Ports .....

[Tess]

I've just had my first port put in on March 2nd. And Started my first run of antibiotics through it Monday March 26th. The nusres suggest that I stay hooked to it all the time breaking only to switch between the two meds.

My question is How many times a day do you flush your port and with how much heprin??
Has there been any effects on the amount of heprin in your body?

As much Info you can give the more I Thank You.

 

[Tess]

I've just had my first port put in on March 2nd. And Started my first run of antibiotics through it Monday March 26th. The nusres suggest that I stay hooked to it all the time breaking only to switch between the two meds.

My question is How many times a day do you flush your port and with how much heprin??
Has there been any effects on the amount of heprin in your body?

As much Info you can give the more I Thank You.

 

[Tess]

I've just had my first port put in on March 2nd. And Started my first run of antibiotics through it Monday March 26th. The nusres suggest that I stay hooked to it all the time breaking only to switch between the two meds.

My question is How many times a day do you flush your port and with how much heprin??
Has there been any effects on the amount of heprin in your body?

As much Info you can give the more I Thank You.

 

[Mandi1404]

I flush my port with Heprin after every med and use 3 ml. Every month I get it accessed and flushed and they put in another 3 ml but in a higher dose. All heprin does is thin your blood out. They only do it so you dont get a clot at the end of your tube which isnt fun so make sure you always get it flushed.

Also you dont have to be hooked up 24/7. They're crazy. At my hospital they flush it every 4 hours as well as after every med. You're gonna love the port. Good luck with it!

 

[Mandi1404]

I flush my port with Heprin after every med and use 3 ml. Every month I get it accessed and flushed and they put in another 3 ml but in a higher dose. All heprin does is thin your blood out. They only do it so you dont get a clot at the end of your tube which isnt fun so make sure you always get it flushed.

Also you dont have to be hooked up 24/7. They're crazy. At my hospital they flush it every 4 hours as well as after every med. You're gonna love the port. Good luck with it!

 

[Mandi1404]

I flush my port with Heprin after every med and use 3 ml. Every month I get it accessed and flushed and they put in another 3 ml but in a higher dose. All heprin does is thin your blood out. They only do it so you dont get a clot at the end of your tube which isnt fun so make sure you always get it flushed.

Also you dont have to be hooked up 24/7. They're crazy. At my hospital they flush it every 4 hours as well as after every med. You're gonna love the port. Good luck with it!

 

[blindhearted]

Nurses suggest that you stay hooked up to meds 24/7 because it is less work for them. I dont mean to offend any nurses out there but I have actually heard that from a nurse's mouth. I have also heard it is to "decrease chance of infection" but if your nurse is using proper cleaning and sterile techinques then your chances of infection is already low. There is no need for 24/7 hook up unless you doctor says so because of dehydration. If the nurse says that the doctor say so, ask to see the order.

You can get free of IV lines after you meds by doing a saline flush - about 10ccs or let the bag for saline run for about 3 mins - and followed by a heprin flush. About 3 mL (or 5 mL) of 100 units per cc (there is 1000 units per cc but it is very strong and not recommended). Make sure it is clamped off with positive pressure. Positive pressure is when they are flushing, right before they get to the end of the syringe they clamp the line from your port needle as they continue to push on the flush. I flush mine with 9 mL of 100 units per cc every month. I use that much because my port line (internally) is longer than most because of where my port is located. Most hopsitals have protocols for port care and they should have listed in there how much Heprin and how strong is proper for port flushes.

The only problem with Heprin is if you get too much in your system, is you bruise easy or you can bleed out because your blood is so thin. I believe it takes a lot of heprin for that to happen. That is why it is best to avoid using 1000 units per cc because of it being strong.

Hope you get feeling better <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[blindhearted]

Nurses suggest that you stay hooked up to meds 24/7 because it is less work for them. I dont mean to offend any nurses out there but I have actually heard that from a nurse's mouth. I have also heard it is to "decrease chance of infection" but if your nurse is using proper cleaning and sterile techinques then your chances of infection is already low. There is no need for 24/7 hook up unless you doctor says so because of dehydration. If the nurse says that the doctor say so, ask to see the order.

