PICC Line Scare

[Marcy]

 I had a scary PICC experience recently, and was wondering if this has happened to any of you. (FYI - Out of all the stuff us CFers have to do, for me, getting a picc is one of my least favorite. I have a hard time when its placed and a few times I was so upset my veins colapsed(?) and they had to come the next day. Once its in and also removed I am fine. I have no logical explaination why its so hard for me, but I figure in the grand sceme of things that is small.) 
<P> With all that being said...</P>
<P>After a hospital stay for a tune up, I came home with my PICC that was placed the last day I was in.  So about a 6 days later I could not get it to flush. No big deal, I called home health. Nothing they asked me to do worked, so the next day they came to help. The brought Cathflo and worked on it for a long while and could not get it to work. While she was working on it I had these weird sounds in my ear when she would try to flush it- not sure how to explain it other then it sounded like fast bubbles or a strange clicking noise.  Eventually they sent me to the ER. After and xray I was told the end of the line (close to my heart backed up and coiled in my corrotic (sp?) artery. The PICC nurse came to see me and said that happens to 1% of the population. He said if he replaced it in that arm he could not promise it would not happen again.  There was no way I was going through another one for 4 or 5 more days of meds. I talked to my pulm. specialist and we decided to have it pulled. (By that time I was just out done).</P>
<P>I have had about 8 piccs placed in the last 9 yrs and once they get it in it has been fine and easy to do my medicines and all. The only issue has been most of them would not do blood draws. </P>
<P>  I dont know if this would have made a difference but they did not have me use heperin this time, said the new piccs didnt need it. My Dr said that alot of them have been getting clotted lately, and I am sure after this ordeal, he will address the heperin situation for sure.</P>
<P>I am sure you some of you are wondering, why not get a port? My hospitalizations/picc lines are not frequent enough for me to consider that yet. </P>
<P>I am curious to know if this has happened to any of you? Thanks.</P>

 

[Marcy]

I had a scary PICC experience recently, and was wondering if this has happened to any of you. (FYI - Out of all the stuff us CFers have to do, for me, getting a picc is one of my least favorite. I have a hard time when its placedand afew times I was so upset my veins colapsed(?) and they had to come the next day. Once its in and also removed I am fine. I have no logical explaination why its so hard for me, but I figure in the grand sceme of thingsthat is small.)
<P>With all that being said...</P>
<P>After a hospital stay for a tune up, I came home with my PICC that was placed the last day I was in. So about a 6 days later I could not get it to flush. No big deal, I called home health. Nothing they asked me to do worked, so the next day they came to help. The brought Cathflo and worked on it for a long while and could not get it to work. While she was working on it I had these weird sounds in my ear when she would try to flush it-not sure how to explain it other then it sounded like fast bubbles or a strange clicking noise. Eventually they sent me to the ER. After and xray I was told the end of the line (close to my heart backed up and coiled in my corrotic (sp?) artery. The PICC nurse came to see me and said that happens to 1% of the population. He said if hereplaced it in that arm he could not promise it would not happen again. There was no way I was going through another one for 4 or 5 more days of meds. I talked to my pulm. specialist and we decided to have it pulled. (By that time I was just out done).</P>
<P>I have had about 8 piccs placed in the last9 yrs and once they get it in it has been fine and easy to do my medicines and all. The only issue has been most of themwould not do blooddraws.</P>
<P> I dont know if this would have made a difference but they did not have me use heperin this time, said the new piccs didnt need it. My Dr said that alot of them have been getting clotted lately, and I am sure after this ordeal, he will address the heperin situation for sure.</P>
<P>I am sure yousome of you arewondering, why not get a port? My hospitalizations/picc lines are not frequent enough for me to consider that yet. </P>
<P>I am curious to know if this has happened to any of you? Thanks.</P>

 

[Marcy]

