PICC line question

[Marcy]

I hhave a feeling I will be going on IV antibiotic soon. I was wondering how it works when you are doing them at home. Do they send you home with everything you need or does home health come out? Is there like a flush or something you have to do with your line? If so does home health come and do that?
If anyone has any advise I would appreciate it.
Thanks Marcy

 

[Marcy]

I hhave a feeling I will be going on IV antibiotic soon. I was wondering how it works when you are doing them at home. Do they send you home with everything you need or does home health come out? Is there like a flush or something you have to do with your line? If so does home health come and do that?
If anyone has any advise I would appreciate it.
Thanks Marcy

 

[Marcy]

I hhave a feeling I will be going on IV antibiotic soon. I was wondering how it works when you are doing them at home. Do they send you home with everything you need or does home health come out? Is there like a flush or something you have to do with your line? If so does home health come and do that?
If anyone has any advise I would appreciate it.
Thanks Marcy

 

[Chaggie]

Seems like everyone is going on IV's lately. I got my from from home health they dropped it all off the day I got PICC in I pretty much do verything flush hook up and flush afterwards. The only thing I need a nurse for is to change the dressing once a week. One thing I I found very useful the nurse that that put my PICC in for me suggested was getting a seal-tight cast and bandage protector to use when taking a shower.

 

[Chaggie]

Seems like everyone is going on IV's lately. I got my from from home health they dropped it all off the day I got PICC in I pretty much do verything flush hook up and flush afterwards. The only thing I need a nurse for is to change the dressing once a week. One thing I I found very useful the nurse that that put my PICC in for me suggested was getting a seal-tight cast and bandage protector to use when taking a shower.

 

[Chaggie]

Seems like everyone is going on IV's lately. I got my from from home health they dropped it all off the day I got PICC in I pretty much do verything flush hook up and flush afterwards. The only thing I need a nurse for is to change the dressing once a week. One thing I I found very useful the nurse that that put my PICC in for me suggested was getting a seal-tight cast and bandage protector to use when taking a shower.

 

[sue35]

Yep a home health nurse comes out. She taught me the idea of SASH. Saline, antibiotic, saline, heparin. That is the order I do it in. The medicine gets delivered and then the pharmacy knows when I need more so they send more. My nurse comes once a week to change the dressing and take blood.

Make sure you get an extender so that you can give the medicines to yourself easier. Good luck, I have one right now. It does seem like everyone is getting them now, must be the fashionable thing to do<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[sue35]

Yep a home health nurse comes out. She taught me the idea of SASH. Saline, antibiotic, saline, heparin. That is the order I do it in. The medicine gets delivered and then the pharmacy knows when I need more so they send more. My nurse comes once a week to change the dressing and take blood.

Make sure you get an extender so that you can give the medicines to yourself easier. Good luck, I have one right now. It does seem like everyone is getting them now, must be the fashionable thing to do<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[sue35]

Yep a home health nurse comes out. She taught me the idea of SASH. Saline, antibiotic, saline, heparin. That is the order I do it in. The medicine gets delivered and then the pharmacy knows when I need more so they send more. My nurse comes once a week to change the dressing and take blood.

Make sure you get an extender so that you can give the medicines to yourself easier. Good luck, I have one right now. It does seem like everyone is getting them now, must be the fashionable thing to do<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[princessjdc]

Back when I had mine 2 years ago, i went to my CF pharmacy and I got my meds there, but had to stay at least 1 hour to make sure I didnt have any side effects on the meds. Every week they would send me more meds through the mail until my doses of meds were done.

I did however had to go to my doc every week so they could draw blood to make sure everything alright. I did the heperan and saline too like sue said.

 

[princessjdc]

Back when I had mine 2 years ago, i went to my CF pharmacy and I got my meds there, but had to stay at least 1 hour to make sure I didnt have any side effects on the meds. Every week they would send me more meds through the mail until my doses of meds were done.

I did however had to go to my doc every week so they could draw blood to make sure everything alright. I did the heperan and saline too like sue said.

 

[princessjdc]

Back when I had mine 2 years ago, i went to my CF pharmacy and I got my meds there, but had to stay at least 1 hour to make sure I didnt have any side effects on the meds. Every week they would send me more meds through the mail until my doses of meds were done.

I did however had to go to my doc every week so they could draw blood to make sure everything alright. I did the heperan and saline too like sue said.

 

[coltsfan715]

If you have never had the meds you will be taking you will probably be in the hospital a few days to make sure there is no reaction to anything.

Once you get home:
Someone should deliver medication to your house the day you are discharged. Most likely someone will need to be there to sign for the meds - DO NOT fret over this as the social worker at the hospital will work with you to get everything worked out.

A nurse from the home healthcare agency you are going through should also come to your house for your first medication dose.

