my 1st time port access...no luck and horribly painful!

[Mallymookcf]

today homehealth came to access my port for the 1st time. i got it placed the 1st of august, and they placed the needle while i was under so i could immediately start iv therapy. i finished my ivs on the 11th of aug. so they came today to flush it. well the nurse couldnt get the needle in..was she hitting the wrong spot..it was soooo painful...she tried twice and both time agonizing pain and she couldnet get it accessed. so monday i am going to cf clinic to see if my cf nurse has any better luck.. has anyone else had this happen? i dont know what the problem was, and i am worried because i have only had the port for a month, and i was soooo super exited about it. now i am worried that something is wrong or i have to get a new one or...everytthing is runnning through my mind. ???

 

[Mallymookcf]

today homehealth came to access my port for the 1st time. i got it placed the 1st of august, and they placed the needle while i was under so i could immediately start iv therapy. i finished my ivs on the 11th of aug. so they came today to flush it. well the nurse couldnt get the needle in..was she hitting the wrong spot..it was soooo painful...she tried twice and both time agonizing pain and she couldnet get it accessed. so monday i am going to cf clinic to see if my cf nurse has any better luck.. has anyone else had this happen? i dont know what the problem was, and i am worried because i have only had the port for a month, and i was soooo super exited about it. now i am worried that something is wrong or i have to get a new one or...everytthing is runnning through my mind. ???

 

[Mallymookcf]

today homehealth came to access my port for the 1st time. i got it placed the 1st of august, and they placed the needle while i was under so i could immediately start iv therapy. i finished my ivs on the 11th of aug. so they came today to flush it. well the nurse couldnt get the needle in..was she hitting the wrong spot..it was soooo painful...she tried twice and both time agonizing pain and she couldnet get it accessed. so monday i am going to cf clinic to see if my cf nurse has any better luck.. has anyone else had this happen? i dont know what the problem was, and i am worried because i have only had the port for a month, and i was soooo super exited about it. now i am worried that something is wrong or i have to get a new one or...everytthing is runnning through my mind. ???

 

[Transplantmommy]

First of all, to make it not so painful, you need to get a script for Emla or some other numbing cream. You put it on the skin over the port for about 45 mins before it's going to be accessed and you feel nothing at all.

It is likely that the home healthcare nurse is just hitting the wrong spot. I hated other people accessing my port so I learned how to do it myself about a week after I got it. So much easier!!!

 

[Transplantmommy]

First of all, to make it not so painful, you need to get a script for Emla or some other numbing cream. You put it on the skin over the port for about 45 mins before it's going to be accessed and you feel nothing at all.

It is likely that the home healthcare nurse is just hitting the wrong spot. I hated other people accessing my port so I learned how to do it myself about a week after I got it. So much easier!!!

 

[Transplantmommy]

First of all, to make it not so painful, you need to get a script for Emla or some other numbing cream. You put it on the skin over the port for about 45 mins before it's going to be accessed and you feel nothing at all.
<br />
<br />It is likely that the home healthcare nurse is just hitting the wrong spot. I hated other people accessing my port so I learned how to do it myself about a week after I got it. So much easier!!!

 

[Keepercjr]

YES what Patti said. I absolutely refuse to have my port accessed w/o Emla otherwise it is excruciatingly painful. And FWIW, I need it on for at least 2.5 hours or I can still feel it. For me, it needs time to penetrate all the layers of my skin. We also feel that I am more resistant to numbing (and sedation for that matter). My husband is a pro at accessing my port. He has never missed. But I have had trained nurses miss. Go figure.

Get some numbing cream ASAP! Oh and when I was recently in the hospital for gall bladder problems, they used some kind of numbing patch - no cream needed.

 

[Keepercjr]

YES what Patti said. I absolutely refuse to have my port accessed w/o Emla otherwise it is excruciatingly painful. And FWIW, I need it on for at least 2.5 hours or I can still feel it. For me, it needs time to penetrate all the layers of my skin. We also feel that I am more resistant to numbing (and sedation for that matter). My husband is a pro at accessing my port. He has never missed. But I have had trained nurses miss. Go figure.

Get some numbing cream ASAP! Oh and when I was recently in the hospital for gall bladder problems, they used some kind of numbing patch - no cream needed.

