Had to have PICC removed

04-15-2008, 07:39 AM

Yesterday was terrible!

The nurse came out to do the dressing change and I showed her how I could feel the outline of what I thought was my line (under the arm area). She touched it and said that it was having spasms. She checked all around and called the nursing place and they all suggested she take it out because it was starting to get inflamed.

So, we call Dr. S and tell him because I only had two weeks left on it. Thought he would say, ok that is it but Noooo, he says he wants a midline put in now. So after lots of questions the nurse explains the midline can be put in at home and that it is basically the same as a picc only it will only go in to around the arm pit area and only stays in for 4-6 weeks.

Well she starts to pull out the picc and it is stuck. She pulls and my vein tries to suck it back in. She had me put heating pads on it and drink hot tea. She left for two hours thinking and hoping the heat would relax the spasms and let it go. When she came back, same thing. She got it out around 15 cm but I had a 43 cm line so we had to call the hospital and they said to come right in (it was around 4:00). It was an hour drive and they put my under the light so they could see it and make sure there were no clots. It was kinked so they inserted the wire (like what they used get it in) and got it out. Feels weird having it gone but nice.

Bad news is they could not start a midline yesterday so the nurse put in a normal iv cathedor until tomorrow when another nurse can come out and do it. So I got rid of one line (but on the way to the hospital I did have two) in my right arm to have another in the left. I did not even get to take a shower in between seran wrap free.

I am just so mad though because I am going to see my dad in FL in the beginning of May and was thinking that since my original picc was suppose to be out the 29th I would be free to do whatever but now I find I am going to have the midline in for a couple weeks after treatment just in case.

Sorry but I am back to hating those damn ticks!!

Do not get me wrong though because I am glad I originally got the picc because I felt it made me a lot better. I just have bad luck. My nurse said she has been doing this for 13 years and I am only the third to ever have it stuck. With those type of odds why couldn't I win the lottery instead of this?

04-16-2008, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernee

Yesterday was terrible!

The nurse came out to do the dressing change and I showed her how I could feel the outline of what I thought was my line (under the arm area). She touched it and said that it was having spasms. She checked all around and called the nursing place and they all suggested she take it out because it was starting to get inflamed.

So, we call Dr. S and tell him because I only had two weeks left on it. Thought he would say, ok that is it but Noooo, he says he wants a midline put in now. So after lots of questions the nurse explains the midline can be put in at home and that it is basically the same as a picc only it will only go in to around the arm pit area and only stays in for 4-6 weeks.

Well she starts to pull out the picc and it is stuck. She pulls and my vein tries to suck it back in. She had me put heating pads on it and drink hot tea. She left for two hours thinking and hoping the heat would relax the spasms and let it go. When she came back, same thing. She got it out around 15 cm but I had a 43 cm line so we had to call the hospital and they said to come right in (it was around 4:00). It was an hour drive and they put my under the light so they could see it and make sure there were no clots. It was kinked so they inserted the wire (like what they used get it in) and got it out. Feels weird having it gone but nice.

Bad news is they could not start a midline yesterday so the nurse put in a normal iv cathedor until tomorrow when another nurse can come out and do it. So I got rid of one line (but on the way to the hospital I did have two) in my right arm to have another in the left. I did not even get to take a shower in between seran wrap free.

I am just so mad though because I am going to see my dad in FL in the beginning of May and was thinking that since my original picc was suppose to be out the 29th I would be free to do whatever but now I find I am going to have the midline in for a couple weeks after treatment just in case.

Sorry but I am back to hating those damn ticks!!

Do not get me wrong though because I am glad I originally got the picc because I felt it made me a lot better. I just have bad luck. My nurse said she has been doing this for 13 years and I am only the third to ever have it stuck. With those type of odds why couldn't I win the lottery instead of this?

Hi Fernee
Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with your picc.
Boy your luck sounds like mine lately.
I have been really tired lately so I haven't been on the boards too much
What is the midline going to be like?
It is very unusual to have the picc get inflammed so I am sorry to hear it happened before your treatment was finished and you have to go through all of the other before your trip
I haven't been able to go swimming for almost 2 years now. I know it would be great to be able to do that in the end
I have my seasonal alergies and tried to take my alergy medicine and it knocked me straight out yesterday on the most beautiful day we have had in 6 months .
I am really discouraged lately so I definately know your frustration
It has been 17 months on this darn thing and even though I have made progress god only knows if I didn't do it where I would be now
My 20th aniversery is today and I really don't feel like celebrating at all
Good luck with your insertion today
Hang in there You are in good hands
Have a good trip to see your Dad
Take care
Ryebeach

04-16-2008, 06:22 AM

Hi Tammy sad to hear about your picc line. BUT happy to hear the doc is going to use the midline. Haven't had one. But your lucky you get to have something besides orals. Hang in there your doing great!

