Re: 2nd Orencia treatment a bust --- no treatment, problems with veins

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I am a nurse, and I can tell you this: I have not had one placed, but I have taken care of dozens of pts who have. They will be sore for awhile and tender while it heals. You will have a needle stick thru your skin into the port when it needs to accessed. that is it. ONE STICK. NO digging, gouging, hunting for veins, Minimal bruising if any, and just a brief stick of pain. If i ever needed one, i would RUN to get one!!!! just my opinion!!

Dianna

----- Original Message -----From: "kathy_d87" Rheumatoid Arthritis Subject: 2nd Orencia treatment a bust --- no treatment, problems with veinsDate: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:56:08 -0000

Good Morning all -Well, my second Orencia treatment was a bust, the nurse couldn't give it to me because he couldn't get my veins to stay still to start the IV line. He stuck me 7 times and left 2 large bruises. I've always had bad veins. He says me can stick them with the needle but when tries to run the IV line, my veins close off and when pulls the needle back out blood goes everywhere. After the 3rd stick, I knew he wasn't going to be able to get my veins to work. It's weird my body just shuts down when any technician or nurse tries to put a needle in my veins. I've been this ways since I was a little girl.Anyway, I'm rescheduled for next Friday, which has thrown all my treatments off by a week. The nurse told me to drink plenty of water, especially Thursday before my Friday appointment. The only problem with that is my cardiologist has limited my water intake and has me on diaretics because I retain fluid especially around my heart and in my lungs. So I'm in a catch 22.Years ago when my rheumatologist first talked about starting me on IV drugs, he mentioned putting a port in my arm or neck so the nurses wouldn't have to fight with my veins. Has anyone had one before? Is it painful, what are the side effects or cons of having one? A friend of my had one while on chemotherapy and she said it was lifesaver.Thanks,K

dianna