Need Advice On Poor Veins

[lisahammo]

Hi everyone

You all have such good ideas and advice, I am hoping that you can help me. Unfortunately, along with everything else, I have shocking veins. For 2 1/2 years, we have been relying on a tiny vein in my knuckle, and I have one other near my wrist, which is very difficult to find. I'm just starting another round of treatment, so had a PICC put in again, however after only 2 weeks, it had to come out, as it got infected. And I was so careful and vigilant. I was at the hospital every 2nd day having the dressing changed, and it still got infected.

Now we are going to try a port again, which was a complete disaster 16 months ago. After 6 weeks, we were only able to access it once, and eventually had it removed after my arm swelled and turned blue! So this time, we will try blood thinners BEFORE I get a blood clot, but I just think my body will reject it again. Also last time I was in complete agony with my shoulder and had to go on morphine, as something happened during surgery, however, again I think it may be my body just saying get rid of it.

So, my question is, does anyone know of any other alternatives to get the damn chemo into my body, or how my body might be able to accept these foreign objects? Any advice would be great.

Everyone take care.

Love Lisa

I don't know how quickly you can make changes with diet, but this link may give you food for thought.

Several sources suggest between two and three grams EPA and DHA (a derivative of omega 3 found in fish oil) a day (about 5tps but check the label), some as much as five. You might want to discuss it with your advisers.

There are lots of trials linking omega three to improved vascular health for what would appear to be sound reasons.

There are also severl links on this site you can search for. There are also a number of books on the subject. The author of the Zone diet published a book last year on the inflamatory aspects of diet.

Try searching on NCBI and enter the search terms. You could also follow the cited articles attached to the link below which leads in an "endless" chain of sub references.

We have all been and are bombarded by do this try that and it gest to the stage you dont know what to beleive. I only became full aware of this some months ago and am now passonate about it, and feel a huge indicanation that there is not a greater effort to expalin the implications of a failure to balance omega threes and sixes.

There is no easy way you just have to read some of the scientific literature yourself.

If there was ever one simple diet change that can potentially make a huge difference this is it balance your omega three and six. It helps in all inflamatory diseases, and eyesight, gums, mental health - there is a host of literature - try your local library for likely looking health books and check the index for "fats" and look for omega three six DHA EPA (you find it in lots of subjects depression, ahdh, macular degeneration, cancer.....)

I hope this helps.

RB

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/70/3/560S

[hannah]

Hi ask about patches GTN they use for patients with angina to open up veins I have worked with patients on dialysis whos veins are shot and this has helped them.

good luck
Hannah

[hannah]

sorry meant to say you just apply it on vein you are going to use and leave on.

Hannah

[StephN]

I have a port that has been in use for over 5 years.
But I have seen the infusion nurses try things such as wrapping the patient's arm in a warm towel or blanket. Holding the arm or vein area under warm water.
Not sure these efforts would work in your case.

You did not say what you are taking (or trying to take). Long term chemo also does affect our veins even if a port is used.

Can you try to take any of the drugs by mouth?? There are a number of newer ones that are in pill form.

Best of luck this time!

My veins too are pretty well shot-- so as soon as I get to the clinic, I wrap a heating pad around my accesible arm ( they can only use one because of node dissection) Also, try to " tank up" on fluids before you go for treatment. I start the night before so by the time I get there I'm pretty well hydrated. It might help.
Carol