Access Port for IV's

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DianeW - 28 Oct 2005 23:27 GMT

I went today for my monthly IVIG and after 5 sticks left without
getting my infusion.. I swear these nurses couldn't find a vein with a
map! When I first started getting my infusions at the dr's office, they
had totally different nurses who never had any trouble with sticking
me. I make sure I am well hydrated so that's not a problem. They
apparently stick the vein and have trouble with threading the catheter
afterwards. My veins are small and "fragile" but when the original
nurses started the IV's they had NO trouble. The nurses change there
every month! I've never seen anything like it.

Anyway, today the one nurse asked why I didn't have a port put in.
Apparently they are going to suggest this to the dr. She claims they
are perfectly safe even for someone on steroids, with RA and with my
IGG problem. She said you can keep them in for years. She had hers for
5 years when she had cancer.

I heal so badly and am always worried about cutting my skin etc. Any
suggestions out there? Any of you had ports put in for your Remicade or
do they just start an IV each month? Its so frustrating! I have to go
back on Tuesday and I know it's going to be the same thing all over
again. If they would just go in where I tell them it's been successful
before it would be better but they try all these other sites when the
crook of the elbow is the only one that really works. All advice
welcome! Thanks. Diane W

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Gwen Love - 29 Oct 2005 03:35 GMT

Diane, having nurses that are not good at getting an IV in is for the pits.
When I had my last shoulder surgery, they stuck me seven times trying to get
an IV in and then called the anesthetist. She put something for pain in
first and it really helped!
Gwen

>I went today for my monthly IVIG and after 5 sticks left without
> getting my infusion.. I swear these nurses couldn't find a vein with a
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> crook of the elbow is the only one that really works. All advice
> welcome! Thanks. Diane W

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spodosaurus - 29 Oct 2005 08:05 GMT

> I went today for my monthly IVIG and after 5 sticks left without
> getting my infusion.. I swear these nurses couldn't find a vein with a
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> IGG problem. She said you can keep them in for years. She had hers for
> 5 years when she had cancer.

Ports are good. The skin grows over them and they can be left in for
years. you still have to get a stick through the skin to access them,
but it's worth it if they're having problems with the veins. It's a
minor surgical procedure. I have a tri-lumen catheter going in through
my chest to my subclavian vein to my heart. It was supposed to last at
most four weeks. They aLWAYS get infected. However, with proper and
uncomporomising care they can last a long while, even without a properly
functioning immune system. Mine was put in at the start of April. It's
still there :-) A port wouldn't work as well for me because I have to
have twice weekly blood tests, fortnightly transfusions, and 4-5 times
weekly 24 hour medication infusions through it. We're talking about
putting in a Hickman line if and when my current line has to be pulled.

> I heal so badly and am always worried about cutting my skin etc. Any
> suggestions out there? Any of you had ports put in for your Remicade or
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> crook of the elbow is the only one that really works. All advice
> welcome! Thanks. Diane W

Carry a squirt gun and if they go for a vein other than the one you want
let em have it? :-)

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DianeW - 29 Oct 2005 13:29 GMT

I like that squirt gun idea! Maybe I should get one out of the pool
toys........DianeW

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DianeW - 29 Oct 2005 13:29 GMT

I like that squirt gun idea! Maybe I should get one out of the pool
toys........DianeW

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RoseB - 29 Oct 2005 18:19 GMT

>I like that squirt gun idea! Maybe I should get one out of the pool
>toys........DianeW

You may need one of those super soakers that KJ used to always talk
about back in the good old days. LOL
Rose @}>->--
Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it. RB

Please remove "Ima" to reply.

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spodosaurus - 29 Oct 2005 18:32 GMT

>>I like that squirt gun idea! Maybe I should get one out of the pool
>>toys........DianeW
>
> You may need one of those super soakers that KJ used to always talk
> about back in the good old days. LOL

Try getting a real good mental image of this in your head...it's worth
it :-)

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Squirrely - 31 Oct 2005 21:09 GMT

Diane W,

no advice, but lots of sympathy. I know how it goes because of me having so
many ivs having to be done. I know it is not a pleasant experience. They
always mess up my veins. So just wanted you to know I do understand and hope
things will get better for you in all ways.

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Love and hugs to all
Good thoughts coming your way too.

Squirrely Jo

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DianeW - 01 Nov 2005 00:30 GMT

Thanks - I called the office manager today and told her what kind of
experience I was having. Her reply was less than satisfactory. I call
it the "Principal Reply" because it's what my son's principal always
used to say whenever a parent had a complaint. She said, "Gee our
nurses are VERY qualified.....(and now for the principal line) no one
else has complained about them!" I wanted to reach thru the line and
strangle her! Like that makes the fact that they tried to stick me 5
times any less bothersome just because no one else complained! She also
told me that they start PICC lines so they shouldn' t be having a
problem with a regular IV. Well - the one nurse has only been there for
3 days and on Friday I was the only IV patient! I re-iterated that I
never had problems with the original nurses. I told her that I didn't
like the fact that they always go for the vein I tell them doesn't work
first. And it doesn't. The valve is shot from the IV pred and won't let
the catheter thru. So she said she would make sure the one nurse that
was able to stick me last month try me tomorrow. And that she would
tell her to use the same vein. And then she told me to drink a lot of
water. As if I wasn't already. I think this is the last IVIG I will
have in the office. I'm going to try the infusion suite at another
hospital. We will see how it goes tomorrow. I'm already anxious about
it......DianeW

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Gwen Love - 02 Nov 2005 01:11 GMT

Diane, I surely hope it went well today and it just took one stick.
Gwen

> Thanks - I called the office manager today and told her what kind of
> experience I was having. Her reply was less than satisfactory. I call
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> hospital. We will see how it goes tomorrow. I'm already anxious about
> it......DianeW

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DianeW - 02 Nov 2005 03:52 GMT

YES! Only one stick! Yeah! but I could tell the nurse had a bit of
an attitude with me. She kept introducing the patients to the new nurse
with "Oh they're a really easy stick -- you won't have any problem with
them" in earshot of me! Of course that really ticked me off. I was
talking to the nurse at my rheumy's office later on and we realized
that in the 12 years I've been going there, they have never had to
stick me more than once! And that's usually the case. I'm looking into
a new infusion center........ Diane W

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Squirrely - 02 Nov 2005 19:07 GMT

Good one stick only this time. I agree with you though and think you should
look for a new infusion center.

Take care and I hope things go better for you.

Signature

Love and hugs to all
Good thoughts coming your way too.

Squirrely Jo

> YES! Only one stick! Yeah! but I could tell the nurse had a bit of
> an attitude with me. She kept introducing the patients to the new nurse
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> stick me more than once! And that's usually the case. I'm looking into
> a new infusion center........ Diane W

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