline, holding the port down and pulling needle out.

I am on warfarin, I have found that in the past, a couple of my ports have clotted.
They say if you don't use your port on a regular bases, it is recomemended that you get it flushed with hep saline solution, every 3 months.

AD, hopefully you won't land on this port when you wipe out on your bike. Ouch! That had to hurt.

Oh yeah I forgot about that..he he he 

Wow AD
Your techniques are so different than here.
Here in NZ, the port must be locked under positive pressure.
You are right about more hands needed so there are two ways of doing it.
1st way is the nurse holds down the port and pulls needle out while patient or another nurse pushes lock in.
2nd way is if you have to do it yourself, you push lock through while at the same time turning the 3 way tap to off. This causes the positive pressure and then you can just pull out the needle without any problems. The second way took me awhile to master but it is so much easier and I don't have to wait for my husband to come home and do it.

Do you administer your port yourself?
I'm glad that my specialist let me learn as it gives me control and I feel more of a participator than an object.

Na,
I try avoid using it as much as I can.
The more times it gets needled, the more risk of an infection.

I only use the port  If I have more than 1 pack, and also if the nurses are busy, and or If I couldn't be bothered waiting to get my port needled, I just get them to try my veins.

My veins are only used for monthly blood tests. Too much scarring.
I'm pretty lucky with infections because with me handling it, theres less chance of cross contamination. The nurses say that I can't cross contaminate myself with my own skin cells.

How often do you get transfusions?
You say that sometimes you only get 1 bag?

If I'm lucky it's two bags but mostly it's 3 bags and thats 6 weekly unless I've been sick then I get transfused earlier.

I get transfused every fortnight.
I know it's more of a hassle, but beats spending a hole day in hospital on your day off.
My veins used to be really bad, I used to use my port for blood tests and for transfusions.
I used to go in every month, having 3 or 4 packs (most of the time was 4 packs)
But it's not good for the heart either to have such a large volume of fluid in 1 hit.
Not that I have any heart problems, (Knock on wood)

My best run is having a hatrick - 1pack on 3 different admissions = total of 3 packs in 6 weeks (1 pack everytime Ive been in)
I normally have 1 or 2 packs each time I have trans - Average 2-4 packs a month

My trigger Hb is 105.

 > 105 = 1 pack
< 105 = 2 packs
< 95  = 3 packs

My agreement with the specialist is <99 is three packs
                                                 >100 is two packs

I try to last 6 weeks as the less transfusion the more chance I have of knocking some of my ferritin down.

You are right about the fluid and heart but with my sotalol, my heart has been pretty good letely (knock on wood) so I'm happier to go 6 weekly when I can.
I tell my nurses that I love them but if I can stay away I will.

I tell my nurses that I love them but if I can stay away I will.

  Ha Ha Ha

I knew you would appreciate that

Hey everyone. I just got out of the hospital due to a port infection.  :'( The one that I just removed was the second port I've had in my lifetime. The first one lasted over 10 years and the 2nd one lasted about 5 years. I never had an infection with the first one. The second one got infected because somehow, there was a crack in the tubing of the port. With the first one, I only used it for blood transfusion every 4 weeks. And when I was in the hospital sick or whatnot. Same with the second port, expect for the last 2 months, I've been using it to infuse desferal 5 nights a week. As of right now, the port was removed and I don't have one in me now. They doctors are letting the wound heal and to make sure the infection is completely gone. Once the wound is heeled, I'm getting another surgery to put in a new port. Before reading this post, I was so upset that my second port went bad so quickly. But as I've been told and read, 5 years is quite a long time for a port to go without an infection, etc. But compared to my first port, I felt this second one went so soon. So I guess I've been quite fortunate when it came to my ports. Wish me luck on my third port! As much of a pain in the behind a port is when it comes to surgeries and infections, I can't imagine not having one..

 
I am lost without mine.
You don't need luck... you are luck

Wishing you all the best

WOW..
10 years or 5 years..You had a good run.
My best is 5 years, and the worst has been less than a week - perhaps my body rejected it.

Never mind AD,
Maybe it was the brand
The next port might out last us all.