<BR>I had a scary PICC experience recently, and was wondering if this has happened to any of you. (FYI - Out of all the stuff us CFers have to do, for me, getting a picc is one of my least favorite. I have a hard time when its placedand afew times I was so upset my veins colapsed(?) and they had to come the next day. Once its in and also removed I am fine. I have no logical explaination why its so hard for me, but I figure in the grand sceme of thingsthat is small.)
<P>With all that being said...</P>
<P>After a hospital stay for a tune up, I came home with my PICC that was placed the last day I was in. So about a 6 days later I could not get it to flush. No big deal, I called home health. Nothing they asked me to do worked, so the next day they came to help. The brought Cathflo and worked on it for a long while and could not get it to work. While she was working on it I had these weird sounds in my ear when she would try to flush it-not sure how to explain it other then it sounded like fast bubbles or a strange clicking noise. Eventually they sent me to the ER. After and xray I was told the end of the line (close to my heart backed up and coiled in my corrotic (sp?) artery. The PICC nurse came to see me and said that happens to 1% of the population. He said if hereplaced it in that arm he could not promise it would not happen again. There was no way I was going through another one for 4 or 5 more days of meds. I talked to my pulm. specialist and we decided to have it pulled. (By that time I was just out done).</P>
<P>I have had about 8 piccs placed in the last9 yrs and once they get it in it has been fine and easy to do my medicines and all. The only issue has been most of themwould not do blooddraws.</P>
<P> I dont know if this would have made a difference but they did not have me use heperin this time, said the new piccs didnt need it. My Dr said that alot of them have been getting clotted lately, and I am sure after this ordeal, he will address the heperin situation for sure.</P>
<P>I am sure yousome of you arewondering, why not get a port? My hospitalizations/picc lines are not frequent enough for me to consider that yet. </P>
<P>I am curious to know if this has happened to any of you? Thanks.</P>

 

[mamaScarlett]

They don't need heparin? Thats a bunch of you know what.<br>Yes I've heard that before and every person on the Cf team in my center disagrees. <br>I'm so sorry this happened to you. I can imagine just how scared you were.<br>This is one reason they won't do draws out of the piccs anymore, and bc of that, I let them stick me as many times as they need.<br>Oh, and as far as anxiety with insertion, perhaps you should consider asking for a valium or other anti-anxiety. Lots of patients use it at my center. With all we have to go through, you shouldn't have to be worried during it. There is no reason for you to be, especially when one dose of something can take the edge off for you.<br>I always have mine done with IR now. 15 mins, in and out. Best decision we ever made. <br>hugs<br>

 

[mamaScarlett]

They don't need heparin? Thats a bunch of you know what.<br>Yes I've heard that before and every person on the Cf team in my center disagrees. <br>I'm so sorry this happened to you. I can imagine just how scared you were.<br>This is one reason they won't do draws out of the piccs anymore, and bc of that, I let them stick me as many times as they need.<br>Oh, and as far as anxiety with insertion, perhaps you should consider asking for a valium or other anti-anxiety. Lots of patients use it at my center. With all we have to go through, you shouldn't have to be worried during it. There is no reason for you to be, especially when one dose of something can take the edge off for you.<br>I always have mine done with IR now. 15 mins, in and out. Best decision we ever made. <br>hugs<br>

 

[mamaScarlett]

They don't need heparin? Thats a bunch of you know what.<br>Yes I've heard that before and every person on the Cf team in my center disagrees. <br>I'm so sorry this happened to you. I can imagine just how scared you were.<br>This is one reason they won't do draws out of the piccs anymore, and bc of that, I let them stick me as many times as they need.<br>Oh, and as far as anxiety with insertion, perhaps you should consider asking for a valium or other anti-anxiety. Lots of patients use it at my center. With all we have to go through, you shouldn't have to be worried during it. There is no reason for you to be, especially when one dose of something can take the edge off for you.<br>I always have mine done with IR now. 15 mins, in and out. Best decision we ever made. <br>hugs<br>

 

[carmick]

Ugh, I hate this anti-heparin movement. The new piccs absolutely need it. I have to smuggle heparin-filled syringes into the hospital with me so my picc will still work when I go home (the homecare company uses it). Apparently, my hospital would rather alteplase the heck out of me (generic CathFlo) instead of just maintaining my line. This seems dumb to me; hence the smuggling. Since you have had problems getting blood return on most of your piccs, you might want to ask what strength they have you on. 10 units is fairly common, but 100 units works better.

