Veinous Cording on non-surgery side

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Hi Girls

I had a PICC line in for my chemo (3 FEC then 3 TAX) from 3rd June to 13th October. When the side effects from the last Taxotere kicked in, I got a pain in my left forearm which I thought nothing of, but as the symptoms wore off, this has not. I had WLE and axillary sampling of right side.

I am left handed. My grip is really weak and it hurts to hold a pen or write (or type for that matter). I have since had 30 rads, during which I saw 2 different physios, one of whom concentrated on the upper arm and the other the forearm, but both said it was veinous cording. Has anyone else had this, in the non-surgery arm? What can be done about it? I had to travel to the UK for rads so will now be on a waiting list for physio back home.

Thanks

Kinden
x

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Hi there, sorry to hear about your cording, I had bad cording in surgery arm which seems to have relieved itself a year on, helped by physio. I also had a PICC line and it was a nightmare from the start! As soon as it went in I couldn’t straighten my arm, the nurses said not to worry, but this continued until my second FEC when it became blocked and had to come out…I’d also had flebitis. My arm still was very bent! That was April time, and I was scared as I play the violin and piano. I’m glad to say that it’s almost 100% straight now, helped by physio and by me, forcing my arm straight whilst watching tv (advised by physio!). Give it time, I was told by the oncologist that it can take a year from when chemo finishes for the veins to “soften”. Massaging aqueous cream to the inner elbow area worked for me too. Funnily enough I had a blood test last week from that elbow and it’s just set it off again slightly, sometimes my hand is a reddish colour and it feels weak, but I am doing my stretching again! Good luck, hope the physio waiting isn’t too long…now I wouldn’t advise anyone to have a PICC! Perhaps we are the unlucky ones.

Best wishes
Liz x

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Thanks Liz, it helps to know that these things do improve. I just want to be back to ‘normal’ as soon as possible. I also play the piano, and look forward to doing that again. I saw the occupational health consultant today aboutmy return to work and mentioned this so she is going to see if she can get me an early appointment with a physio on the Island.

Thanks again, hope the stretching again works for you

Kinden
xx