Re: PICC Lines

[Guest guest]

Bernadette you are doing a disservice to Dr. Gaito by using her name to

refer to a problem you had with her husband., Her husband is Dr. Lutz, if

you are going to bash, leave Dr. Gaito out of it...............I too am only

well, because I have been an active participant in my healthcare.....and

found a great Dr......and most of the time going with my gut feelings and

discussing them with my understanding and caring Dr.............I have a

wonderful nurse...........not the same as your nurse.................I feel

wonderful and am at a 100 percent..........feel great!! I owe that to not

only myself but Dr. Gaito, and my nurse...........she has worked with me

and has helped me with lyme, with insurance, with my place of work,

etc.................After 20 Drs.,and five years, I finally found someone

to help me............it pays to keep searching......my picc line is very

close to the bend in my arm...............I am a P.E. teacher, very active

and out in the sun and heat............I am constantly sweating, and the

bandage wants to peel off............so I have to have it cleaned and

changed often.............I think picc lines are very

individual................each has to find what works for

them..............Connie

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/24/00 8:30:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

conniek@... writes:

<< Bernadette you are doing a disservice to Dr. Gaito by using her name to

refer to a problem you had with her husband., Her husband is Dr. Lutz, if

you are going to bash, leave Dr. Gaito out of it......... >>

simple facts are they share an office...home, kids, personal life

one diagnoses " chronic lyme " and takes USHC

one takes cash to treat large quantities of lyme patients..(and dropped USHC)

..I don't see I am doing a disservice...just pointing out a really big

oddity...and btw...I said if you happened to read,,,

in many ways the 3 doctors I left were wonderful...(did you miss that part?)..

..but because of things I RESEARCHED and found to be a necessary part of my

progression towards wellness..I had to leave three doctors.....

by pointing out that two so intimately connected doctors can treat patients

with the SAME problem so differently,,,,it is a warning for all not to assume

anything about a doctors partner...married or not......

and if ya wanna know the truth Connie...I purposely CHOSE not to go to her

and pay out of pocket because of all the problems with her lyme people here

and elsewhere have shared...including yours....so listening to others

experiences, and seeing inequities myself..she is not on my personal top list

of doctors to send a lyme patient to...notice I said MY list

...and THAT is my personal experiences I am sharing...

[Guest guest]

I I thought we agreed not to use doctors' names in this mailing list?

elizabeth

<< << Bernadette you are doing a disservice to Dr. Gaito by using her name to

refer to a problem you had with her husband., Her husband is Dr. Lutz, if

you are going to bash, leave Dr. Gaito out of it......... >>

>>

[Guest guest]

I agree. We really should be more careful about doctors name's.

Robynn

Re: [ ] PICC Lines

I I thought we agreed not to use doctors' names in this mailing list?elizabeth<< << Bernadette you are doing a disservice to Dr. Gaito by using her name to refer to a problem you had with her husband., Her husband is Dr. Lutz, if you are going to bash, leave Dr. Gaito out of it......... >> >>

[Guest guest]

janalise wrote:

Anne - you sound just like me!!! I

had a PICC this winter and the nurses were totally ignorant as to its care

when I was transferred to the University Medical Center as they did not

use that kind so I had to fight them every time they wanted to flush with

heparin or some other no-no - PISSED ME OFF! I am so tired of being considered

so ignorant about something that is killing me for Pete's sake - I am the

one MOST knowledgeable - (I was a paramedic/nurse) in an earlier life but

I think they are dorks now... =o)

janalise

I am

so happy to know that I am NOT the only ROTTEN Patient on this list!

My

favorite doctors, are those that ask me... How to break MY Allergic Reactions,

since I am the ONLY one that has been present for every single one!

Even though I really wish I could have missed a few of those!! Like

the times that I knew I was in big trouble, but couldn't get it across

to the ER or ICU staff until I started crashing on the monitors... they

didn't believe me when I said I was in trouble. I have

had the pleasure (NOT!) of being intubated while WIDE AWAKE more than once.

By the time the monitors would show how bad I really was, there wasn't

time to figure out what I could or could not have to sedation, so the intubations

were with me making eye contact with the Paramedic, CRNA, or the MDA.

The CRNA told me I had to close my eyes, because she couldn't intubate

me while I was watching. She sat there and explained each step of

the way what she was doing until I demanded a piece of paper on which I

wrote....

I am a paramedic,

get on with it, I can't breathe, I don't care, just do it!

It

bugged me, to NO end. Just do it already!!! I am all for the

keeping the patient informed, but I knew what was happening, and I knew

no matter how uncomfortable and scary it was to be intubated wide awake,

that it would be good! Because I wasn't breathing well enough on

my own!! My oxygen sat was 80 and dropping by the time I was finally

intubated!

You

would be grossed out if I showed you the picture of my PICC line site....

actually, I'll put it at the bottom of the message.... But I don't

want anyone to be grossed out so I want you to be forewarned!!!

