PICC Lines vs. Ports for Chemo - does anyone have any advice?

Hi B, I had a PICC line fitted because I have such a needle phobia! I was really nervous about it but it wasn’t half as bad as I expected! The nurses do it all the time and talk you through the whole thing- they do a tiny injection in the crook of your elbow to numb it, then slowly pass a tiny tube through. They explain everything as you lie there, and you don’t feel it. When it’s done, you have the tubes neatly bandaged by your inner arm so they don’t get in the way, and then every time you have bloods done or chemo, they just do it all through the tubes and you don’t feel a thing!! It was an absolute godsend for me, because I didn’t have to worry about canulas and needles for my last three chemo sessions. You have to get it flushed out every week so I popped to the hospital to get that done but it’s all worth it to save you getting sore arms from struggles to find veins. I would definitely recommend getting it.
Hope that helps, N xx

Thanks Natty, that’s really useful.....the nurses were leaning more towards the Port but I’m a little nervous as a it means having another procedure to get it fitted and taken out .

Good to hear you got on well with the PICC Line, and that you are now free of all this,

Bx

I did actually have a port as well! That was under my ribs so that they could give me some chemo directly into my abdomen as part of a clinical trial. They fitted it while I was under anaesthetic as part of my major debulking surgery, and then I had to have a little op under anaesthetic to remove the port when all my chemo was finished. So the PICC line is an advantage for that reason. I think the PICC line is more accessible- for the port, they had to inject into the skin to get to where the port was (I think it's like a rubber bung type thing!)

N xx

I can recommend picc, i had this, (i am a scaredy cat with everything hospital!), but once the procedure is done, which is straightforward, everything goes in via the picc or blood tests can be done also. I received my treatment and iron and blood transfusions via the picc. It is put in with local anaesthetic and you dont feel anything at all. i had mine in for 8 months. It was slightly uncomforyable taking it out , but you know you're going to be free of it so you can bear it for 2 minutes. It does need dressing changed and flushed every week, but the district nurses take care of that side. Its nothing to worry yourself about. Good luck!

I have had both the picc you have to cover when you have a shower or bath and cannot go swimming i recommend having the port as you can shower bath and don't really know its there i have had mine in for nearly 2 years and only need it flushed every 3 months once treatment is finished hope this helps 

I’ve got a PICC line and am v glad I have as veins were a real problem.  I wasn’t offered a port.  You have to have the PICC cleaned and flushed weekly, the hospital does this for me .  You have to put a special cover over the PICC when you have a shower as you can’t get the dressing wet.  I’m hoping to have my PICC removed tomorrow after my last chemo and to celebrate I will have a long soak in the bath which I have not done for 3 months!  I have not had any problems with the PICC line and it has made chemo easier by far.

I have a picc line as im needle phobic and had it right before my first chemo was so grateful as it was a very last min and rush to start. I have to say procedure was so amazing after the initial injection i didn’t feel a thing although now after 6 months of chemo weekly flushes and a few hiccups im having it out tomorrow after my last chemo as its been so uncomfortable and painful lately i think sometimes its the way district nurses dress it but fine when nurses at the hospital do it. I kay have to have more chemo after surgery but can have it put in again if I want. Thanks for information on port as i was considering this but think i may go picc again if needed as sounds like a bigger procedure for a port.