Ryebeach congratulations on your Anniversary! Wow 20 years...yahoooo....

04-16-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryebeach

Hi Fernee
Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with your picc.
Boy your luck sounds like mine lately.
I have been really tired lately so I haven't been on the boards too much
What is the midline going to be like?
It is very unusual to have the picc get inflammed so I am sorry to hear it happened before your treatment was finished and you have to go through all of the other before your trip
I haven't been able to go swimming for almost 2 years now. I know it would be great to be able to do that in the end
I have my seasonal alergies and tried to take my alergy medicine and it knocked me straight out yesterday on the most beautiful day we have had in 6 months .
I am really discouraged lately so I definately know your frustration
It has been 17 months on this darn thing and even though I have made progress god only knows if I didn't do it where I would be now
My 20th aniversery is today and I really don't feel like celebrating at all
Good luck with your insertion today
Hang in there You are in good hands
Have a good trip to see your Dad
Take care
Ryebeach

Ryebeach,

Well I am feeling a little better today but very nervous. Not sure of the midline myself. The nurse said it would feel the same as when they did the picc but they put numbing stuff on the picc and it was done in the hospital. Not this time. I really do feel that it is kind of stupid though. I mean I have a week and a half left of meds. Then to leave it in for a couple of weeks just to make sure I will be ok only on oral meds makes no sense because it is only a 4-6 week line so if we find I need more meds in a couple of weeks I will be re-doing something. UHHHHHH!

I know what you mean about celebrating. My husband and my 18th was Saturday and I really did not feel like doing much plus hard to want to be special when I had this damn thing in my arm.

Luck wise, on the way to dinner that night my check engine light came on (finally went off this morning) and then on Sunday my kids (older ones) and I were cleaning up from dinner and a couple of vision ware dishes decided to jump out of the cabinet at me. Got hit in the forehead. Did not even realize I was bleeding until I seen the look on my middle kids face. Of course I panicked and he told me to calm down. Said I was making more blood gush out. Hubby was out with youngest so my daughter told me we had to go to hospital. They said do not look but lets go to be safe.

Luckily she has her learners so she drove us. They kept telling me it was only less than half a inch. Well they lied to keep me calm. It is over a inch and not straight. The doctor said she did not want to scar me more with stitches so they put the sterile strips on. They warned me that as the swelling went down my eye and forehead may bruise. It is starting to now and my forehead (half of it) is lumped up.

Funny thing is, I did try to look at the humor in it. It was my left side of head and my picc was in my right arm. So I asked the nurse how in the hell was I suppose to take a shower like this. Guess I should of kept my mouth shut because next day picc came out of right and new line is going in the left.

I am excited though to get this iv out because I have realized that these things are more uncomfortable than the piccs. I bumped it since it is so close to the out of the skin and it still hurts plus line fills up with blood easier.

Wish me luck, the nurse will meet me at home at 11.

Oh, and might as well keep complaining. Because I have not had one in a while, had to get a tetanus shot at hospital. Well it was fine Sunday night and Monday but yesterday it lumped up and was swolling. I could barely lift my arm. I put heat on it all night and it is not as bad. When is it all going to get better?

Hope you feel better soon. Seems as when I tell everyone my problems they seem to forget theres a little.

Tammy

04-16-2008, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jojo

Hi Tammy sad to hear about your picc line. BUT happy to hear the doc is going to use the midline. Haven't had one. But your lucky you get to have something besides orals. Hang in there your doing great!

Ryebeach congratulations on your Anniversary! Wow 20 years...yahoooo....

Jojo,

I am feeling a little better today. Will not re-write everything I just wrote to ryebeach but it has been something.

I am hoping the orals will be ok after this but whatever it takes, I am already this far into it.

I did get to take the dressing off my arm from the old picc and it is not that bad. Did not know what to expect after having the line in there so long but just a little dot. I get to wash it today. Woo hoo!

04-18-2008, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernee

Ryebeach,

Well I am feeling a little better today but very nervous. Not sure of the midline myself. The nurse said it would feel the same as when they did the picc but they put numbing stuff on the picc and it was done in the hospital. Not this time. I really do feel that it is kind of stupid though. I mean I have a week and a half left of meds. Then to leave it in for a couple of weeks just to make sure I will be ok only on oral meds makes no sense because it is only a 4-6 week line so if we find I need more meds in a couple of weeks I will be re-doing something. UHHHHHH!

I know what you mean about celebrating. My husband and my 18th was Saturday and I really did not feel like doing much plus hard to want to be special when I had this damn thing in my arm.

Luck wise, on the way to dinner that night my check engine light came on (finally went off this morning) and then on Sunday my kids (older ones) and I were cleaning up from dinner and a couple of vision ware dishes decided to jump out of the cabinet at me. Got hit in the forehead. Did not even realize I was bleeding until I seen the look on my middle kids face. Of course I panicked and he told me to calm down. Said I was making more blood gush out. Hubby was out with youngest so my daughter told me we had to go to hospital. They said do not look but lets go to be safe.

