blood tests

Hi ally,

I got a clot in my left arm after  my 4th EC chemo. I still had 12 paclitaxels and 5 zoledronic acid infusions to go, plus the blood tests which would be part and parcel of abemaciclib for 2 years.

i got a portacath 3years ago which was excellent for the paclitaxel infusions and as I was able to make my own appointments for the 6 monthly zoledronic acid ones by taking care with timing I was able to have some of

my blood tests taken from it the day before and sometimes these could be at the same time as the ones I needed for the abemaciclib every 12 weeks..

However I’m done with infusions and any medication that requires regular blood tests and have had the portacath out and have stopped taking a blood thinner. Occasional blood tests can be a problem now as my veins are all scarred in my left arm and a couple of times a vein in the back of my hand has been used..

Ribociclib is a long prescription and maybe you’ve got something like zoledronic acid infusions still to do as well..perhaps you might be able to make a case to have a portacath? That is, of course if you would feel that you would actually want one!

xx

thank you for your help its good to hear other peoples experiences,   yes I am on the ribociclib for 3 years  so will need blood tests monthly and depending on my liver and neturophil may be two weekly,   and zolodronic acid infusion six monthly,   

my nurse has just called with todays results and i mentioned  taking blood is becoming a problem,  she suggested drinking plenty before the test and to  have a warm arm,   which I had done this morning,  I can take allot of pain but it did hurt this morning going in twice and has left a nasty bruise.  

I am due my next  blood test in two weeks  so will make a point of asking the alternative,   

Thank you 

I have blood taken from my arm on the side where I had surgery. It was only a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, not a clearance, and I don’t have lymphodaema. I do this because my other shoulder has rotator cuff damage and I can’t manipulate my arm into a position where they can easily get blood out of the veins across the inside of the elbow. It’s not caused any problems. 

Hi Ally

I started off with a PICC line because that could be done quickly and be in for starting chemotherapy but I asked to be put on the waiting list (much longer) to drop it for a Port a cath which I had fitted 3 weeks ago ( ready for my 2nd of 12 weekly paclitaxel). My oncologist questioned why I would want to have one when it would only be for 11 or 12 weeks but I mentioned using it for my subsequent blood tests (required with ribociclib like you) and also for the zolendronic acid infusions. He said Oh no, we’ll take it out at the end of chemotherapy anyway because it’s still a foreign body and therefore an infection risk. 
I went ahead anyway because my PICC line was starting to give me problems (pain where it enters the arm) and the consultant who put it in said they’re the best thing and some people keep them in for years and you only need them flushing every 3 months my chemotherapy nurse said today when they’re not being used. So I’m going to argue to keep it at the end of my chemotherapy as although I don’t have vein damage yet I can only use one arm too (the arm I had a sentinel node biopsy in as I had a full axillary node clearance in my other arm) and it’s uncomfortable when they always use the same veins. I think nurses/consultants who dismiss your concerns obviously haven’t gone through this themselves or they would show more compassion!

Ask to go on the waiting list as a priority patient for a Port a cath. Hopefully you will get to the top of the list more quickly (I wasn’t priority because I already had a PICC line). They’re fitted by the Interventional Radiology department in a theatre so are classed as a minor surgical procedure (hence the longer wait time compared with PICC lines)

Good luck