I had to get my midline pulled yesterday and I am ****ed.
On Monday I started my IV rocephin via a midline that was inserted in my home by a nurse. The nurse was amazing and everything went really well. I had some pain and soreness from the insertion but it was nothing big and I just figured it would pass.
The line always flushed well for the 5 days it was in and I'm tolerating the meds great.
Yesterday (Day 5) I began having intense excruciating pain in my bicep area above the lines insertion point. I could not straighten out my arm and my entire upper arm was painful to the touch. It was also red and swollen 1cm above normal (when the nurse measured it) If I even graze it with a shirt, tears would automatically roll down my face. It is horrific pain.
I called the nursing company and they came to check on it. They called my LLMD and he said to get to the ER. I went to the ER and I had a normal white count and no clots (checked through sonogram) They called my LLMD again and he told them I should have the line out. I am not even going to begin to explain how crappy the hospital doctor was. Also, every IV they put in me in the hospital bed hurt like bloody hell. I was screaming in the ER because it hurt so much -- this is very unlike me as I am used to IVs and have a very high pain tolerance.
Today the nursing company came to put in a peripheral/heplock for the time being. They put it in the opposite arm from the former midline. They inserted it in the crook of my elbow. I could not move my arm even an inch. If I moved my arm from its straight position the IV would pinch my arm to the point of pain once again. I spent 6 hours with the heplock until I called the nursing company and they told me to take it out.
Now I have to call my LLMD tomorrow and ask him what the hell we are going to do now. I don't even know what my options are anymore. The nursing company said they can send a nurse to put in another heplock -- but the doctor needs to call it in.
I don't want to be one of those annoying patients.
I am in excruciating pain. I am so upset that I am taking another step backwards. It seems that nothing is working out the way it is supposed to. I don't understand why I am in so much pain from an IV.
I am so lost.
-Amanda
[ 04-12-2009, 11:59 PM: Message edited by: AmandaM ]
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
Amanda,
I am having a peripheral/heplock in tomorrow. I opted for this. I do not want another PICC line.
If you get a peripheral/heplock put in again, have them put it in a vien in your forearm. Do not have it put in a hand or the crook of your arm. Having it in the forearm will give you a lot more mobility. They can put it on the top veins of the forearm or even the underside.
Good luck and hope that your pain subsides. Feelfit
Posted by jt345 (Member # 19638) on :
Go Too the Hospital and insist on a groshon chest cath . Make sure it is cuffed.
I have had three of themm each one was in for 9 months ,and I never had a bit of trouble.
I don;t get it . All the wasted money on something the medical feild knows ,it has about a 50% chance of working properly. And allmost always gets infected at sometime.
Why won't they use their educated brains for a change. I am sick and tired of the shody work being done too save a buck. If they refuse get some grimy lawyer too file a suit and treaten to sue for malpractice. It is time we take off the gloves.and start using our fists
appleseed
Posted by btmb03 (Member # 18394) on :
Amanda, DON'T LOSE HOPE!! Please don't. It's all we've got sometimes. You've been so brave through this, it will work itself out. Sorry you're in so much pain too. Hang in there! Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Yes, please consider a port! YIKES! I'm so sorry you are in such terrible pain .. and the stress is enough to kill you, I'm sure!
Hang in there and ask your LLMD about a port.
Keep us posted!!
Posted by AmandaM (Member # 17466) on :
Thanks guys for all the kind words.
This is such a terribly hard time for me now.
The reason I got the midline was because a PICC or a PORT would *have* to be inserted in a hospital.
In order to do this I would have to hve *another* doctor that is in my insurance network to write the RX instead of my Lyme doctor who is out of network.
It's rather confusing.
:'(
I am also having such a stomach ache and headaches. Maybe from the meds.
At least I am still getting the meds via heplock.
We will see what happens tomorrow.
Posted by kim812 (Member # 17644) on :
that is what I had to do. Have another doctor order my PICC since my LLMD is in another state.
I went to the hosptial and had it done using x-ray (flouroscopy) and a doctor inserted the line. I had it for 8 months with NO problems or pain. They only pulled it cause I developed gallstones.
I had another put in last December the same way and it is a great line. No pain or problems.
Just a note the first line I had put in from an IV nurse I had to have pulled after 5 days from plebitis. It was put before my elbow and I couldn't even bend my arm. She just did it in a treatment room. I was in agony..
I know it is tough but if at all possible try and have it done in a hospital.
Posted by AmandaM (Member # 17466) on :
What is phlebitis? Someone else mentioned that to me. I wonder if that is what is going on.
My arm still hurts even though the line is out.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
try hot compresses to your arm in order to lessen the pain and bring down swelling.
Posted by AmandaM (Member # 17466) on :
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