 

[Keepercjr]

YES what Patti said. I absolutely refuse to have my port accessed w/o Emla otherwise it is excruciatingly painful. And FWIW, I need it on for at least 2.5 hours or I can still feel it. For me, it needs time to penetrate all the layers of my skin. We also feel that I am more resistant to numbing (and sedation for that matter). My husband is a pro at accessing my port. He has never missed. But I have had trained nurses miss. Go figure.
<br />
<br />Get some numbing cream ASAP! Oh and when I was recently in the hospital for gall bladder problems, they used some kind of numbing patch - no cream needed.

 

[musclemania70]

get the cream first. then ask for someone at your home healthcare company who is a nurse that has A LOT of experience accessing ports. the first time the same thing happened to me and it was THE NURSE. she didn't know what she was doing. then came the next nurse who treated MANY MANY patients with ports. she got it in a matter of seconds.

a lot of times they will send people out to 'get experience'. don't be fooled. only ask for those who are pros. then the pro can teach you how to do it yourself.

they'll get it. and you'll be glad you did. believe me. i woulnd never want to get a picc line again.

 

[musclemania70]

get the cream first. then ask for someone at your home healthcare company who is a nurse that has A LOT of experience accessing ports. the first time the same thing happened to me and it was THE NURSE. she didn't know what she was doing. then came the next nurse who treated MANY MANY patients with ports. she got it in a matter of seconds.

a lot of times they will send people out to 'get experience'. don't be fooled. only ask for those who are pros. then the pro can teach you how to do it yourself.

they'll get it. and you'll be glad you did. believe me. i woulnd never want to get a picc line again.

 

[musclemania70]

get the cream first. then ask for someone at your home healthcare company who is a nurse that has A LOT of experience accessing ports. the first time the same thing happened to me and it was THE NURSE. she didn't know what she was doing. then came the next nurse who treated MANY MANY patients with ports. she got it in a matter of seconds.
<br />
<br />a lot of times they will send people out to 'get experience'. don't be fooled. only ask for those who are pros. then the pro can teach you how to do it yourself.
<br />
<br />they'll get it. and you'll be glad you did. believe me. i woulnd never want to get a picc line again.

 

[mag6125]

I personally don't need any numbing, after the soreness from having the port placed went away it just feels like a small prick when they access it. That being said I have had a home health nurse and an ER nurse try to access my port and I could tell right away they weren't in the right spot because it was extremely painful to the point I was in tears. I don't let anyone access it except my nurses in clinic or the nurses on the CF floor at the hospital. So don't worry it was probably just the nurse missing, when they get it right it doesn't hurt <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[mag6125]

I personally don't need any numbing, after the soreness from having the port placed went away it just feels like a small prick when they access it. That being said I have had a home health nurse and an ER nurse try to access my port and I could tell right away they weren't in the right spot because it was extremely painful to the point I was in tears. I don't let anyone access it except my nurses in clinic or the nurses on the CF floor at the hospital. So don't worry it was probably just the nurse missing, when they get it right it doesn't hurt <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[mag6125]

I personally don't need any numbing, after the soreness from having the port placed went away it just feels like a small prick when they access it. That being said I have had a home health nurse and an ER nurse try to access my port and I could tell right away they weren't in the right spot because it was extremely painful to the point I was in tears. I don't let anyone access it except my nurses in clinic or the nurses on the CF floor at the hospital. So don't worry it was probably just the nurse missing, when they get it right it doesn't hurt <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[beleache]

Emla is a big help , but I would ask for the nurse that is best with accessing ports & once you find the right one I would ask for him/her all the time !!

Hope next access goes better for you .. <img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0"> joni

 

[beleache]

Emla is a big help , but I would ask for the nurse that is best with accessing ports & once you find the right one I would ask for him/her all the time !!

Hope next access goes better for you .. <img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0"> joni

 

[beleache]

Emla is a big help , but I would ask for the nurse that is best with accessing ports & once you find the right one I would ask for him/her all the time !!
<br />
<br /> Hope next access goes better for you .. <img src="i/expressions/heart.gif" border="0"> joni

 

[entropy]

What exactly is a port? Like a picc-line?

 

[entropy]

What exactly is a port? Like a picc-line?