Newly diagnosed and learning
I've read through some posts and realise I have lots of gaps of knowledge about what I have. I know I have breast cancer, it's about 8cm, I know its spread to my armpit lymphs and now the nodes near ...
Forum Discussion
Hi Lillian,
I forgot to mention that having a portacath inserted is an excellent idea. My brother who's a Consultant Radiologist at St Vincent's suggested that I have it to save my veins given that I'm so young. If chemo is delivered by cannula it will damage the veins permanently, so in the future it will be harder for the medical staff to give drugs intravenously. Inserting a portacath is a simple procedure where they insert the device under your skin and everytime they just access the site to give you chemo. This procedure is carried out by the Radiology Department. They can also take blood from the same site. So on chemo days I just get the chemo nurse to take blood in the morning, wait for the results and then receive chemo later that day. If you do get a portacath, remember to ask for a "emla patch" each time you finish chemo, you put the patch on about 1-2hours before accessing the port to numb the area so when the needle goes in you won't feel a thing.
I forgot to mention that having a portacath inserted is an excellent idea. My brother who's a Consultant Radiologist at St Vincent's suggested that I have it to save my veins given that I'm so young. If chemo is delivered by cannula it will damage the veins permanently, so in the future it will be harder for the medical staff to give drugs intravenously. Inserting a portacath is a simple procedure where they insert the device under your skin and everytime they just access the site to give you chemo. This procedure is carried out by the Radiology Department. They can also take blood from the same site. So on chemo days I just get the chemo nurse to take blood in the morning, wait for the results and then receive chemo later that day. If you do get a portacath, remember to ask for a "emla patch" each time you finish chemo, you put the patch on about 1-2hours before accessing the port to numb the area so when the needle goes in you won't feel a thing.