You can get free of IV lines after you meds by doing a saline flush - about 10ccs or let the bag for saline run for about 3 mins - and followed by a heprin flush. About 3 mL (or 5 mL) of 100 units per cc (there is 1000 units per cc but it is very strong and not recommended). Make sure it is clamped off with positive pressure. Positive pressure is when they are flushing, right before they get to the end of the syringe they clamp the line from your port needle as they continue to push on the flush. I flush mine with 9 mL of 100 units per cc every month. I use that much because my port line (internally) is longer than most because of where my port is located. Most hopsitals have protocols for port care and they should have listed in there how much Heprin and how strong is proper for port flushes.

The only problem with Heprin is if you get too much in your system, is you bruise easy or you can bleed out because your blood is so thin. I believe it takes a lot of heprin for that to happen. That is why it is best to avoid using 1000 units per cc because of it being strong.

Hope you get feeling better <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[blindhearted]

Nurses suggest that you stay hooked up to meds 24/7 because it is less work for them. I dont mean to offend any nurses out there but I have actually heard that from a nurse's mouth. I have also heard it is to "decrease chance of infection" but if your nurse is using proper cleaning and sterile techinques then your chances of infection is already low. There is no need for 24/7 hook up unless you doctor says so because of dehydration. If the nurse says that the doctor say so, ask to see the order.

You can get free of IV lines after you meds by doing a saline flush - about 10ccs or let the bag for saline run for about 3 mins - and followed by a heprin flush. About 3 mL (or 5 mL) of 100 units per cc (there is 1000 units per cc but it is very strong and not recommended). Make sure it is clamped off with positive pressure. Positive pressure is when they are flushing, right before they get to the end of the syringe they clamp the line from your port needle as they continue to push on the flush. I flush mine with 9 mL of 100 units per cc every month. I use that much because my port line (internally) is longer than most because of where my port is located. Most hopsitals have protocols for port care and they should have listed in there how much Heprin and how strong is proper for port flushes.

The only problem with Heprin is if you get too much in your system, is you bruise easy or you can bleed out because your blood is so thin. I believe it takes a lot of heprin for that to happen. That is why it is best to avoid using 1000 units per cc because of it being strong.

Hope you get feeling better <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[lightNlife]

Congratulations on getting a port! You're going to LOVE it. Don't forget to check out my port pictures and stuff on my blog, <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://livingwellwithCF.blogspot.com
">http://livingwellwithCF.blogspot.com
</a>

The plan I was instructed to follow for the port flushing when doing a course of IVs is as follows:

BEFORE 1st ANTIBIOTIC

1.Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. Flush with 5ml of saline

BETWEEN ANTIBIOTICS

1. Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. flush with 3ml of saline

3. Cap the end of the completed antibiotic's tubing

AFTER LAST ANTIBIOTIC

1. Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. Flush with 5ml of saline

3. Flush with 3ml of heparin

4. Cap the end of the antibiotic tubing

I agree with Mandi on the not leaving it hooked up between meds. Most nurses recommend it and follow that protocol in the hospitals. The reasoning is, the fewer times you expose the line to the air, the less likely you are to contaminate the line, and less likely to have problems with air bubbles. This makes sense, but it's sort of annoying to always have the tubing connected. Also, I've found that when I leave the tubing connected too long, I have a VERY difficult time disconnecting it when I'm ready to flush.

As to the effects of heparin in the body, I just recently asked the specialists about that. They assured me that the heparin used in flushing a port have a negligible effect on the body. The concentration and the amount of heparin that's being put into the line, is not enough to cause clotting issues. On the flip side, the heparin put into the port is also not sufficient for preventing DVT, so be sure you're walking around enough and not just lounging for the next 14-21 days while you do your IV therapy.

