my significant other has the porta cath, but they still insist on sticks for blood tests, my last wives were so scared it was torture to watch them try. My first wife the doctor told them to stop taking blood tests because no matter what the tests showed, her condition was not going to improve, and it wasw like watching torture.The porta things need to ne flushed quite often.I feel for you buddy.I leave the room when they take blood tests on folks. As for me, no problems.I can fill those vials on the first try most of the time.