What procedures can use my portacath?

Hi Unicornkisses, I live on the central coast also. I recently had a bone scan at a imaging company and asked the radiologist if they could use my port for the dye. He said he was trained to use a portacath but they only allowed to use them in a hospital situation. Wishing you all the best with your MRI. 

Frustratingly they didn't use mine for surgery. You may be able to have a line put in by chemo staff same day so can be used and then removed by that staff also. It was something they considered when they were running out of veins for me. Worthy of a discussion. Kath x

Hi @Unicornkisses, I had an MRI before my mastectomy too. Also checking to make sure the right breast was clear and confirming just the one IDC in the left. You are right, the MRI isn't pleasant but one good thing is we are laying face down so not so much a sense of claustrophobia. Mine took about 45 mins and mid way through they injected the dye into my vein. A canula was already in place and I had no sensation from the dye.  The MRI is really noisy even with music piped into headphones and it can be hard laying so still between images. The team were very supportive and regularly spoke to me through the headphones to let me know how long it would be 
before I could take a deep breath and move. I'm sure if you explained your anxiety they would do what they could to help you get through it.
When it's done you will have peace of mind knowing you have been thoroughly checked.
It's another thing to tick off, another ordeal and stressful situation to go through on our road to being cancer free.  Sending a hug and wishing you all the best in getting through it.  Jane xx

I couldnt agree more with getting your Mental Health Plan...honestly, I think alot of people underestimate the enormity and complexity of Breast Cancer and the toll emotionally/mentally. I found it invaluable, yes things can get overwhelming, but their perspective and objective really helped. Hugs Melinda x

Yikes, it is not looking like I will be in luck then.
mastectomy surgery in chemo treating hospital so hopefully I will be okay to access that time, they only have to come upstairs.
Oh, well, I guess I have to resign myself to catheters on Friday.
Already stressed about MRI, I am very claustrophobic and even watching the video to see how it works has me hyperventilating.
Have Valium to take before, hoping it works.

From one shitty procedure to the next on this bloody ride.

Surgeon has suggested breast MRI before right side mastectomy just in case something in left side and we need to consider bilateral.
I don't know how I will get through that.
Going to the GP today to organise both Mental Health and Allied health management plans.

When I was in hospital with febrile neutropaenia, they had to take blood cultures from both my portacath, and an arm vein to check for infections as, I was told, if there was a localised infection within the portacath itself, it would confuse the issue. So, one test from port to check for infection within it, and another from arm to check for systemic infection. Technicians doing a scan with contrast, wouldn't touch it either, as "not qualified to do so". I was also admitted to my local hospital, not my treating state hospital, and was kept...wait for it...I kid you not... an extra night and until lunchtime the following day, to have it de-accessed (after being medically discharged), due to not having a qualified nurse to do the job. By this time, I had had the total sh*ts, and told them they had half an hour to find someone, or else I was going to discharge myself, IV attached to portacath, and then go with my husband to my treating hospital. Needless to say, someone pitched up twenty minutes later (from home and off duty). Sighhhhh!!!

@Unicornkisses I have to concur with Zoffiel, I'm pretty sure the portacath is not Universal, I know friends who tried to have it used for other things, but they won't touch it. You know its so weird, but I didnt get an option of a portacath I had a total of 12 infusions with dodgey veins have permanent cording in my right arm, looks hideous LOL and scarring all over my arms. From what Ive seen my friends who had Her2 got portacaths maybe due to the longer stint of 12 months Herceptin. x Melinda 

Oh, thank you @Zoffiel  I am going to an imaging company for the MRI. Perhaps I should ring and ask first.
Drat, I thought it would be more universal. 

The port can be used for most things but, and it's a big but, most nurses aren't trained to use and maintain them. It's a problem. Oncology people access them all the time, but you can have trouble getting anyone else to use them. 
If the hospital you are going to has an Oncology dept, you might be able to get them to set a line up for you so everyone else can access it knowing someone else in the building knows what's what. It's worth asking the day before