posted
I have a power picc. I had my first one placed in August and 5 days later, it was pulled because of a blood clot in the vein. I had another placed right away and have not had a clot, but was put on a blood thinner.
Not sure if you mean clotting in the vein or clotting in the tubing itself. I think the power picc is supposed to be better as far as clotting in the tubing is concerned.
Posts: 618 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
I had clots from a PICC too, but found out I had a blood clotting disorder. I had a POWER PICC though; it said it on the purple part of it.
I am now getting a Medi Port. I am on Coumadin now, and the hematologist said it goes in a much larger artery so there is less chance of blockage/clotting. There is still a risk, though; so I'm praying it won't clot.
This is completely different from a PICC though. It is surgically implanted under the skin in your chest. There is no dressing to change, it only gets accessed when you infuse. My son is also getting one. He is getting one however because he is so severely allergic to any type of dressing he cannot tolerate a PICC line because his skin burns, and he picks at the dressings. It completely breaks down his skin.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Tracy, How did you know you were clotting with the power picc? I had really bad chest pain when they discovered the first clot. I continue to have chest pain...off and on...and am always paranoid it is another clot. Did you have pain?
I'm also on coumadin, but my INR is not where it should be (1.10), so I need to up it again. So I could potentially be clotting again.
Posts: 618 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
Thanks, guys!
I'll be on prophylactic coumadin this time around, too.
(I didn't get clots in the PICC itself, but in my subclavian and basillic veins. Pretty lost my basillic in one of my arms, so I hope the other tolerates it OK!)
-------------------- (The ole disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.) Posts: 1349 | From VA | Registered: Jul 2006
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
Tracy,
I thought that you DO have a dressing over the port when it is accessed. And if you are infusing every day, it would be accessed almost all the time. It's usually only accessed once a week for Lyme, and then you leave it accessed until the next dressing change.
Rumigirl
Posts: 3778 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
My PICC line blocked the second time. The first time, my arm swelled up, it was in horrible pain, red and hot to touch.
Rumigirl, it is covered when accessed. But for my son, it will be accessed each and every time he infuses. It is the only way he can do IV. So yes, he'll be poked regularly.
I'm going to see if DR. W wants to put me back on IV since I'll have this port. Did the one they talked to you about look like a round lump under your skin? I think there are different kinds but this will be a Medi port.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
For now, mine will only be accessed for IVIG.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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