As MamaScarlett sugested, look into anti-anxiety meds. I take Xanax because otherwise I tense up and they can't get around my shoulder. Like you, I am fine with all other aspects of living with a picc (removal, etc.), although I've never had one flip up into my neck. Heard about it happening, but never experienced it. Sounds kinda freaky.

BTW I'm with you...I'm not a big fan of getting a port, either, and I've have over 20 piccs, the vast majority of which have been in the last three years

 

[carmick]

Ugh, I hate this anti-heparin movement. The new piccs absolutely need it. I have to smuggle heparin-filled syringes into the hospital with me so my picc will still work when I go home (the homecare company uses it). Apparently, my hospital would rather alteplase the heck out of me (generic CathFlo) instead of just maintaining my line. This seems dumb to me; hence the smuggling. Since you have had problems getting blood return on most of your piccs, you might want to ask what strength they have you on. 10 units is fairly common, but 100 units works better.

As MamaScarlett sugested, look into anti-anxiety meds. I take Xanax because otherwise I tense up and they can't get around my shoulder. Like you, I am fine with all other aspects of living with a picc (removal, etc.), although I've never had one flip up into my neck. Heard about it happening, but never experienced it. Sounds kinda freaky.

BTW I'm with you...I'm not a big fan of getting a port, either, and I've have over 20 piccs, the vast majority of which have been in the last three years

 

[carmick]

Ugh, I hate this anti-heparin movement. The new piccs absolutely need it. I have to smuggle heparin-filled syringes into the hospital with me so my picc will still work when I go home (the homecare company uses it). Apparently, my hospital would rather alteplase the heck out of me (generic CathFlo) instead of just maintaining my line. This seems dumb to me; hence the smuggling. Since you have had problems getting blood return on most of your piccs, you might want to ask what strength they have you on. 10 units is fairly common, but 100 units works better.
<br />
<br />As MamaScarlett sugested, look into anti-anxiety meds. I take Xanax because otherwise I tense up and they can't get around my shoulder. Like you, I am fine with all other aspects of living with a picc (removal, etc.), although I've never had one flip up into my neck. Heard about it happening, but never experienced it. Sounds kinda freaky.
<br />
<br />BTW I'm with you...I'm not a big fan of getting a port, either, and I've have over 20 piccs, the vast majority of which have been in the last three years

 

[MissAlex27]

When I was in the hospital in March, they refused to use heparin. I was told over and over again that the "new" PICCs don't need it. It made me so uncomfortable!

 

[MissAlex27]

When I was in the hospital in March, they refused to use heparin. I was told over and over again that the "new" PICCs don't need it. It made me so uncomfortable!

 

[MissAlex27]

When I was in the hospital in March, they refused to use heparin. I was told over and over again that the "new" PICCs don't need it. It made me so uncomfortable!

 

[Havoc]

They don't if they are a Groshong tip. I wrote a detailed response, but after 5 attempts it wouldn't post. I suggest that we should all become more familiar with the common treatments and procedures that we all go through.

 

[Havoc]

They don't if they are a Groshong tip. I wrote a detailed response, but after 5 attempts it wouldn't post. I suggest that we should all become more familiar with the common treatments and procedures that we all go through.

 

[Havoc]

They don't if they are a Groshong tip. I wrote a detailed response, but after 5 attempts it wouldn't post. I suggest that we should all become more familiar with the common treatments and procedures that we all go through.

 

[MCGrad2006]

I was also told that my last PICC did not need heparin but I (and the hospital) used it anyway. I pushed it and said, I did not mind the extra heparin/med because I had a blood clot in April and would rather be safe than sorry. No one at all questioned that.

