PICC v Tablets

Hi Deb

i am so glad you have brought this up, I went to see my consultant on Wednesday and said exactly the same thing, he has also offered me the tablets which I have agreed to do, I start a week on Monday, he has assured me they are just as affective, and will work the same and in a few years the treatment will come as standard. I am paranoid of needles and didn’t want the PICC line, so I am glad I have made this choice.

best wishes 

Macci x

Hi Debh1

These are big decisions to make, you have to feel as comfortable as you can.

You are fortunate that you have options, many hospitals don’t offer a choice.

Like you I was offered a picc line/pump or oral chemo for the duration of the radiotherapy. After researching and considering I opted for oral chemo and don’t have any regrets about this.

My main concern about the picc line was the procedure to get it in and the fact it would be evasive and restrictive. I was told that my picc line would need to be regularly flushed and I wouldn’t be able to get it wet. Showering/bathing would therefore be difficult and as I’d been spending a lot of time in the bath pre-treatment, this put me off. I also didn’t like the thought of the picc line being visible to my kids and other people. My treatment was through the summer so I knew it would be on show.

I opted for oral chemo and took 8 pills twice a day. All I had to remember was taking it roughly at the same times each day and on a full stomach. I didn’t find the side effects too bad. I had some nausea and my stomach was upset however, its hard to tell if this was due to the chemo, radiation or both. Side effects for both are similar.

The only down side was one day I forgot to take my tablets so had a massive panic attack and towards the end, I started to find the tablets hard to swallow and gag, more of a physiological thing.

There is sometimes a perception that oral chemo is not as strong but that’s totally wrong. The strength of the chemo doesn’t vary by how its administered.

I would think its very unlikely you’d need antibiotics during treatment, unless you got an infection which is very rare. Sometimes people need blood transfusions during treatment (it happened to me) so maybe a picc line might be better if that happened.

Hopefully someone who’s had a picc line will message you with their thoughts.

Hope this helps.

Sarah x

Hi Debh1

i am now 6 years post diagnosis and cured. Like you I was worried about managing a pic line at home and was offered the tablets. On day one I had Mitomycin via a cannula and took Capectabine twice daily Monday to Friday with weekends off so the dosage was taken only on the days I had radiotherapy. As the benefit of the tablets are cumulative the side effects were minimal. I took anti-emetics each day to offset any nausea and apart from that really did not have any adverse reactions. For me personally this was a better way to receive the chemo as I was also worried that receiving the chemo in weeks 1 and 4 via infusion meant I would get any adverse reactions immediately and maybe I would be made more unwell. 

Whatever method you decide suits you best will be the right one. Good luck as you begin your treatment and do keep in mind that this cancer is curable.  

Best wishes

Angelfeather

Hi Angelfeather

Thanks for that, I start the exact same treatment you were on a week on Monday, you have really convinced me I have made the right decision now. I am ready to beat this now, so I can get on with the rest of my life, are you completely back to normal now or have you got problems? You have done so well and made me feel a whole lot better.

best wishes Macci xx

Debh1

Good afternoon

I can only speak from my own experience.

i now have a port but during my first chemotherapy I had a picc line. I too dithered over whether to have it at the beginning as I thought it would be a constant reminder of the cancer.

i am glad that in the end I had it inserted. It wasn’t painful and you don’t have the worry each time of finding a vein. You are connected up and off you go. My friend made me a couple of sleeves just to cover the dressing out of some opaque thick tights. These kept it all neat and tidy. You have it flushed each week and that may be reassuring too as if you see someone you can ask questions to if you are worried about anything. You can get a voucher from the hospital for a limbo cover which is waterproof for showering etc. I slept well on my side where the line was with no problem.

As I said this is my own experience of the picc line.

best wishes I hope whatever you choose to do is successful.

Ninsy farmer 16

Hi Ninsy 

Did you find the Cheno via the PICC line gave you the same urgency for the loo that tablets do? 

I know the radio does it too but wondered how your experience with it compares to people on the tablets.

Cheers Ian

Hi

Fantastic to hear you are cured, I can only imagine how that feels after the long journey to get there.

Gives all the ones behind you hope.

Thanks!

You've done the right thing with the tablet opion Deb.

The PICC line would bother you I'm sure. It would be awkward and a constant reminder. Plus drivers have negative connotations. 

At least with tablets they are just that. Just like taking antibiotics or paracetamol.  Much less dramatic.

You're allowed to take indigestion remedies 2 hours afterwards if you want to but they arent that harsh tbh. I used to get a lot of reflux in the past but I dont often bother taking anything.

If you needed an IV of antibiotics due to a high temperature/infection its takes an hour or so to go through so it's not an emergency in that sense. You wont benefit from having a PICC line in. Your only saving a few minutes that wont matter.

Your fine  you've dine the right thing.

Cheers 

Ian

Hi Deb, 

I had my first dose of chemotherapy delivered via a cannula in my wrist on first day of treatment then 3 tablets twice a day on each day of radiotherapy thereafter. I took anti-sickness pills for the first 2 weeks & when I ran out I asked my oncologist for some more & he said he’d happily prescribe more but the oral chemotherapy tends not to cause much nausea it’s generally the infusion that does so I accepted the anti sickness pills but didn’t take them. I had no nausea or sickness throughout treatment at all. 

Nicola x

Hello Ian

Unfortunately I had already got a bowel complaint so I was badly affected by IV Taxol/Carboplatin treatment and again with Caelyx/ Carboplatin second time around. I do not regret having any of this treatment.

.However I survived it all and remain positive on the PARP inhibitor that I have been on for five weeks. One of the side effects is constipation and I am glad to say it has almost normalised my bowels!

Best wishes

NinsyFarmer16