He said I could lift any weight, and do any amount of stretching. I'm not sure he is aware HOW much you can stretch your arms in some yoga poses, so wanted to see if anyone has experience.

I would hate to give up my arm stretches, since they help so much with pain. But I also don't want to break or dislodge my PICC.

OK, all you yoga afficianados, what's the word?

I was very surprised when the surgeon said I could do anything, lift any amount of weight. Of course, he doesn't know I couldn't lift weights BEFORE the Picc.

You have to protect the site when you shower. If you get the bandage wet it will curl at the edges and possibly allow bacteria in.

You CANNOT do bicep curls with heavy weights and you CANNOT do major weight lifting overhead.

You can do yoga. Downward Facing Dog should be done with caution. And, any other asana that puts the arms stretched high over your head. The problem is that the line can get pinched in the shoulder area. I was warned, I did it anyway, and I had to have my PICC pulled because it wasn't flowing well and was causing a great deal of irritation in the shoulder area. (I've had a few lines).

I never stopped doing yoga - just modified the positions. I bicycled just fine and did weights - just not overhead.

Well, I was little nicer about the surgeon, I figured he had just never actually seen his handywork in use. It did make me worry about everything he said.

I figured I would protect the site from water no matter what his opinion was. It just shocked me. He didn't seem to think I should take any precautions.

I appreciate you sharing your experience. You addressed exactly the poses I was worried about. I didn't think about the pinching in the shoulder area, so will watch for that.

As far as weights, I was mostly thinking about my 3 gallon water bottles. Almost anything else I can adapt, but those exert a lot of pull on my arms and shoulder, even when using two hands.

I have my PICC in my right arm. The following is how I protect my PICC line when showering/taking a bath. It seems to be working so far (have had PICC line since May 2004 although needed a TPA once to unclog it).

What I do to protect PICC when bathing: I cover it with Glad Press and Seal (wrap it all the way around between my shoulder and elbow). Then I cover my right arm with a plastic newspaper bag from my hand until over my PICC bandage. Then, I seal the newspaper bag by my upper arm/shoulder with paper tape.

Also, I do mild yoga poses, but also try to avoid using my right arm too much.

Any way, those are my two cents...

Beachcomber is right about the postures. You really want to avoid positions that cause undue stretching, tension and pressure in the arm that has the PICC. Technically you are not supposed to lift more then 5-10lbs in the arm that has the PICC. The one time I did work when I had the PICC I had a lifting restriction of 5-10lbs. Not easy being a nurse but I avoided complications.

And beachcomber is right about protecting the site. I got a cast cover from Brown Medical, I think it was called Seal-tight. It was one of those one that you pull over your arm , not one of the ones you have to inflate. It worked great!! So much easier then taping plastic bags or wrap and is reusable over and over. It comes in different sizes, you can get them at a surgical supply store. And is less time consuming then wrapping and taping. Just make sure you dry it out after use, just wipe it down and lie it flat.

If you do yoga in a yoga studio, you might want to ask them if they offer restorative yoga, just while you have the PICC.

I find yoga so mindful and peaceful, especially the breathe work.
Even though now at present I am on disability and cannot do any standing postures or even some sitting I still find a way to practice. My favorite posture is Goddess and I just modify it by doing it sitting on a chair.

He told me it was going to have to go wherever my veins would tolerate it, most likely in my upper arm. If that doesn't work, I may have to go back and have it installed in my chest under general anesthesia. So you can see why I don't want to mess this up if I can help it.

Grace, does Brown make cast covers for the upper arm? I know about the ones for the forearm, but will I have to get one that goes all the way from my hand to my shoulder?

I'm already doing restorative yoga, but even that has some poses that sound like I should avoid. Fortunately my instructor is very good about adjusting things for people's limitations.

I was hoping to start a regular class, but maybe I should just wait on that one. Grace, which pose is the Goddess pose? I know some by Hindi names and some by common ones, but I'm not familiar with what that one is.

Mountainmomma, I've talked to several people who did daily saunas while wearing a PICC. They all say you have to change the dressing after each sauna, or shower, if you take a shower afterwards.

One woman did it for five months. She felt the saunas are an important part of her recovery. It probably increases the risk of infection slightly to sauna, so you would have to decide for yourself. AND be able to change the dressings that often.

Sauna Treatment Program It's on the CALDA intranet site. You have to enter the site through the guest link on the left hand side, click on Public Documents at the top of the page, then choose alternative treatments.

Thanks everybody! I'm realizing this surgeon just doesn't have much to do with home infusion. He didn't even realize that there would be an extension added so I could reach the access port to infuse. He told me it was impossible to make it long enough!

I freaked out and called my doctor's assistant who assured me that they take care of it. I'm guessing the surgeon usually puts them in people who are going to have the infusions done for them.

It has shaken my confidence, though, that he seems to have given me so much wrong advice.

At least I know where to come to get the answers.

I did use up to 5 Lb. weights.

As for the sauna, I noticed that perspiration would build up under the bandage and it would sometimes start to come off. My nurse advised that I nix the saunas because the sweat is carrying toxins out of your body and it has nowhere to go under the bandage except back into your body - most likely at the PICC site. If I did a sauna I would do it the day before the bandage change.

Goddess pose is when you stand slightly more then hips width apart, sink into your knees, bring your arms to a T and then bend them straight up at the elbows so your fingers are pointing up towards the sky, also your crown reaches up and chest out. It is a very powerful pose. I am like you, too I know some by their Hindi names and some postures by there common names.

