What Is A PICC Line and Why Do You Get One?

These are used for a couple different reasons but the main one is for when you need long term IV treatments. The PICC lines are meant to stay in for an extended period of time so if you need something like antibiotics through an IV over the course of, say a month. Regular IV’s should be replaced within a short period of time, about ever 72-96 hours. This means constant stabbing which isn’t good for your veins as it can cause scarring and long term problems. The PICC stays in and putting treatments in is an easy change.

They’re also fantastic if, like most EDS patients, you’ve got quarrelsome veins. There’s much less of a chance of your veins collapsing and/or blowing, which means less trauma if you’ve got to have surgeries done. Some styles of PICC can also be used to take blood samples.

What Was It Like Getting One In?

I was terrified. The idea of getting something threaded through my veins while I was fully awake to go all the way to my heart and stay in my arm…I was in full panic mode from the time I heard till it was done. They told me it wasn’t going to be bad, but how could it not be?! I’m going to have a monster tube in me!!!

I can honestly say all that worry was for nothing. It was easy. Seriously. Easy to the point if I have to get a second one eventually I’m going to be mildly annoyed at best.

First, it’s a sterile procedure, so they prep you the same way they would for surgery. You strip and get dressed in a hospital gown and go into a room that is cold to reduce bacteria growth. They wash your arm with a chemical bath that just stinks like strong alcohol and is a bit on the frigid side. You are then covered with multiple sterile wraps and blankets so that only the needed part of your arm is showing. Not so bad so far, eh? I mean, it was a bit unnerving not being able to see, but that was nerves more than anything actually scary.

Second, they do the ultrasound to find your vein. If you’ve not had one before, it’s just some cold goo on your arm while a tourniquet is on and some light pressure as they roll the machine around your arm. Completely harmless.

The procedure is now ready to get started. They first inject you with lidocaine, which is a bit like getting stung by an angry bee. Not going to lie, that part sucks a tiny bit but it’s completely within bearable limits. They’ve used it on me before, so it wasn’t a shocker, just mildly annoying. Within a few seconds, they informed me they were inside the vein…which was shocking to me because I didn’t feel it going in at all, just the pressure from where they had put them from the lidocaine application.

The other part that wasn’t exactly comfortable was what they called the temporary tube. It wasn’t painful, but it was uncomfortable. It felt as if they were stretching what they were doing by using a tiny funnel or something. I didn’t like it, but as I said…it wasn’t painful. I was still able to be jovial and use some sarcasm with my lovely team. I was then informed the PICC was in, and they rolled a machine over my head to take an x-ray, noted it was in the right place, and took the temporary tube out.

This lasted for under two minutes. Seriously. From ultrasound to the temporary tube being removed. It went SUPER quick.

They gave me a quick wash with the cold stuff again and bandaged me up, took off my various wrappings, and rolled me away to be watched by a post-op nurse for 30 minutes to make sure I was okay to go home. That was it. The end. And I was looking at this:

How Is It?

It’s only been 24 hours since they released me as I’m writing this. It’s a tiny bit sore. I know I’ve got a high pain threshold, but to the point I barely notice it unless I move in such a way I’m hyperextending my elbow or turning my wrist too far.

You have to keep it dry and clean, so I had to wrap it in plastic wrap and secure it with hair bands to keep it dry. Which was annoying, but hey…not the end of the world, eh?

I can reach up, lift light things, get dressed, and do most tasks already. It’s not that bad to be honest. I even cut up a sock to make a type of sleeve to go over the little dangling port so I’m less paranoid about snagging it. Even sleeping wasn’t an issue!

I’ve got concerns about the statlock and bandage because adhesives and I are not in any way friends, but they gave me an overview of what to watch for and call my Primary Care about. So far, no issue and normally I would have had a reaction by now. Here’s hoping!

So In Short

It was so easy and simple that I’m having a bit of a hard time mentally digesting just how well it went. It went from shaking with a full panic attack to showing people with an amused smile at my new “line to change my coolant”.

I hope to update how my IV therapy goes once I get to see home health a few times and say just how the use of it actually goes.