For those of you with PICC lines what do you do for covering the PICC and lines etc.?? I have 2 lines coming off my PICC so I have a lot to keep bundled up. With the warmer weather coming I am hoping for an option besides the lovely mesh bandaging.
I placed an order from the ETSY seller for Lyme covers but they weren't long enough for me and my lines wouldn't stay put, any other idea's or options out there that you have found to work?
Posted by missy (Member # 694) on :
I used socks of all different lengths, styles, weights, etc. I just cut off the the foot part.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
I don't like the mesh covers either, they make me itch.
I've been using "Tubifast" by Molnycke. It is a super soft, breathable, stretchy tubular bandage. It comes in a big roll so you can cut it as long as you want. It works great to keep the PICC line covered and the tubing tucked up.
I've tried lots of products and this is by far my favorite. Most things were too thick and not breathable, or too itchy, or got too stretched out and fell down.
It comes in a couple different sizes. I've been using the "Blue line" that's supposed to be for large limbs. My arm measures approx 29cm, if you're arm is a whole lot smaller then you may want to go down a size.
Thank you, I ordered the Tubifast and hope it will be much better than the mesh!
I will have to try the socks too, but are you able to keep your lines from falling out of the bottom?
Posted by jmb (Member # 18338) on :
I have been wearing, for the two days since I got a PICC installed, a Defeet wool arm warmer. It has been cold here in Baltimore. But I plan to switch over to a lighter Pearl Izumi sun skin when it warms up.
These are both bicycling specific products but are made to slide over arms, so they are right-sized and have a little bend even.
Do the shower covers work? the 35 dollar ones?
Posted by APMOM (Member # 28786) on :
Thanks for the idea's jmb, are they tight on the arm, or do they allow decent movement without compression?
I have the shower cover and they do work (I find it pretty uncomfortable, not sure how people swim with them?). I use Glad press and seal for most of my showers, but add the shower cover over the press and seal for when I need to wash my hair and know my arm is really going to get soaked.
One thing that I like to do with the press and seal is to wear two mesh coverings before the press and seal that way when I take off the press and seal it isn't really pulling on my picc as much and I can just slide it off with the top mesh cover if needed. I also use the waterproof tape to secure the ends just as extra protection to keep the water out.
Posted by penguingirl (Member # 28688) on :
Sammy - curious about the Tubifast bandage. I have pretty small arms/biceps (like 9 inch) so I would think I can just order the small size. Do you have to wrap it around many times to get adequate coverage? And how does it stay put - is it sticky on one side? Will it pull on the picc line when you unwrap it and can it be reused?
Sorry for so many questions. I just had a PICC procedure on Tuesday and arm is still very sore/painful but getting better. I am dreading taking a shower - the DryCorp thing looks so uncomfortable and they of course did it to my right arm and since my left vein was too small - but can't figure out how I will manage to squeeze on a cover with my left hand since I'm right handed.
It is getting super itchy under the tape now - I can't wait to get the dressing changed. It feels like I have a cast on! I just need a cover that is soft and stays put but is long enough to cover it all.
Posted by Roger1700 (Member # 29719) on :
I have a double with two extensions...
I use a sock(about 8 inches or so) and fold the extensions in it over and over till it looks like a sweatband on my forearm..
put sock on forearm, start folding sock and extensions from wrist on up... works better if it's flat, not round...
works pretty well so far...
Posted by Roger1700 (Member # 29719) on :
I developed a rash under my covering after about 4 weeks.... only where the adhesive is... looks and feels like poison ivy..
they have changed to a hypoallergenic covering so I'll see if that helps...
Could it be the adhesive? Or maybe the alcohol prep solution?
Posted by scorpiogirl (Member # 31907) on :
I'm allergic to everything... already got blisters on day 6. So right now I'm airing it out and using gauze.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
Roger, try a more breathable hypoallergenic dressing like the Opsite IV300 or Primapore. Hopefully that will help.
The sock cover may be too warm to wear all the time in the summer, you may consider switching to a stretchy mesh cover. You can find them at CVS, Walgreens and such.
I've also found that I need to change my dressing more often, every 4 days to prevent moisture from building up and breaking down my skin. I have night sweats from Babesia and the heat and humidity of summer makes things worse.
Take care.
Posted by Roger1700 (Member # 29719) on :
Thanks Sammy, I will look into that..
I still have a nurse coming out to the house, not sure what dressing she put on, said it was what they use for babies..
hmmmm, maybe she was saying something... ~
Posted by scorpiogirl (Member # 31907) on :
Sammy for some reasons, the hypoallergenic stuff gives me blisters!! We tried the Opsite and w/in 3 hours my arm is a mess. We also tried the Smith & Nephew IV3000 same thing. So when the Dr. put on gauze and hypoallergenic tape we thought that would do the trick but NO I got a hives on top of the blisters around the border like a frame! I am waiting for the Mepiplex dressing... and if that doesn't work then gauze and Tubifast Bandage will be my last resort.
Thanks for your help!