I

can't believe how much we have to go through with all the dumb doctors,

wouldn't it make sense that the patient would know more about their illness,

than anyone else?

Residents

are the worst! I chew them up, and spit them out... they get ONE

chance with me, "screw me" & you will not like the response you get!

Could

someone please explain to me why... if a woman says that something just

isn't right in her body, or her system.... That woman is automatically

a psychiatric patient, having a panic/anxiety attack, and needs drugs!

I have told off more than one doctor, nurse, paramedic (the one that was

out here last night with her attitude!), family, friends, you name them,

they have heard from me!

Okay,

enough babbling, whining, crying, screaming, you get the picture!

love

Always,

Anne

P.S.

at the end of this message you will find a picture of my tape burn from

the first PICC line. But you have to know that it is really gross,

and it was that bad within 48 hours of the line being placed....

the damage was done by the first two IV site dressings!!

Warning,

the picture is very graphic and could be too gross for some!!!

The site where

the actual line was... NO PROBLEMS, it is where the nasty tape dressing

was on my arm, that the problem is!!!

In the picture,

you can't see it, but there is a spot where you can actually see the bone...

so it truly was FULL THICKNESS tape burn!

When I had

my 2nd PICC line in September of 1999, the idiot resident put the line

is the EXACT SAME SPOT!!! Same holes, and I had just gotten it to

heal from the June PICC, when this one was put into the exact same spot!

So you can guess how pretty my arm was after that, it took about 2 hours

for me to get tape burn... so that site was only covered up for maybe 5-6

hours before all the dressings went flying!

[Guest guest]

Ok I bite, whats a Picc??

Melinda

PICC linesAnne - you sound just like me!!! I had a PICC this winter and the nurses were totally ignorant as to its care when I was transferred to the University Medical Center as they did not use that kind so I had to fight them every time they wanted to flush with heparin or some other no-no - PISSED ME OFF! I am so tired of being considered so ignorant about something that is killing me for Pete's sake - I am the one MOST knowledgeable - (I was a paramedic/nurse) in an earlier life but I think they are dorks now... =o)janaliseAt 11:29 PM 7/23/00 -0500, you wrote:

Anytime you have a PICC line, they require a daily RN here. They are deathly afraid of infections (no pun intended). It is good to have close monitoring with a serious infection and strong antibiotic, in my opinion (humble and uneducated that it might be). LeeI understand the home care nurse thing to a point, but I am paramedic, so I can do most of the IV care on my own! The home care nurses were pretty nice, and a great source of back up, or questions. But I definitely do not need to see a home care nurse every day! Neither time I had my PICC line, did my arm get infected.... although the nurses were sure that I would get it infected, because I had full thickness tape burn down to my bone!!! So it wasn't covered for the last 10 days that the PICC was in! Don't go by anything I say or do, I am a rotten patient, and couldn't follow directions if my life depended on it!!!! I don't know, I just am tired of having to fight for every little teeny tiny little thing, like being treated like a person! Love Always Anne

The Being Sick CommunityChat RoomDaily Chat at # on IRC DALnethttp://www.elderwyn.com/members/chat.htmlMemorial Pagehttp://www.elderwyn.com/members/inlovingmemory.htmlMembers Lounge*FREE counselling via email*Daily Horoscopes*FREE psychic/tarot readings via email*Daily cartoons*Medical Resources and more....http://www.elderwyn.com/members Members Profiles, locations and birthdaysMessage Archivesmessages/Upload your PictureTo subscribe or unsubscribesubscribe/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth. Hold on to what you believe, even if it's a tree that stands by itself. Hold on to what you must do even, if it's a long way from here. Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go. " - Pueblo PrayerThe Being Sick CommunityChat RoomDaily Chat at # on IRC DALnethttp://www.elderwyn.com/members/chat.htmlMemorial Pagehttp://www.elderwyn.com/members/inlovingmemory.htmlMembers Lounge*FREE counselling via email*Daily Horoscopes*FREE psychic/tarot readings via email*Daily cartoons*Medical Resources and more....http://www.elderwyn.com/members Members Profiles, locations and birthdaysMessage Archivesmessages/Upload your PictureTo subscribe or unsubscribesubscribe/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth. Hold on to what you believe, even if it's a tree that stands by itself. Hold on to what you must do even, if it's a long way from here. Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go. " - Pueblo Prayer

[Guest guest]

Sprague wrote:

Ok

I bite, whats a Picc??Melinda

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters

Picture of one can be found here....

http://www.baxter.com/doctors/iv_therapies/education/iv_therapy_CE/Basic_One/PICC1.html

It is Central Line IV catheter that is inserted normally goes from the

inner side of the upper arm, the catheter itself enters one of your bigger

veins in the upper arm, it is threaded up the arm and into your superior

vena cava, so it dumps directly into your heart.

The insertion of one of these catheters is appropriate in patients who:

+ have limited vascular access

+ receive irritating drugs

+ require intravenous nutritional support

+ require intravenous medication therapy for an extended period of

time

+ require long-term intermittent medication therapy

+ receive medications/fluids that require the use of an infusion pump

+ prefer an IV access device that does not have to be frequently changed

PICC lines can last several years if they have had really good care

and have

been problem free.

