I have a question, not relating to myeloma specifically, but to PICC lines.
Do those of you with PICC lines have to flush your PICC line at home between treatments? Or do you get home care support for flushing them?
Does not pertain to my husbands treatment – he has a port. Trying to help my uncle who has lung cancer and really thinking he could use a PICC, but unsure about his or my aunt's ability to care for it themselves between weekly chemo.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: PICC line flushing - can you do it yourself?
In regards to my husband's, it gets flushed at every treatment. If he should go off treatment, then he has to make an appointment every 4-6 weeks at the infusion center to have the line flushed.
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Melanie - Name: Melanie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: PICC line flushing - can you do it yourself?
Melanie, does your husband have a PICC or a port? My husband has a port, and it has to be flushed every 6 weeks off treatment. I am talking about a PICC. It goes in your arm, with the access kind of hanging on your arm. It's a little more temporary than a port, and does not require surgery to implant.
Re: PICC line flushing - can you do it yourself?
cindylouise,
My wife had a PICC line and I was able to flush it for her after having a nurse show us how it was done. The dressing has to be changed once a week by a nurse, so we had Home Care come in once a week to do this, or it was done at the cancer center if we were there on that day. I believe a person can flush their own lines by adding an extension on to make the lines longer.
My wife had a PICC line and I was able to flush it for her after having a nurse show us how it was done. The dressing has to be changed once a week by a nurse, so we had Home Care come in once a week to do this, or it was done at the cancer center if we were there on that day. I believe a person can flush their own lines by adding an extension on to make the lines longer.
Re: PICC line flushing - can you do it yourself?
Thanks Terry. Did you flush daily, or is it every 12 hours?
Right now, he's getting daily radiation, but weekly chemo. This is very hard on him and my aunt. I don't think either of them is up to learning how to flush it.
Just trying to find a way to minimize the difficulties for them.
Right now, he's getting daily radiation, but weekly chemo. This is very hard on him and my aunt. I don't think either of them is up to learning how to flush it.
Just trying to find a way to minimize the difficulties for them.
6 posts
• Page 1 of 1