They will show you how to hook up the meds and MAY wait through your first dose and oversee you administering the meds, saline and heparin flushes.

You should not have to do Saline or Heparin flushes other than when you do your medications. As you will not have the PICC when you are NOT on meds - it is not like a port in that respect.

If your PICC has 2 lumin (two attachments for the meds) then you may want to alternate the meds and use 1 lumin at one dose and the other at the next. Also if you have 2 lumin you will probably need to flush the one you do not use - IF it goes unused for more than 12 hours.

The nurses I deal with typically recommend that my lines are flushed with Saline and Heparin at least every 12 hours. The heparin will keep the line from clotting.

The nurse should explain everything to you. It should be relatively easy once you are shown how to do it - I have been administering my own meds since I was 14-15. The nurse for me usually comes and changes my dressing every 4-7 days. I have heard of them coming out everyday for doses but I personally wouldn't do that if I didn't have too.

Good luck Marcy. I hope you get to feeling better and I will email you later today or tomorrow.

Take Care,
Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

If you have never had the meds you will be taking you will probably be in the hospital a few days to make sure there is no reaction to anything.

Once you get home:
Someone should deliver medication to your house the day you are discharged. Most likely someone will need to be there to sign for the meds - DO NOT fret over this as the social worker at the hospital will work with you to get everything worked out.

A nurse from the home healthcare agency you are going through should also come to your house for your first medication dose.

They will show you how to hook up the meds and MAY wait through your first dose and oversee you administering the meds, saline and heparin flushes.

You should not have to do Saline or Heparin flushes other than when you do your medications. As you will not have the PICC when you are NOT on meds - it is not like a port in that respect.

If your PICC has 2 lumin (two attachments for the meds) then you may want to alternate the meds and use 1 lumin at one dose and the other at the next. Also if you have 2 lumin you will probably need to flush the one you do not use - IF it goes unused for more than 12 hours.

The nurses I deal with typically recommend that my lines are flushed with Saline and Heparin at least every 12 hours. The heparin will keep the line from clotting.

The nurse should explain everything to you. It should be relatively easy once you are shown how to do it - I have been administering my own meds since I was 14-15. The nurse for me usually comes and changes my dressing every 4-7 days. I have heard of them coming out everyday for doses but I personally wouldn't do that if I didn't have too.

Good luck Marcy. I hope you get to feeling better and I will email you later today or tomorrow.

Take Care,
Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

If you have never had the meds you will be taking you will probably be in the hospital a few days to make sure there is no reaction to anything.

Once you get home:
Someone should deliver medication to your house the day you are discharged. Most likely someone will need to be there to sign for the meds - DO NOT fret over this as the social worker at the hospital will work with you to get everything worked out.

A nurse from the home healthcare agency you are going through should also come to your house for your first medication dose.

They will show you how to hook up the meds and MAY wait through your first dose and oversee you administering the meds, saline and heparin flushes.

You should not have to do Saline or Heparin flushes other than when you do your medications. As you will not have the PICC when you are NOT on meds - it is not like a port in that respect.

If your PICC has 2 lumin (two attachments for the meds) then you may want to alternate the meds and use 1 lumin at one dose and the other at the next. Also if you have 2 lumin you will probably need to flush the one you do not use - IF it goes unused for more than 12 hours.

The nurses I deal with typically recommend that my lines are flushed with Saline and Heparin at least every 12 hours. The heparin will keep the line from clotting.

The nurse should explain everything to you. It should be relatively easy once you are shown how to do it - I have been administering my own meds since I was 14-15. The nurse for me usually comes and changes my dressing every 4-7 days. I have heard of them coming out everyday for doses but I personally wouldn't do that if I didn't have too.

Good luck Marcy. I hope you get to feeling better and I will email you later today or tomorrow.

Take Care,
Lindsey

 

[Giggles]

I always go home on home healthcare. When you are doing it for the first time my company that I use comes out to show you. There is a flush and heparin that you use. Typically, it goes flush, medicine, flush, heparin.

The company that you use should come out and get you all set up. Once your set it is really easy and much better than the hospital.


Good luck and Feel better!


Jennifer 34 years old with CF and CFRD

 

[Giggles]

I always go home on home healthcare. When you are doing it for the first time my company that I use comes out to show you. There is a flush and heparin that you use. Typically, it goes flush, medicine, flush, heparin.

The company that you use should come out and get you all set up. Once your set it is really easy and much better than the hospital.


Good luck and Feel better!


Jennifer 34 years old with CF and CFRD

 

[Giggles]

I always go home on home healthcare. When you are doing it for the first time my company that I use comes out to show you. There is a flush and heparin that you use. Typically, it goes flush, medicine, flush, heparin.

The company that you use should come out and get you all set up. Once your set it is really easy and much better than the hospital.


Good luck and Feel better!


Jennifer 34 years old with CF and CFRD