Blood Clot in vein from Picc

W

windex125

Guest
My port is in 10yrs now and it's the best thing I ever did I kept running high fevers after a few weeks with my picc's . I was soooooooooo upset to get it I thought ok this is the end of my road and now 10yrs later I know it was the best thing I did for myself. IT is s on the right side of my chest under my collar bone, it runs thru my juglar vein in my neck and with my age not very noticable it's very comfortable. I wld think the upper arm soft flesh it may not sit right? But I know alot of people on this sight have them in many different places. Good luck and give it some serious thought. Pat-56/CF
 
K

krisgabes

New member
bethylove and Jana - I had almost the same situation as you both. I had so many PICCs placed in my arms and then the final one I had placed was rejected. My site was pouring blood, the nurse who put it in made the biggest mistake and tried to clot it by wrapping a tourniquet around the site. Anyway, I wound up with a blood clot in that vein as well. They sent me for an ultrasound too just to make sure it wasn't clotting a major artery. Turned out to be ok. I never went on an anticouagulant b/c I have an extremely low platelet count due to portal hypertension. I did some research regarding ports (I didn't know about them until this site) and spoke to my doctor about getting one. We agreed it was the best idea b/c I would have no more usable veins for PICC placement in my arms. I got a port placed and it was the best choice I've ever made. Now the biggest issue I have with my veins is that I have barely usable veins to take blood from.

lizlas- I know they can place ports there but I've never seen it. I have mine in my upper chest.
 
K

krisgabes

New member
bethylove and Jana - I had almost the same situation as you both. I had so many PICCs placed in my arms and then the final one I had placed was rejected. My site was pouring blood, the nurse who put it in made the biggest mistake and tried to clot it by wrapping a tourniquet around the site. Anyway, I wound up with a blood clot in that vein as well. They sent me for an ultrasound too just to make sure it wasn't clotting a major artery. Turned out to be ok. I never went on an anticouagulant b/c I have an extremely low platelet count due to portal hypertension. I did some research regarding ports (I didn't know about them until this site) and spoke to my doctor about getting one. We agreed it was the best idea b/c I would have no more usable veins for PICC placement in my arms. I got a port placed and it was the best choice I've ever made. Now the biggest issue I have with my veins is that I have barely usable veins to take blood from.

lizlas- I know they can place ports there but I've never seen it. I have mine in my upper chest.
 
K

krisgabes

New member
bethylove and Jana - I had almost the same situation as you both. I had so many PICCs placed in my arms and then the final one I had placed was rejected. My site was pouring blood, the nurse who put it in made the biggest mistake and tried to clot it by wrapping a tourniquet around the site. Anyway, I wound up with a blood clot in that vein as well. They sent me for an ultrasound too just to make sure it wasn't clotting a major artery. Turned out to be ok. I never went on an anticouagulant b/c I have an extremely low platelet count due to portal hypertension. I did some research regarding ports (I didn't know about them until this site) and spoke to my doctor about getting one. We agreed it was the best idea b/c I would have no more usable veins for PICC placement in my arms. I got a port placed and it was the best choice I've ever made. Now the biggest issue I have with my veins is that I have barely usable veins to take blood from.
<br />
<br />lizlas- I know they can place ports there but I've never seen it. I have mine in my upper chest.
 
M

mamaScarlett

Active member
Wow, sorry you had this happen to you. Its very scary.<br>Just so you know, just bc you had it done through radiology doesn't mean you need to have sutures. I always go through IR for my piccs, and always request no sutures. The one time they would not honor my request, I got off the table and asked to reschedule with another surgeon. (they ended up complying)<br>After years of piccs taking 4-8 hrs to get in, (fun), and so much pain, bruising for days afterwards-now I go to IR every time, 15 mins-little to no pain. In and out. <br>I had sutures one time, bc I didn't know to ask for none. They were awful. Weird, could it be a coincidence?-That was the one time I had a blood clot...strange.<br><br>As far as I know the fact that you clotted has no effect on whether or not you can have future piccs there. For improving my veins, I took up weight lifting. Its worked wonders for me.<br>Feel better!<br>
 
M

mamaScarlett

Active member
Wow, sorry you had this happen to you. Its very scary.<br>Just so you know, just bc you had it done through radiology doesn't mean you need to have sutures. I always go through IR for my piccs, and always request no sutures. The one time they would not honor my request, I got off the table and asked to reschedule with another surgeon. (they ended up complying)<br>After years of piccs taking 4-8 hrs to get in, (fun), and so much pain, bruising for days afterwards-now I go to IR every time, 15 mins-little to no pain. In and out. <br>I had sutures one time, bc I didn't know to ask for none. They were awful. Weird, could it be a coincidence?-That was the one time I had a blood clot...strange.<br><br>As far as I know the fact that you clotted has no effect on whether or not you can have future piccs there. For improving my veins, I took up weight lifting. Its worked wonders for me.<br>Feel better!<br>
 
