picc line

I'm considering a picc line. The dr says it can speed up my healing process. It would probably be in for 6 months.

Anyone had one and how did it go?

What abx do they use?

Thanks

I had a picc lne that was put in at the hospital. Afterwards they took an Xray to make sure the placement was correct. It caused me no pain.... just a little hard to bathe, but you'll find ways to work around it (Saran Wrap - haha).

Hopefully your picc line will go as smoothly as mine did.

PS - I asked the nurse during my last round of IV's (I had a periphreal line, not a picc line) if a picc line was safe for long periods of time and she said they could be good for up to a year.

Merry Christmas

Scooter-

I have had two picc lines. The 1st was rocephin for 3 months then claforan for 1 month. I had some improvement but I could tell we were still missing some bug and was getting worse in other areas. So we pulled it and I tried different orals.

5 months later I was really bad off and my doc had me do the picc again. This time 2 months doxy and zithromax. Then doxy and cipro. Then zithromax and oral doxy. Then zithromax, rocephin and oral doxy. I just had it pulled last week. This one was in 9 months. I am now on biaxin, plaquinil and doxy. I LIKE this combo. It seems to be working.

The shower thing is a pain. But we often sacrifice with this illness. No just jumping in and out of the shower. I used the press n seal wrap and taped the top around my arm. You aren't supposed to do heavy lifting but I did every once in awhile. I have 3 small kids. I did get a hole in both my piccs and had to have them pull it out a little and put a new end on it. For the most part I didn't notice it in my arm. And I kept it covered with a light weight long sleeve shirt all the time. This worked well for me since I was also on Doxy and I didn't want too much sun. I had in home care. So I didn't have to go anywhere to do my meds. They came in the mail and I did them. Then I had a nurse come once a week to change the dressing. IV drugs can be VERY helpful.