Hello!! Me again!! So i have some picc line questions lol.
My picc line has decided to go in a little further that it was originally placed. Almost 2cms. I noticed it at 1.30am, called my out of hours oncologist and then got sent on a lovely adventure of 2 different a&e’s at 2 different hospitals because i wasnt considered an emergency even though they told me to go 
and my lovely little red card might has well been a cheese sandwich for all they cared lol. Anywho… finally got an xray and it was confirmed it wasnt any closer to my heart but just pushed in at the bottom a bit. I went back to my chemo dept at 9am (because thats how long i was in a&e and i thought… well… might as well get them to check it whilst im here lol) and my chemo nurse said she had already noticed it had gone in and it was in my notes 
cool. ANYWAY. My question is, has anyone else had this happen?? And did everyones picc feel normal because mine gets achy every now and again but nothing terrible. Im over thinking everything at the moment. Also, hot flushes… arent they fun!? Did anyone else get those with the EC chemo??
Thanks in advance to anyone who reads that waffle…
Hey!
What an absolute nightmare. Although I havnt had the shifting of the PICC line, I did have 3 lovely blood clots on mine a week after the first EC which I had to visit the Acute ward for 
. And this week its decided all of a sudden to become slightly blocked and not work properly, the blood lady said “oh your blood is coming out slower than usual” and then at chemotherapy this morning it completely frustrated to work when doing the flush:roll_eyes:. I have the itching where the line goes in, i switched to the sensitive plasters and that helped a lot but still get it from time to time. The nurse said its where the body is rejecting the line and trying to push it out, so it forms a scab and encourages us to itch it. If its really itchy though i would speak to your team.
In terms of hot flushes, honestly they are so bad 
. I thought i had a temperature at the start, so was taking it every single time but then realised its just hot flushes. Ive got two fans, one for downstairs and one for the bedroom. Ive told my partner not to cuddle me in bed anymore . I can barely move without getting one at the moment. Feel like I should be losing weight with all the sweating. Again, the nurse said to me today that if they are too bad to cope with, talk to the oncologist as they can prescribe some medication that could help.
Omg thank you so much for your reply!! you sound just like me!! Makes me feel less alone. These picc lines man!! The thing is, im not used to it, you’re not used to it, so of course we’re gonna be concerned about stuff… ESPECIALLY when they give you a list of things to look out for and I can honestly say every time I call up (i probably do that more than i should 
) im sure theyre like “again???” and i feel bad but at the same time im like “if i leave this… is it gonna get bad and i have zero immune system so im gonna get ill…”
The anxiety is real. And thats WITH sertraline xx
Honestly dont feel bad for ringing up. I rang up once in a full panic because my plaster got wet from my shower, I was in floods of tears as I got myself so worked up thinking “i shouldnt be ringing the emergency line for this” . When I got to the clinic they laughed at me and told me that they’d rather us go in than risk it getting infected. They told me that they tell us about the side effects so that if at least one person worries about it, they’ve done their job .
Like you said, this is all new to us so we have no idea what we are doing. Best to be safe than sorry!
Also with the hot flushes, ive heard that people on sertraline suffer with temperature in the heat so cant even imagine what it must be like for you 
Ah I’ve got a fun summer on my hands havent I?? im actually thankful for all the cool weather and rain at the moment lol. I laid in bed last night listening to the rain and was so at peace for the first time in ages. It was lovely.
My poor husband gave me my white blood cell jab last night and the one before didnt hurt at all but last nights one made me cry lol. I dont know if it was because i was super tired or what but it HURT lol. He felt so bad afterwards bless him. I felt terrible for crying like a baby but omg lol. I felt like id been stung by a bee!!
@zaran - yes my picc line moved in to my arm. It started on 5 notches and is now 2! I had a stressful few days of waiting for x ray results but it came back as being fine and as long as it can be flushed and they can take blood they don’t seem concerned. Apparently it’s more common to pull it out of your arm rather than it go in! I just have one more chemo to go so hope it behaves until then, Emma
Oh the good old “grab a flab and jab” as I call it . Im also glad that you get help because I feel awful that my poor girlfriend has to jab me as I cant bring myself to do it (such a baby). Ive cried numerous times getting it done! Some days it really hurts and others it fine, its so annoying. I get the dread feeling when I know its time to do it. Do you take yours out the fridge 30 minutes before doing it?
Also Ive realised in my sleepy state I misread what you said, i thought you said itchy but you said achy haha. My arm aches every now again, i find it aches if i sleep on it at night or if I lean on it for too long.
@ivy-cat i know right?? All the leaflets they gave me told what to do when it comes out but nothing about it going in!! Its why i was so confused lol! I hope yours behaves itself 
congrats on the last chemo to go though!! You must be so relieved 
Grab a flab and jab well im calling it that from now on!! Haha!! Yeah i took mine out of the fridge an hr before. It said 30mins on the leaflet but they told me an hr so im going with the hr haha.
Yeah, if i put any pressure on it, it aches for a while afterwards. It always aches when i wake up from sleep. So annoying lol.
How many rounds of chemo have you had now? Xx
Ive had 6 rounds of chemo, 10 more to go! How about you? How are you finding it?
Oh wow! Ive only had 1 so far, 7 more to go. Got 4 of EC every 2 weeks and then 4 of paclitaxel every 2 weeks.
Its going ok, its not as bad as i thought other than the hot flushes and nausea. Oh and the heart burn… thats fun!! Doesnt matter what i eat, instant heartburn! Will have to talk to my chemo nurse next time i see her 
Well done for getting through round 1! Round 1 of EC was the worst for me, had the worst side effects and cried to my oncologist saying “i cant do this” but managed to push through. Still had side effects throughout the other rounds (nausea, dizziness, tiredness) but it was only the first week after having chemotherapy and then felt lots better after! I feel you on the heart burn front, it used to wake me up in the night and then I wouldnt be able to get back to sleep, was so fustrating!
Touch wood, I feel so much better on Paclitaxel, just had shortness of breath at the moment!
Hi my PICC moved a bit and they just put some tape across to discourage it. Mine was pulling out. When I had it re-wired they put the little orange box on which attaches to your skin so it cant move.
Good luck.
Did they give you anything for the heartburn at all? Im thinking of calling them tomorrow to ask because its literally everything i eat.
I hope the shortness of breath goes for you!!
So was it an equal amount of EC to paclitaxel you have to have too? Xx
Thank you!! These pesky Piccs eh??
They suggested to try Gaviscon which helped me so didnt prescribe anything but i did over hear a lady talking about some sort of medication she was given to help with heartburn when I was getting chemotherapy last. I would call for some advice if I was you.
I had four rounds of EC and then having 12 rounds of paclitaxel with carboplatin.
Yeah i tried the gaviscon and it aint even touching the sides lol. I called them today and they said theyll speak to the doctor for me… i then got told i called the wrong dept and i needed to call the number on the back of my red card i cant keep up lol. Everytime i think ive called the right number it turns out im wrong lol. Xx
I had awful heartburn after my first EC treatment. They prescribed me Lanzoprazole and within 24 hours the heartburn had completely gone and didn’t come back 
This is what im hoping for!!