My doctor recommended that I get IV at home. The issue is he is seeing more and more Lyme patients getting their pics line infected. He now doesn't want to put in pic lines. If you had a pic line did it get infected? The infusion company will only supply the IV if the patient has a pic line. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get around this issue?
Posts: 71 | From NYC | Registered: Oct 2015
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
So if he wants you to get IV, but no picc line, how would it be done? I am confused here.
These lines can get infected, but it all depends on how they are maintained. Will your insurance pay for home health to change the dressing and extension or would you be doing it yourself? If no home health nurse, then you will need some help from a reliable friend of family member because this is hard to do one handed. And it would be best if this was first demonstrated to you by a nurse to train you and your helper.
Or is the infusion company going to be involved in line maintenance too?
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
The infusion company will send a nurse once a week for maintenance. They said they only want a pic line in the patients or they can't supply the IV treatment. My dr doesn't want a pic line put in. He wants a IV line that you can put in and out every few days to prevent infection.
Its a catch 22 and I want the IV already.
Posts: 71 | From NYC | Registered: Oct 2015
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Simple. You won't get infection if the PICC line is cared for properly. True**STERILE** technique used for dressing changes, mixing meds, changing extensions and caps...
Having a good nurse to teach you how to care for your PICC and dressing. Essential.
Example: keeping dressing clean dry and intact at all times. Protecting lines and end caps. Best if you can to use cap covers like "swab caps" to keep dirt, germs, debris, and hair from getting on cap when not using it.
Any kind of line, even a peripheral temporary line can cause infection if not cared for properly.
Would your doctor be willing to talk with the nursing director of your infusion co of choice to find out about their infection rates etc?
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