IV treatment

G

gunelle

Guest
Hi all, I was wondering how the typical IV treatment is for you guys. I'm under the impression that the systems used in the US and Europe are different.
I live in Spain, and when I do a round of IV, I mix my antibiotics (fluid with the powder) and inject it into a bag of fluids (100 or 500 ml). This requires needles and patience. Also I inject saline and aparina(sp?) into my picc. I hang up the bag of fluid and go on with things.
Is this the same system used in the US? I've seen some of you talking about "IV balls"... and working while doing treatment.
Please elaborate as I am a bit lost on this matter <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
thank you
G.
 
G

gunelle

Guest
Hi all, I was wondering how the typical IV treatment is for you guys. I'm under the impression that the systems used in the US and Europe are different.
I live in Spain, and when I do a round of IV, I mix my antibiotics (fluid with the powder) and inject it into a bag of fluids (100 or 500 ml). This requires needles and patience. Also I inject saline and aparina(sp?) into my picc. I hang up the bag of fluid and go on with things.
Is this the same system used in the US? I've seen some of you talking about "IV balls"... and working while doing treatment.
Please elaborate as I am a bit lost on this matter <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
thank you
G.
 
J

JENNYC

New member
My daughter has been on home IV antibiotics several times. And it is so easy with what they give her. It is a pressurized container with a bubble of meds inside. It is usually around the size of a small styrofoam coffee container. We usually make a soft purse to go around her neck and place the container inside so she can move freely while doing her meds. You simply flush the line and hook it up and remove when the bubble of meds is gone. It is completely machine free, it dispenses the medicine using the pressure inside the container. It is wonderful!!! Hope this helps <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
J

JENNYC

New member
My daughter has been on home IV antibiotics several times. And it is so easy with what they give her. It is a pressurized container with a bubble of meds inside. It is usually around the size of a small styrofoam coffee container. We usually make a soft purse to go around her neck and place the container inside so she can move freely while doing her meds. You simply flush the line and hook it up and remove when the bubble of meds is gone. It is completely machine free, it dispenses the medicine using the pressure inside the container. It is wonderful!!! Hope this helps <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
B

bigstar

New member
Gunelle i leave in Grecce and i do IVs exactly the same way as you do! Im a little confused about what port and picc line is , though.... pics would help!
 
B

bigstar

New member
Gunelle i leave in Grecce and i do IVs exactly the same way as you do! Im a little confused about what port and picc line is , though.... pics would help!
 
K

Kristen

New member
I have done home IVs once, and at that time I was on IV Tobra and Ceftaz. The Tobra was once a day and it was in the ball that you mentioned. I would rinse the PICC with saline, then hook up the ball, and the med would dispense on its own over the course of about 45min (or maybe it was an hour). The ball is pressurized and slowly releases the med. I just sat on the couch and surfed the internet while it was being administered. When it was done, I flushed my PICC with an anti-clotting agent and then more saline (or maybe it was the other way around, I can't remember).

For the Ceftaz, it came in a big syringe, so I would rinse with saline and then screw the Ceftaz syringe onto the end of my PICC. I then had to slowly push the medicine into the PICC over a period of three minutes. Then I had to do the same flushing with saline and anit-clotting agent. The whole thing, from start to finish, took like ten minutes, including washing my hands, putting on gloves, cleaning the PICC with an alcohol wipe, etc. I had to do the Ceftaz every 8 hours.
 
K

Kristen

New member
I have done home IVs once, and at that time I was on IV Tobra and Ceftaz. The Tobra was once a day and it was in the ball that you mentioned. I would rinse the PICC with saline, then hook up the ball, and the med would dispense on its own over the course of about 45min (or maybe it was an hour). The ball is pressurized and slowly releases the med. I just sat on the couch and surfed the internet while it was being administered. When it was done, I flushed my PICC with an anti-clotting agent and then more saline (or maybe it was the other way around, I can't remember).

For the Ceftaz, it came in a big syringe, so I would rinse with saline and then screw the Ceftaz syringe onto the end of my PICC. I then had to slowly push the medicine into the PICC over a period of three minutes. Then I had to do the same flushing with saline and anit-clotting agent. The whole thing, from start to finish, took like ten minutes, including washing my hands, putting on gloves, cleaning the PICC with an alcohol wipe, etc. I had to do the Ceftaz every 8 hours.
 
