Once upon a time my veins and I had a great relationship, I would ask for blood and without question they would stand to attention and duly give.
Over time though they have been spending more and more time away from home they have packed there bags and gone travelling, when I call on them they are no longer there.
In hospital last year we sent a search party to look for them, two doctors searched for half an hour before a solitary vein was eventually found.
During chemotherapy I was treated as an in patient, my reputation was such that the doctors on the ward would no longer try and I would be sent down to the chemotherapy nurses in out patients to have my venflon put in.
6 and a half years of countless blood tests, numerous CT scans and 4th line chemotherapy will do that to you I expect but boy do I miss those little buggers.
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SuD73
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Cant believe there is another Sud! A Kiwi friend of mine txt me as Sud one day by mistake and the name has stuck with us!
Back to vein business. Mine too left home during my5th line and weekly taxol. They had been so wonderfully attentive til my 15th of 18 weeks. So we plumped for a PICC line. Week 16 was a sinch. Then came week 17. The PICC line split as I was having the saline flush!! But being the loyal little fellows they are and thanks to a wonderful experienced chemo nurse 2 further veins were found to complete the course.
They have now emigrated, tho I know one day their pesence will be requested again!!
Good too hear of yet more of us chemo addicts!! Hope you are doing ok
I have been so lucky - into my 6th year of chemo and my veins have only just left me. I still have plenty in the hands but they are too small for chemo and causes pain.
I just cover a huge area with Emla cream and hope for the best !!
LOL! I can totally relate to this too. I am afraid I went through a phase where I cried every time I had blood taken because they would get the needle in, waggle it around which hurt and still not get any. When I was drained the other week I had a huge lump on my inside elbow where they took it. Now the vampires keep exploring that site. When I had my last CT scan, they didn't bother with the contrast because 3 people failed to get the canular in. As you say....the chemo nurses told me to come to see them the next time, and go with it already seated. I have not made it to 1 year past diagnosis yet but am on second line chemo, so blood tests, scans and chemo are relentless.
Love Lizzie
X
I wonder whether the Ovacome staff can help with this one. In France people receiving cancer have a gadget inserted under the skin which enables the chemotherapy to be administered without damaging the veins. Why isn't this standard practice in the UK? I'd happily go over to France to get one myself if cost is an issue. My veins are also in a mess - after just one line of chemotherapy.
That is interesting about France - will try to find out more . I have had 2 lines of chemo and yes veins in a mess already . Nurses and doctors get really tense when they can't find a vein . I have to keep calming them down.
Thank you all for your responses it just shows that our veins can go at anytime.
I must say I hadn't heard of some of these creams or gadgets before now, I had heard of PICC lines but have never been offered one although I may not of taken it anyway as I am a bit paranoid it would cause infection. I read up on the port a cath OvaCSea mentioned and this sounds good (low infection risk). I think it may get to the point that it will become necessary for the next onslaught.
Sue - I too am a Sud by accident, McMillan online administrators gave me the login name when I mistakingly put in my full name instead.
Thank you so much, I will indead ask about it on my next appointment.
I live alone so the no heavy lifting may be a bit of a problem but as with everything I'm sure I can work around it and it sounds like it will definately be worth it to not have the stress of the 'will they, won't they' game we play now.
My veins disappeared after 3 lines of chemo so I had a PICC line inserted for the remaining 3. The following year I had a Hickman line inserted under a local in my neck and out in the chest you can keep the line in place in your bra.. I have a district nurse come every week to flush it and to take blood as necessary.
It was removed at end of the 6 cycles of chemo. the following year I had another one inserted. There is no pain whatsoever well perhaps a little bit with the injection for the local.
It wasn't needed this year as I'm on tablets.
Ask at your hospital I would have thought they did it everwhere.
Asked my onc for a port a cath and was told they don't do it at my hospital, the nurses also dont know how to use I think they will push me to a central line. I'm so disappointed
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