My mum is going for her 5th chemo tomorrow. On nearly every session they have great trouble finding a vein and it gets quite painful. I know this is quite common. She ends up having her hand/arm in a bucket of warm water! She did have a PICC line, but they had to remove it last time as they were not happy with it. I thought it was suppose to make things easier for the chemo and taking blood, but when she went to have a blood test they would not use the PICC Line. Anyone else experienced the same?
I’m sorry to hear about your Mum’s problems. I’m very similar - they can never find a vein so I’ve also had a PICC line put in. You can’t have blood taken by phlebotomists using a PICC line - and I’m surprised that she was sent for a blood test at all. If you are a chemo patient and have a PICC line, you should have all your bloods done by chemo nurses in the chemo unit. So double check as there’s nothing more miserable than trying to find a vein! Best of luck.
Someone suggested that a drink with tomato juice in it helps with the veins in hand and of course drinking loads of liquids before going in for treatment. Also if your mum speaks with the nurse they normally have a hot glove she can put on beforehand to help. Hope she gets on better today.
me too. I have to soak my arm in a bucket of water each chemo visit too. I was told to drink lots of water before having blood tests/or chemo and last visit it was easier for me.