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An IV tip!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 2/9/2011 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
I was looking at another website of things to pack during hospital stays. Sadly, I've been in the hospital 5 times in the last year and a half, so I'm well-versed in those visits! But, for anyone that is in the hospital or knows you will be going sometime in the future (come on Crohnies...we know it's inevitable!) a little tip I found that made me more comfy while there:

LEGWARMERS!!!

You are probably thinking "Is this girl CRAZY?!?! I'm not wearing legwarmers!" Now, now...hear me out. Legwarmers worn ON THE ARM can be such a help. As much as I beg them to not put my IV in my elbow, sometimes that's the only place they can get it. (In the wrist, this also helps.) I have legwarmers that I carry with me to slip on my arms to keep my arms warm. In the hospital, I slip these on over my IV in order to 1. keep my arm warm 2. keep the iv from getting tangled in my bedding and 3. to keep it in place (especially at night).

Just thought I'd pass on a little piece of wisdom. :)
Posted 2/9/2011 8:24 PM (GMT 0)
That's a awesome idea! I always get tangled in IV chords. Plus my arm gets cold when fluids are constantly being pumped into it.
Posted 2/9/2011 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
Brilliant.
Posted 2/9/2011 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
Great tip! Thank you!
Posted 2/9/2011 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hmm I kind of like the idea! I'm terrified of IVs, needles and the like, so I'm petrified of the IV falling out and I refuse to remove the arm that the IV is in. A legwarmer on that arm would keep everything nice and secure! Thank you so much for the suggestion! Much appreciated! :)
Posted 2/9/2011 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
what a smart cookie you are! :)
Posted 2/9/2011 8:55 PM (GMT 0)
Good idea!! Thanks for sharing. Hugs!
Posted 2/9/2011 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! Great advice! Thanks.

Where do you get leg warmers these days, short of hopping in a time machine and going back to the '80s? Would dance shops stock them?
Posted 2/9/2011 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
Sweet idea!!

I can get leg warmers at my local buck store and they are fuzzy ones like the fuzzy slipper socks you can get...I have been in the hospital once a month for the past 3 months and its getting harder and harder to find a vein that they can use in my arms and hands...exp after my visit last week...I went through 7 ivs in 5 days!! youch!!
Posted 2/9/2011 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
That gives me an idea. I will put hand warmers behind my hands inside my gloves before I go for my remicade. They have been having a lot of trouble getting me to bleed and this might help. Thanks for the idea Debra!
Posted 2/10/2011 4:36 AM (GMT 0)
what a great idea... and yes Funguy.. thinking about this for my remicade appt as well.
Posted 2/10/2011 5:34 AM (GMT 0)
I wore legwarmers during my entire hospitalization post-resection. But on my legs =)

Due to, ahem, leakage I went without PJ pants (which I had brought and thought I'd wear) but my legs were always freezing. That, combined with fuzzy socks, were awesome.

Mine were purple glitter.

Great tip on the arms - now that I have a pair, I may bring them when I get IV iron infusions next time since my arms are always cold!
Posted 2/11/2011 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad so many people can use this idea! I had a lot of nurses tell me it was smart. :)

As far as where to get them, I bought mine at Target a few years ago, when legwarmers were "back in style". Otherwise, you can just buy knee highs and cut the foot off. That works, too...and you can get some funky designs to jazz up your infusions! :)
Posted 2/11/2011 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
oooh i like the hand warmer idea too.. must try..i don't want more pokes than nessasary!
Posted 2/12/2011 10:57 PM (GMT 0)
Great tip, thanks!
Posted 2/17/2011 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
That's a great idea! When I get iv iron infusions I use a scarf. The place provides nice warm WHITE blankets with those little lint balls that seem to get all over my clothes. I almost always wear black or another dark color. So I use the scarf to cover my arm from where the IV is. And a jacket for my body. The liquid makes me super cold!
Posted 3/25/2011 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
Well I did it. I used fingerless gloves with hand warmers behind my hands. I guess it worked because they got a good stick the FIRST time! Maybe a fluke?????

Next time it will be warm weather. I may still use a glove but not a hand warmer. :)
Posted 3/25/2011 1:30 AM (GMT 0)
Great Ideas. I'll have to keep them in mind for when ever the inevitable comes around. Who would of ever thought, leg warmers and hand warmers. If you can knit or know someone who can knit, you could have leg warmers made up in different types of yarn! Make them jazzy snazzy!!! lol
Posted 3/25/2011 1:43 AM (GMT 0)

Once, when I had potassium going into an IV and it was extremely painful, I ended up in tears.

 

The IV was in my hand, and one of the nurses had an idea – he grabbed a bandage/glove type dressing, and cut me a ‘thumb hole’ – so I had a sort of glove sitting over the top of my IV. It was great! Kept my hand warm, hid the IV, made it more comfortable to sleep with etc – I kept it for the whole stay!

These little things make such a difference when you’re in hospital J

Posted 3/25/2011 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
nice to see people still know how to innovate
Posted 3/25/2011 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
agreed!
Posted 3/25/2011 8:44 AM (GMT 0)
but why not get them to give you the elastic cotton mesh netting that they provide. ? comes in 3 or 4 sizes to fit any appendage..
Posted 3/27/2011 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
@RiddleMeThis

My wife doesn't like the needles much at all, either. She suffers the IV when necessary, but her technique to getting through the initial needle stick is to sing. (She's in a chorus) and that seems to help.

From a personal perspective, I've never had an IV, but I do give blood regularly (sometimes whole blood, sometimes double red) and I can safely say that I've gotten more accustomed to it over time. I still don't watch, though. Not yet at least.

@debra That's a FANTASTIC idea!
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