IV at home.... in middle of night

[bloggymom]

This is the first time at home that I will have to IV drugs during the night. Hook up at 10pm and drug will be done running at 2am. Do you set an alarm and flush as soon as the drug is done?? What happens if I sleep through the alarm with the medicine ball still attached?? Bad things??

Sorry if this is a silly question. This is new territory for me. Luckily I only need to do this for 3 weeks.

 

[debs2girls]

I set an alarm to flush as soon as it is finished...I have on occasion, slept through the alarm. It has never been a problem but I would try to avoid it happening too too often. Good luck!

 

[keefer11]

If it is the first couple of days of your IVs I would change the times you do your IVs. You can move it an hour or so earlier the first few doses so that you start at a more reasonable time. I've had nurses tell me to do this on several occasions. So if your IVs are every 8 hours & I assume right now they are 10pm, 6am & 2pm, tomorrow I would try changing to 9pm, 5am & 1pm. You could even do 8:30pm, 5am & 1pm, i know thats not exactly 8 hours between doses, but Ive done that several times & the IVs still do the trick, but that might be bad advice....You still won't be getting amazing sleep, but you may be a little more coherent at 1am rather than 2am....good luck! What medicine takes 4 hours to dispense?

 

[bloggymom]

I am on Doripenem. I have to infuse every 8 hour and it has to infuse for 4 hours. Kinda of a pain but it only will last for 3 weeks.

 

[bigstar]

Why does it have to infuse for 4 hours? Thats the first time i hear something like that!

 

[SaraNoH]

If it is the first couple of days of your IVs I would change the times you do your IVs. You can move it an hour or so earlier the first few doses so that you start at a more reasonable time. I've had nurses tell me to do this on several occasions. So if your IVs are every 8 hours & I assume right now they are 10pm, 6am & 2pm, tomorrow I would try changing to 9pm, 5am & 1pm. You could even do 8:30pm, 5am & 1pm, i know thats not exactly 8 hours between doses, but Ive done that several times & the IVs still do the trick, but that might be bad advice....You still won't be getting amazing sleep, but you may be a little more coherent at 1am rather than 2am....good luck! What medicine takes 4 hours to dispense?

I've totally done that in the past and have had no problems. Just take it slow (no jumping 3 hours ahead). That way within a few days you could be on a slightly more normal schedule, although every 8 hrs is still a crapshoot.