Hi,
Im just wondering if anyone has had any problems with their hickman line ?? Ive had my line in now for 5 weeks.
Since ive had it in i cant finish my breath,ive got a constant pain in my spine at the back of my breast bone area and at night if im crunched up it hurts inside.
Before my 3rd chemo two weeks ago i told them at the hospital.They done an ecg and it was ok.Then last week when i went for my line flush they couldnt draw back the blood. They didnt seem overley worried and carried on flushing as she said it wouldnt flush if there was a clot… Ive no confidence in my hospital after the original misdiagnosis last year and any advice or similar stories would be reassuring.
Thank you
Sharon
That doesn’t sound right, I had a hickman line in for 3 chemos and couldn’t even feel it, I would go back and insist they check it out, they can do a chest X fray to ensure it’s still in the right place.
Sharon,
I have just had my hickman line removed, and it was in since January. Apart from first few days of discomfort I wasn’t even aware it was there. My chemo unit was very strict about seeing whether the line would draw blood back as well as flushing- if it doesn’t it draw back blood then there may well mean there is a problem somewhere. I think you should insist on having it checked out - especially if you are in discomfort.
Victoria
Sharon - I had similar with my hickman, had first 2 chemos via my arm then hickman fitted - about 7 days after having it in I had a couple of bad nights and when I lay on my side it was painful - odd sort of pain like cross between indigestion and something else - when I took a deep breathe it hurt and made me sort of gasp - I felt sort of breathless too - rang hospt and they said to come in to be checked - did chest xray and bloods etc and said all was ok, sent me home, my line has never let them have blood back except the last time - it settled after a few days and I think it might have been my body getting used to it? It was painful round the entry site too - saying that about a week later I developed an infection around the exit site and aftet antibiotic treatment the whole line thing settled down - touch wood has been ok since - maybe it was an infection brewing or not related at all?? They carried on flushing mine weekly and I’ve had chemo via it with no probs so far until this time when it let them bleed back…mary x
Thanks for your responses.
Since i posted,i got progressivley worse,no temp tho! I had to call an ambulance this morning as i couldnt breath.Im in hospital have had bloods taken and my neutro thingy is 0.9 when they dont like it to be less than 1.My xray looked ok,theyre sending me for a ct scan tomorrow,not quite sure what for,my sats are 95,my bp is quite low but differs in both arms.they have given me an injection in my tummy for a blood clot and a booster for my white cells.Im also on an antibiotic drip and im absolutely petrified theres something untoward going to happen,im always positive but im not right now 
xxx
hi - will be thinking of you - keep your pecker up kid and keep us posted…mary x
I’m still here … in a medical assessment unit side room,being double barrier nursed… however i am on a ward full of elderly with pneumonia !
my neutropenic result has gone down overnite from .9 to .6 so am not a happy bunny…they havent bothered to do my ct scan today as there was no time its now been promised for tomorrow !! Give me strength ! rant ova xx
So sorry your having such a crap time at mo …thinking of you like the song says things can only get better Sorry thats really cheese hope it made you smile!!!
Mary Im having hick man line fitted tomorro veins in arm have had it after first three chemos…any advise … im worried about having it put in have you had probs with yours ?
Lisa x
Hi Sharon how are you getting on?Good luck for scan today
Keep us posted.x
Lisa good luck for today you will be fine I had two fitted one with sedation and one without,by choice I would have sedation every time its then soon over.
Keep us posted on how you got on. x
Jackie x
hi lisa - sorry missed you - was in hospt! admitted with high temp just for overnight stay and i/v antibiotics - must admit me and Hans are not the best of friends - I’ve got used to him but look forward to him finishing his job and coming out!! Anyway, how did it go? Mine felt odd when I swallowed for about 24-48hrs but then that went…had infection in it 2 wks after it went it but then its been fine, never gave blood out so still had to be jabbed at for blood tests…
smallstar - hope you’re ok - any tummy jab yet? mary x
Hi Ladies …
Never again …
Had local Jackie how right were you …I felt what they were doing and they keept having to give me more local and nurse had to wipe away tiers as I was crying like a baby from pain oh and they couldnt stop me bleeding they couldnt under stand why I was in such pain and in such a state …HELLO Im awake …
Any way got in done and had to go back still bleeding …got home still bleeding oh joy any way bleeding stopped for now and hoping with everything crossed that I can have 4th chemo 2morro DID I JUST SAY THAT !!!WOW
still very sore and the only way I can decribe it is there is not enough lengh in tube feels like its pulling when I move neck and head any one else felt that …
Mary thats not the first stay for you since this is it hope you made most of rest and had loads of fuss made of you
Small Star hope there sorting it out for you like me you must be well fed up its all we need at mo …
Be in touch as soon as pos Lisa xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
HI,everyone i feel the pain just reading about this Hikman line i wonder if everyone have to have that thing…is there someone who went true chemo without it…
Hi All,
My CT scan came back inconclusive,ive had a mri chest scan also and that came back as i dont have a clot.Theyve concluded that ive had an infection - i have a feeling its caused by my hickman line as its never felt right from day one,like it digs into between my shoulder blades wen i bend over,sometimes i get pain up my throat from my neck all this has happened since ive had it fitted 6 weeks ago.
