The veins in my arm are now so sore ( done 2 x FEC so far )sounds stupid but how would i know whether or not i had a blood clot? I cannot stretch my arm out fully as too much pain but my arm does not look swollen or red but the veins look darker in colour than the veins on my good arm. Is this normal ? what can i do to help ease the pian ? do i need to see the gp or is this just what happens ?
lv Melxx
Hi Beardie
What you describe is exactly what my veins were like after FEC, and as I was continuing IV treatment for a year, I had a port fitted. Over a year later the veins are still dark and sore and cause the skin to pucker when I raise my arm - so this does sound normal. FEC is very tough on the veins - are you moving on to Tax next or will you have 4 more FEC?
fintyx
hi Mel
Yes unfortunatly this is normal for some people. I was lucky and managed to get through all 6 fec. My veins did became sore on fec 2 but didn’t get any worse after that. Speak to your oncologist on your next chemo or phone the breast care nurse before hand. It maybe that you need extra saline when chemo is administered or If they are very sore you may be better with a picc line. This makes having bloods and chemo much easier, but there is an increased risk of infection. I suppose you will have to way up the pros and cons. I,m sure more people will be along to give you more info on picc lines and there experiences of them.
Good luck
Maria x
I would go to your GP asap. The only two symptoms I had of multiple blood clots in my arm were pain and the fact I couldn’t straighten it. I had no redness and no swelling.
Hopefully it isn’t and it’s just sore from the FEC but I’d recommend getting the doctor to check. Better safe than sorry. Elinda x
I had really sore veins and even found it painful to stretch up my arm. My Oncs advise was to drink, drink and drink water to keep hydrated and this did seem to work since the pain was often worse in the mornings when I’d not been drinking all night; I even starting having drinks of water if I woke up in the night.
Hope others have more advice to help you
hi mel ,i too had this when on fec really sore and to stretch my arm was hard but it has got better x
Hi Mel
I had this after third EC could actually see where my vein was and it was warm to the touch. Chemo unit advised going to GP to discount infection which i did. There was no infection just veins being battered by chemo. Over a few days it turned hard and still now about 8 weeks later you can still see it and it feels like a piece of bamboo. After visiting the GP i popped into chemo unit and showed it to one of the nurses she immediately booked me in for a PICC line. It is the best thing i did, painless procedure and i dont even notice its there. They take your bloods from it and administer chemo thru it. My nurses said that had i not had the picc that each chemo would affect my veins like this and it can take months to ease off.
If you have any questions dont hesitate to pm me
Sal
Same here - after 3 lots of FEC my arm veins were so sore when I stretched, and very dark. I had a portacath fitted for FEC 4 which will now stay in place until after all the Tax cycles and the herceptin. Arm still sore - will have to see how long it takes to stop being so…
Ann x
Hi Mel
I have had sore vein(s) since having my first FEC 2 weeks ago. I woke up 6 days after having the chemo and thought I had laid on my arm weirdly overnight, but my other half noticed that my vein looked bruised in the crease of my elbow, so I rang the helpline and the oncologist on call said that it was a side effect of having FEC and as long as it wasn’t hot and swollen it was OK and I could just take regular painkillers like paracetamol or ibruprofen. It is still a bit sore now when I stretch out the arm, so I will tell the oncologist when I go back for my check before my 2nd cycle.
I think if you are having any more than 3 FEC they automatically give you a PICC line anyway. I am having 3 FEC and 3 Tax so figure they will use my other arm for the 2nd cycle and go back to the original arm for the 3rd FEC, and the Tax is given by drip so won’t be the same problem.
Hope this helps - it does seem another unfortunate side effect
Michaela
Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer - really appreciate all the comments.
I did ring my chemo unit and spoke to a nurse who basically said if it wasn’t swollen then take pain killers and see how it goes. At first she said i could come in but this was at 4 o’clock and i live about an hour away from the hospital and when i told her this she said they were closing at 5 !!!
Thanks again ladies
Lv Melxx
Hi,
I got what is called phlebitis (inflammation of the veins) in my arm which started within a week of my first FEC, apparently the E in FEC can cause it. I also had problems with getting a needle in, so went for a PICC line, which made things easier in both respects. My chemo department recommended ibuprofen and paracetemol.
