PICC Line

[Littlemiss]

Hi,

My Tobra nebs and other abx are not working and the Dr is thinking about bringing me in for IVs. I haven't had IVs for nearly 11 years, and am a bit edgy about the whole thing.

Last time I went in Picc lines were very new to my hospital (I was amoung the first few people to get one in my clinic) and they had alot of trouble placing it. I apparently have very fine veins and they needed to use a particularly fine line. This meant that I had to be hooked to the IV all the time in case it blocked and they were unable to push the meds through the line.

I figure picc lines might have moved on since then, but was wondering if any of you knew if this might still be a problem for me? If I need IVs I want to do them at home.

Hopefully when I go in tomorrow the blood test the Dr ordered tells him I won't need the IVs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">

AJ

 

[Littlemiss]

Hi,

My Tobra nebs and other abx are not working and the Dr is thinking about bringing me in for IVs. I haven't had IVs for nearly 11 years, and am a bit edgy about the whole thing.

Last time I went in Picc lines were very new to my hospital (I was amoung the first few people to get one in my clinic) and they had alot of trouble placing it. I apparently have very fine veins and they needed to use a particularly fine line. This meant that I had to be hooked to the IV all the time in case it blocked and they were unable to push the meds through the line.

I figure picc lines might have moved on since then, but was wondering if any of you knew if this might still be a problem for me? If I need IVs I want to do them at home.

Hopefully when I go in tomorrow the blood test the Dr ordered tells him I won't need the IVs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">

AJ

 

[Littlemiss]

Hi,

My Tobra nebs and other abx are not working and the Dr is thinking about bringing me in for IVs. I haven't had IVs for nearly 11 years, and am a bit edgy about the whole thing.

Last time I went in Picc lines were very new to my hospital (I was amoung the first few people to get one in my clinic) and they had alot of trouble placing it. I apparently have very fine veins and they needed to use a particularly fine line. This meant that I had to be hooked to the IV all the time in case it blocked and they were unable to push the meds through the line.

I figure picc lines might have moved on since then, but was wondering if any of you knew if this might still be a problem for me? If I need IVs I want to do them at home.

Hopefully when I go in tomorrow the blood test the Dr ordered tells him I won't need the IVs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">

AJ

 

[Littlemiss]

Hi,

My Tobra nebs and other abx are not working and the Dr is thinking about bringing me in for IVs. I haven't had IVs for nearly 11 years, and am a bit edgy about the whole thing.

Last time I went in Picc lines were very new to my hospital (I was amoung the first few people to get one in my clinic) and they had alot of trouble placing it. I apparently have very fine veins and they needed to use a particularly fine line. This meant that I had to be hooked to the IV all the time in case it blocked and they were unable to push the meds through the line.

I figure picc lines might have moved on since then, but was wondering if any of you knew if this might still be a problem for me? If I need IVs I want to do them at home.

Hopefully when I go in tomorrow the blood test the Dr ordered tells him I won't need the IVs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">

AJ

 

[Littlemiss]

Hi,
<br />
<br />My Tobra nebs and other abx are not working and the Dr is thinking about bringing me in for IVs. I haven't had IVs for nearly 11 years, and am a bit edgy about the whole thing.
<br />
<br />Last time I went in Picc lines were very new to my hospital (I was amoung the first few people to get one in my clinic) and they had alot of trouble placing it. I apparently have very fine veins and they needed to use a particularly fine line. This meant that I had to be hooked to the IV all the time in case it blocked and they were unable to push the meds through the line.
<br />
<br />I figure picc lines might have moved on since then, but was wondering if any of you knew if this might still be a problem for me? If I need IVs I want to do them at home.
<br />
<br />Hopefully when I go in tomorrow the blood test the Dr ordered tells him I won't need the IVs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0">
<br />
<br />AJ
<br />
<br />

 

[Jana]

They usually had trouble getting my PICCs in as well because my veins are very small and apparently intersect and divide in all kinds of strange manners. However, I've done lots of IVs at home.

If you really do have to be hooked up 24 hours, maybe you could ask about having one of your meds on one of those small pumps that you wear. I've done a lot of mine that way. It's a bit of a pain to have to wear it around for several weeks, but you never have to worry about starting and stopping it, and it sends a little "shot" of meds in about every 10 minutes or so to keep the line open. I've always used a CADD pump, but hear that there are even smaller ones.

