painful arm

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painful arm

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painful arm Hi
Had my 3rd epi last Tuesday and before i even started my veins in my arm had been a little painful. Now it seems they are really protesting and my arm right up to my armpit is very painful. Got 1 more epi to go before i change to xeloda so hopefully that will not be so bad.
Anyone else experience this and do i need to get it checked.
Thanks alot
Jackie
xx

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Hi
Yes, same thing happened to me…My BC nurse told me to soak my arm in hot water for about 5 mins then put arm in air and massage it, as it will get the blood flowing through the veins, she said do it about 3 times a day.

Also next time you have epi put either a hot water bottle over your arm for the whole time or hot flannels. It does help…
Suzanne
x

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I’ve only had one FEC so far, so no problem as yet with veins. However, when I arrived at the chemo unit, my arm was put inside a pillowcase with a heating pad underneath it.

Perhaps it’s worth asking at your unit if they have heated pads too.

Good luck.

Dee
x

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I’m exactly the same! Hi Jackie,

I know exactly where you are coming from! Sounds like we’re just about at the same stage of treatment, although I am on arm 2 of the TACT2 trial. I had my 3rd epi session last weds and the whole vein thing was a bit of a mare. I had my first epi in my left hand and had no pobs with the veins in this hand until about 2 weeks later when I started getting loads of pain. The pain went right up my arm and it felt almose like an elastic band that was being pulled so tight it was gonna snap.

My second chemo was in my right hand and I had no such probs, thank goodness! Anyway, I went for epi 3 on weds and it was supposed to go into my left hand. I told them all the pain I was having and they decided to give it a rest and use my right hand again. This was not ideal as I have epi every 2 weeks and my right hand had been used the previous time. Well, by the time they’d finished bombarding my body with these chemicals the veins in my right hand had also given up the ghost! It became swollen and v.v.bruised.

So, epi number 4 looms and I was nervous as I don’t know what will happen if my veins are not up to the job. However, when I left the hospital last week they gave me some cream to put on my hands and arms 3 to 4 times a day to help my veins recover. Apparently this is a v.v.commom problem, particularly with epi as it is so thick. The cream is called ‘hirudoid’ and I have been using it religiously since last weds. I really believe it is working already and I’m wondering if it is something you may be able to get hold of? Its definately worth asking about it before your next epi.

Hope your treatment continues smoothly. How are you finding the epi??

Take care and let us know how you get on,

Kelly
-x-

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princess 18 HI
thanks for the advice re painful veins
I have found epi to be ok so far with just the odd day im sure people think im ok really. I mean thats good but i feel i should be ill, apart from hairloss which was fine as well.
Your on the accelerated epi/cmf are you.
I only have one more needle then switch to the xeloda tabs so haopefully my veins will last out.
Hope you are coping ok
jackie
x

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Hi,

I am one week off taking my last chemo tablets - Xeloda ( doddle compared to the Epi by the way - just feel tired sometimes . Hair grew back quickly - starting from the 2nd round of Xeloda tablets, which was great)

Started off with intravenous Epi and my veins in my arms were really sore. Got some cream from hospital and it really worked. Now veins still look a litle pronounced but pain has gone.
I asked the phlebotamist at the hospital if there was anything else I could do to help my veins - she suggested masage to get “things moving”. I bought a massage sponge to use in the shower each morning and this too seems to have helped a lot.

Hope this helps

Janeyb

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thanks re pain Thanks for the advice will keep an eye on the pain altough it hasnt got any worse nor better either,
Jackie
xx