You're going to do great with this! Will you be using a pump and IV push system or is the medication infused via gravity drip? Either way, having a port is SO much better than having a PICC or midline. You won't have problems with the line getting kinked or anything. Congrats on making this big step to self-sufficiency in the infusion department! *high five*

 

[lightNlife]

Congratulations on getting a port! You're going to LOVE it. Don't forget to check out my port pictures and stuff on my blog, <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://livingwellwithCF.blogspot.com
">http://livingwellwithCF.blogspot.com
</a>

The plan I was instructed to follow for the port flushing when doing a course of IVs is as follows:

BEFORE 1st ANTIBIOTIC

1.Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. Flush with 5ml of saline

BETWEEN ANTIBIOTICS

1. Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. flush with 3ml of saline

3. Cap the end of the completed antibiotic's tubing

AFTER LAST ANTIBIOTIC

1. Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. Flush with 5ml of saline

3. Flush with 3ml of heparin

4. Cap the end of the antibiotic tubing

I agree with Mandi on the not leaving it hooked up between meds. Most nurses recommend it and follow that protocol in the hospitals. The reasoning is, the fewer times you expose the line to the air, the less likely you are to contaminate the line, and less likely to have problems with air bubbles. This makes sense, but it's sort of annoying to always have the tubing connected. Also, I've found that when I leave the tubing connected too long, I have a VERY difficult time disconnecting it when I'm ready to flush.

As to the effects of heparin in the body, I just recently asked the specialists about that. They assured me that the heparin used in flushing a port have a negligible effect on the body. The concentration and the amount of heparin that's being put into the line, is not enough to cause clotting issues. On the flip side, the heparin put into the port is also not sufficient for preventing DVT, so be sure you're walking around enough and not just lounging for the next 14-21 days while you do your IV therapy.

You're going to do great with this! Will you be using a pump and IV push system or is the medication infused via gravity drip? Either way, having a port is SO much better than having a PICC or midline. You won't have problems with the line getting kinked or anything. Congrats on making this big step to self-sufficiency in the infusion department! *high five*

 

[lightNlife]

Congratulations on getting a port! You're going to LOVE it. Don't forget to check out my port pictures and stuff on my blog, <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://livingwellwithCF.blogspot.com
">http://livingwellwithCF.blogspot.com
</a>

The plan I was instructed to follow for the port flushing when doing a course of IVs is as follows:

BEFORE 1st ANTIBIOTIC

1.Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. Flush with 5ml of saline

BETWEEN ANTIBIOTICS

1. Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. flush with 3ml of saline

3. Cap the end of the completed antibiotic's tubing

AFTER LAST ANTIBIOTIC

1. Wipe clave with alcohol prep pad

2. Flush with 5ml of saline

3. Flush with 3ml of heparin

4. Cap the end of the antibiotic tubing

I agree with Mandi on the not leaving it hooked up between meds. Most nurses recommend it and follow that protocol in the hospitals. The reasoning is, the fewer times you expose the line to the air, the less likely you are to contaminate the line, and less likely to have problems with air bubbles. This makes sense, but it's sort of annoying to always have the tubing connected. Also, I've found that when I leave the tubing connected too long, I have a VERY difficult time disconnecting it when I'm ready to flush.

As to the effects of heparin in the body, I just recently asked the specialists about that. They assured me that the heparin used in flushing a port have a negligible effect on the body. The concentration and the amount of heparin that's being put into the line, is not enough to cause clotting issues. On the flip side, the heparin put into the port is also not sufficient for preventing DVT, so be sure you're walking around enough and not just lounging for the next 14-21 days while you do your IV therapy.

You're going to do great with this! Will you be using a pump and IV push system or is the medication infused via gravity drip? Either way, having a port is SO much better than having a PICC or midline. You won't have problems with the line getting kinked or anything. Congrats on making this big step to self-sufficiency in the infusion department! *high five*

 

[chrozzo]

i have had 5 ports now, flushed with 3 ml of heprin or so the first time...the rest I had a groschongg picc put in (spellng?) and no heprin was needed.

i hope it all goes wel for you, tke care,
Christian

 

[chrozzo]

i have had 5 ports now, flushed with 3 ml of heprin or so the first time...the rest I had a groschongg picc put in (spellng?) and no heprin was needed.

i hope it all goes wel for you, tke care,
Christian

 

[chrozzo]

i have had 5 ports now, flushed with 3 ml of heprin or so the first time...the rest I had a groschongg picc put in (spellng?) and no heprin was needed.

i hope it all goes wel for you, tke care,
Christian