I had my PICC fitted on 11 February just before cycle 2, the first week it hurt a lot but then settled down and I didn’t know it was there. Until last week after having session number 3 of FEC on the Monday, on Friday I started to get pain in the top of my arm just above where the PICC is fitted to the point now where it’s agony. My last two chemos have been delayed due to terribly low neutrophil levels (I was 0.1! Just before I was meant to start cycle 3 so it was delayed) this time I had to have a Neulasta injection which had some horrid side effects I was breathless all week, couldn’t get out of bed so I haven’t been moving my arm around to strain it in any way.
I went to my local A & E on sunday (spent 4 and a half hours waiting ) who took blood tests and ultrasound scans and they found nothing wrong. Has anyone else suffered in this way, it’s really debilitating and even hurts to drive, I’m not sleeping as I normally lie on my right side where it is and now I can’t. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I really hope it’s not going to be like this forever as I have another 5 cycles of chemo to go and Herceptin for a year
Hi, i had this & it was a blood clot, the 1st time i went to the hospital & they scanned they didnt find it so i went back & 2nd Doctor scanned higher & found it in my neck but as well as pain in my arm the side of my neck was quite tender, my arm was also quite swollen.
Sarah
Hi red admiral would really advise u to contact the unit where u get your chemo def should not be agony .
I’m just waiting for my op so have no personal experience of piccs but work as district nurse and deal with a lot of piccs that is def abnormal and would always send our patients back up to the unit for further investigations I hope you get things sorted quickly xx caz
Pain in my PICC site was a blood clot. Contact chemo unit now, whilst it is working hours, and ask them to see you and arrange another ultrasound. You should get more sense during working hours, rather than via A&E. Please don’t be fobbed off. Good luck, xxx
Well I’ve been back to the chemo unit today, I wasn’t scanned again, because there’s no redness they’ve sent me home and said take painkillers and we will see how it is on April 5th when I next see oncologist again!! I’ve explained the pain is also in my wrist now but they don’t seem concerned. To be honest, I am, but not much I can do other than take the painkillers and hope it goes away. Thanks for your replies, I shall persevere.
) who took blood tests and ultrasound scans and they found nothing wrong. Has anyone else suffered in this way, it’s really debilitating and even hurts to drive, I’m not sleeping as I normally lie on my right side where it is and now I can’t. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I really hope it’s not going to be like this forever as I have another 5 cycles of chemo to go and Herceptin for a year