One thing to consider. If they do give you a very small line, be extremely careful about using the arm it is in. Once they ended up giving me a "child-sized" PICC because nothing else would go in my vein. On top of that, they finally cut down and put it into a deeper, larger vein. After about a week and a half, the line actually ripped and started leaking. Everyone at the hospital was a little stunned by that one, but finally decided it was because of the combination of a tiny line and a deep vein--the line was more vulnerable between where it went into my arm and where it went into the vein.

I do hope you'll be able to get a PICC placed and do the meds at home. Hope this helps.

 

[Jana]

They usually had trouble getting my PICCs in as well because my veins are very small and apparently intersect and divide in all kinds of strange manners. However, I've done lots of IVs at home.

If you really do have to be hooked up 24 hours, maybe you could ask about having one of your meds on one of those small pumps that you wear. I've done a lot of mine that way. It's a bit of a pain to have to wear it around for several weeks, but you never have to worry about starting and stopping it, and it sends a little "shot" of meds in about every 10 minutes or so to keep the line open. I've always used a CADD pump, but hear that there are even smaller ones.

One thing to consider. If they do give you a very small line, be extremely careful about using the arm it is in. Once they ended up giving me a "child-sized" PICC because nothing else would go in my vein. On top of that, they finally cut down and put it into a deeper, larger vein. After about a week and a half, the line actually ripped and started leaking. Everyone at the hospital was a little stunned by that one, but finally decided it was because of the combination of a tiny line and a deep vein--the line was more vulnerable between where it went into my arm and where it went into the vein.

I do hope you'll be able to get a PICC placed and do the meds at home. Hope this helps.

 

[Jana]

They usually had trouble getting my PICCs in as well because my veins are very small and apparently intersect and divide in all kinds of strange manners. However, I've done lots of IVs at home.

If you really do have to be hooked up 24 hours, maybe you could ask about having one of your meds on one of those small pumps that you wear. I've done a lot of mine that way. It's a bit of a pain to have to wear it around for several weeks, but you never have to worry about starting and stopping it, and it sends a little "shot" of meds in about every 10 minutes or so to keep the line open. I've always used a CADD pump, but hear that there are even smaller ones.

One thing to consider. If they do give you a very small line, be extremely careful about using the arm it is in. Once they ended up giving me a "child-sized" PICC because nothing else would go in my vein. On top of that, they finally cut down and put it into a deeper, larger vein. After about a week and a half, the line actually ripped and started leaking. Everyone at the hospital was a little stunned by that one, but finally decided it was because of the combination of a tiny line and a deep vein--the line was more vulnerable between where it went into my arm and where it went into the vein.

I do hope you'll be able to get a PICC placed and do the meds at home. Hope this helps.

 

[Jana]

They usually had trouble getting my PICCs in as well because my veins are very small and apparently intersect and divide in all kinds of strange manners. However, I've done lots of IVs at home.

If you really do have to be hooked up 24 hours, maybe you could ask about having one of your meds on one of those small pumps that you wear. I've done a lot of mine that way. It's a bit of a pain to have to wear it around for several weeks, but you never have to worry about starting and stopping it, and it sends a little "shot" of meds in about every 10 minutes or so to keep the line open. I've always used a CADD pump, but hear that there are even smaller ones.

One thing to consider. If they do give you a very small line, be extremely careful about using the arm it is in. Once they ended up giving me a "child-sized" PICC because nothing else would go in my vein. On top of that, they finally cut down and put it into a deeper, larger vein. After about a week and a half, the line actually ripped and started leaking. Everyone at the hospital was a little stunned by that one, but finally decided it was because of the combination of a tiny line and a deep vein--the line was more vulnerable between where it went into my arm and where it went into the vein.

I do hope you'll be able to get a PICC placed and do the meds at home. Hope this helps.

 

[Jana]

They usually had trouble getting my PICCs in as well because my veins are very small and apparently intersect and divide in all kinds of strange manners. However, I've done lots of IVs at home.
<br />
<br />If you really do have to be hooked up 24 hours, maybe you could ask about having one of your meds on one of those small pumps that you wear. I've done a lot of mine that way. It's a bit of a pain to have to wear it around for several weeks, but you never have to worry about starting and stopping it, and it sends a little "shot" of meds in about every 10 minutes or so to keep the line open. I've always used a CADD pump, but hear that there are even smaller ones.
<br />
<br />One thing to consider. If they do give you a very small line, be extremely careful about using the arm it is in. Once they ended up giving me a "child-sized" PICC because nothing else would go in my vein. On top of that, they finally cut down and put it into a deeper, larger vein. After about a week and a half, the line actually ripped and started leaking. Everyone at the hospital was a little stunned by that one, but finally decided it was because of the combination of a tiny line and a deep vein--the line was more vulnerable between where it went into my arm and where it went into the vein.
<br />
<br />I do hope you'll be able to get a PICC placed and do the meds at home. Hope this helps.