M

mamaScarlett

Active member
Wow, sorry you had this happen to you. Its very scary.<br>Just so you know, just bc you had it done through radiology doesn't mean you need to have sutures. I always go through IR for my piccs, and always request no sutures. The one time they would not honor my request, I got off the table and asked to reschedule with another surgeon. (they ended up complying)<br>After years of piccs taking 4-8 hrs to get in, (fun), and so much pain, bruising for days afterwards-now I go to IR every time, 15 mins-little to no pain. In and out. <br>I had sutures one time, bc I didn't know to ask for none. They were awful. Weird, could it be a coincidence?-That was the one time I had a blood clot...strange.<br><br>As far as I know the fact that you clotted has no effect on whether or not you can have future piccs there. For improving my veins, I took up weight lifting. Its worked wonders for me.<br>Feel better!<br>
 
J

Jana

New member
Interesting that doing it in IR is so much easier for you! Mine usually took multiple attempts, but the time I had it done in IR, they worked for 3 hours and finally placed it in the vein they said was their last option. I left with cuts and bruises all the way up both arms from elbow to shoulder. Fortunately, it was during the winter, so it was no problem to keep my arms covered for several weeks while they healed.

Apparently which way is better for each individual depends on multiple factors.

By the way, it wasn't the PICC placed in IR that became infected. It was my first one. It was a few days after they removed the infected one that I went to IR to get a replacement--not the best week of my life!
 
J

Jana

New member
Interesting that doing it in IR is so much easier for you! Mine usually took multiple attempts, but the time I had it done in IR, they worked for 3 hours and finally placed it in the vein they said was their last option. I left with cuts and bruises all the way up both arms from elbow to shoulder. Fortunately, it was during the winter, so it was no problem to keep my arms covered for several weeks while they healed.

Apparently which way is better for each individual depends on multiple factors.

By the way, it wasn't the PICC placed in IR that became infected. It was my first one. It was a few days after they removed the infected one that I went to IR to get a replacement--not the best week of my life!
 
J

Jana

New member
Interesting that doing it in IR is so much easier for you! Mine usually took multiple attempts, but the time I had it done in IR, they worked for 3 hours and finally placed it in the vein they said was their last option. I left with cuts and bruises all the way up both arms from elbow to shoulder. Fortunately, it was during the winter, so it was no problem to keep my arms covered for several weeks while they healed.
<br />
<br />Apparently which way is better for each individual depends on multiple factors.
<br />
<br />By the way, it wasn't the PICC placed in IR that became infected. It was my first one. It was a few days after they removed the infected one that I went to IR to get a replacement--not the best week of my life!
 
B

bethylove

Guest
Thanks for all the responses!

krisgabe it's interesting that they wouldn't put you on anticoagulants due to your low platelets... I also have portal hypertension and the last time I checked my white blood count was a little below 1200 and my red was also low. Still, they put me on enoxaprin injections for 5-10 days.

mamascarlett: I have never thought about lifting weights to help reopen those veins! Such a great idea. (Once this clot goes away anyways haha)

As for getting my Picc placed in IR, I've never had a problem at my last hospital. I always asked for a stat lock and they wrote it in my chart to never use stitches. But this was a new hospital, new chart-- and in all my anxiety I forgot to tell them no stutures, only statlocks. Oh well. Live and learn!
 
B

bethylove

Guest
Thanks for all the responses!

krisgabe it's interesting that they wouldn't put you on anticoagulants due to your low platelets... I also have portal hypertension and the last time I checked my white blood count was a little below 1200 and my red was also low. Still, they put me on enoxaprin injections for 5-10 days.

mamascarlett: I have never thought about lifting weights to help reopen those veins! Such a great idea. (Once this clot goes away anyways haha)

As for getting my Picc placed in IR, I've never had a problem at my last hospital. I always asked for a stat lock and they wrote it in my chart to never use stitches. But this was a new hospital, new chart-- and in all my anxiety I forgot to tell them no stutures, only statlocks. Oh well. Live and learn!
 
B

bethylove

Guest
Thanks for all the responses!
<br />
<br />krisgabe it's interesting that they wouldn't put you on anticoagulants due to your low platelets... I also have portal hypertension and the last time I checked my white blood count was a little below 1200 and my red was also low. Still, they put me on enoxaprin injections for 5-10 days.
<br />
<br />mamascarlett: I have never thought about lifting weights to help reopen those veins! Such a great idea. (Once this clot goes away anyways haha)
<br />
<br />As for getting my Picc placed in IR, I've never had a problem at my last hospital. I always asked for a stat lock and they wrote it in my chart to never use stitches. But this was a new hospital, new chart-- and in all my anxiety I forgot to tell them no stutures, only statlocks. Oh well. Live and learn!
<br />
<br />
 
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