1. My skin is very irritated around the picc, but wasn't until now. It itches like crazy all of a sudden. Ideas to fix it? I am making progress and don't want to lose the picc.
2. Can I start gentle exercise again or do I have to baby my picc arm as long as I have it?
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96237 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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blinkie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14470
posted
You don't need to lose your PICC. I had many, many itchy rashes. One that was from my shoulder to my elbow. You may be allergic to the biopatch and chloraprep if those are being used. Eliminate those first. They can do the cleaning with betadine and alchohol.
Then, address yeast and cut sugar out of your diet. I cleared up my rashes often with diflucan or heavy probiotics.
Talk to your PICC nurses about this. There is no reason to lose the line over this. I've had a PICC for two years...I've seen it and been through it all...trust me.
Posts: 1104 | From N.California | Registered: Jan 2008
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
No lifting more than 5lbs. with the PICC arm.
No repetitive motion with the PICC arm (elbow/shoulder movements, especially).
No lying on side with the PICC arm (e.g., if the PICC is in your left arm, do not lie down on your left side).
Within the first 4-6 weeks after PICC placement, one should be careful with the PICC arm.
Swelling, warmth, redness, or rashes around the PICC site should be reported to the PICC dressing change nurse and your doctor.
Rashes may be allergic, infectious, or from pressure. I had pressure rashes constantly with my PICC - dry, scaley itchy skin wherever the PICC hardware and spandage touched my skin.
Be sure you discuss the rash with both your dressing change nurse and your doctor.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4167 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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kidsgotlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23691
posted
agree with the cloraprep allergy. My daughter had severe itching and blisters with it. Also, make sure the little disc they use doesn't have cloraprep on it.
-------------------- symptoms since 1993 that I can remember. 9/2018 diagnosed with Borellia, Babesia Duncani, and Bartonella Hensalae thru DNA Connections. Posts: 1470 | From Tennessee | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
Oh goodness, thank you all so much for your responses! I was very careful the first few weeks and admit, I've gotten a little careless, playing catch with my son, doing dishes... the points you raise make sense.
I will definitely be more careful especially as I start to exercise and will ask about the chloraprep because that sounds on the money... my rash is blistery but dry, if that makes any sense, lol. The nurse didn't say I was in trouble of losing it, just want to make sure I don't do anything to where that could happen. Thanks again for the responses!
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Do a search on PICC rashes and dressings, there have been many many many postings on this same topic. They would be helpful for you to reference.
Don't automatically assume that your rash is a chloraprep allergy. This is THE best skin antiseptic.
Biopatches are proven to help prevent sepsis. Do you have a rash directly under the Biopatch? If not, then keep using it!!!
Make sure that your nurse is giving the chloraprep adequate time to dry before putting on the dressing. If she doesn't, it will cause an itchy blistery rash.
I would highly recommend using a skin prep wipe like "Cavilon No Sting Barrier Film" to help protect your skin from adhesive stripping and excessive drying from repeated dressing changes. You apply this after cleaning with the chloraprep and before applying the dressing. (Don't use it where you will put the Biopatch)
If these things don't help with the rash, you may need to change to a different type of dressing. IV3000 or Sorbaview seem to be more hypoallergenic.
Yeast and fungal skin infections can also occur under the occlusive clear dressings. They are extremely itchy. You would need an RX antifungal med to clear this type of rash.
So rashes are not always an easy thing to figure out. First I would make sure that the chloraprep is allowed to dry. Then try a new dressing if needed. Go from there...
Good luck!
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
Thanks sammy! My nurse comes tomorrow so I will ask for more drying time. I don't think there's a rash under the biopatch, but yes under the clear dressing. I appreciate all the info!
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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