Anyone have any thoughts about the amount of time you should wait from port installation to beginning to use it (for chemotherapy)?

Also, what about infusion pump. My oncologist has suggested that we go that route. She believes that the toxicity to the heart of adriamycin is reduced by using the infusion method over several days.

How much does wearing the infusion pump restrict your activity?

-You must heal completely before beginning the chemo. Don't forget that the majority (perhaps all) of your cancer is now gone, and it took years to grow large enough to be found in the first place.

Today was my first chemo session, and my mastectomy was done on Jan 7th.

-I gather from other posts that a port is the same thing as a hickman line ie a tube directly into a major vein. I have a line delivering 5FU constantly. It has 2 tubes one for the 5FU and the other gets used for putting things in (Vinorelbine, blood) and taking blood samples. I've had mine for 3 months now.

I had my first chemo a few hours after my line was installed. I don't really remember it since I was so out of it from the sedation they gave me to install it.

-I had my port installed on a Tuesday, and used it for chemo on a Friday. It was a bit uncomfortable- the area around the port was very bruised, but it was still better than digging for veins in my hands/arms.