posted
The past week or so ive been having a tough time getting my picc to start flushing and yesterday it wouldnt flush at all for me.
My nurse came out and was able to get it to flush with heparin after a little bit and she seemed to think it was okay after that.
Today i tried and couldnt get it to flush again. I called the nursing company and they advised me to go to the hospital. Well the Er nurse was able to get it to flush with heparin again and she said it was flushing fine after that.
She just said that i may just need to get it out and a new one in.
What do u guys think? has any one else ever had this happen? What are the concerns with the picc not flushing like this?..clots, infection etc?
posted
I had to go to the hospital everyday to get treatments and it seemed everyday they had problems with my line-I had 3 ports.
If you have someone else there with you, you can try to put your arm over your head why you lie back like in a recliner, turn your head away and cough.
It might take several times but the line will open up.
I had three different ports put in-one time because a nurse put it in but it just seemed everyday they could not get it to flush.
Hope you have someone to help you.
Posts: 303 | From Jekyll Island, GA | Registered: Sep 2008
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david1097
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3662
posted
There is a simple rule with PICC lines. Any problem take them out. If they people are good at putting them in they can use the same site. It is a lot quicker to do it that way,
Flushing with Hep is only a short term fix and my worry has always been what also gets flushed out with when this happens. The line is basically toast when it starts to get plugged to the point where you can't flush so unless you only need a few more days with it in, get it changed.
How long have you had the line? What exact type is is? What drug are you taking?
Depending on the type you may need a daily hep. flush to prevent if fropm getting plugged, it all depends on what the manufacturere says in the book that comes with it. Also to minimize the risk of plugging, do not draw blood through the line. That will speed the demise of the line.
Also anohter trick is to get a 2 port line if you have a drug that is prone to plugging. That way you have a port in reserve whrn the first one no longer works.
Posts: 1184 | From north america | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
Had a picc in for 8 months and in the beginning there was a couple times it blocked up. The nurse suggested the end of the line may just be "up against the vein wall"
Only had 2-3 times in the beginning and then it was fine the rest of the time.
Try moving your arm around a bit to see if you can possible dislodge it.
If not i would have it looked at. You don't want to fool around w/ those things if they are not functioning properly
Posts: 137 | From wethersfield ct | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
Hi, It can be a number of things as the other posters said- fibrin sheath, the catheter may be up against the wall of the vein causing resistance or the end of the catheter collapses when pulled back on with the syringe.
You can ask the nurse about cath flo, which they can put in the catheter for about half an hour and see if it works any better. Cath flo is an anticoagulant, helps dissolves any clots that may be there.
By the way PICCs (not all midlines) may be used to draw blood from, this is one of the purposes of having a line in. The key is to draw the blood first then flush the catheter with 20 cc of saline and change the cap. And of course follow through with heparin if this is recommended with this type of PICC.
djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
if you are not using something for hypercoagulation this will happen.
i assume you are not, i would suggest nattokinase 100mg 2-4x daily. arg is the best brand, get it at vitacost.
hang in there homie, things will turn around.
the heparin is not enough to keep the blood from coagulating nor is it enough to get the fibrin out of the blood. the dose you have been using is merely for the line itself, not the blood in the body.
get a new line, and use high dose natto, serrepeptase, or lumbro.
talk to u soon man
derek
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