hiya, im just a bit worried as my mum always tells me not to worry blah blah… i just want some facts and truths. basically she has had a lot of pain in her arm where her picc line is and it became very swollen… she phoned the chemo unit and they told her what to take. anyway the nurse came today to take bloods and clean the line and she was not happy with it at all and sent her to hospital. my mum phoned and said it could be a blood clot or an infection. so i just want to know basically what will happen if it is a blood clot, how dangerous it is and is there a chance of it going to her brain causing a stroke has she has had it like this since thursday.
sorry, but with her telling me not to worry, i worry more because im at uni and cant do anything!
Hi Blinklover,
I know it’s scary when you’re away from home and hear worrying news but your mum is in safe hands. They will be giving her treatment to ensure that any clot does her no harm and antibiotics to cover the infection element. She will be closely monitored at all times.
I have had a swollen reddened vein where I had four doses of my chemo (directly, not through picc) and it has settled down after three days with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs.
These are not unusual reactions to chemotherapy and the medical team taking care of your mother will know exactly what to do.
I think you may need the reassurance of seeing your mother face to face. Are you too far away to consider a weekend visit? Are there other family members who can let you know how she is?
Thinking of you both and wishing you all the best,
Kathleen
I had a clot from Picc line & presented as a swollen arm, I was put on clexane injections daily for 6 months then a venogram was performed to check that clot had dispersed . Picc line clots are a bigger risk than people think so any swelling should be checked, this type of clot rarely breaks away & generally they disperse quite quickly although the swelling seems to stay but not as bad, The symptoms are totally different to the usual hardening of veins from chemo so am glad it is being checked out.
Thanks, she is having daily injections and then a scan to make sure it has been dispersed. They are then taking out her picc line and putting a Hickman line in… Will this be is easier for her?
Still a bit worried that it is going to move to her lungs or something.
Yes I can get home easily it’s just when this happened I have been busy at uni and she will go mad at me if I come home cause she wants me to concentrate on my work! I’m going home tomorrow anyway.
Thankyou
