posted
What should I expect? Any preparations necessary? I've never done it this way before.
I get the IV put in at 9am tomorrow.
Visiting nurse is coming late afternoon and Friday. Evidentally, I'm on Rocephin for 4 days, with 3 days off for 6-8 weeks.
Will it hurt? Will they give me a painkiller before? Note: I hate hospitals.
Do I need to eat/not eat before? Doc's office said, just go and let them install the line, get an immediate x-ray to ensure proper placement. OK, I can do that. Visiting nurses group sent all of my IV meds today so they are in the fridge, waiting to pump in.
Being me, I want to be prepared to make it easier on me. I'm such a scardey cat of hospitals and procedures.
Thanks!
Posts: 867 | From PA | Registered: Jan 2006
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lymemomtooo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5396
posted
Good luck..My daughter has had 2..Each time it was done in less than a half hour and she was great afterwards.
I think you need to question them about flushes..I think it needs to be done daily to keep the line open..Just make sure it will be ok to wait for the visiting nurse.
My daughter had a double valve the second time around.. It was a better choice, because there were times when one did not work but the other was ok..
Also be careful to keep it dry..She used the new glad cling wrap and taped it for showering.
Another thing is make sure you always have a stat lock at the base so it does not come out and keep an eye on discharge, pain, swelling or fever at the site..
Finally keep the clamp closed after infusions..She got 2 air embolisms due to an open clamp..Can be life threatening..
Eventually developed a blood clot and had to have the second one removed..But she received the best medical help thru the IV Rocephin and Doxy.
You will probably have to have regular blood tests while on IV depending on the meds..Good luck..lymemomtooo
Posts: 2360 | From SE PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
My IV was also placed in me in a hospital. A radiologist friend of mine placed it....he was watching on a screen the whole time...my veins and heart, etc. I could watch too. Then they infused the rocephin while I was still in the hospital and monitored me for side effects.
They infused a bit fast (like half an hour) and my heart was a bit irritable.
I infused at home over an hour and never had issues with my heart feeling weird.
I drove myself to and from the hospital, but it probably would have been better to have had someone to drive me home.....
Good luck!!! Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
They will give you a tiny shot of lidocaine (little beesting) when they start. I didn't expect it and held my breath. I didn't realize until later that if you hold your breath it closes up your veins!
Ask them if they can put it in the arm that you don't favor. I am right handed, and she put it in my right arm, and it was a real pain.
Best of luck, I really feel like the Rocephin did wonders.
Posts: 203 | From Jacksonville, FLorida | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
[QUOTE]Originally posted by tothepoorhouse:I've never done it this way before.
Hi there !
Done this way before ? Am I to assume you have had a Picc line?
Not a thing to be afraid of having it done in a hospital.. Dr.s assistant will handle the affairs prior to insertion.. You will be:
... Called into the room. ... Placed on table with whichever arm you are to have it placed in, stretched out ...Paper wardrobe placed over you with exception to where Line will go ... Tv monitors put in place so Dr. can see everything happening, during the procedure Assistant will ready a tray of everything to be used for insertion.
Dr. will be called in, Procedure will start, Will make sure the site is sterile, Insertion of line will go in, while he is watching the area, along with those monitors
Approx. time from start of insertion to finish............maybe, 6 minutes !
After this, I personally have found no need for any xray to make sure its where it should be...those monitors told him that.
You mentioned that a dose would be given then? My first dose was given in my LLMD, so he could be right there, along with my home nurse, should I have a reaction.
Never had a reaction so I was good to go. You mentioned your coarse of therapy 3 on 4 off? I'm certainly not familiar with this at all.
Any clue as to what his reasoning is for this? Would certainly be interested in hearing.
Best of luck to you ! Bon Posts: 50 | From NJ | Registered: Jul 2004
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
If your dr advised to get an x ray please get an x ray. You want to make sure it is in the right spot.
I had one put in my heart once - caused me awhile (weeks)of not being able to breathe right and getting sicker till my mom argued with the dum dum dr who put it in to please move it.
Moral of story - get the xray.
The procedure is an easy one. I agree to tell them to use your non dominant arm if they can.
posted
Picc line insertion is very simple, if done by a doctor, using xray fluoroscopy. You lay on a table, get an injection in the site of lidocaine (not painful) to numb the area of insertion. It takes about 15-20 minutes, and you barely feel anything, like an odd tickle sensation. If the doctor is good, he will talk you through it to calm your nerves. You can watch it on the screen, which is neat. I was very nervous. IT was a piece of cake.
Afterwards, I felt fine except for 3 days (because I am thin) it was a bit uncomfortable in my chest to lay flat. I got used to it. You can't feel it in your arm or chest for the most part.
Infusions for me had to go in slowly over time, my heart was very sensitive. I was on 3grams Rocephin + other meds / day. Over 2grams I think if you are 110 lbs. or less, is rough. I am not a doctor!!!
I had to flush with dextrose, because the saline had a preservative in it that I react to. The self-infusing is not too hard. You will have to flush your line at least once every 3 days with heparin. Its better to flush once daily. This keeps the line clear of clots, the heparin helps.
It feels cold when things are going through the line. If you have weird feelings in your chest when infusing, go more slowly. Keep your line CLEAN and use STERILE hands, trays, etc. Do not let your insertion site get dirty or wet. Disinfect with alcohol or betadine daily. Keep a clean cover on your line and you should do fine.
The herxheimer reactions can be helped (if you get them), by drinking freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, non-diluted, sipped through a straw. You don't want that fruit acid on your tooth enamel. It helps tremendously to keep down the symptoms and reactions. Don't know why, it just does.
You may find yourself short of breath sometimes, but think about it, you have a tube running into your vein of your heart, which blocks the blood. I would be very kind to yourself while you have the line in. Its okay to have limitations sometimes, while you try to get better. Don't expect to do everything the same as before....well before you were sick that is!
Good luck. If you need to talk or anything, contact me at: www.sewill.org
Take care, you will be fine. Oh, removing it doesn't hurt either.
-------------------- PJ
www.LymeLeague.com"Together We Grow Stronger" Posts: 139 | From A tiny little home office in the middle of Wisconsin | Registered: Feb 2005
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However, I couldn't see what they were doing and when the insertion was done, they had used the new Groshong reverse taper PICC.
They inserted it a little bit above and to the right of my left elbow. The line goes halfway up the arm towards mt shoulder.
I'm confused why it goes up? I think this will make it difficult to infuse myself, one-handed.
Does the seem right? Is it usual placement for this type of PICC?
Posts: 867 | From PA | Registered: Jan 2006
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trueblue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7348
posted
I'm glad the insertion went well, ttph.
It sounds like you may need an extension tube on it to be able to reach it. Not sure, I don't know what that kind of line looks like.
Ask the nurse who is doing your dressing change and teaching you to do the infusions tomorrow.
It seems to me I had an extention tubing taped above my elbow but untaped it to infuse and then put it back out of the way.
Good luck and happy infusing!
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
My insertions site was several inches above my left elbow...but more on the front of my arm, not the back (where the elbow is). I had an extension tubing on all the time, which was changed weekly. The extension tubing was held in place next to my lower arm, by cut off socks. I bought cute socks, with smiley faces on them, frogs, ice cream cones, etc. That was fun.
Good luck....Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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