G

gunelle

Guest
Wow, that seems so much easier and more comfortable than we do here, I'll have to mention this to my doctor come next visit. A picc is the cateter that is placed into the arm, going to your heart, and a port is an 'permanent' access with a cateter, or so I think...
 
G

gunelle

Guest
Wow, that seems so much easier and more comfortable than we do here, I'll have to mention this to my doctor come next visit. A picc is the cateter that is placed into the arm, going to your heart, and a port is an 'permanent' access with a cateter, or so I think...
 
T

Tisha

New member
Ok, let me see how I can help.

Madrid nowadays: "old-fashioned" IV system, hung up on a hook in the wall or similar. For a typical Cefta treatment, (or Tobra, or whichever) you use 100-200 ml and it takes one hour to go through.

Heparine is used to flush your injection system and avoid the blood clotting it, whether it is a regular peripherical catheter in your hand/arm, a PICC (or central line, seldom used in Spain, in which they access a bigger vein and let the catheter stay in place for the whole two weeks), or a port. Bigstar: check out "port-a-cath" online. It's a fantastic system, composed of a small metal box with silicone coverine, placed under the skin close to one of the big veins of the body, most often on the upper chest. The box is perpetually connected to the vein, and it is accessed with a special needle once a month for flushing, and whenever needed for treatment or extracting blood. This enables you to have free arms & hands, no trouble to "find a vein", etc.

In Mallorca they use a "bomb", which is a small machine on batteries, which regulates the exact flow (usually 100 ml in 60 min) and then you carry it in your pocket / bag, etc, while walking around and doing things. Unfortunately, La Paz Hospital has reduced the budget and don't offer this anymore. There are also disposable systems, which they used in Madrid some 10-15 years ago but not anymore.

Feel free to get back to me for any questions! I'm afraid I'm quite the expert on the subject... <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
T

Tisha

New member
Ok, let me see how I can help.

Madrid nowadays: "old-fashioned" IV system, hung up on a hook in the wall or similar. For a typical Cefta treatment, (or Tobra, or whichever) you use 100-200 ml and it takes one hour to go through.

Heparine is used to flush your injection system and avoid the blood clotting it, whether it is a regular peripherical catheter in your hand/arm, a PICC (or central line, seldom used in Spain, in which they access a bigger vein and let the catheter stay in place for the whole two weeks), or a port. Bigstar: check out "port-a-cath" online. It's a fantastic system, composed of a small metal box with silicone coverine, placed under the skin close to one of the big veins of the body, most often on the upper chest. The box is perpetually connected to the vein, and it is accessed with a special needle once a month for flushing, and whenever needed for treatment or extracting blood. This enables you to have free arms & hands, no trouble to "find a vein", etc.

In Mallorca they use a "bomb", which is a small machine on batteries, which regulates the exact flow (usually 100 ml in 60 min) and then you carry it in your pocket / bag, etc, while walking around and doing things. Unfortunately, La Paz Hospital has reduced the budget and don't offer this anymore. There are also disposable systems, which they used in Madrid some 10-15 years ago but not anymore.

Feel free to get back to me for any questions! I'm afraid I'm quite the expert on the subject... <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
K

kgfrompa

Guest
Skilled Nursing care Comes to my home access my Port then my meds follow her through a delivery at my home with Bags of what ever antibiotic you are on and they bring with them a small michine which delivers the meds it is a small michine which you can carry in a pouch they send all batteries and come with more meds when needed!When you are done they pick up the michine.
 
K

kgfrompa

Guest
Skilled Nursing care Comes to my home access my Port then my meds follow her through a delivery at my home with Bags of what ever antibiotic you are on and they bring with them a small michine which delivers the meds it is a small michine which you can carry in a pouch they send all batteries and come with more meds when needed!When you are done they pick up the michine.
 