BUT my PICC back in September, had the same thing that happened to you. I could not get it to flush, was sent to the ER (which did ABSOLUTELY nothing...even though I was there two nights). Long story short, PICC had moved (or was never placed correctly from the beginning...which is my thought, although my Dr. will NOT admit to that). I got a Port at the end of September because I also had lots of anxiety with PICC placements. So far my port is great (although it has not been flushed or used yet). Even if I do not have to use it for a year, I am thankful I got the port. I could not handle the PICC's anymore.

Many people on here recommended it and I hope that I will not regret my decision. Hope it works out for you! Definitely try the adivan before PICC placement though that should calm your nerves.

 

[MCGrad2006]

I was also told that my last PICC did not need heparin but I (and the hospital) used it anyway. I pushed it and said, I did not mind the extra heparin/med because I had a blood clot in April and would rather be safe than sorry. No one at all questioned that.

BUT my PICC back in September, had the same thing that happened to you. I could not get it to flush, was sent to the ER (which did ABSOLUTELY nothing...even though I was there two nights). Long story short, PICC had moved (or was never placed correctly from the beginning...which is my thought, although my Dr. will NOT admit to that). I got a Port at the end of September because I also had lots of anxiety with PICC placements. So far my port is great (although it has not been flushed or used yet). Even if I do not have to use it for a year, I am thankful I got the port. I could not handle the PICC's anymore.

Many people on here recommended it and I hope that I will not regret my decision. Hope it works out for you! Definitely try the adivan before PICC placement though that should calm your nerves.

 

[MCGrad2006]

I was also told that my last PICC did not need heparin but I (and the hospital) used it anyway. I pushed it and said, I did not mind the extra heparin/med because I had a blood clot in April and would rather be safe than sorry. No one at all questioned that.
<br />
<br />BUT my PICC back in September, had the same thing that happened to you. I could not get it to flush, was sent to the ER (which did ABSOLUTELY nothing...even though I was there two nights). Long story short, PICC had moved (or was never placed correctly from the beginning...which is my thought, although my Dr. will NOT admit to that). I got a Port at the end of September because I also had lots of anxiety with PICC placements. So far my port is great (although it has not been flushed or used yet). Even if I do not have to use it for a year, I am thankful I got the port. I could not handle the PICC's anymore.
<br />
<br />Many people on here recommended it and I hope that I will not regret my decision. Hope it works out for you! Definitely try the adivan before PICC placement though that should calm your nerves.

 

[jessykt]

I've had the "clicking" noise you referred to, and it happened while in radiology getting it placed. You could see the line looping and going up into the neck instead of down toward the heart. I don't know how yours could do that when already placed though (IF that's what it is).

I have extreme anxiety with picc placement and finally asked for something before my last one was placed. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Typically my arm is extremely sore after placement, but after doing so with antianxiety meds, it didn't bother me at all. My docs must be seeing a lot of this as they were totally fine with giving me something. I don't think I'll do it again without it.

Every time my line hasn't flushed, it's been a blood clot-3 of them so far. They start me on blood thinners just before I have my line placed and throughout the time that I use it. I've been told that I have to do daily injections as they have found the levels that they need the thinner at in the body swing too much in cfers so the cumadin (sp?) pills won't work. So I do injections of lovenox everyday.

 

[jessykt]

I've had the "clicking" noise you referred to, and it happened while in radiology getting it placed. You could see the line looping and going up into the neck instead of down toward the heart. I don't know how yours could do that when already placed though (IF that's what it is).

I have extreme anxiety with picc placement and finally asked for something before my last one was placed. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Typically my arm is extremely sore after placement, but after doing so with antianxiety meds, it didn't bother me at all. My docs must be seeing a lot of this as they were totally fine with giving me something. I don't think I'll do it again without it.

Every time my line hasn't flushed, it's been a blood clot-3 of them so far. They start me on blood thinners just before I have my line placed and throughout the time that I use it. I've been told that I have to do daily injections as they have found the levels that they need the thinner at in the body swing too much in cfers so the cumadin (sp?) pills won't work. So I do injections of lovenox everyday.