is there a home health service offered out of the hospital or something. the hospital usully has a number they can could give you to see if they are willing to help. if you are in the use your insurance usual covers them as often and for as long as you have the pic line. if you dont have insurance it is about 30 dollars a day.
just a thought good luck

Hi I have had seven picc lines over the course of my treatment. I wish I could have one permanently! I have never had a bit of trouble with them. I love them I hate IV's. they have trouble getting a vein and with any long term use your veins collaspe.With IV you are much more likely to get an infection .With RSD ,veins collaspe far more frequently than with the average person. Also all the sticking to place an IV can aggravate your rsd- it does mine. It can also cause the rsd to go to that site.
The PICC line is always put in by experienced personal. you do have to follow the instructions on keeping it clean. I had absolutely no problems. Try to make sure the PICC team can use a florascope to guide them in placement. they can do it with out it, but it guarrentees one try for placement if they use one. I really hope you choose the picc line. It is sooooo much better. Good luck to you. They use lidocaine injections at the point of insertion-so other then the sting of those shots it is not painful. there is a great deal of pressure appllied at one point its a little startling but there is on pain with that pressure. They will walk you through the whole procedure. The teams that do this are very specialized and highly qualified. Good luck to you let me knwo how you are doing. sincerely, cz

Hi CZ and everyone else,

First of all if you don't mind me asking how long have you had a Picc line at one time or another, and also what for? Just a thought, although they use lidocaine in alot of infusions and IM's, pain control is not what I am being treated for at the moment.

I had a central line that probably caused a heart murmer. I have to go thru Cardio again, Echo etc.... I am one person here that hates going to MD's. My MD has ordered 90 days and not 30 at this point, with the medication.

On a serious note, I think I could be allergic to plastic. Also how much does anyone hear know about picc lines? I had a central line that near killed me, I wish I wasn't kidding. I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else.

Much Love, Roz

Hi Roz, All I know about PiCC lines or any lines that go to the heart is that they are serious business of course. And any infection can be very serious. Mine were all very successful. I had each of mine for about a month maybe one of them was for three months. Other than having had them and that you must keep them clean I know nothing medically about them.I just prefer them to an IV as I can not sustain an Iv for any length of time.The veins in my right arm are all gone- blown and the ones in my left arm are hard to find and my left arm is highly sensitive due to RSD. Sorry I couldnt be of more help. And I am very sorry to hear you had an infection from one- I was warned that an infection can be serious and take months to heal with antibiots.cz

Hi Roz,

I sure understand that you are hesitant in having a PICC LINE because of previous bad experiences.
I don't know what went wrong with your central line, but it sounds as though it may have got infected.
This for sure a serious complication but it is not common Roz if it is inserted and looked after by competent people.
PICC lines aren't plastic Roz so that should not be a problem, they are made of silicone.

The longest time I have had one PICC line is 6 months--I have had others for less time but the 6 month one was just fine--no infections, no problems at all.
They are designed for long term use.
Roz, if there is anything else I can help you with regarding PICCS please let me know, I am pretty knowledgable about them as a patient and as someone who looked after people with them.
Love Tayla

Dear Tayla,

I really am hopeful the heart problems are just a infection. Much Love, Roz