Also if they deliver the chemo more slowly it can help reduce the effect.
Jen
Hi Mel, know what you mean, after FEC2 I had sore veins well i thought i had bruised my arm and mentioned it at FEC3 when they did their pre chemo questionaire and they confirmed it was the FEC going up my veins causing internal bruising which they said could happen with FEC, should be better now I am on Tax but like you and others here, I couled not stretch my arm out, it felt tight and painful. they prescribed me some cream, its upstairs but i can get the name of it, it begins with and “H” and they told me to use it also on yesterdays bruising on my hand which swelled up after they took the cannula out, dont worry bruising on hand not normal, it was just yesterday there was not enought pressure put on before they put the dressing over where the cannula came out. Def get it seem to though, I am sure your GP or chemo unit can perscribe this for you too if it is the same as what I have experienced. and the cream does work, lots of love and hugs Shar xxx
Hi Silvershar
Do you know if you can buy the cream over the counter and please can i have the name of it. I had my last of 6 fec’s four weeks ago and i still have a very sore arm and find it painful stretching my arm out straight!!
Thanku
Kaz
Hirudoid, and you are entitled to free prescriptions so shouldn’t need to pay for it.
Thankyou 
The nurses in my chemo clinic refer to this as cording of the vein and it is caused by certain chemos particularly the epirubicin. Not a nice side effect and one that I still have although now without any pain. I still can’t straighten my arm fully and it looks pretty horrible when I hold my arm in a certain way. however, the horrible pain has now gone. It is now 3 and a half months since I finished my chemo and am still on Herceptin. It is often described as vein sclerosis. I hope that this helps. J.
I had sore veins after fec2 last week. my forarm is now very sore to touch and slightly swollen. The iv didn’t feel right from the minute they put it in and hurt or felt weird during the chemo infusion. I mentioned it to the chemo nurse that it was hurting and didn’t feel right compared to my first FEC1 infusion… she could not understand why.
I’m concerned about blood clots, chemo ward said to see shrop doc…what do they know about chemo problems? no experience whatsoever, GP as no experience with chemo patients either.
Wish they had a chemo doctor on call at the RSH…
I had problems with the veins in my chemo arm. One vein was damaged and I could not straighten it or turn the palms to the ceiling (when the arm was straight). I was advised this was common with chemo. After all the treatment had finished I went along to physio and within a few weeks they had given me all the movement back again.
I also had a blood clot - thrombo phlebitis (a minor vein in the upper arm). Because of the pain I asked for a scan. I had a doctor and an oncologist look at the arm and both felt it was not blocked but sent me along anyway. It turned out to be blocked and I was put on an anti coagulant for 5 months. I had pain but the arm was not hot or swollen. If you feel the pain is not getting better - ask for a scan to be on the safe side.
Janvis
Hi I had 3 x Ec,then went on have 3 x tax,by the time I went for my 2nd tax my vein in my chemo arm had started turning red and was very sore,and really painfull while chemo was going throuh it. A week later it was getting worse so I went to my Dr who said it was Phlebitis and gave me anti biotics and was also given a sling to wear. I have now had a Hickman Line fitted and had my final chemo 2wks ago,I am now waiting to have 18 lots of Herceptin.The vein is still very raised and my arm still aches.
Helen
Hi Everyone
I’m 1/2 way through my FEC-T (x6 in total) and I also have some contraction in my veins.
I was told by my chemo nurse that this could happen, was a normal side effect and that they would gradually return to normal onec treatment was over (I think the Taxotere is a bit easier on the veins than the FEC). She suggested massaging with moisturiser.
I’ve found that stretching my arm and holding the stretch helps - a bit uncomfortable at first but it does ease it, similar to stretching exercising post op for underarm cording.
Noanie - I’m in Shropshire too and know just what you mean about GP and Shrop Doc. I’m lucky enough to be in Bupa through work and so am having my chemo at home and the health care at home company doing the chemo give you a 24hr help line number, with a nurse on the other end. Luckily so far I haven’t had to use it. Will be going to RSH for my radiotherapy though.
D