how long do you have to have it hooked up to your arm? Is it all day or just an hour or 2 or whatnot?
Posted by CatCCC (Member # 14262) on :
Hi Trish,
I am on IV Clindamycin, 900mg every 12 hours, over a period of one hour each time, as well as several oral meds.
I have also taken IV Claforan every 8 hours and IV Zithromax every 24 hours. The frequency of the dose is specific to your condition and the medication.
When I had to take medication every 8 hours, I was offered a programmable pump that I would be attached to all day, which I turned down in favor of "home pumps"-- little balls that you can stick in your pocket for about an hour while you infuse so your life remains (basically) business as usual.
Eventually, I switched to gravity bags (the kind that hang on a pole) with dial-a-flow tubing, which gives you more control over how quickly you infuse-- if you are feeling sick, you can slow it down. It's also cheaper than the little balls, though the balls always took exactly one hour for me and the bags average 1.5 hours.
It sounds like you are worried about the possibility of being stuck on an IV pole all the time. Unless you need constant fluids, that's pretty unlikely, and even if they offer you the 24 hour programmable fanny pack, you can ask for "home pumps" instead.
I've been on an IV (PICC line) for five months now. I do have an IV pole, but I usually just hang my gravity bags on 3M Command hooks I have placed around the house. It is kind of surprising how little the IV has disrupted my routine-- Lyme has been a MUCH greater disruption than my PICC meds.
PM me if you have more questions or if I wasn't clear in my explanations about possible different IV treatment options. Basically, it's unique to every case, but I suspect it won't be as bad as what you might be envisioning.
Best of luck to you!
Posted by JRachel11 (Member # 12891) on :
Hi,
I have a PICC Line, and I am hooked up to various IV's all day. I have stomach paralysis and cannot eat or drink, so I am hooked 24/7 to TPN (IV Nutrtion) and IV Hydration. I also have IV Seizure medications, Nausea meds, Pain meds...and IV antibiotics for Lyme (Those are administered every 12 hours).
Most Lyme patients only are hooked up to their IV once or twice a day at most. My case is just severe.
It depends on which drug you will be using, and which dose of the drug too.
If you are using (for example) 2g of Ceftriaxone/Rocephin you would only have to hook up one time, usually around the same time every day is what most people try to do, and what most LLMDs reccommend. If you are on 4g of Ceftriaxone/Rocephin you would hook up twice a day (Every 12 hours)...once in the AM, once in the PM.
If you use other drugs, IV Zithromax, Claforan, Doxycycline, Vancomycin etc...etc...The timing changes a bit with each one, and with the dose.
It's a little scary and confusing at first---but you'll get the hang of it! Will you be having home nursing care?
Posted by ladycakes (Member # 12619) on :
Has anyone here done IV meds and continued working?
At my last doctor visit, my LLMD mentioned that we may have to go to IV soon. I'm improving, but it's barely noticeable it's so slow.
If I do end up switching, I'd like to continue working. Although, I'm just barely keeping up with work now. Is it realistic to think I'll be able to work and do IV?
Posted by kman543210 (Member # 14009) on :
quote:Originally posted by ladycakes: Has anyone here done IV meds and continued working?
Yes, I was on 3 different IV antibiotics and continued working full time. I was on IV Primaxin, azithromycin, and Flagyl. I was supposed to try and do the Primaxin and azithromycin as far apart as possible, so I would do the azithromycin as soon as I got home around 6:00 p.m., the Flagyl around 9:00 p.m., and the Primaxin around 11:00 p.m. If I were an early riser, I could have done the azithromycin in the morning, but I just never could do that.
I usually dripped each IV bag over an hour just using gravity.
Posted by chicago_bird (Member # 9301) on :
You go, kman! I'm so glad to hear it.
Ladycakes, I had the same question but I hadn't gotten around to asking it.
I may be looking at IV abx as the next step, and I didn't know if it was possible to do it and keep working full time.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)