Advice on — PICC Lines, Portal Catheter etc.
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My sister just had a port installed a little over a month ago. She opted for the port instead of the pic for the convience of not having to make the extra trip to the hospital to have it flushed.
She has two young grandchildren and didn’t like the idea of having it visable on her arm.She had her first chemo through it two weeks ago today and said it was Sooo much easier. Her veins had just given up the ghost, often having to have an Iv re-installed in the middle of her treatments.
She has chemo on two days back to back, and the second day was always the worst for her IV’s – sometimes blowing veins a couple of times in the course of treatment.
After a lenghty discussion she finally opted for the Port and is so happy that she did.
Edited to add: Installation of the port did require a “twilight” and a surgeon instead of a qualified nurse. Something to consider.
I have had PICC lines 4 times and they are truly wonderful!!! It helped ease my needle anxiety in the hospital and at home. I have had PICCs inserted from my hospital bed and also in the Radiology department. For me, the procedure is a little nerve-wracking and painful but once its inserted, its pretty comfortable. Removing a PICC line is easy and painless. I had a “power PICC” so that blood could be drawn, dyes injected, meds administered, etc…. I also had 2 “lumens” so I was able to receive 2 antibiotics at the same time. I never had problems with infections but have had numbness down the back of my upper arm due to some nerve damage (the feeling is returning). I have also found that only a nurse trained in using a PICC line can do the blood draws, etc….I highly recommend PICC lines.
Betsy
When Teddy had his aborted Whipple and then the “real” thing they did a PIC Line also called a Power Line at times. He said it was a godsend. Everything was done through that line and there was no other poking. They flushed his every day to stave off infection. And like Kris, he would do it again. The first person who tried to put it in could not so then they called a Doctor immediately to insert it. Perhaps you can alert them to the fact you want a Doctor to do it. Doesn’t take that long at all but its getting it in right. He had his in his shoulder.
Most injections, blood tests, and chemo are done through mine. When I am really sick, they also give me the food bag through it. Most of the dyes for the different scans are also given through it.
There is only one drawback. In Sweden (perhaps everywhere) nurses and techs have to be specially trained to use them. Sometimes this means I wind up with a nurse who has not been trained and I have to do things through the arm.
I love mine though it got majorly infected when I first got it so I have a beautiful big scar from where it would not heal. I would do it again though.
KRis
Hi All,
I need some advise on PICC lines, catheters and other kinds of injection devices.
As some of you know my 81yr. Dad will be starting his first round of chemo soon, and a friend recommended to ask for a “Portal Catheter”, because it is less painful and can be used for other injections. Keeping you on tap, so to speak.
Pertaining to Canada, when my friend went through chemo with her husband, she said they didn’t automatically offer catheters, because they cost more, you have to ask for them.
Not sure if you can draw blood from them also, but I thought it would be a good idea to ask about it, since they will be administering the chemo once a week, doing INR checks often, and possibly giving him other meds to counter the chemo effects.
What was your experience with them, and would you use them again?
I imagine there are some draw backs, such as infection and it getting in the way. Do the pluses out way the minuses?
Thanks so much everyone,
Dianne
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