I need your input please

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my65roses4me

New member
I need your input please.
How long does your Dr keep you in the hospital for a tune-up?
Do they send you home on IV's every time or do always stay the whol 14 days.
My new Dr has a different approach than Im used to. He likes his CF patients to come in for a tune up for the first 4-6 days then go home on Iv's to finish to rest of the 14 day tune up.
The Dr that I was going to before this change liked his patients to stay the whole 14 days. It was rare that you got to go home with IV's.
Im wondering how common my new Drs approach is. What is your Dr's approach and do you preffer one way or the other?
 
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vvgogh

New member
Khristina
I have had several doctors over the years and experienced both philosophies. First thing i want to emphasize is that if you do not feel ready to go home with IV's you should always stress that to your doctor and the hospital staff. That being said i have found that staying in the hospital for the duration of the treatment increases my recovery time considerably. If i go home with the IV's once i am up to it I do much better. If I had to stay in the hospital for the duration I would insist on physical therapy to help my recovery, walking on the treadmill and other excercises to regain some stamina. That is my opinion about staying in the hospital so long that is creates long term problems. stay motivated. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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beleache

New member
imput

Hey Khristina,
I mostly stay in for about 1 week then do the rest at home. I like it that way. Gives me time to start feeling better (when I am home I usually start doing stuff) & after a few days I get antsy, lonely, bored, you name it lol ! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
I think if you are not comfortable or well enough then you should discuss it w/ your dr.
Take care <3 joni
 
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moxie1

Guest
I do most of my IVs at home. My doctor makes me go in for a night or so to get procedures such as CTscans and PICC linesdone (because it is easier to schedule when inpatient), but generally I don't do well in the hospital and try to get out as quickly as possible. Even when I was really sick with pneumonia, I only was in 2 nights. That being said, I am 100% compliant, and my doctor knows and trusts me that I can take care of myself much better than anyone else.
I have a 3 year old son at home that I need to be there for. Also, in the hospital, I don't move around enough, I don't sleep well, can't eat as much as I want when I want, and can't be in charge of my own treatments and getting my meds done ON TIME!
It's amazing....I usually have O2 sats of 99-100%, but when inpatient, every day they get lower. I think its from being stuck in a small room and not moving around much. At home I log at least 10,000 steps a day. So for me, sitting around = getting sicker.
Sorry kind of rambling, but that is my perspective. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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musclemania70

New member
Depends on how you are feeling and if things are improving. If there is no improvement after a week and you are still feeling crummy, I would stay in the whole two weeks.
Supposedly there have been studies to show that staying in the hospital for the full course of IV's has better outcomes. Going home means cooking for yourself, more distractions, less likelihood of complying to 4 treatments per day, and other barriers to maximum benefits of IV's.

It also depends on how often you go in the hospital. For people who are in the hospital 4-5 times a year, they would more likely be at home for part of their treatment since who wants to be in the hospital for 8-10 weeks a year!
 
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my65roses4me

New member
Although my new Drs protocol is to send his patients home on IV's he is being agreeable that if I dont feel well enough then I shouldnt go home. So not by any means did I mean to imply that he will force me to go when Im not ready. Sorry if itnsounded that way.
I was just mainly looking for input on the differences in protocol.
I dont necessarily think my new Drs way is bad, its just very different than what I am used to. So I thought I would come here to see how common or uncommon it is to do most of the treatment at home versus in the hospital. Its interesting to know that different Drs have different ways and opinions.
So far I love my new Dr its just going to take some getting used to the new ways.
 
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pipersmom

New member
Piper(10) goes on IVs anywhere from 4-6 times a year. She got her first port when she was about 6. She has not been inpatient at all in the past 18 months, we've done everything at home. Her Dr's view is that she's more likely to pick up new bugs in the hospital, also because I do all her IV stuff, she's able to maintain much more of a "normal" life than she'd be able to in the hospital.
Honestly when she was younger, and needed more care, the inpatient stays were a lifesaver for me, I'm a single parent, and it was exhausting at times. Now that she's older and more independent, it wouldn't hurt my feelings for her to never see the walls of a hospital room again. I know that's not going to happen, lol, but it's a nice thought!
Looking at it from an adult perspective, I can see the advantages of a hospital stay- you have to devote your time to your health while you're there, and not have your energy split 10 ways down the middle trying to get things done at home/work. That said, my advice to Piper will be to try to make her hospital stays as brief as possible.
 
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DebbieS

Guest
Another strong vote for home.

Like Becki, I don't do well in hospitals and my O2 sats go down the longer I'm in there (I think it's that compressed air they keep recirculating, like on an airplane). I can't get the amount and style of chest pt needed when I'm away from home (my pt puts the hospital pts oh to abject shame), and certainly sleeping in my own bed, eating properly, and moving around as much and wherever I'd like means a lot to me. I've even continued working while on IV's. It's certainly MUCH easier on my loved ones.

How a person feels emotionally affects their health and ability to heal profoundly. Just the thought of being in a hospital for IV treatment bothers me- but that's just me. Everyone's got their understanding of what's best for them. And if you have the choice to do it either way or a combination of both, more power to you. Wishing you only good health, whatever you decide!
 
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JENNYC

New member
We always go home on IV meds as soon as they get her levels right. Your own bed and food beats the 2,900 per night room that has terrible food and not much chance for a good nights sleep to help you get back on your feet. We love it.
 
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