posted
My PICC line was inserted on Tuesday...and it's now Sunday. Is it normal to still feel soreness in my arm?
Day 1 I didn't feel any discomfort but was just freaked out knowing there was a long catheter in my body. Day 2 I developed a small bruise at the PICC site (normal, I know!).
But now it's Day 6! And I feel soreness or bruising on the upper part of my arm near my armpit. I was told to use a heating pad for the first 3 days so I'm applying heat to the area (which makes me *think* it feels better ).
How long before I don't really notice the PICC line at all?? I don't mean to complain because I'm really quite grateful for this method of receiving the medications.
Thanks for any encouragement!!!
Karen
Edited to make typo corrections...lyme has caused typing dyslexia!
Posts: 154 | From Medford, NJ | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Depends on the person of course, but normally soreness will continue for a minimum of 2 weeks based on hubby's experience. Also the diameter of the line can make a big difference and possibly which arm the line is in.
Just don't forget to flush your line at least once daily as instructed.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Thanks! I started reading other posts and found that some people had clots...which wasn't something I needed to read before going to bed!
I've been following the doc's orders to a 'T' with flushing the line before and after infusion. I'm sure it's normal bruising because it's not painful just sore. I'm just being a nervous nelly!!
So, if you hubby had 2 weeks of discomfort, then perhaps I'm half way there?
Posts: 154 | From Medford, NJ | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
It's not unusual at all for it to hurt, may hurt for awhile, depending on how they "handled" you. The nurse that inserted mine never stopped talking, all the while furious with her boyfriend, yada, yada.
She sat on a nerve the whole time, and because I held my breath as she was shoving the line in, my veins constricted, and although she kept shoving, it wouldn't go in. It was a nightmare.
She was so incensed that while stitching me up, my arm almost fell off the table, she was pulling so tight.
I had to go to my LLMD right after to get my first infusion. They looked at my arm (looked like raw ground meat), and couldn't believe it.
I slept with a pillow underneath for a while, especially after dressing changes every week. It turned out the the pain (still after about 5 weeks) was caused by the stitches being too tight.
The nurse removed one of them, and although it made me nervous, it was amazing what a difference it made. Within that week I felt for the most part "normal".
I also felt a little soreness near my armpit, and was told that the line was closer to the surface there. I have read where some people could actually make out the line (see it).
I was also freaked out about the whole thing. Just make sure you keep the site clean, don't get it wet, and make sure that plastic see-through bandage stays put. I was lucky that they changed the bandage and cleaned the site once a week.
Hang in there, sounds like you're doing great! (Sore, but great!)
Jill
Posts: 203 | From Jacksonville, FLorida | Registered: Oct 2005
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
Mine hurt for about the first week. After that, I was fine.
Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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