posted
My doc's office was not too much help on this. Just told me to go to a hospital. Do I just walk into the hospital with the prescription? Shouldn't I have an appointment first? Aren't some radiology centers able to insert them?
I just googled "picc line insertion centers" and didn't get anything useful.
I will call the home health company on Monday, but was hoping to get it figured out before then.
Thanks so much for any help!! V
Posts: 453 | From TX | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
I had mine done at a radiology center. Not sure if a doc without admitting privileges will have his Rx for PICC accepted at a hospital, but what do I know.
Some nurses insert these, so maybe the home health people will be able to help. If you have easily accessed veins, maybe this will work. I personally was more comfortable having it done at a radiology center because my veins are very hard to find.
Maybe others will come along with info.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
My PCP has always set up my PICC line procedures at the hospital.
you could call your local hospital and ask to speak to someone in radiology. They could then tell you what is required. Or set up an appt. for you.
some home health nurses will insert the line at home, but i would not suggest getting your PICC line at home.
the best way to have it placed is by a radiologist. Also, make sure they place it in the inner bicep area, not the crook of your arm.
I've had them in both places and the crook of the arm was very uncomfortable.
Hope this helps, feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
How do you get this IV if you don't test positive for lyme?
My Doc sent me to an IV "therapist"(?) when I asked him for it but her office was very wary of helping and I have not heard back from them.....
All he can say is I have chronic pain as his Diagnosis but be did put me on Dox till I get some help...
Posts: 120 | From Evansville Indiana | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
You should only be able to go to the hospital where your doctor has treating privlidges. Usually there is a picc nurse who just installs piccs all day long. You usually have to mkae an apointment. The best best thing to do is just mkae your doctors office set it all up for you.
Posts: 56 | From California | Registered: Mar 2010
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- A smaller radiology center would likely be more low key than a hospital setting. If you have insurance, be sure your insurance covers the place. If not, see if you can negotiate a price if you pay in cash or with a certain payment arrangement.
[my impression is that] In Texas, you have to be more careful as it's one of many anti-lyme states and some doctors have lost their licenses for treating lyme.
Ask at your local lyme support group.
Also, try to avoid even mentioning lyme. If asked why, pretend you are not quite sure, "oh, I forget, exactly how to pronounce it" - if pushed, say "borrelia" not "lyme" - or you may have other tick-borne infections, too. Go with those if you must say.
But try to keep as quiet about this as possible. Share no detail unless absolutely necessary.
Find your area Lyme Support Groups -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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kam
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 3410
posted
My first one was done at a primary doctor's office by a nurse that the home nurse suggested.
That one was pulled out when a home nurse in training changed the bandages.
So the home nurse who had watched the first nurse do it...tried and did something wrong...lots of pain and refused to accept that she did something wrong but finally took it out.
Went down south and asked several hospitals about putting in a PIC line. Southern CA hospitals.
Finally found one that did PIC lines. Big difference. Much better equipment. That is all the person did each day so she knew what she was doing.
Had a pic line put in again a few months/years later. The local hospital did it. I think I just asked at the desk.
Doc at this hospital did a wonderful job and had better equipment to so he could see exactly were the pic line was.
The other hospital I went to the emergency room. They did the treatment until the person who does the pic lines had time to put one in.
Bottom line...I would just go to the front desk at the hospital or call first to see if they even do them and if so making the appointment.
Can't recall how many hospitals a friend called for me before we found one in Southern Ca that did them. Amazing.
I lived in Central Ca at the time and had to travel down south to get the PIC put in.
Posts: 15927 | From Became too sick to work or do household chores in 2001. | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
Thanks for all of the input everyone. Yes, I found (after getting laughed at by several radiology centers) that I can't just take a prescription paper for an IV into a hospital. Wish my Dr knew this ahead of time. He has to fax in an order to the hospital. I left him a message... hope he will understand; he is obviously not used to ordering them. Hope I won't get him in trouble for asking him to do this for me :/ I'm not sure if he has "admitting privileges" anywhere, since I'm sure he rarely sends patients to the hospital.
The home health co knows I have lyme... guess he had to put that on something he sent to them. But I won't say anything to the people putting in the picc line. Hopefully they won't ask.
Posts: 453 | From TX | Registered: Aug 2008
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