Catheters may be placed directly into the spinal fluid, abdominal cavity. External pumps remain outside of the body. Some are portable and allow a person to move around while the pump is in use. Other external pumps are not portable and may restrict activity. Internal pumps are placed surgically inside the body.
Internal pumps allow people to go about most of their daily activities.
Getting chemotherapy by mouth, on the skin, or by injection generally feels the same as taking other medications by these methods. Having an IV started usually feels like having blood drawn for a blood test. Some people feel a coolness or other unusual sensation in the area of the injection when the IV is started. Report these feelings to your doctor or nurse. Be sure that you also report any pain, burning, or discomfort that occurs during or after an IV treatment.