Hi Everyone,

The last couple weeks I have been a bit under the weather. I was supposed to go into the hospital for 21 days, but I have no one near my home to take care of my son. He is doing so well in school this year and I refuse to mess it up for him.

Now they have agreed to home health care for me. They have suggested to go to the hospital for a picc line to have one placed.

Can't they just come in and give me an IV everyday without a picc. line? Even an IV to me always feels like I am getting stabbed with a ice pick.

Also, aren't I at more risk for infection with a picc line? Not to mention I think it could be much more painful with RSD.

I appreciate your suggestions. Much Love, Roz xxx

HAS ANYONE HAD A PICC LINE WITH RSD? THANKS, Roz

Roz,

I had a picc line at the beginning of rsd, before we knew what I really had. I had it put in at the hospital, and they gave me a bag of meds before they let me leave. they showed hubby and youngest daughter how to change the meds bag. I was on 24/7 for meds...20 min on...20 min off. It was better than getting a iv dose every day. with an IV...your veins can colapse and if that happens (it did on me almost every nite while in the hospital). With a picc..it is easy to take care of. I had mine for 6 wks. I had a nurse come out once a week to inspect and clean the site. Mine was in my upper arm, on the inside, and I was attached to a pump that I could carry around on my shoulder or as a fanny pac. I ran the tubing up my sleeve and i just had to be careful getting up at nite to go. I had to be sure to take the pac with me. lol...I went for a job interview with it attached, and they never knew it. I was offered the job. also went out the dinner, etc. getting it out was 100% painless. didn't have any bad effects from it so far as rsd goes.

hope that helps.
Mary

Dear Mary,

I believe I only need one treatment per day. Much Love, Roz

IMO one picc line would be better that getting poked every day with a new iv....

There is a greater risk/danger of infections with multiple, daily IV sticks. Plus, even if you have to have one IV stick per day (assuming that you have WONDERFUL veins, and they are able to get each IV in, in one stick only...something that NEVER happens to me), that is what? 21 sticks? More if veins are problematic in any way, or if the sticker has some other sort of problem getting one in. That will blow most all of the easily available veins.

It was explained to me that once a vein is punctured, either in a sucessful IV placement, or in an attempt, that vein is out of commission for a while. Can’t re-use it right away. Plus....multiple IV’s make your veins comparable to that of a junkie. Junkies have HORRIBLE veins. LOL, I have been told that mine are like a junkies, from all of the IV’s that I have had to have over the past over 11 years of living with RSD and getting blocks and other procedures to help treat it.

If you have some sort of problem with getting an PIC line, maybe you can talk someone into doing what you think is best. Thing is, there are usually some pretty good reasons that the medical workers have their way that they do things.

Good luck.

Hi Roz,

I only have PICC lines now as a decade of this thing has left me devoid of anything peripheral.
I have had them for up to 6 months at a time and they do have to be treated in a totally asceptic way.
The risk of infection does differ between IV and PICC in that the most likely infection from a peripheral vein is localised phlebitis but with a PICC which goes in to heart, there is more chance of far more severe systemic infections and endocarditis.
Maintaining a PICC does require staff who know what they are doing, if so hopefully you will not have complications like last time.

The PICC is only inserted by a RADIOGRAPHER under strict theatre conditions and with the aid of fluroscopy so the risk of having one inserted is not great.
The new PICC lines used these days do not all need a heparin lock but do need to be flushed through with saline once a week if not in use at the time.

Roz, if you need IV drugs every day there is no way they should be ruining what is left of your peripheral veins--you will need them for other things sometime. Please choose a PICC if you can.

Please look after yourself Roz
Love Tayla

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