Veins Post-Chemo...do they get better?

[Vicki Z]

Your thoughts on this please? I was on FAC, which was administered through my veins, and just completed weekly HTC with a port. My port will be coming out in the next month and I'm concerned about the veins in my left arm (I'm left-handed and this side is used since I had a mastectomy on the right).

When I flex my wrist down, I can still feel slight pain and soreness in my veins. Or, even if I stretch when I'm in bed or when I roll my arms outward when doing arm exercises, there's pain on my forearm where my veins are. I also get a bit uptight and anxious when I think about them having to draw blood for blood tests and I ask them to use small needles. Do the veins heal over time?

The infusion center nurses said vaguely, "they can," but that's about it. When I have reconstruction at the end of the year, and even when I have my port out next month, I'm hoping my veins can take it and even more that I can, by gritting my teeth and taking a few deep breaths. One woman told me her veins still feel "ropey," yet I know some women had no problems. I was told it was probably the adriamycin. Thanks for your personal observations.

Vicki

[carlye]

Hi there,
I had 6 rounds of AC and 12 taxols, and all my blood work and never had a port. I had to use my left side cause my mastectomy was my right. My veins got really hard and very hard to find but 3 years later they are doing really well. I did have alot of pain as well, although that went away after a few months of being off chemo. I think I will always be a hard stick, because there is some scar tissue built up, but they always use a butterfly needle on me and it seems to be much better! Hope this helps!

[christinel]

I had eight rounds of FEC and my viens were driving me mad. I couldn't straighten them out and trying to do the most minor things hurt. Now, 3 mths down the track i just feel a tightness when i flex my arm backwards. Hopefully yours will improve greatly too