The two biggest problems with PICC lines is infection and blood clots

Here check out this site, it explains it the best of all the sites I

looked at to answer your PICC line question.....

http://www.tcvsg.com/html/catheters.html

Here is the information if you can't get into the site...

Long-Term Intravenous Catheters

The improvement in antibiotic and chemotherapy, intravenous feedings

(hyperalimentation) combined with the increase in outpatient therapy

for a variety of diseases has produced a need for long term intravenous

access.

What is Long Term Intravenous Access (Catheters)?

Long term IV access is required when a particular treatment

(intravenous antibiotics for infection, chemotherapy for cancer

treatment, for example) will be ongoing for a prolonged period of time

(usually more than 3-4 weeks). The use of these different access devices

obviates the need for insertion of an intravenous catheter every 3-5 days.

These long-term devices are designed to withstand infection and remain

functional when placed properly.

Where Are These Catheters Inserted?

The tip of the catheter is placed into one of the large veins near the

heart. This allows for high rates of blood flow, which permit the delivery

of concentrated solutions that may be caustic to smaller veins.

Additionally, the locations of these catheters reduce the chance of

clotting in the vein into which they are inserted. Centrally placed catheters

can be used for blood drawing, if appropriate procedures are utilized.

How Are These Catheters Inserted?

Generally, the catheters are inserted via a needle that enters a large

vein

under the collarbone or in the neck. Local anesthesia is used and the

entire procedure takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. While

not mandatory, most of these procedures are performed in the operating

room to allow for sterile conditions, excellent lighting and appropriate

monitoring of the patient by an anesthesiologist. The use of the neck or

upper chest area allows the arms of the patient to be free and unencumbered

by peripherally (in the arms) inserted catheters.

Are There Different Types of These Catheters?

Most definitely! While there are many different types of catheters,

they

can generally be divided into two types those that are completely underneath

the skin and those that have a portion of the catheter exposed. The catheters

that are completely underneath the skin required a needle to be inserted,

through the skin, into the ``port" in order to infuse intravenous solutions

or withdraw blood. These types of catheters generally require little maintenance

other than ``flushing" the intravenous line after its use. Catheters that

emerge from the skin are easier to utilize since the area to access it

is visible; however, these must be carefully tended to, in order to avoid

infection or other

problems with the catheter.

What Type of Long Term Intravenous Catheters Is Best for Me?

That decision is best left to the surgeon and physician whose care you

are under. Certain situations mandate the use of one type of catheter while

specific patient characteristics (body habitus, underlying disease process

or lifestyle) may warrant the use of another type of catheter.

How Often Must The Catheters Be Replaced?

The frequency with which they are used and the care given to the catheter

when it is accessed determine the longevity of the catheter.

Catheters may be left in place indefinitely if they are functioning

well

and have no signs of infection. Once infection of the catheter is detected,

however, it usually must be removed to eradicate the infectious process.

[Guest guest]

We can count on Anne to give illustrations!!! Thanks "Anne ." <amacgruder@...> wrote:

Sprague wrote:

Ok I bite, whats a Picc??MelindaPeripherally Inserted Central Catheters

Picture of one can be found here.... http://www.baxter.com/doctors/iv_therapies/education/iv_therapy_CE/Basic_One/PICC1.html

It is Central Line IV catheter that is inserted normally goes from the inner side of the upper arm, the catheter itself enters one of your bigger veins in the upper arm, it is threaded up the arm and into your superior vena cava, so it dumps directly into your heart.

The insertion of one of these catheters is appropriate in patients who:

+ have limited vascular access + receive irritating drugs + require intravenous nutritional support + require intravenous medication therapy for an extended period of time + require long-term intermittent medication therapy + receive medications/fluids that require the use of an infusion pump + prefer an IV access device that does not have to be frequently changed

PICC lines can last several years if they have had really good care and have been problem free.

The two biggest problems with PICC lines is infection and blood clots

Here check out this site, it explains it the best of all the sites I looked at to answer your PICC line question.....

http://www.tcvsg.com/html/catheters.html

Here is the information if you can't get into the site...

Long-Term Intravenous Catheters

The improvement in antibiotic and chemotherapy, intravenous feedings (hyperalimentation) combined with the increase in outpatient therapy for a variety of diseases has produced a need for long term intravenous access.

What is Long Term Intravenous Access (Catheters)?

Long term IV access is required when a particular treatment (intravenous antibiotics for infection, chemotherapy for cancer treatment, for example) will be ongoing for a prolonged period of time (usually more than 3-4 weeks). The use of these different access devices obviates the need for insertion of an intravenous catheter every 3-5 days. These long-term devices are designed to withstand infection and remain functional when placed properly.

Where Are These Catheters Inserted?