Posted by lindaca (Member # 23871) on :
Most of the hypoallergenic bandages are plastic-based (that clear saran wrap like stuff), so it could be the plastic as well as the adhesive that are causing issues.
I've used Primapore for over a year without any rashes at all. It's cloth-like with a built-in gauze pad. The Tegaderm gives me a rash within minutes of use. We even ended up having to paper tape over my hospital wristband because I was getting huge rashes from the plastic.
If you're sensitive to plastics in general, then the Primapore may be worth a try.
On covers, I use a cut-off tube sock and tuck everything underneath it, then put one of the Etsy covers over that when I go out. I replace the tube sock every week or so when it gets stretched out.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
sending you a PM scorpiogirl.
Roger, I hope that new dressing works well for you. I just gave you the names of some others just incase you have to ask for something different.
If it's good for babies it should work for us big people, right! Posted by penguingirl (Member # 28688) on :
sammy - can you PM me more about the tubifast? I wrote a blurb above. I am on day 3 of PICC.. so far so good, crossing fingers for no rash, etc.
Posted by sleeping dog (Member # 27267) on :
i had a terrible itchy burning rash from the cover adhesive as well. my nurse tried many different bandages and tapes. i also started to use the primapore and it cleared up in two days. the only problem i have is that my skin has a strange texture from lyme and the primapore comes off. i have to keep extras on hand and put a new one on every few days. the person who overseas the visiting nurses freaked out when i asked for extra bandages and told me that i cannot change my own bandage. i told her they just fall off (which they do) and i have to be prepared to recover them. the nurse vouched for me and all is wonderful with the primapore! good luck.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
Sorry penguingirl, I just saw your question above.
"Tubifast" is a super soft, breathable, tubular stretch bandage. I use it to cover my PICC dressing and help hold my extension tubing up (so it doesn't dangle down my arm). It comes on a roll that you can cut to size. It looks much neater than a cut off tube sock. It is also thinner, softer an more comfortable than a sock.
You just cut a piece off the roll, slide it up your arm over the PICC dressing, and tuck your tubing under. It stays in place, no tape necessary. You can reuse one piece for several days. Mine start getting stretched out after about 5 days use. You might be able to wash and reuse but I haven't tried that. The roll has lasted me a couple months.
You said your arm is about 9", the biggest part of my forearm is about 9" then it gets smaller. I wore a piece off tubifast on my forearm today to see if it would stay up on it's own. It seemed to fit fine so the blue line 2.9" size should work for you too. The smaller size might be OK but it might be too tight and roll down your arm. So I would try the blue line 2.9" size first.
Let me know if you need any more help. OK?
Posted by penguingirl (Member # 28688) on :
Thanks Sammy! I just ordered Tubifast now in 2.9" size.
Right now I think I am having issues with the end of the catheter (the part that the tubing is connected to) digging into my bicept and irritating my skin. Even if I put a loose mesh over it so it's not pressing too tightly, I get some irritation. It's not a big deal but an itchy annoyance. Also I see a little rash (very small) right where the tube is coming out of the dressing tape so I suspect that is irritated because it prob rubs against my skin side to side. Grrr.
I don't think I'm allergic to the tape or statlock or any of those.. I think my skin just does not like the hard tube! The extension tubing is just fine. I am paranoid though that the blue clamp is going to puncture something (like the tape) as it is pressing against my arm while I have a cover on.
I am prob just overly paranoid. I just don't want anything to go wrong while I am sleeping or can't see how the tubing is squished up under the cover. I ordered a tape from that allegromedical site so I can tape downe the tubing the way I want it so it stays put before I put any cover above it.
It freaks me out a bit about the blue clamp that I will accidentally cut off the tube in half as I try to close the clamp once I'm done infusing. Because when I open it, I see a pretty deep mark from the clamp on it. The nurse said it's fine though.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
penguingirl, you could try putting a piece of cloth tape or a gauze 2x2 under the tube/cap area where your skin is getting irritated. I have the same problem. My skin does not like the plastic of the PICC line.
And don't worry about the clamp cutting your PICC line. It is made to be used over and over. Both the clamp and tubing are durable.
Posted by racer (Member # 30438) on :
Anyone with a rash under the tegaderm, should consider the possibility of a Chloraprep allergy (the skin cleaner). The Biopatch also has chloraprep in it.
You can do a little test with a small piece of tegaderm, or other bandage somewhere else on your body, to see if you will react (if you are not too miserable at that point).
We have to use Betadine to clean our PICC line insertion sites. I am trying out a new antimicrobial foam disk called Silverlon Lifesavers dressing. The jury is out on that one. Kiddo just puts a piece of gauze over his picc, before covering with the tegaderm.
We went through months of H*ll trying to figure all this out!
Hey Sammy - I got my tubifast cover today! Thanks for the recommendation, it is great so far! Wearing it now - it is sooo much lighter and comfy than what I had from the hospital and infusion pharmacy.
The gauze does help too.
Now if I can just get that darn blue clamp on the extension tube to lay flat on my arm instead of jutting out that would be nice!
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