I am between my 2nd and 3rd FEC and trying to decide whether to have a Hickman line - I need to decide by Wednesday. My veins are tiny and I have had a bad skin reaction to the first FEC which I am still taking antibiotics for a month later.
I am scared of having a Hickman line in though. According to the hospital leaflet 1 in 100 patients have an artery punctured during the procedure and 1 in 200 patients have a lung punctured.
Then there is the risk of infections, blood clots, the 12 inches of tubing that are left outside the body, etc.
Also I was so violently sick during the last FEC that I can’t help thinking, if I have the line put in on 12th and am throwing my guts up on 13th, would this possibly dislodge the line from the vein in my heart?
Can anyone offer advice? It took 10 attempts to get a line into my left arm last Sunday.
Irina
I had mine even before I started my treatment, as my veins were tiny.
I’ve had no trouble with mine, and certainly when I here all the trouble people have with venous access I know it’s best for me.
Good luck with your choice, Rebecca
I’d say go for the line, Irina
10 attempts to get a line into a vein each time will do you no good at all.
I’ve had a Groushon line (similar) in the past and it takes away all the hassle, pain and distress and speeds things up for you. It never got dislodged, either (even when I had the chuckups!)
X
S
Hi Irina
I’m on my second Hickman line. First one for BC treatment last year and the current one for liver secondaries in Jan this year. Still have it because I’m due for more treatment soon. My veins are awful and it’s much easier to have treatments with the main line. The line left outside the body just tucks inside the bra. Suppose you need to weigh up the benefits. If your veins are not good you’ll dread having treatment even more because you’ll know each time you go for it there’ll be a problem inserting the canula. They even tried my feet and that’s painful!! The line makes it so much easier. It is a pain having to have it flushed and cleaned each week but I personally feel it’s better than suffering even more than necessary. The exit site for the line is covered with a see-through dressing and mine has never moved. You can tape it to your body at night if you’re worried about pulling it in your sleep.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.
Luv Carol x
Hi Irina,
I’ve had a Hickman line after having a terrible time with cannulation on 6 chemos (4 x Epirubicin and 2 x CMF). I have small veins too - which only get worse as the treatment proceeds. As Carol above says, the tubes just tuck into your bra and I’ve made a little drawstring bag for at night, to stop them catching as I sleep. The only downside for me is that I can’t sleep on my front, as I’m scared of squashing the tubes. I was pleased when I realised I could shower as normal as the clear dressing Carol mentions is waterproof.
Every week have to go to have the dressing changed and for the tubes to be flushed with Hepcil - to stop blood clots forming in them. I realised that before having the line I was worrying more about my veins ‘playing the game’ than the actual chemo … it’s so much easier now.
Hope that helps you with your decision.
Best wishes, Shelagh x
Hi Irina,
I hope you’ve been reassured by all the positive experiences. Just thought I would add mine. I had fec when i was first diagnosed, it is hellish but a pic line at the time at least took away the dread of problematic needles.
I have just finished another round of chemo for secondaries and had a hickman line after a bad reaction to the first dose. The line has been no problem, it just looks quite freaky but is really secure. I was scared of the actual insertion but it was fine. I was told that the risk of a punctured lung has now been eliminated with a new technique of insertion. I don’t know if this applies in all hospitals but it might be worth asking.
Good luck with the rest of your treatment, anything that makes your experience easier is worth going for.
Thanks everyone, I am more and more reassured by your answers, these are probably stupid questions but do the nurses still dilute the chemo drugs with saline when they inject them into the Hickman line? Can anti sickness drugs we given through the Hickman line? And if I had a bad vein reactio from epirubicin would that happen if it was injected into the line?
Irina xx
They still dilute with saline and bolas the chemo drugs, as normal. The whole process takes much less time though as they are going into a main vein. I had all my epirubicin into my arm and had terrible vein pain from it … and still do, so not sure about your last question. When are you gonna have it done … if you are?
Shelagh x
Shelagh,
It would be next Wednesday but Christies have said if it got infected/blood clot/crack in line I could only go there if they had a bed, otherwise I would have to go to my local hospital, where the other weekend I spent almost 6 hours in A and E and was then put on a mixed ward with a violent detoxing alcoholic in the next bed - so I am going to try with the veins again even though it hurts to straighten my arm. I feel I am in a Catch 22 and if they can’t cannulate me next time I will have no choice but to discontinue treatment. Did your veins harden and how many treatments did you have - was it FEC?
Irina x
Hi Irina
Last year I had 4 x FEC and 4 X Tax, had a nighmare with veins but persevered and got all done through hands / wrists etc as was determined not to have a line due to many personal reasons. They got into a total state by the end and had to endure 5 - 6 stabs to get the iv in last couple of cycles.
Unfortunately cancer has come back so go back in for chemo tomorrow, couldn’t stand being needled so many times so they offered me a portocath this time. Was put in Monday under a GA is under the skin and totally sealed so you can do anything with it. It’s sore right now but that will get easier.
Just another option maybe, although I don’t understand why some people seem to be offered hickman / central lines etc and some portocath.
Very best of luck
Nikki
Sorry to hear you have to endure more chemo Nikki 
I think I would ask for a portocath straight away if … if I have to have more chemo too, as from what I can gather it is the best option. I accepted the Hickman line offered as it was only going to be for a couple of months. I don’t understand why we are all offered different things.
Irina I had 4 epirubicins, which I think is the E in FEC. My veins are still sore two months on, and I think they will be for quite a while from what I’ve read. I can understand your desire not to be in mixed ward in local hospital. Made me feel like a woos when I read what you had to endure last week, as I was in hosp with neutropenic sepsis last week for 4 nights … in my own room, and I stll found it like being in prison and was v tearful !! I don’t think the infection I had was anything to do with the Hickman line as it all looks fine, but my neutrophils dropped to 0.1, which is why I was admitted. I did find having the Hickman a blessing for all the iv antibiotics they pumped into me though!
What horrible decisions we have to make!
Big hugs, Shelagh x
Sorry to hear the cancer has come back Nikki, hope the chemo is not too bad.
Shelagh it is horrible in hospital isn’t it? Christies is much nicer than my local hospital apparently. I am going to try with veins next time and ask about portocath, it has never been mentioned so far x
Hi
I think the reason why some people get lines and some get portacaths is probably cost. I would imagine most hospitals would be trying to move towards portacaths as they are more advanced, but I suppose that if they’ve got a huge pile of Hickman lines lying around somewhere they are going to use them up first!
X
S
Sorry you’re having this trouble Irina. I had a Hickman line put it after 4th of 6 FECs because it took 3 or 4 tries to cannulate sometimes. However after the chemos had ceased and the line still had to be flushed out [sometimes with difficulty!] I was rushed to hospital with multiple pulmonary emboli and pneumonia. Now I’m on Warfarin - probably for life as there’s a family history of PEs.
Having the line put in is no problem and it does make chemo easier but I have advised my sister who has also had chemo and now faces a year of Herceptin not to have a line.
Before this I was an enthusiast.
However as you know each patient is different with a unique set of pros and cons so only you can weigh up the risks and decide if and when you have no choice but to have a line.
My thoughts are with you and all the brave ladies with this disease.
Thanks feistysister,
Was it the line that caused the embolisms and pneumonia?
Did the hospital remove the line straightaway when you were rushed in?
I know that ifI did have a lineI would be constantly worried about clots and infection.