Therapeutic Phlebotomy through Port

[Julie Wilkens]

Hello. I am not a nurse. I am a Hereditary Hemochromatosis patient and am looking for information and locations where I might be able to get a phlebotomy (ongoing) through a port. Chemotherapy as part of my breast cancer treatment has apparently destroyed my veins to a point where they can't use them anymore. Prior to cancer, it was not an issue. Now, I am in trouble. I was prescribed Jadenu as a chelation medication but it made me very ill, to the point where I was missing work, so I had to stop taking it. I live in the Cleveland OH area and neither University Hospitals or the Cleveland Clinic do phlebotomies through ports. They act like they have never heard of it before and when I suggest it, they just tell me "we don't do that". They really don't know what to do with me anymore and I feel they have given up on me, so I am doing my own research. If you have any information you feel would help me, please respond. Thank you. Julie W.

[dianah, ASN]

Hello Julie,

While you have come to the right place, frequented by those who are geared and focused toward helping, unfortunately it is against the Terms of Service for members to offer medical advice. I am happy to offer tips but beyond that, presses beyond the boundaries of TOS.

Have you done a search of the site or online for this subject? I did a cursory search and while I was not able to obtain information particular to the Ohio area, I did come up with a few things, most notably this site:

https://iv-therapy.net/topic/phlebotomy-through-port

My suggestion is to gather as much information as possible on what you need done. Provide names of facilities that do it, and contact names. Statistics, policies, procedures from those facilities: this is what I need, it CAN be done, this is how, these are the risks and benefits. Engage the support of your medical team (MD, RNs, etc). Argument for this procedure would carry more weight if requested by your MD. You will need to basically be your own advocate, and will definitely need a group effort. I know some products are used in ways that the items were not intended, nor were they licensed for (cleared by the FDA). Some physicians will push that barrier, others will not.

This is all we can offer here. I wish you success.

Closing thread now.