The tip of the catheter is placed into one of the large veins near the heart. This allows for high rates of blood flow, which permit the delivery of concentrated solutions that may be caustic to smaller veins.

Additionally, the locations of these catheters reduce the chance of clotting in the vein into which they are inserted. Centrally placed catheters can be used for blood drawing, if appropriate procedures are utilized.

How Are These Catheters Inserted?

Generally, the catheters are inserted via a needle that enters a large vein under the collarbone or in the neck. Local anesthesia is used and the entire procedure takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. While not mandatory, most of these procedures are performed in the operating room to allow for sterile conditions, excellent lighting and appropriate monitoring of the patient by an anesthesiologist. The use of the neck or upper chest area allows the arms of the patient to be free and unencumbered by peripherally (in the arms) inserted catheters.

Are There Different Types of These Catheters?

Most definitely! While there are many different types of catheters, they can generally be divided into two types those that are completely underneath the skin and those that have a portion of the catheter exposed. The catheters that are completely underneath the skin required a needle to be inserted, through the skin, into the ``port" in order to infuse intravenous solutions or withdraw blood. These types of catheters generally require little maintenance other than ``flushing" the intravenous line after its use. Catheters that emerge from the skin are easier to utilize since the area to access it is visible; however, these must be carefully tended to, in order to avoid infection or other problems with the catheter.

What Type of Long Term Intravenous Catheters Is Best for Me?

That decision is best left to the surgeon and physician whose care you are under. Certain situations mandate the use of one type of catheter while specific patient characteristics (body habitus, underlying disease process or lifestyle) may warrant the use of another type of catheter.

How Often Must The Catheters Be Replaced?

The frequency with which they are used and the care given to the catheter when it is accessed determine the longevity of the catheter.

Catheters may be left in place indefinitely if they are functioning well and have no signs of infection. Once infection of the catheter is detected, however, it usually must be removed to eradicate the infectious process. The Being Sick CommunityChat RoomDaily Chat at # on IRC DALnethttp://www.elderwyn.com/members/chat.htmlMemorial Pagehttp://www.elderwyn.com/members/inlovingmemory.htmlMembers Lounge*FREE counselling via email*Daily Horoscopes*FREE psychic/tarot readings via email*Daily cartoons*Medical Resources and more....http://www.elderwyn.com/members Members Profiles, locations and birthdaysMessage Archivesmessages/Upload your PictureTo subscribe or unsubscribesubscribe/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth. Hold on to what you believe, even if it's a tree that stands by itself. Hold on to what you must do even, if it's a long way from here. Hold on to your life, even if it's easier to let go." - Pueblo Prayer

[Guest guest]

l harris wrote:

>

> We can count on Anne to give illustrations!!! Thanks

Is this good or bad?

I guess it makes it pretty obvious that I loved my job, and

loved to teach others about it too. Blame it on the Boy

Scouts. I taught " First Aid Merit Badge " every week for an

entire summer at the BSA reservation in northern Wisconsin.

I think it is easier to understand about " stuff " when you

can see it, and read about it all at once. It makes the

connection easier.

If I can do anything else, you know where you can find me!

Love Always,

Anne

[Guest guest]

It is good! Otherwise I would have said, "Anne, do you have to be so graphic all the time?" It helps me to see an illustration.

But do you have to keep reminding me of Boy Scout camp???? LOL (B, the boys are here. S, the spirit's here, A, all night and day. BSA)

Lee

"Anne ." <amacgruder@...> wrote: l harris wrote:>> We can count on Anne to give illustrations!!! ThanksIs this good or bad?I guess it makes it pretty obvious that I loved my job, andloved to teach others about it too. Blame it on the BoyScouts. I taught "First Aid Merit Badge" every week for anentire summer at the BSA reservation in northern Wisconsin.I think it is easier to understand about "stuff" when youcan see it, and read about it all at once. It makes theconnection easier.

[Guest guest]

Hyten wrote:

Anne,

Yep, looks just like Matty's did, except for that his was a

smaller

area...

And as for residents...or residon'ts as I like to call them...I

asked

them first thing, "Tell me what you know about Pearson's syndrome"...If

they couldn't tell me at least as much as I knew, then they were

no-no's, and I refused to let them treat my son. I wouldn't stand for

some wanna-be doctor screwing up on my kid!!

love,

Way

to GO!!!!!!

You

did the right thing! Kids should never be guinea pigs, no one should

be a guinea pig without their consent, and kids are too young to give consent!

I

loved it when parents would bring their kids into the hospital, and would

make the doctors, residon'ts, and ER staff accountable for their actions!

The parents that didn't put up with BS, they were the best!!!

So

Way To GO!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Anne,

Yep, looks just like Matty's did, except for that his was a smaller

area...

