hi Cindy...

Yes, my husband is in hospital now. Both arms have infiltrated. In his case, they switched to mediport.

When he started chemo, them told him he needed mediport since some chemos could damarge veins. He has had in for 6 months. In the ER 2 wks ago, they used mediport only.

Best wishes.

margaret

Hi Cindy. I'm so sorry you had such a rough time. It's scary, as it is, and to have problems with the veins - I'm sure makes it even more anxious.

When I was at my gastro follow-up appointment last week there was a guy in the waiting room that said they (anyone) always has trouble finding his veins. He said they tried where his arm bends and the hands. After 3 hours of waiting - he said he told them to just go ahead and do the colonoscopy and the scope without putting him out. I can't imagine ever doing that & he said he would NEVER do it again. I definitely don't recommend it.

I can't remember if you have to fast from water to have that, but I've heard sometimes it's harder if you're dehydrated to find a vein. Also, if they don't ask me to make a fist, I'll usually ask if I should. They usually say yes. Well, I'm sure you know all this, but I haven't had any issues with them taking blood since my chemo...(knock on wood).

Keeping you in my prayers for great results. Nice you'll know Wednesday and not have to wait the week I always have to wait for my CT results. Are you due for a scope now too? Seems like they have me on a regiment - that when I have my scan I have the scope too. I usually have the scope a week before my CT, so when I follow-up with my oncologist he has all the reports back. Hang in there!

Hi Cindy:

It's almost impossible to get a vein on my right arm. Until recently, my left arm was easy. It's getting tougher. My veins have learned to roll around and it's becoming a chore.

I had a port until it got infected. I really liked it, compared to not having it. Oh, well...

Here's hoping it gets better.

All the best,

Fred

Hi Cindy - around the time of my surgery, there were numerous occasions requiring IVs. One time only did they use the bulging vein in my hand and it hurt so badly compared to any other location that my daughter actually took a felt-tip pen and wrote "NO IV" on top of both hands (in case I was drowsy or non-assertive). Dreading an IV insertion at every scan would be miserable! Whatever a "med-port" is, I'd insist on it!

A couple of weeks ago, I asked this group why so many had scopes along with scans since I hadn't had one since surgery 2 years ago. While in the hospital last week, I almost pouted that I don't get a scope like everybody else, so they relented and did one. My docs basically told me that it's entirely unnecessary unless there are obvious issues with my new anatomy. I think they only relented because they were testing everything possible while I was in there?

thanks for the replies everyone. I used to have a good vein on the right and now they use the left but its still not that good. they do make me make a fist Brenda and they told me about drinking water. I know i dont get enough water each day because as you all know if you eat you dont drink and if you drink you dont eat. OBVIOUSLY i would rather eat than drink considering i have been gaining weight like crazy. so maybe i will try and drink more. :) And no i dont get scoped either nancy. I have only had one since surgery. dont know why some do and some dont but i really hate to be put under so if i dont have to have one i would rather not. And i laughed out loud about the writing no IV on your hand. that is so something my sister would have done for me if it would have happend in the hospital. Thanks again everyone. Cindy

Hi Cindy. Not sure what to say about the veins. I have veins that seem to me would be easy for a blind man to hit all over my arms and wrists. Most of the time they hit them easily. Then occasionally someone can't seem to hit one without puncturing it, even after multiple tries and have to get someone else. My daughter is an ER tech at a major trauma hospital and is often called over to draw blood when others have trouble. She says that some people's veins are harder to get than others, and some techs just aren't very good at getting them. The techs who take my blood before chemo infusions never miss and I almost never even feel the prick.

Thanks for your input on scopes. I had no idea that we didn't all have them, Nancy, until you first mentioned you hadn't had any post-surgery. I was really surprised, but now that you say you don't have them either, Cindy, it does make me rethink them. However, I'll probably still have them since my docs recommend them and I don't mind having them. It just has me sit easier - them getting a look and biopsy. It'll be another year before I'm due for one, so I'll chat with them about it then.

It reminds me of my surgeons telling me after surgery I'd not need to take acid reflux meds anymore - that I wouldn't have the issue of heartburn. My gastro told me to try it for a month without them and I'd know if I needed to be on them and could start again. I didn't and still don't need them. Yet, I think many people after the surgery are told they need to be on them for life. I guess whatever works, is the key for each person :-) Many of us have different color hair, eyes, and most of us look different from each other, so why shouldn't this have many variations :-) But, I'm still glad we can learn from each other and share our experiences. Every little bit helps 100% :-)

This morning, my GI doctor told me that the one place EC does NOT recur is in our newly-constructed throat & stomach, so that's why he doesn't deem scopes necessary at all. As to acid reflux, I never had this happen in my whole life until after THE! With no shpincter (can't spell this!) between our throat and stomach, and no pylorus between our stomach and small intestines, there's just no way to guard against occasional dumping episodes. It's a steady drop into both organs when food is consumed. I also asked about why I can sleep fine on my right side but not my left. He said that's likely due to my stomach lying on top of my heart when I'm on my left side - that this might crowd the stomach a bit, thereby risking acid reflux. God, I've learned more in the last 2 weeks than the last 2 years!!

Cindy, Man, you went thru it. But a bad dress rehearsal often leads to a great first performance. Here's hoping. John