I went to a wonderful yoga retreat in Lenox, MA called Kripalu Yoga Center. Inexpensive, awesome food(vegatarian) and atmosphere. No cell phones, no computers, no TV, no radio!
I use a walker and they were very accomadating for people with disabilities.

Hope this helps you! It was a huge help to me. Now I have a port in my chest which I really like better than my PICC. Right now I'm not on any IV treatment (had to stop from complications) so it's just there under the skin all the time, no restrictions with showering or swimming when it's deaccessed. If you decide to go this route, it's not that hard to deal with. I imagine though that you were talking about a tunnelled chest catheter which has a tube coming out all the time and I'd imagine is a little trickier to deal with.

Good luck!

--Annie

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``The best way out is always through.'' -Robert Frost

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I'm fortunate to have moved to a new house that is five minutes from a wonderful yoga center, so I'm taking advantage of that as much as I can.

The vascular surgeon will use ultrasound, so I'm hoping he does a decent job. When he talked about the veins themselves he seemed to know what he was talking about. I sure hope so.

beachcomber, the lady who did saunas changed her dressing immediately after every sauna. I'm guessing that would minimize the risk. She was told that the sweat was sterile, it's only after it is exposed to air that it can be a problem.

Don't know if this is true or not, but this lady is pretty smart and does her research. She sees Dr. S in San Francisco, I'm sure he would have stopped her if it wasn't safe.

Annie, you're right. The surgeon was talking about a tunneled catheter, not a port. I asked to make sure I was clear on that. Seems to me if they are going to go into my chest a port is a better option. i set it up so that if they can't get into my arms, we'll give up for the day and reassess.

A friend sent me this lovely seasonal blessing, very appropriate for those of us fighting this illness. I pass it on to you all.

"Oh, the darkness takes courage, the darkness takes time, Living in the darkness brings a different state of mind. The darkness knows healing, the darkness knows change, Oh, Mother darkness I return to you again."

Celtic Blessing

I just wanted to clear something up. Hickmans., Broviacs, Tesios, Pasports(ports that go in the upper arm) and chest ports are all tunnelled catheters, basically are inserted the same way. Hickman, Broviac and Tesio catheters all have external ports (like a PICC). Chest ports and Pasports have internal ports or accsess, meaning you need to puncture them with a needle through the skin.

So while a PICC insertion is a sterile procedure, it is not like the procedure used to place ports and hickmans etc, which involves cutting down the skin and tunnelling the catheter under the chest area. A PICC is a more temporary catheter(although some people have them in for while)-the ports and hickmans are considered more permanant.

Wish I could stand suanas, I would like to think of all those bacteria frying up and dying.

I did like that Celtic Blessing, I am so in the darkness now I can relate.

Thanks for the clarification of ports and other catheters. I did a lot of research on them before I got my port in but I still get confused about that stuff.

I have been to Kripalu twice, myself. I live only about three hours away by car and my aunt and uncle live near Springfield, MA so I can stop there on the way if I want. I love it there, it's such a peaceful and healing environment. I plan to go back in January or February, haven't been since March or April so it's been a little while. I just started going last winter and have just fallen in love with it. I've heard they've made some changes, though, that worries me. They're serving some meat now (poultry and fish) although it's all free range so I guess that's better than farm raised. I'm not usually a vegetarian but I love the vegetarian food there. I'll see how it is with the meat - I guess I can always stick to the vegetarian stuff if I want to!

--Annie

------------------
``The best way out is always through.'' -Robert Frost

Click to join Lyme_Camp

Click here to see my Lyme journal.

He did say it would NOT be a port, but the same as he was going to put in the arm. It would need a general anesthetic to place it, and there was a slight chance of puncturing a lung. That's about as much as I know.

Since I am not opting for it this round, I will learn more if they can't get anything in my arms.

Liz, I can't imagine how yoga would cause a relapse. Would you doing a really rigorous style? I guess if you overdid things it might give the bugs the upper hand. Otherwise it seems to be very supportive of health, at least for me.

Annie, have a great time at Kripalu! That's the kind of vacation I would love to have. I'm building my strength back slowly so I could take advantage of everything offered.

Maybe someday we could have a Lymie yoga camp!

I spoke to some people who had been going there for awhile and they were not sure what to make of the changes. They also expanded their R&R program. Let me know,if you want, when you go back and if I am there at the same time we can meet up for lunch or a walk or whatever. I like going in the cold weather if feels so crisp and clean and healing.

A lymie yoga camp sounds like a good idea.
Good Luck,
Grace

The doc wanted to put me under so he would have the option of going in my chest. He told me it was the same as he would put in my arm. So, as far as I understood, it would be a PICC, just placed in my chest. Is that what it is called? The arm option is definitely a PICC, and he said the chest would be the same thing.

He was worried he might not be successful through an arm vein, but will try there first. My veins are very small (runs in the family) and tend to collapse. I decided I didn't want the general anesthesia, so if he can't get one placed in my arm, we'll have to reasses and try another day.

I'm usually pretty tough, I wasn't even expecting a local anesthetic. I don't even have anything when I get dental work. My friend who was a dental hygienist just cringes when I tell her this.

Actually, I'm not that tough, it just really doesn't hurt. I think I'm more scared of the anesthesia than I am of the insertion. I didn't like the idea that I wouldn't know what I ended up with till I came out from under. Right arm, left arm, high, low, or chest? OR how many times he tried!!!

I figure if I'm awake, I have some say over what goes on.

In the meantime, I'm trying all my usual tricks. Drinking LOTS of fluids, salting food, staying warm. The insertion is Monday. Wish me luck and fat, sturdy veins!

A chest cathteter that looks like a PICC is a Hickman or Broviac but they are the tunnelled catheter types.