APL and arsenic

miss_mj
miss_mj Member Posts: 2
in Leukemia #1
Hi, I was recently diagnosed with APL on April 17th. I completed induction in the hospital (Idarubicin and ATRA) and started arsenic last week. I still have 8.5 more weeks to go and the nurses are having a hard time finding a line due to small veins. It takes the nurses a few tries and poking around to finally find a line and when they do, we try to keep it for 5 days. I am considering getting a port since I do have two more cycles of idarubicin after arsenic. Did anyone use a port for arsenic? I would love to hear about your experiences with it and how it was administered. Thank you!

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  • Leukemiagoaway
    Leukemiagoaway Member Posts: 6
    #2
    PORT
    While I was in the hospital we used every vein possible, then had surgery for a Groshong CV catheter. When it became infected it was removed and we used a picc. In the weeks that followed I was able to under go out patient surgery for a Power Picc or port that is under the skin in my left chest area. I am so glad we made that choice.
    All of the chemo that was administered in the consolidation courses went to the port and now that I have weekly blood work we always use the port. My arms, wrist and legs are thankfull.
    You say that you have two more cycles of idarubicin, but the reality is that you have years of blood work and other treatments. Get a port and the Emla cream, you and the nurses will be better off. The Emla cream makes the poke of the needle painless. You put it on half hour befor accessing the port and it is painless.

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