Luckily she has her learners so she drove us. They kept telling me it was only less than half a inch. Well they lied to keep me calm. It is over a inch and not straight. The doctor said she did not want to scar me more with stitches so they put the sterile strips on. They warned me that as the swelling went down my eye and forehead may bruise. It is starting to now and my forehead (half of it) is lumped up.

Funny thing is, I did try to look at the humor in it. It was my left side of head and my picc was in my right arm. So I asked the nurse how in the hell was I suppose to take a shower like this. Guess I should of kept my mouth shut because next day picc came out of right and new line is going in the left.

I am excited though to get this iv out because I have realized that these things are more uncomfortable than the piccs. I bumped it since it is so close to the out of the skin and it still hurts plus line fills up with blood easier.

Wish me luck, the nurse will meet me at home at 11.

Oh, and might as well keep complaining. Because I have not had one in a while, had to get a tetanus shot at hospital. Well it was fine Sunday night and Monday but yesterday it lumped up and was swolling. I could barely lift my arm. I put heat on it all night and it is not as bad. When is it all going to get better?

Hope you feel better soon. Seems as when I tell everyone my problems they seem to forget theres a little.

Tammy

Hi Fernee
Wow what a day you had .
Hope this post finds you a little better with the feeling in your arm
Mine took about a week to calm down .
I was feeling like crap for my aniversery . We went to a place in the mountains in NH old Manor which was very charming
My husband tried so hard to make things special but I was not feeling well at all and was not the most pleasant person to be around
I wonder sometimes how he can stay around me at all . Very depressed this week for some reason and discouraged which I am usually not . but will try to pull myself out of it
I will start on IV Doxy at the beginning of May .
I get to have a four day break from the antibiotics The dr took me off the mepron and I think that might have something to do with my funky feeling . Also put me on a energy booster which I don't think it agrees with me too well I forget the name right now
Also Has me ordering mesosilver and samento . Expensive but I guess it is worth a try .
I think I have seen them on the boards and read some reviews on their sites that look promising so I guess it is worth a try
Good luck with your new line and maybe check out the two
natural ones I mentioned .
Have a safe trip to Fla and I will check the posts
Also Hello to JoJo
Take care
Ryebeach

04-18-2008, 06:28 AM

Ryebeach,

Just when you thought it could not get worse....it did! I went to do my treatment last night. Flushed with saline fine, hooked up IV and sat there for a while. Looked up and bag was still full and no drip. Unhooked and bag worked fine. Tried to flush and nothing. Called nurse, they had my hubby pull on my line to make sure it was straight. Had me try and pull the syringe and see if anything would come back out, nothing.

So someone is suppose to come out this morning and check it out. Nurse said there is some type of med you can put in that would unblock it but I am skepical. My doctrors office is also closed today so not sure how long it would take to get a hold of someone.

I have decided though that I want it pulled. When I go to FL I am going to a very small town (2 miles long) and it something like this were to happen I would be screwed. the nearest good hospital is an hour and a half away. Just not in the mood. Rather have to get another later than wear this thing if I do not need it right now.

So I am trying to keep my head up though because the weather is beautiful and I do have things to be thankful for but last night I just got so tired and depressed and went to bed and cried. Man I hate lyme!

04-18-2008, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernee

Ryebeach,

Just when you thought it could not get worse....it did! I went to do my treatment last night. Flushed with saline fine, hooked up IV and sat there for a while. Looked up and bag was still full and no drip. Unhooked and bag worked fine. Tried to flush and nothing. Called nurse, they had my hubby pull on my line to make sure it was straight. Had me try and pull the syringe and see if anything would come back out, nothing.

So someone is suppose to come out this morning and check it out. Nurse said there is some type of med you can put in that would unblock it but I am skepical. My doctrors office is also closed today so not sure how long it would take to get a hold of someone.

I have decided though that I want it pulled. When I go to FL I am going to a very small town (2 miles long) and it something like this were to happen I would be screwed. the nearest good hospital is an hour and a half away. Just not in the mood. Rather have to get another later than wear this thing if I do not need it right now.

So I am trying to keep my head up though because the weather is beautiful and I do have things to be thankful for but last night I just got so tired and depressed and went to bed and cried. Man I hate lyme!

\Hi Fernee
I did have my line get plugged one time and the nurse came out and injected something in it to dissolve the clot and it worked . I know how frustrating all of this is but don't stop now .
I know there are days when I would just like to give it all up and say what if I try to go without all this hassle and then my husband will remind me that I have come this far why stop now before I am cured of this finally
I also hate lyme and all that goes with it but am going to be a survivor of this crap
Really tired and down too lately
Hope tommorow brings a better day for you
Take care
Ryebeach

Had to have PICC removed

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