I should go back and read it myself.
Posted by char (Member # 8315) on :
My daughter has a picc.
It is my impression that the port is a good option if you are going to be on IV abx for extended time.
I hear folks here say they love their port because they can shower easily and swim and just be more active without worrying with protecting the arm.
We aren't quite ready as I am still a little freaked out by the concept.
Then, again, we felt that way about the piccline and we are desensitized and have "made friends" with it.
Good Luck,
Char
Posted by AP (Member # 8430) on :
Thanks for the responses... Orals aren't an option right now, and either one will only be in for 4 months.
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
How about injections instead? Bicillin, Rocephin etc. can be injected.
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
Be carefull with a port. You will have to de-acess and re-access it repeatedly and the rubber membrane will be puncture repeatedly as a result. It will break down once it has too many holes in it.
The port is really ment for cancer chemotherapy where you access once every few weeks.
Still people do use them for daily and weekly access but you have to be aware of the issues.
I have a PICC and have had one for along time. If it goes bad it is easy to pull and put in a new one. Still if you take care of it it shold be able to last many many months. A PICC is a bit freakish but a port looks just as bad once it is all taped up. An on the good side, it you want that obnoxious goof to sit in a different seat as oppsed to beside you, just check out your PICC entry site to see how it looks (so they can see it), they will usually move out of your space pretty quick.
good luck.
Posted by arg82 (Member # 161) on :
I have a port-a-cath. I've had it since July 2004, it was originally put in for IV antibiotics and I opted for a port because a) the treatment was going to be pulsed (on 4 days, off 3 days) and b) the treatment was going to be at least 4 months. I have had the port since and really do love it. I've used it for IV abx as well as daily IV hydration that I've been doing since May for Dysautonomia.
I also wanted to say that, david, you usually don't access and de-access daily for each infusion. Or I guess I should only speak for my own experience and those who I have talked to about this. You access the port with a needle, put a dressing over it (the same dressing used for a PICC line) and leave the needle in for up to a week at a time. I do know that there are some people who probably do access and de-access for each infusion, but that's not the norm. Ports are routinely used for things like TPN and other daily IV needs so it's not a new thing to need it accessed all the time.
Just wanted to pipe in with all that. Hope it helps! Let me know if you have any questions I can try to answer.