posted
How long have you had it in? I have had mine in for about 5 weeks now and whenever the nurse changes my dressing, there is always blood or a scab at the insertion site. I can't see the insertion site because it is covered up with a biopatch. But, when she removes it, I see that it's been bleeding. She always says that it's normal to bleed a little.
How much blood??
Posts: 618 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
Lou,
Is where was your PICC placed? bicep area or bend of arm?
Do you have a powwer picc?
a small amt. of blood is normal. How long has the line been in?
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Has been in almost 4 weeks. Bicep area. Power picc. A small amount of blood. But I was using povidine, so I didn't realize it until recently. The previous PICC was lower down and did not bleed, was a smaller diameter tube. I sure don't want this one pulled. I think it will be my last one.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
hmm. my picc is in the bicep area (power picc) and i have not had any bleeding at all...a small amt. of blood is nothing to worry abt. according to nurses.
when i had a picc at the elbow bend, I had a lot of pain, bleeding, and blood back flow....it was awful.
Barely aware of this one in the bicep area.
Hope this get's better and easier for you. What is your nurse saying abt. the blood?
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
My last PICC continued to bleed (small amount every day) at the site for several months after insertion. I had to change the dressing more frequently because of this. I also started sleeping with a small soft pillow under my arm to help prevent it. I usually noticed new blood in the mornings so I assumed something was happening in my sleep.
This new PICC is doing the same thing. I've had it in for a little over a week now. Thought it was done bleeding but have noticed an accumulation over the past couple days. So I have to change the dressing again.
If you leave dried blood at the site for too long it will increase your risk for infection and further irritate the site.
I can't help but wonder if it has anything to do with the size of the insertion site. The scar from my last PICC is twice as big as the scar from my first PICC. They should have been the same size since I had the exact same device (Groshong double lumen PICC) for both. Now I have a Power PICC.
Lou, hopefully the bleeding will stop for you soon. I don't think that you should have to pull the PICC because of it.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
Glad to hear you did get another PICC. I do think that the size of the tube, being bigger, had something to do with the bleeding in my case. And maybe the power PICC is bigger anyway. I had the Bard picc before and no bleeding. Wondering if someone is reporting this to the maker, seems like they should be collecting such reports.
Guess you are right about changing the dressing more often, but I hate that dressing change procedure.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
Yes, but better an unpleasant dressing change than sepsis, Lou! Do you have a nurse changing the dressing or a family member?
Sammy, when you say you have a double lumen PICC, you don't infuse more than one thing at a time, right? Or is one for blood draws?
Never a dull moment with this stuff?! Wouldn't we all love a normal moment??
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Lou, I agree, I dread dressing changes. Pulling off the old dressing irritates my skin. It makes me nervous having the insertion site open to air and germs. Then comes the difficult part of placing the stat lock, almost impossible with my new PICC. I've accidentally pulled it out about 1cm because the hub was literally at the insertion site. That means the Biopatch doesn't fit properly either because there is no room for it to go under the catheter.
Rumigirl, I do have a double lumen PowerPICC. Last 2 were double lumen Groshongs. It was nice when I was on the Tygacil and Rocephin combo because I could infuse them together twice daily. The Clinda and Levaquin that I'm on now are not compatible so I have to run them back to back instead of together.
I wish I could use my PICC for blood draws but the lab will not allow me to draw from my own PICC (even though legally I'm qualified) and they do not have RN's on staff to draw it for me. So I have to get stuck every two weeks when my labs are due. My insurance won't cover home health nurse visits so that's not an option either. Anyone find a way around this situation?
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