 

[mamaScarlett]

piccs today aren't the same as what we remember 11 yrs ago. today they'll probably use interventional radiology to get yours in-you can request it. it should get your line in really quickly and almost painlessly. this way too, they can go as deep as they want and get a good thick vein.
i'm on ivs 1-2x per year and i always have piccs, and i'm always at home.
i hope it works out for you!

 

[mamaScarlett]

piccs today aren't the same as what we remember 11 yrs ago. today they'll probably use interventional radiology to get yours in-you can request it. it should get your line in really quickly and almost painlessly. this way too, they can go as deep as they want and get a good thick vein.
i'm on ivs 1-2x per year and i always have piccs, and i'm always at home.
i hope it works out for you!

 

[mamaScarlett]

piccs today aren't the same as what we remember 11 yrs ago. today they'll probably use interventional radiology to get yours in-you can request it. it should get your line in really quickly and almost painlessly. this way too, they can go as deep as they want and get a good thick vein.
i'm on ivs 1-2x per year and i always have piccs, and i'm always at home.
i hope it works out for you!

 

[mamaScarlett]

piccs today aren't the same as what we remember 11 yrs ago. today they'll probably use interventional radiology to get yours in-you can request it. it should get your line in really quickly and almost painlessly. this way too, they can go as deep as they want and get a good thick vein.
i'm on ivs 1-2x per year and i always have piccs, and i'm always at home.
i hope it works out for you!

 

[mamaScarlett]

piccs today aren't the same as what we remember 11 yrs ago. today they'll probably use interventional radiology to get yours in-you can request it. it should get your line in really quickly and almost painlessly. this way too, they can go as deep as they want and get a good thick vein.
<br />i'm on ivs 1-2x per year and i always have piccs, and i'm always at home.
<br />i hope it works out for you!

 

[Dea]

I too have the same problem with my veins. They haven't used a picc line on me in years because I was having problems with my veins blowing or getting a blood clot. I get a HON catheter. It is placed near the collar bone and out of the way. It takes a little bit longer to place, but not too bad. They do it all by radiology and give you a local anesthetic. I have never had any problems with the hon catheter and love that it frees my arms up as well. You can also have extra lumins (sp?) put on it so they can draw blood from it as well.

 

[Dea]

I too have the same problem with my veins. They haven't used a picc line on me in years because I was having problems with my veins blowing or getting a blood clot. I get a HON catheter. It is placed near the collar bone and out of the way. It takes a little bit longer to place, but not too bad. They do it all by radiology and give you a local anesthetic. I have never had any problems with the hon catheter and love that it frees my arms up as well. You can also have extra lumins (sp?) put on it so they can draw blood from it as well.

 

[Dea]

I too have the same problem with my veins. They haven't used a picc line on me in years because I was having problems with my veins blowing or getting a blood clot. I get a HON catheter. It is placed near the collar bone and out of the way. It takes a little bit longer to place, but not too bad. They do it all by radiology and give you a local anesthetic. I have never had any problems with the hon catheter and love that it frees my arms up as well. You can also have extra lumins (sp?) put on it so they can draw blood from it as well.

 

[Dea]

I too have the same problem with my veins. They haven't used a picc line on me in years because I was having problems with my veins blowing or getting a blood clot. I get a HON catheter. It is placed near the collar bone and out of the way. It takes a little bit longer to place, but not too bad. They do it all by radiology and give you a local anesthetic. I have never had any problems with the hon catheter and love that it frees my arms up as well. You can also have extra lumins (sp?) put on it so they can draw blood from it as well.

 

[Dea]

I too have the same problem with my veins. They haven't used a picc line on me in years because I was having problems with my veins blowing or getting a blood clot. I get a HON catheter. It is placed near the collar bone and out of the way. It takes a little bit longer to place, but not too bad. They do it all by radiology and give you a local anesthetic. I have never had any problems with the hon catheter and love that it frees my arms up as well. You can also have extra lumins (sp?) put on it so they can draw blood from it as well.