intraperitoneal port

• By BarbP
• Posted February 18, 2008 at 9:58 am
• Report post

I had the IP port for all my chemo treatments and did very well.....I was tired, but no other real side effects. The carbo is much more tolerable than cisplatin and has less side effects. Make sure they give your Mom anti nausea drugs....I had benedryl, steroids and Aloxi. I had no problem with being sick to my stomach. IP is supposed to be the "way to go" now...if the patient is a candidate for it. I think the doctor is on the right track....good luck...barb P.

• Reply

• By BarbU
• Posted February 18, 2008 at 4:42 pm
• Report post

I was diagnosed with Epithelial Papillary Serous ovarian cancer, Stage IIIC, in 2/07 and after debulking surgery and removal of all cancer cells I started chemo with carbo IP and taxol IV about 3 weeks after surgery. These treatments were done in the hospital as it took approximately 28-30 hours to infuse these two drugs. While it never caused vomiting, I was ill for about 10-12 days following each treatment. After the 4th treatment, my blood counts went too low to continue and the last two treatments were done in the infusion lab with both the taxol and carbo infused through the IV port. Once I got through the 10-12 days of feeling under the weather ( I felt like I had a case of the flu), I felt pretty good until the next treatment. My doctor, in certain instances, believes that IP carbo (or in some cases cisplatin) is very helpful and he felt it was a good solution for me. Even though I didn't feel too good, I think it was a good choice. The doctor infused several meds, including anti-emetics for nausea and steroids as well and then I took Emend and had Compazine and Zofran available at home if needed (which they usually were for a few days).

Good luck with your treatments and I hope you have a very favorable outcome. This disease is not fun and having gone through the treatments, they are not fun either. However, I am very glad I took my doctor's advice and had the more aggressive treatments.

• Reply

• By karenelaine
• Posted February 19, 2008 at 7:32 am
• Report post

I start this treament tomorrow. I thank you for these positive comments.

• Reply

• By katie52
• Posted February 19, 2008 at 8:55 am
• Report post

Hi,

I had the IP treatment and overall things went well for me. Please make sure your mother drinks a lot of water during this treatment as it is important to help ensure her kidneys work well.

Good luck to your mother.

Katie

• Reply

• By patricia4
• Posted February 20, 2008 at 7:51 am
• Report post

Thanks for the information so far: I will keep all informed of what is going on. Once she starts we will have lots of questions as well P

• Reply

• By Cheryl4
• Posted February 21, 2008 at 11:52 am
• Report post

I was diagnosed in October 2006 with ovarian cancer Stage 3, Grade 3. Because the cancer was optimally debulked during surgery, my gyne-onc. felt I was a good candidate for IP chemo. I had 6 treatments in total, each three weeks apart. Received taxol by IV and cisplatin through the IP port. Each treatment meant a full day in the chemo ward, 8:30-5:30 and usually followed the same routine. Three or four good days following chemo..........then four or five days of feeling rotten.......nausea that I controlled with great meds, fatigue (I slept a lot!) and just an overall rotten feeling that I just called "that chemo feeling". My onc. was very pleased with how I responded to treatment, he told me some people are not able to complete the full six treatments as it is so intensive. Honestly, the last two were not the greatest, but I was able to manage and get through. The one thing I think helped a lot was that each treatment was followed by 5 days of IV fluids. I was visited by a home care nurse who hooked me up to a full bag of IV saline and had it drip over about 4 hours. It's purpose was to help with the toxicity of the chemo and help it absorb into my system. They also told me it would help with nausea and side effects. This is common practice with IP chemo in Ontario as far as I understand and the home care nurses thought it was so great.
I did lose my hair within 2 weeks of the first treatment, suffered nausea and some constipation..........but did not experience mouth sores or some of the other side effects I was scared of.
I am now 10 months past treatment, have no evidence of disease and am sporting a new head of curly and much darker hair! I do have neuropathy in my feet and fingertips that I hope will someday go away and still suffer from being tired most of the time. I am back to work full time so that is part of it.
I worry about recurrence like everyone else who has had this disease, but am trying to be patient with myself as I go through each stage of this process. If I can help anyone who is going through IP chemo by answering any questions, I would be very happy to do that. My thoughts and prayers are with those of you who are starting treatment.........you will get through it and out to the other side.
Sending you hope and smiles..........Cheryl in Ontario

• Reply

• By lisagreene
• Posted February 21, 2008 at 12:58 pm
• Report post

Hi Patricia,

I was diagnosed w/Stage 3A ovarian cancer in March 2006. My gyn onc, who was also my surgeon, put an IP port in my abdomen during my surgery to remove the tumors and hysterectomy. I underwent six rounds of chemo from April through August - both IV and IP, and found it to be very do-able. Every three weeks I'd go into the hospital for two days - had a 24 hour IV chemo treatment followed by approx 4 hours of IP chemo. The following week I'd go to the hospital's infusion center for outpatient IP chemo treatment. The following week I'd be "off" - no chemo - and then the next week the cycle would begin again.

I was very lucky - never had to delay a treatment. I received taxol via IV and cisplatin via IP while inpatient, then taxol via IP for the outpatient treatment. I understand cisplatin is less favored than carboplatin now - the side effects are different. Seems cisplatin often results in more nausea while carboplatin affects one's blood count and can cause treatment delays. My gyn onc used the cisplatin on me because that's what had been done in the clinical trial with great success.

I took zofran for nausea, and then got another rx for emend, so took both. That emend was a lifesaver! I was nauseous and did vomit sometimes, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd feared. Stomach and joint pains, fatigue, weakness, neuropathy in hands and feet (I've been finished w/chemo for a year and a half and the balls of my feet and bottoms of my toes are still numb) are other side effects I experienced. Bottom line is, I'd do it again if it recurs. And, my CA-125 level was just tested at 6.6! I feel so lucky!

Tell you mother I'd recommend it and to try not to worry. My dr even removed the port right in his office once I was finished.

Best wishes,
Lisa

• Reply

• By Anng
• Posted February 3, 2009 at 4:33 pm
• Report post

Cheryl14 and others:
I posted a question re: IP treatment vs. just IV.
I have 2c, clear cell, stage 3, the cyst ruptured upon removal but ONC & OB-GYN feel surgery was very clean and all was removed except for microscopic. Above all a very positive outlook/disposition and everyone (doctors) feel I'm an excellent candidate, young (59), healthy, etc.
My concern with the IP is additional surgery (port), additional time in the hospital for the IP treatment, IV chemo in addition to the IP, quality of life issues, difficulty for many people to even just get through the treatment, additional side effects, etc., etc.
I had never heard of the IP treatment until my conversation with the ONC.
Would like to learn more about it.

Thanks Ann G

• Reply

• By debraherrera
• Posted June 19, 2009 at 5:46 pm
• Report post

Hi! How are you doing on the intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapy? I start it next week?
Debra

• Reply

• By debraherrera
• Posted June 19, 2009 at 5:48 pm
• Report post

Hi! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, am starting IP Chemo next week..Did you have trouble with bloating?

• Reply

Add to the discussion