Hi, I'm worried that I may have damaged my PICC line. It was caught on a cabinet door, and was pulled. I felt it pull in my body also. I think I may have pulled it out a bit. Any one know if this is OK? Can the PICC line be pulled out a bit? Like a 1/16 of an inch I;d guess..??
Posted by Cobweb (Member # 10053) on :
Not a quick response-but I'd say a small fraction of an inch would be okay-considering how long they are .
My picc is stitched in place-so the site would realy hurt if mine got caught.
Anyway- any doubts or ????-always call your infusion nurse. This sounds like a good reason to call them.
I always wear a sock cuff too.
Take Care, Carol
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Yikes*)! Sounds uncomfortable*)!!
Call your doc, yes it can happen, yes it does happen, usually no big deal at all unless a lot pulls out sometimes they pull the line, but any comps with IV always call your doc!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
I hope you've already called your doc's office about this, but just to make you feel better...
I accidentally pulled my line out a tiny bit, too. The home nurse looked at it and felt that anything under a quarter of an inch (if I remember right) was ok.
But since you felt it in your body, I would definitely speak to your doc!
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
I got my picc caught once.
My nurse examined it and said that it is ok if it pulls out a little, but do not try to push it back in. This can cause a severe infection.
Posted by davidx (Member # 8326) on :
I think there's no downside to having someone look at it just in case. It's probably fine but why take any chances?
-David
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
It depends on what abx you are taking. Some are caustic to the vein and you need to have the drug release in the heart, The one that I know is a problem is doxycycline, in which case you better talk to the Dr before infusing. If you taking rochephine is OK even for a very short line, in which case you are OK even if the line is almost totally out.
How to prevent the same thing happening.
Get some tape and make the PICC line do a U-turn a couple of inches below the entery point.Tape it like that, preferably so that the cap is above the entry point. Then attach the iv set to the cap and then do a U turn on the IV set line, again tape it. The IV line will then be comming out facing towards your hand.
With that arrangement you can sleep with the line attached and even hold the pump off the ground without it even pulling on the PICC line...
I learned this after quite a while on veraious IV meds.
WHAT EVER YOU DO DON"T PUSH IT BACK IN.
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
Good advice from all.
In particular, DON'T push it back in, ever.
I was impressed looking at the xray when mine was placed how unbelievably ON my heart it was.
I second the U-turns. I had a couple U-turns featured into my bandaging. Once I was infusing (I had a little portable pump that dispensed the meds into the line) and forgot I was hooked up. I yanked the machine off the kitchen counter by stupidly just walking away from it. The U-turns prevented any mishap. Indeed, for a scary moment the pump was dangling in mid-air, bouncing from my arm by the plastic tubing.
I took this as a sign I really needed my coffee before infusing!!!
Michelle
Posted by Cobweb (Member # 10053) on :
quote:Originally posted by Michelle M: Good advice from all.
In particular, DON'T push it back in, ever.
I was impressed looking at the xray when mine was placed how unbelievably ON my heart it was.
I second the U-turns. I had a couple U-turns featured into my bandaging. Once I was infusing (I had a little portable pump that dispensed the meds into the line) and forgot I was hooked up. I yanked the machine off the kitchen counter by stupidly just walking away from it. The U-turns prevented any mishap. Indeed, for a scary moment the pump was dangling in mid-air, bouncing from my arm by the plastic tubing.
I took this as a sign I really needed my coffee before infusing!!!
Michelle
OMG I'm going to go back and study those U turns. Couldn't follow it the first read thru.
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