ANYWAY ! After needles in tummy for blood thinning and some extremely strong antibiotics iv that were that strong i could taste glue as soon as it started yuk !!
But low and behold they let me out this afternoon yay!!! Only cus its my birthday,they said my neutrophyls were .9 mon,.6 tues .5 wed and again .5 today so they can only assume that they will increase now and im to go home rest and enjoy my birthday if i get any symptoms at all im to go back to the cell lol.
Hope everyones well.
Ive got just 12 days to get good before the dreaded TAX !!
I feel lots of thorntons pressies going down my neck tonite 
xxxxxxxx
Hi smallstar
So glad you are home and hopefully enjoyed the rest of your birthday.
my 1st hickman and chemo dose was on my birthday I was real put out then when I went for my 2nd Epi the bl***y hickman had jumped out from where it should have been and was pointing upwards so it had to be removed they managed to find one vein in my hand so was able to have chemo as planned.
Lisa I also said never again but had to have another one fitted and by choice no sedation!!!how daft was that never again will I do that my problem was that they couldnt find the correct vein so they inserted it through the neck and that was painfull although didnt bleed I felt pulling for the rest of the following 6 months I also had numerous xrays as the damn thing would block or wouldnt bleed out etc etc the chemo unit always got it sorted in the end though,after a couple of weeks you soon get used to it.
Im sure yours will settle once the soreness settles Good luck for today hope all goes well.
Mary hope you are ok today and temp has gone down when is Hans due out?not long I hope.
Take care Speak soon
Jackie xx
hi jackie - they said he can come out after the last chemo which is next thurs - but not sure when as spose he’ll have to be dealt with by xray dept so needs appt etc…lisa, so sorry it went crappy - it does feel too short doesn’t it but will settle - only time I think of mine now is dressing/undressing time - I tape one of those flat cotton wool pads for taking makeup off around the clamp bit at bedtime as I find it really sticks into me - just softens it - and then tape it to my boob…feeling well, touch wood so going camping for lazy weekend…mary x
ps yes lisa - been in twice now - different ward…!
Hi mary last chemo next week well done, its a great feeling,bet you cant wait !! my onc made me leave mine in for 3 weeks after but was told that was the way he worked,mine was taken out both times on the ward by a trained nurse and never felt a thing.
Have a great weekend hope you get good weather.
So pleased you are feeling well.
Take Care
Jackie xx
Hi Ladies were all quite positive at mo so glad , long may it continue hickman line has settled down and just had first tax through it and so far so good still feel ok .
Also hickman line means discount for car park so theres one bonus lol .Camping you are brave Mary still into my home comforts at mo so not sure about under the stars just yet …
Ladies make most of week end temp ment to be better so lets hope it stays dry …
Be in touch soon Lisaxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Lisa
Great news take care and please keep in touch
Jackie xx
Thanks Jackie .
Im sure its all the steriods im taking at mo but bring them on , much better than spending first 10 days in bed like when I was on Fec . I know you also had hickman line but what stage in treatment are you hope youve not suffered to much …
Lisa xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Lisa
My line was put in prior to chemo,they said my veins were not good enough to take the EPI and I needed 4 sessions of that then 8 sessions of CMF.
I have now finished treatment and rads all comp last june 08 now on arimidex for 5 years but have very painfull muscles and joints.
I go for a bone scan this tues as I have been getting low back pain just a precaution I think,if you ever want to IM me Lisa please do
Take Care
Jackie xxx