piccline

Hi there. Me again...i know im headed for the hospital soon. I have always been taken care at Yale New Haven CT, but im scared. Particularly about the picc. Ive had it several times but the thought just scares me. Has anyone else ever had a picc b4? I would like to discuss having it with someone. anyone. Do you think ill be ok? I have all these ideas that horrible things will happen to me, and i cant get the ideas to go away. Im so scared id rather not go and get better then go and get one etc. Thats bad i know. any ideas or tips or experiance would help me..thanks!

hey there.  one thing comes to mind.  i had a lot of trouble with the iv nurses putting in pics, the ones who do it at your bedside.  they had me looking like a drug addict with all the bruises.  but the hospital i go to has another solution.  they have a vascular radiology area where they can look to find a good vein using an ultrasound (painless).  they give you a shot to numb the area (can sting but will diminish pain for the procedure) then they thread your vein entirely by looking at this monitor like they do super-precise surguries with.  after the numbing, all you feel is some pressure.  it's a much better success rate, i understand, and much more painless.  if you're really anxious, ask your doctor to give you a light sedative beforehand.  that's their job, to make you comfortable. 

the good thing about pics is that most home iv companies require them since they're more reliable.  so you may be able to do most of your meds at home.

hi melissa

I've had about 5 Piccs and one Central (sub clavian) line, and I currently use my first port.  If you get fed up with these piccs (as i have) you might want to consult with your doc.  I cant have piccs anymore cuz im really valvy , which means they cant feed the catheter through to my chest.  i am also quite prone to Flabitis ?sp? so now i have a port, which iss semi permanant (like someone else said )  and its pain free and it has been sucha blessing to me.  except last year i was getting on IV Antibios and this *bleep* home health nurse didnt know how to do my port.  she started to disinfect it with ALCOHOL PREP PADS!! I wanted to slap her.  she clearly didnt know how to do a port access and she stuck me 10 times in the chest.  my mother (a nurse) ended up getting  a spare huber needle and accessing me herself. she did a super job and we ended up with a huge complaint with the homne health about that nurse.  Im not sure what happened  :P sry, didnt mean to tell my whole life story lol 

laurapancoast78 said...
hey there.  one thing comes to mind.  i had a lot of trouble with the iv nurses putting in pics, the ones who do it at your bedside.  they had me looking like a drug addict with all the bruises.  but the hospital i go to has another solution.  they have a vascular radiology area where they can look to find a good vein using an ultrasound (painless).  they give you a shot to numb the area (can sting but will diminish pain for the procedure) then they thread your vein entirely by looking at this monitor like they do super-precise surguries with.  after the numbing, all you feel is some pressure.  it's a much better success rate, i understand, and much more painless.  if you're really anxious, ask your doctor to give you a light sedative beforehand.  that's their job, to make you comfortable. 

the good thing about pics is that most home iv companies require them since they're more reliable.  so you may be able to do most of your meds at home.

THAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO..IT I JUST WENT THRU IT....FOR 1 MONTH FOR MRSA.....MY ARM HAS A DISCOLORATION AND A DIME SIZE BRUISE ON IT..I WANT IT OFF .MY ARMS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLEAR ......I SHOULD BE LEAVING HE HOSPITAL TODAY HOPEFULLY ....ITS HOLLOWEEN...I WANT TO TAKE THE KIDS TRICK OR TREATING.

I GOT A PICC ON OCT 1...IT WAS REMOVED OCT 29...AT FIRST IT WAS OK...I WENT HOME GOT MY MEDS.....AND HOME CARE TO TEACH ME HOW TO GIVE MYSELF THE MEDS.....AFTER 1 WEEK I HAD TO PUT IT IN MYSELF......3 WEEKS INTO THE PROCEDURE....THE HOME CARE NURSE SAID WE HAVE TO DRAW YOUR BLOOD....THE LEFT VALVE NEVER REALLY WORKED THAT WELL...AND THEN SHE CHANGED THE TUBING.....WHEN SHE TOOK THE BLOOD...1 HOUR LATER I WAS GETTING 102 FEVERS....LORD I WAS FEELING LIKE CRAP...I TOOK TYLONOLS TO GET THE FEVER DOWN....5 HOURS LATER I WAS OK......THEN SHE CAME BACK A WEEK LATER AND GOT MORE BLOOD THE SAME THING HAPPENED....I GOT A 103 FEVER THIS TIME...OF COURSE I WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO SEE WHAT WAS UP...YEAH THE NEXT DAY THEY REMOVED IT...NOW I FEEL SOOOOO MUCH BETTER...I ALSO HAVE A DIME SIZE BRUISE I HAVE TO WORK OFF MY PRETTY BROWN SKIN....GOD PROTECT ME...FROM UGLY GERMS........AND EVERYONE IN THIS SITE....