And as for residents...or residon'ts as I like to call them...I asked

them first thing, " Tell me what you know about Pearson's syndrome " ...If

they couldn't tell me at least as much as I knew, then they were

no-no's, and I refused to let them treat my son. I wouldn't stand for

some wanna-be doctor screwing up on my kid!!

love,

" Anne . " wrote:

> janalise wrote:

>

>> Anne - you sound just like me!!! I had a PICC this winter and the

>> nurses were totally ignorant as to its care when I was transferred

>> to the University Medical Center as they did not use that kind so I

>> had to fight them every time they wanted to flush with heparin or

>> some other no-no - PISSED ME OFF! I am so tired of being considered

>> so ignorant about something that is killing me for Pete's sake - I

>> am the one MOST knowledgeable - (I was a paramedic/nurse) in an

>> earlier life but I think they are dorks now... =o)

>>

>> janalise

>

> I am so happy to know that I am NOT the only ROTTEN Patient on this

> list!

>

> My favorite doctors, are those that ask me... How to break MY Allergic

> Reactions, since I am the ONLY one that has been present for every

> single one! Even though I really wish I could have missed a few of

> those!! Like the times that I knew I was in big trouble, but couldn't

> get it across to the ER or ICU staff until I started crashing on the

> monitors... they didn't believe me when I said I was in trouble. I

> have had the pleasure (NOT!) of being intubated while WIDE AWAKE more

> than once. By the time the monitors would show how bad I really was,

> there wasn't time to figure out what I could or could not have to

> sedation, so the intubations were with me making eye contact with the

> Paramedic, CRNA, or the MDA. The CRNA told me I had to close my eyes,

> because she couldn't intubate me while I was watching. She sat there

> and explained each step of the way what she was doing until I demanded

> a piece of paper on which I wrote....

>

> I am a paramedic, get on with it, I can't breathe, I don't care, just

> do it!

>

> It bugged me, to NO end. Just do it already!!! I am all for the

> keeping the patient informed, but I knew what was happening, and I

> knew no matter how uncomfortable and scary it was to be intubated wide

> awake, that it would be good! Because I wasn't breathing well enough

> on my own!! My oxygen sat was 80 and dropping by the time I was

> finally intubated!

>

> You would be grossed out if I showed you the picture of my PICC line

> site.... actually, I'll put it at the bottom of the message.... But I

> don't want anyone to be grossed out so I want you to be forewarned!!!

>

> I can't believe how much we have to go through with all the dumb

> doctors, wouldn't it make sense that the patient would know more about

> their illness, than anyone else?

>

> Residents are the worst! I chew them up, and spit them out... they

> get ONE chance with me, " screw me " & you will not like the response

> you get!

>

> Could someone please explain to me why... if a woman says that

> something just isn't right in her body, or her system.... That woman

> is automatically a psychiatric patient, having a panic/anxiety attack,

> and needs drugs! I have told off more than one doctor, nurse,

> paramedic (the one that was out here last night with her attitude!),

> family, friends, you name them, they have heard from me!

>

> Okay, enough babbling, whining, crying, screaming, you get the

> picture!

> love Always,

> Anne

>

> P.S. at the end of this message you will find a picture of my tape

> burn from the first PICC line. But you have to know that it is really

> gross, and it was that bad within 48 hours of the line being

> placed.... the damage was done by the first two IV site dressings!!

>

> Warning, the picture is very graphic and could be too gross for

> some!!!

>

> The site where the actual line was... NO PROBLEMS, it is where the

> nasty tape dressing was on my arm, that the problem is!!!

> In the picture, you can't see it, but there is a spot where you can

> actually see the bone... so it truly was FULL THICKNESS tape burn!

>

> [image]

>

> When I had my 2nd PICC line in September of 1999, the idiot resident

> put the line is the EXACT SAME SPOT!!! Same holes, and I had just

> gotten it to heal from the June PICC, when this one was put into the

> exact same spot! So you can guess how pretty my arm was after that,

> it took about 2 hours for me to get tape burn... so that site was only

> covered up for maybe 5-6 hours before all the dressings went flying!

[Guest guest]

Thanks Anne!!

I got quite a reputation around the hospital (since you're midwest too,

you probably have heard of it. Matty went to Riley Hospital for Children

in Indianapolis, Indiana.)

All the docs would warn the new residon'ts about me. They joked with me

almost every day, " so which resident did you have for breakfast this

morning?? " LOL

Anyway, I guess I just felt like I owed it to Matty to be his voice. I

mean, he couldn't speak for himself, so I had to do it for him. It was

the least I could do.

Love,

" Anne . " wrote:

> Hyten wrote:

>

>> Anne,

>> Yep, looks just like Matty's did, except for that his was a

>> smaller

>> area...

>> And as for residents...or residon'ts as I like to call them...I

>> asked

>> them first thing, " Tell me what you know about Pearson's

>> syndrome " ...If

>> they couldn't tell me at least as much as I knew, then they were

>> no-no's, and I refused to let them treat my son. I wouldn't stand

>> for

>> some wanna-be doctor screwing up on my kid!!

>>

>> love,

>>

>

> Way to GO!!!!!!

>

> You did the right thing! Kids should never be guinea pigs, no one

> should be a guinea pig without their consent, and kids are too young

> to give consent!