G

giantsfan91

Guest
I live in the U.S. doing home IV's now with a PICC line and I'm getting tobramycin and merrem. They're both in eclipse balls which are little handheld balls filled with the antibiotic. Both medicines are mixed by a home health care pharmacist then delivered to my house. I first alcohol the tip of my PICC then flush the line with saline and after that I connect the tobramycin which lasts an hour, then flush with saline again, and connect merrem which lasts half an hour. Once the merrem is done I flush with saline again and finally finish by flushing with heparin. The balls make home IV's so much easier/better than a 2 week hospital stay. I go to college and can do basically anything while my medicines are being infused. Here's the link to the eclipse balls to get an idea of what they are:

http://www.iflo.com/prod_homepump.php
 
G

giantsfan91

Guest
I live in the U.S. doing home IV's now with a PICC line and I'm getting tobramycin and merrem. They're both in eclipse balls which are little handheld balls filled with the antibiotic. Both medicines are mixed by a home health care pharmacist then delivered to my house. I first alcohol the tip of my PICC then flush the line with saline and after that I connect the tobramycin which lasts an hour, then flush with saline again, and connect merrem which lasts half an hour. Once the merrem is done I flush with saline again and finally finish by flushing with heparin. The balls make home IV's so much easier/better than a 2 week hospital stay. I go to college and can do basically anything while my medicines are being infused. Here's the link to the eclipse balls to get an idea of what they are:

http://www.iflo.com/prod_homepump.php
 
M

MichaelL

New member
I live in Canada and have had lots of experience with IVs -- I've been on meds fore over a year now. For meds that are one or two times a day, I use a traditional approach -- IV pole, tubing, gravity. For meds that run four or more times a day, I use a pump. It's about the size of an 8-track tape and goes in a bag with the IV medicine. I have to carry it around with me everywhere, although I can disconnect between treatments if I want or need to.

I've been using a PICC line for my course of treatments. They have to replace it about every four months because it starts to block. I don't know much about ports but people on this site seem to really like them.
 
M

MichaelL

New member
I live in Canada and have had lots of experience with IVs -- I've been on meds fore over a year now. For meds that are one or two times a day, I use a traditional approach -- IV pole, tubing, gravity. For meds that run four or more times a day, I use a pump. It's about the size of an 8-track tape and goes in a bag with the IV medicine. I have to carry it around with me everywhere, although I can disconnect between treatments if I want or need to.

I've been using a PICC line for my course of treatments. They have to replace it about every four months because it starts to block. I don't know much about ports but people on this site seem to really like them.
 
C

CyrilCrodius

New member
This is what we use here : http://www.calea.ca/catalogue/images/product/K60064.jpg
Cadd Prism portable infusion pump. It is powered by a 9v battery and it has to be changed every day.

I usually carry two of them, one for each antibiotics (Tobramycin and Ceftazidime). They are delivered through a double lumen PICC because both antibiotics cannot be mixed.
I change the Tobramycin bag once every 2 days and the Ceftazidime bag every day.

My last PICC lasted no more than 4 days and the one before that lasted 2 days in spite of the fact that there is a constant flow of at least 0.2 ml/h that goes through it and that it's flushed every day with 8ml of saline. They end up being blocked by clotted blood. The last time, they replaced my PICC with a central line and it started showing resistance on the last 2 days of treatment, which I assume means that it was starting to block too. I don't think that I would attempt a port considering everything seems to clot.
 
C

CyrilCrodius

New member
This is what we use here : http://www.calea.ca/catalogue/images/product/K60064.jpg
Cadd Prism portable infusion pump. It is powered by a 9v battery and it has to be changed every day.

I usually carry two of them, one for each antibiotics (Tobramycin and Ceftazidime). They are delivered through a double lumen PICC because both antibiotics cannot be mixed.
I change the Tobramycin bag once every 2 days and the Ceftazidime bag every day.

My last PICC lasted no more than 4 days and the one before that lasted 2 days in spite of the fact that there is a constant flow of at least 0.2 ml/h that goes through it and that it's flushed every day with 8ml of saline. They end up being blocked by clotted blood. The last time, they replaced my PICC with a central line and it started showing resistance on the last 2 days of treatment, which I assume means that it was starting to block too. I don't think that I would attempt a port considering everything seems to clot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top