Getting a PICC line today! Nervous

[JustAYoungLad]

Hi everyone, I'm getting a PICC line today for nutrition drips pre surgery. I'm nervous about what's going to happen. I'm sure it will go fine but I can't help feel a bit apprehensive about the whole thing.

I have some questions for anyone who may have had one before.

How does it feel when it's in? Can you sleep comfortably with it?

What's it like getting it removed? I picture the whole thing being a painful experience, but I need to get it done

I will reply back once it's all over

 

[DJW]

Hi. I've had numerous picc lines. It was a piece of cake.
It isn't painful going in. It isn't painful coming out. Didn't feel it once in. I slept fine with it.
Your limited to sponge baths. I was nervous at first time; it's much like an iv. Keep us posted.

I think they froze the entry site.

 

[JustAYoungLad]

Thanks for your reply DJW!

I didn't have the line put in today I'm seeing a nutritionist tomorrow about it. So hopefully either tomorrow or Friday and it will be over with.

Just had another cannula put in as the old one has expired. I'm fine with cannula's so I'm hoping that I will be with the PICC line.

 

[justbreathe8]

I just got a picc line on Tuesday for the first time. I didn't feel a thing. They do it using an ultrasound and they numb where it goes in. My arm was a little sore for a day or two but is better now. I just got back from the doctor and the lesson on how to give myself meds thru the picc line. Very overwhelming. But the picc line itself is t too bad. I can see that once I'm used to it I prob won't even remember it's there. I've slept pretty much the same way. Maybe a little more careful but that's by choice bc I'm a little scared to hurt it lol

 

[jlm]

Exactly wht DJW said. I've had tons of PICC lines and it's easy peasy. I'm sure you'll do fine

 

[ronroush7]

I have had it done and it was okay. Didn't have any problem sleeping with it.

2

 

[SupportiveMom]

My daughter had it for about 2 months when she was first in the hospital (age11). The put under when they did the PICC so she didn't feel a thing. It made things a lot easier for her to have one as when they added TPN to her before the PICC her veins would either collapse or she would start tracking. She could sleep much better with the PICC than the standard IV in her arm or inside elbow. We also didn't have to worry about keeping her arm straight every time the machine went off.

The only drawback was when we had it outside the hospital. We couldn't get a nurse to come to the house to clean/flush it so we had to trek to the hospital. That was just a nuisance, but not a big deal. Good luck!

 

[JustAYoungLad]

I forgot about this thread. In the end I didn't have a PICC line, I had a Hickman line. Went really well for me. Got worried over nothing really in the end.

 

[pink&green]

Glad everything went well

 

[Naturelover]

Glad everything went well. When is surgery?

My PICC line insertion was very painful. The meds they inject to numb you right up didn't work on me. I warned them it wouldn't. They didn't believe me but they found out real fast. Not only that, they said I was one of the most difficult people to get a picc line in. They almost had to dump me on my head to get it where it was supposed to go. The line kept wanting to up my neck toward my head. It was a complete nightmare for me. Glad I now have an inplanted port. So much easier to deal with. My port was done in the OR with me sedated. So thankful for my vascular surgeon. She's wonderful! I had no pain when the picc line was removed due to infection and blood clot. Easy peasy. They just pull it out and slap a band aid on the incision site.