>

> I loved it when parents would bring their kids into the hospital, and

> would make the doctors, residon'ts, and ER staff accountable for their

> actions! The parents that didn't put up with BS, they were the

> best!!!

>

> So Way To GO!!!!!

> -----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> -----------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Being Sick Community

>

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> *FREE psychic/tarot readings via email

> *Daily cartoons

> *Medical Resources and more....

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>

>

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> messages/

>

> Upload your Picture

>

>

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>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> “Hold on to what is good, even if it's a handful of earth. Hold on to

> what you believe, even if it's a tree that stands by itself. Hold on

> to what you must do even, if it's a long way from here. Hold on to

> your life, even if it's easier to let go. " - Pueblo Prayer

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/10/2001 8:40:31 PM Eastern Standard Time,

conniek@... writes:

> ..........in fact............I

> had five of them............I was teaching, and always doing something as a

> PE teacher...........one time I fell in the lake... .......and got it

> infected and it had to be taken out...one time it sprung a leak, one time I

> had someone help me untangle it from the tape and they used scissors and

> cut

> it (don't let anyone touch the line with scissors) if that should happen,

> you need to pull it out right away. because the heart keeps pumping....

>

>

Wow, wow, Connie, you have been through it all !!!

Here, I thought I'd help by sharing my experience, but I " ve had only one PICC

line (soon to get another after a 7 month break), while you've had 5.

The only thing we partially disagree on is that you seem to feel less motion

is better, while I was told (and it worked) that steady, moderate motion, no

straining, but the more the better, is best, which is the reason for using

the dominant arm.

Connie, thanks so much for pitching in & sharing with everyone. Acutally, it

was enlightening & helpful (not to mention, fascinating!) to hear your story.

Hugs, a

[Guest guest]

I too had a picc line............and had the same nurse as a.......in

fact I met a in the office once........( her Dr).......because our

nurse at the time works with several LLMD's.

What a wonderful nurse and person..........She was great.............

I didn't find the insertion to be unbearable..........in fact............I

had five of them............I was teaching, and always doing something as a

PE teacher...........one time I fell in the lake... .......and got it

infected and it had to be taken out...one time it sprung a leak, one time I

had someone help me untangle it from the tape and they used scissors and cut

it (don't let anyone touch the line with scissors) if that should happen,

you need to pull it out right away. because the heart keeps pumping....

.....My insertion was done in the best vein in my arm on the left side of my

body the first time on the inside of the arm about two inches above the bend

in my elbow.

After that, it was put two times still above the elbow on my right arm and

then two more times in my left arm. I didn't need to take any

medication...........

Initialing when the vein is opened you feel a little pain...........but it

is all over pretty quickly. I had it done so many times over the 8 months

that I didn't feel any pain after the first two.

..........I was little careless with mine and way too active.........it did

better in my non-dominate arm......in my dominant arm, too much activity

caused phlebitis........and it became so inflamed it had to come

out..........once.......and I often had to use a heating pad to quite my

dominant arm.

It really can last a long time, and you should keep it dry, and

protected........and not too much activity with that arm...........and you

should be just fine....I wasn't as good as a...........with paying

attention to all of mine.

I did take showers though.....I bought one of those rubber protection

covers you use when you have a cast on...........and pretty much kept the

arm out of the stream of the water

Hope things go smoothly for you..........

Connie nwnj

Leave no stone unturned.......and ask questions!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/11/2001 9:57:36 PM Eastern Standard Time,

conniek@... writes:

> Don't forget, I'm a PE teacher and I was coaching, field hockey..........and

> rolling out hundreds of balls some days for practice.

>

Dear Connie,

Get creative. If you ever get a PICC line again, let the students roll out

the balls while you just supervise. Think of it as a survival skill for you.

Take it easier on yourself.

Hugs, a

[Guest guest]

a,

You helped a lot........you were much better at taking care of your

arm.................again everyone is a little different..........I spend my

days very active.....

So the activity..........was causing my arm with the picc to

swell...........I was using a heating pad almost every night, until it was

switched to the other arm, (maybe that was the one that sprung a leak).

Don't forget, I'm a PE teacher and I was coaching, field hockey..........and

rolling out hundreds of balls some days for practice.

You are probably right about the movement being better.......but I don't

think it should be as much as I was doing.

I think I was doing a little tooooooo much........with that picc

arm.........I would also sweat a lot, causing the patch to come off my skin,

and then dirt to get underneath...........I had a cut off sock trying to

cover it.......but you know that would slide down my arm.

I think, I kind of shared...........what not to do........I mean, I went

canoeing...........never imagining I would fall in............... would

always say..........DON'T GET IT WET..........if you do you have to get the

bandage changed.......She was always so good though..........we would meet,

and she would change the bandages in her car all the time............she was

wonderful.

Thanks a,

Connie

Leave no stone unturned.......and ask questions!

[Guest guest]

Please no a,

I never want to see a picc line again.........I'm hoping it is forever in my

past!! Of course, we all know, you can never say never!!

