Port IV

[xoxava]

anyone have a port IV? if so what is your experience with it?

 

[Jennifer]

I used to have one. Used to be called a central IV. I think I had it for a year or more when I was a kid after I was first diagnosed. Here's the message I sent to someone else who asked about it a while back:

I'm sure they must have created a better way to keep it dry and comfortable. Back when I was a kid they used a clear sticky patch to cover the whole thing to protect it and keep it dry. It was itchy (the tape/patch they put over it) and I scratched at it a lot. One night I scratched it too much in my sleep and had to go to the hospital to have it placed back in properly cause I guess I pulled it out some.

I believe it had to be flushed twice a day (maybe once a day but I know it was done each day) with two different liquids. Heparin was one and I think some sort of saline solution. I remember the heprin smelled funny and made you feel lightheaded once it was injected (I'd suggest laying down if you do the injections yourself, my mom did them for me when I was laying down, I don't think I could have stood). The fluids are to prevent blood clots.

Other than that it really wasn't a bother. I was able to run and jump and play with the rest of the kids at school. You may see blood come into the tubes and that's fairly normal and I believe is one of the reasons why you have to flush the tubes with those solutions I remember.

Mine wasn't permanent, just meant for emergencies at the time.

You go in for surgery and they put you to sleep to put it in. Its supposed to be near the collar bone. They stitch it in place and a cover of sorts is placed over it (like I said, I don't know what type of cover they use these days). I also recall it needing to be cleaned with iodine and alcohol everyday (my mom also did this for me).

It really wasn't that bad (I was 9 years old when I had it in). It leaves a small scar when its removed. If you have any other questions or if I wasn't clear, feel free to ask.

 

[lookame]

I had something like this when I was in a drug study. It was kept in my hand and before they gave me any meds through it they would flush it and then insert meds. One time they tried to flush it and the IV broke through(it's painful when they try to flush it once it's broken through.) I only had it in for a few days and was under strict obvservation by a doc 24/7 so it wasn't to bad

 

[countrycoffeehouse]

I have a portacath .. I love it! Much better then a picc line. Mine stays accessed and I run IV fluids and magnesium through it. I have huge hydration issues and I'm so thankful for it!

 

[littlemissh]

I am now the proud owner of a Bard Power Port ( portacath). It went in last week as I have had increasing issues with iv access which has caused issues when acutely unwell and also when i need iron infusions etc.

I love it so far. No more 14 attempts to cannulate. I have been in hospital (ITU for 5 days and the ward for 2 weeks so far) and it is great to now get all my iv's through it and also all my blood tests.

The only issue I have had so far is that not many gastro patients have one so the ward staff have been a little wary but once the gripper needle is in it is the same way of accessing it as when I have had temporary central lines.

It was put in in theatre under local by a vascular surgeon, the port is in my left chest (so I can learn to access it) and the line is tunnelled into my internal jugular vein).

 

[Naturelover]

Littlemissh, I have a Bard Power Port as well. I love it! Makes doing nightly IV's a breeze. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Please be aware that infections of the skin and port can and do occur. Please make sure to learn the signs and symptoms of an infection. Even a mild infection, if left unattended, can quickly get out of control.

It is very important to make sure that anyone coming near your port in any way observe sterile precautions.

Also, please be aware of signs and symptoms of blood clots. Blood clots can occur for a variety of reasons, including having a foreign object, i.e. Port, in the body.

Ports are wonderful to have to reduce needle sticks for various reason.

Blessings,
Naturelover

 

[littlemissh]

Thanks nature lover. How long have you had yours? I have now been trained how to access the port myself. I love it even though it is really obvious at the moment due to my low weight.
It is so much better than multiple attempts to get blood or a line in.

Have you had a port infection? Was it a superficial one of the skin or a deeper infection of the port itself.
I have to admit I am happier to access the port myself as I will be more fastidious with sterile technique. I had one nurse came at me with standard non sterile gloves, no drape etc, to put an infusion up and i didn't dare say anything. I would now though, now I know exactly what should be done.

 

[Naturelover]

I've had my port for well over a year now. I had both a skin infection and a low grade infection in the port. My port is very obvious as well. Goes with the territory. I don't access the port myself. Where it is currently located makes it difficult for me to do it myself.
If I were able to access my port myself, I would loose my home infusion nurse. :-(

 

[kristihelene]

Those of you using your port for IV fluids - how did you find out you needed fluids?

 

[Naturelover]

I was very dehydrated, lost a bit of weight and was going to the docs every other day for re-hydration. Doc finally decided that due to the frequent need for IV fluids and the pain and rsd/crsp flare caused by peripherial IV access it was time to put in a picc line. PICC line evenutally got infected (long story) so a doc decided, while I was at the hospital for a picc line infection and blood clots, to put in the port.

 

[kristihelene]

How did you know you needed re-hydration?

 

[Naturelover]

Blood pressure may have been one clue. Doc said I was dehydrated and had me come in every other day to keep an eye one me. Having one unknown underlying condition and the dx of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy makes me vunerable to dehydration. I can sweat so intensly at night that I can dehydrate over night. I also had very dry eyes, very dry skin, and dry mouth. I didn't even realize that I didn't have saliva in my mouth. I did not sweat during physical therapy until after I started regular, daily, IV hydration at home. Again, I didn't realize that I wasn't sweating during PT. I can't remeber everything but will let you know if I do remember anything else. My head injury has left some gaps with both long term and short term memory. It has been a very, very long 3 and 1/2 yrs.

 

[kristihelene]

Thank you so much for the info!! I was asking for details because I have thought for awhile that I have to be dehydrated. I don't drink a lot of fluids because I have slow gastric emptying so I can't do a big volume. And at night, i am so hot I wake up drenched in sweat every night. I
am alllllllways hot and I think it may be exacerbated by dehydration. Was this your GI who monitored your hydration or your pcp

 

[Naturelover]

pcp. One thing you can do to keep your electrolytes up is get some powder Gatorade and clear Geletin powder. You mix one clear Geletin pack with 1 cup of hot water, then add enough Gatorade powder to make a quart of Gatorade to the Geletin mix and then add 1 cup of cold water and put it into the refrigerator till set. You will basically be making a Gatorade jello with an electrolyte punch to it. Eat the jello mix throughout the day or all in one setting, depending on how dehydrated you are. You can also mix enough enough Gatorade powder to make a quart of Gatorade with just a few ounces of water and drink a very strong glass of Gatorade either very slowly or quickly, depending on your circumstances. I will be doing this tomorrow since things have not been going well over the last few days despite the IV hydration. I really needed to be doing two liters instead of one liter of IV Saline solution. I know I will be home tomorrow so I can do two liters of IV saline solution along with the Gatorade drink. I have severe constipation and severe GERD, so that limits my liquid intake many times. Doc and I are also pretty sure there is some intermintent silent asperation as well. Usually during the night when I am asleep. The next morning, I wake up very pale and very short of breath and am barely able to function.

 

[kristihelene]

Wow you have so much going on!! ((Hugs)) thanks for all the info!!

 

[Naturelover]

I am always cold when I am dehyrated; except when I get hot flashes.:ylol:

I think my dehydration happened slowly over a period of time and that's why I didn't know it was happening. I believe some meds I was on at one point, but am no longer on, caused dry mouth etc. so that left me even more unaware of what was happening to me. I guess you could say I was nothing more than a dried prune. LOL!:ylol:

 

[kristihelene]

I've noticed systemic dryness - especially in intimate areas, too! I need to chat with doc I guess!!

 

[Naturelover]

PM'ing you on this one.