posted
Hi all! I'm just starting my IV rocephin today (I got a picc line this morning). I went to the clinic and they started my first infusion with a pump. But they say that I have to wear it 24/7, and that I have to come in every day to have them do the infusions! They say I can't do it myself.
Has anyone else had this experience? I had read a bit about picc lines before today and I thought that most people could do the infusions on their own, and that they didn't have to be attached to the pump all the time.
This method is really inconvenient... I can't even imagine how I'm going to get dressed and undressed, let alone shower with the pump attached.
Anyone done this before? Any tips? Or is this really weird?
Posts: 24 | From Toronto, ON | Registered: Jan 2012
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Strange they wouldn't train you how to connect the infusion and disconnect for showering... I'd ask your doctor about this.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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Sammi
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Member # 110
posted
I agree about asking your doctor, you should be able to do this at home.
When I first got diagnosed, I also had 24 hour IV antibiotics via a pump. This was done at home and a nurse came once a week to change the dressing. I believe it is more economical this way also.
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
That newscaster in San Diego got well that way. Remember? Brooke Landau.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
But how the heck could you do ONE antibiotic for 24 hours a day? That is more like when you are doing many antibiotics and therefore you are doing them for many hours.
Even so, that isn't for 24 hours a day!
I agree with Lymetoo. It sounds like they are trying to make more money off of you. Bad news.
The only other reason to have them want you to come in every day is either for insurance purposes (such as with Medicare in the states and IV), or if they are afraid to let
you do it on your own at home. But that is ridiculous, unless they just aren't used to it, and are afraid of liability.
Talk to them. It is just not feasible to stay attached to the pump 24/7. It doesn't sound like you would be dying otherwise!
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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poppy
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posted
This is in Canada, so we don't know what the rules are or who is covering the cost of this. If it is private and patient paid, then someone could teach how to do it, I would have thought.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
I don't remember exactly, but I would have had to remove the pump and cover the PICC with a waterproof shield to shower.
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Oh, I'm not actually infusing for the 24 hours, which is why this feels really silly. I infuse for 1.5 hours in the morning, and then 1.5 hours in the night. But the pump is timed to do it automatically, so this morning I woke up to the sounds of it starting my dose!
I have to go in every day so they can put a new bag of rocephin on the pump.
Then the rest of the time it's doing nothing but I still have to carry it around everywhere. The nurse told me to definitely not remove it even when it's not infusing.
Yeah, I am actually in Canada, and this is being provided by public health insurance right now, so they're not doing it for the money. I think they're just really worried about me getting an infection if I do it at home.
Posts: 24 | From Toronto, ON | Registered: Jan 2012
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
I see. Well, this is outside my experience.
Brilliant that public health is covering the cost.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
When my Dad was on chemo drugs, he had to wear a pump all the time 3 days at a time and he had a little pack he could wear around his waist.
Nice to have Rocephin covered but perhaps not best use of medical resources.
You will need to ask the facility or doctor how you can take a shower.
I'm infusing right now but connect to a pump 40' twice a day. I wouldn't want to be lugging the pump around the other 22 hours a day.
Posts: 120 | From MA | Registered: May 2010
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posted
I did my own Rocephin infusions, but I used a gravity drip, not a pump. Hung a bag, ran it for half an hour, disconnected it and went on about my day.
I had to have a nurse come out once a week to change the dressing, but everything else I did myself.
Posts: 306 | From Brownsville, PA | Registered: Jul 2007
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