Thanks for the suggestion, sometimes however, the coach knows where she

wants the ball placement....especially when working with several goalies.

Thanks though,

Connie nwnj

Leave no stone unturned.......and ask questions!

[Guest guest]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOppppps

Came across a picture I took of my picc line......

It was below my elbow. not above.........how quickly we

forget.......jeepers.

Connie

Leave no stone unturned.......and ask questions!

[Guest guest]

Hi Leana,

I was scared to death to get my PICC line too. I was so scared that when I

got to the hospital to have it placed I had to keep going to the restroom to

evacuate because I was so scared. It turned out to be a real easy prodedure

though. I had a PICC Line Nurse do it, my hospital only had 2 specially

trained nurses, so I would suggest you make sure that a nurse specially

trained in PICC line placement does it. I think that would really help.

After the PICC line was inserted I really had no trouble with the line

itself except one time it got a small hole in the exposed portion because of

the way my home nurse was placing the exposed section on my arm, creating a

weak spot in the line. This does happen once in awhile and can be fixed, I

had mine fixed at the hospital. You know if you have a whole if you are

paying attention while administering medicine, because some will leak out

through the exposed line.

Sometimes I could feel the end of the line fluttering in my chest or it was

sore for awhile, but not too bothersome and it would clear up in a few days.

You have to really take care of the PICC line and keep it protected. I would

do this by wrapping the entire site with vet-wrap when I went out and there

was ANY danger of getting it dirty or snagged on anything. This helped alot.

I've heard of people snagging there PICC line on things and pulling it out

partially, necessitating having to remove the whole line.

A hint for anyone who has a PICC line is to use a " cast cover " for

showering. At first I would wrap my arm with saran wrap or plastic bag and

tape and try to shower invariably getting it wet. Another Lymie finally told

me this hint which I found so useful. Cast covers can be found online, at

medical supply stores, etc. I recommend the blue rubber style, I forget the

manufacturers name.

I know that some people have had bad luck with their PICC lines with

swelling or such things, but mine went pretty well. At one point I thought I

had swelling at the site but my Lyme Doc said it was just an EM cropping up

on my arm. He was right.

I had my PICC line for 1 year, from January 2001 to January 2002. It is

recommended that PICC lines be pulled after about a year because they can

start to weaken and degrade. Being on Rocephin for that year really helped

me, but then I blew it and tried to go back to work the minute I was feeling

better. Wrong thinbg to do.

I KNOW THIS IS LONG BUT HOPE IT HELPS.

Robin W. in California

>From: Leana Sims <wayward@...>

>Reply-

>lyme-aid

>Subject: [ ] PICC lines

>Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 10:03:32 +0800

>

>Hi there,

>Another Lyme patient/friend and I are moving along in our course of oral

>antibiotics, but not getting all the way well, and our LLMD wants us to

>have IV Rocephin. We're both scared to death of this, and hope for some

>firsthand experiences - what is it like, what side effects are

>possibilities, how much does the actual picc line hurt, just the

>important questions.

>Can anyone help out here?

>Also, after 4-1/2 months of oral antibiotics I find myself retching

>throughout the day, and vomiting a lot, too. I've stopped everything

>for now for a while, is there any reason to think that's a bad idea?

>

>It's just another Lyme dark night of the soul kind of day.

>

>Leana

>

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[Guest guest]

Hi Leana,

just saw your e mail and thought I would give you a quick response. I was o

oral AB;s for 4 years and not getting better. I finally found someone who

said if you have a positive PCR they would start the IV line. I too wasscared

to death after reading so many things. It was a breeze. It was out in below

the elbow, a little discomfort, had an X ray to make sure it was in right and

that was it. I was not able to handle the Roceftin with the saline and they

switched to the dextrose. I never thought I would be able to remember how to

do everything myself with no brain left, but within 2 weeks was doing it

without even thinking. It was not bad at all. Use heating pads at first and

then go. I have been on for 30 days now. Good luck, e mail if you have any

other questions. Kim

[Guest guest]

Yeah, I get sweats or hot flashes with die off. I had gotten through

them, and the joint pain, but I've slipped a bit now so I'll probably

have them again. They are tolerable for me. IM Rocephin sounds

intriguing at this point.

E.

> I take 1 gm of rocephin a day. I was wondering if everyone else

>gets the sweats bad when they are taking the antibiotics. I get so clammy

>and then I get cold because I am wet. It is driving me nuts. I know it is

>the antibiotics, the doctor said its when the spirochetes are dying off. He

>had me lay off my shots for a week, and I didn't have the sweats, but when I

>started back, so did the sweats.

>

> Lanier

[Guest guest]

I was on IV for many months with hep-locks and then midlines but the best choice

I made was going to the PICC line. It is more difficult to bother the PICC line

or cause problems as opposed to the other lines. I can move my arm without

worrying about phlebitis flare ups and it's easier to keep dry cuz it's high on

my arm rather than on my forearm like the midlines.

