Greetings, all. I have 10 chemo treatments to go, over 10 weeks (if there are no delays). They say I need a picc line or port. I am terrified of the procedure. Any input will be gratefully appreciated.
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I had a port for my chemotherapy last year. It was fitted under local anesthetic and was no problem at all. It made getting chemo so much easier. I could shower and wash without thinking about it. Would definitely recommended a port.
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Hello, I had a picc line when I needed chemo 9 years ago, and it was the best! No need to find a vein every single time I went for treatment, and you hardly feel itās there.
I wrapped my arm in clingfilm to have a shower haha
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I was worried about having a PICC line put in but Iām so so glad I had one. It makes treatment and taking bloods so much easier when the nurses donāt have to find a vein put in a line eah time. Mine took a couple of weeks to settle but I soon got used to it.
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Hi @malymoses welcome to the club no one wants to be in. We are all here to help you though.
I was terrified about having my picc line fitted almost 4 years ago as well. I managed to get the GP to prescribe me something as a one off to help calm me, which helped a lot.
As for the actual procedure, whether it was because I was drugged or not, I donāt know but it went quite easy. I didnāt feel much at all. The only thing I felt was when she was guiding the line in, it came to a junction in the vein and it went to the right instead of the left. When it went to the right I could feel it up the side of my neck but it didnāt hurt at all, just felt strange. The nurse then pulled it back and managed to get it to go to the left instead.
In terms on maintenance, the nurses flush it every 7-10 days or so and redo the dressings. I loved having the dressings changed but that was just because I am allergic to a lot of the dressings so to get it off for a few minutes and cleaned always felt like bliss.
In terms of showering, you do have to keep it dry. I used cling film but living alone this wasnāt always that easy. I have heard of covers you can buy called ālimboā covers. If you google it, Iām sure itāll come up. That might be something to think about.
Iām not sure if any of this is an help but it was my experience.
It definitely makes getting chemo easier especially if youāre not good with needles, like me.
I hope your procedure goes well 
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Not much new to say over the other posts. I just thought Iād add my voice so you know there are a lot of us who felt the same.
I was terrified of having a PICC. Iām not sure what terrified me but I definitely didnāt want oneā¦
ā¦until I spoke to a lovely lady through Someone Like Me. She told me her PICC was her best friend. And she was right. No need to find a vein to take blood or put the chemo in. I was scared of having it fitted but it was over so quickly and I didnāt feel a thing. I was scared of how it would feel during chemo and bloods, I didnāt feel a thing. I was scared of it being taken out and guess what, I didnāt feel a thing.
I know we all have different experiences but for me it worked out really well. Yes it can be a bit annoying to avoid getting it wet. I developed a very unusual bath position! But the benefits were huge.
Hope it all goes well for you. X
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Hi,
Just wanted to let you know that you donāt āhaveā to get a piic or a port. I imagine your team has recommended it but its your choice.
I had 27 rounds of chemo & did it with a cannula in the hand. It wasnt very pleasant but i got there in the end.
I think at the very beginning of treatment we do exactly as our health teams tell us without questioning it but the longer treatment goes on the more you realise there are different roads for different people.
Whether you go for a piic, port or not, i wish you all the very best x
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Thanks! That was my initial impulse, to be honest. But I have 10 rounds to go and they are weekly, so I am now rather afraid of collapsing veins. Were your chemo rounds weekly or spaced further apart?
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I appreciate the term āfittedā. Sounds so much more bearable than alternative terms.
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Thanks for the positive story! I wish I could get something for nerves, tooā¦
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I really appreciate your story, because fear seems to be my worst enemy, too. I have feared each step of the way and so far, each step was less bad than I feared. Maybe the same for the PICCā¦
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I had 3 rounds of EC - 3 werks apart then,
12 rounds of paclitaxel- once per week then,
Kadcyla every 3 weeks.
Im not saying dont get a piic or a port, im just lettinf you know you have a choice. I think that our teams are so used to the treatments & procedures that they forget to tell us all of the options.
Sometimes it was teicky to get a vein but they always got it.
Good luck x
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I have a picc line and find it really good, takes a couple of weeks to settle but treatment and bloods are so much easier. Its your decision of course you must do what is right for you!
Yes, I understand! My team has been quite strong that I need a port (not a PICC) but I am too afraid of the āfittingā of a port. So I am going for the less-intrusive option, even though itās a bit more trouble on a daily basis. I also initially thought Iād get through it with no PICC or port, but my veins are already a bit fragile and even I can see that.
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Hi
I had a PICC line 2 years sgo for my treatment and bloods
The chap that did it was brilliant
I was nervous and he talked to me the whole time
Fear can be awful but i assure you it was painless
I lay on a bed. He placed a square metal plate across my upper body, a bit like an xray plate
He gave me local anaesthetic in my arm and then inserted the line in my upper arm and using a camera bit like ultrasound he was able to help it through my arm arm pit, neck and chest taking around 20 minutes , he ran a couple of tests on his screen and i was done
Afterwards i asked to see the machine image. It was fascinating and helped me understand what had happened
He then added a stopper ato the ends and dressing and told me to get a rubber arm cover on prescription from my GP. Iād already got my prescription exemption so it was free and i used it for showers, baths etc
I had 4 rounds of chemo split over 3 weekly cycles so every week in between sessions i would see a local district nurse who would clean it, flush it and redress it
I bought a cheap PIiCC line arm cover with pink hearts off etsy which i wore over the tubi grip for extra protection and when the line was removed 4 months later it took about 10 seconds
I have a photo if it would help you see it in my upper arm
Good luck xx
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Thank you for the cheerful story! I am still terrified but feel more hopeful that this will be do-able (itās tomorrow, probably).
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Hello, like many of the replies I had a PICC line in for my chemotherapy last year. I honestly did not feel a thing as it was inserted and it was a relief not to have to find a vein for every blood test. I found a waterproof arm guard on Amazon that I pulled on for showering and it worked beautifully. There are several sorts. I was careful but the nurses redressed it every week and all was well. Hope this helps.
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Hi, I have not long had my picc removed had it in for just over 5 months . I did not want it just like you I remember crying saying āI canāt have this in my arm for 5 monthsā but my specialist explained all the pros and cons and honestly having it was the best thing I did. Iād watch every week some one in my bay struggling to having a cannula fitted couldnāt get a vein .I watched one lady getting so upset it was heartbreaking. Iād just go in on a Wednesday theyād take my bloods from it then clean it all and have fresh dressings then the next day go for chemo all hooked up no issues . I did get a bit of a reaction to the first type of dressing it got itchy and bit of blistering to my skin so the nurses changed me to a different type of dressing (Honeycomb dressing) and that was great. The nurse team will look after you but speak up for yourself thatās what I had to get better at through all of this. If my dressing was on tight Iād go home and be uncomfortable and just put up with it but one health care said to me āplease do not go home if your not happy with the dressing come back and we will do it again your not a pain this is our job to help youā You will adapt to bathing and showering and get used to it . Good luck with it all and believe me the time will fly by and you will be having it taken out before you know it. Xx
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Thank you so much for the positive story. I should only need it for 8-9 weeks and it seems so much easier to fit and remove than a port. My appointment for the PICC was delayed til next week, so Iām going to be nervous for another week, but I think Iām feeling a bit more confident that I can get through this, thanks to the kind people who have responded here:-)
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Thank you for the encouraging story! I am hoping Iāll be able to get through this and really appreciate the kind responses here.