I've had my current PICC line since july. The first PICC I had put in in the

hospital went " bad " as I say... lasted one month because I was allergic to the

tagaderm dressing they put on me in the hospital when they inserted the PICC

(after they breathed all over it of course). I am very sensitive to adhesives

and the like. It is important that you and your attending IV nurse be aware of

breaks or irritations in the skin. As a result of the allergy, when my IV nurse

changed the dressing 24 hrs later (to remove the gauze they place in the

hospital) the top layers of my skin were peeling off and my skin was very

irritated from the dressing they used. (I guess the brand of dressing does

matter.) These breaks seem to have been partly responsible for allowing staph

epi (a bacteria we always have on our skin but is not affected by IV rocephin

I'm told) to take over and cause a mean very red and itchy 'diaper rash' on my

arm. TORTURE to have that under a dressing and you can't itch it!!! This was not

recognized by my nurses as a staph epi rash but was thought to be only an

allergy or some kind because at first it followed the tubing that laid against

my skin... I seem to have become allergic to the PICC line tubing and that was

causing blisters... we were perplexed. We started putting steri-strips under the

tubing to protect my skin from it but it was too late. It got so bad that I

opted to pull the line because I didn't like the look of it and I didn't want to

risk an internal infection. The rash exploded down my arm once exposed to the

air outside the dressing. I finally got to the doc and the PA immediately

recognized staph epi. It was a long and itchy recovery from that. I eventually

got a new PICC in my other arm which has been totally fine (this time, for the

PICC insertion, I brought my usual dressing kit that I knew I wasn't allergic

to!!)

So, MY main problems/annoyances have mainly been with my own skin allergies and

sensitivities. But as bad as all that might sound, I would not trade one darn

itchy uncomfortable day of it because the IV has given me my life back. I no

long even notice the PICC is there because it's like part of my body now. I cut

the elastic tops off of sport socks and use that on my arm to hold the tubing

out of the way as my nurses suggested. Works really well. The socks help to keep

it dry under the 'cast coat' I use in the shower too if some water leaks down

into the coat.

I've been on IV rocephin along with different oral abx since november 2001. I'm

working on my second year of it and I'm up to 2g twice daily for four days a

week (along with orals). IV ROCKS and I highly recommend trying it if orals are

just not getting you on your feet and you can financially afford to try it. BUT

you DEFINITELY have to follow a low carb NO SUGAR diet with lots of probiotics,

milk thistle for the liver and even some anti-yeast herbs. I would not do the IV

without at least these precautions. I also take actigall (ursodiol) to protect

my gallbladder from the IV. My liver and all other tests look great.

Regarding your puking... are you careful on what type and when you take the

probiotics? Maybe you need to replenish your gut flora more effectively. My guts

were a mess on orals alone... IV has been a relief in that respect but adding

oral rifampin is what ended up fixing my stomach (severe GERD/stomach pain).

Jen

[ ] PICC lines

Hi there,

Another Lyme patient/friend and I are moving along in our course of oral

antibiotics, but not getting all the way well, and our LLMD wants us to

have IV Rocephin. We're both scared to death of this, and hope for some

firsthand experiences - what is it like, what side effects are

possibilities, how much does the actual picc line hurt, just the

important questions.

Can anyone help out here?

Also, after 4-1/2 months of oral antibiotics I find myself retching

throughout the day, and vomiting a lot, too. I've stopped everything

for now for a while, is there any reason to think that's a bad idea?

It's just another Lyme dark night of the soul kind of day.

Leana

[Guest guest]

Did your insurance pay for this or did you? Wow, a whole year!!! I had to

fight for 28 lousy days. I'd be interested to hear Kim

[Guest guest]

Hi Kim,

I know I am pretty lucky to have had a whole year of IV. I was/am a wildlife

biologist with the U.S. Forest Service and got bit in the field so mine is a

Work Comp case. Though I have been fighting them for 3 years to get

compensation from lost wages that they should be paying me, they have paid

for alot of my medicines-all my antibiotics, pain meds, etc. Along with IV

Rocephin and home nursing care for the entire year I also had Babesia and

they paid for Mepron(very expensive) and Lariam. They don't pay for all my

meds though.

I can't figure out how they can pay for all that and still say that I need

to prove Lyme/Babesia is the reason I can't work. Go figure. I talked to my

case worker before Christmas and she basically said that the year I was on

IV I cost them $100,000.00 and they were thinking of pulling my medical

benefits because of it, because I used the whole amount of money myself that

was set aside for my entire region. That is impressive, but shows how

drastic Lyme Disease is and it's costs. I am much better now thank god.

I feel for all of you that have to fight for meds to save your sanity and

health.

Best Wishes, Robin W. in California

>From: timibug2@...

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: [ ] PICC lines

>Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 19:13:12 EST

>

>Did your insurance pay for this or did you? Wow, a whole year!!! I had to

>fight for 28 lousy days. I'd be interested to hear Kim

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