Picc line long term?

[Lydia666]

I was wondering if anyone had 4 months of chemo through a picc line. Is that possible? I'm trying to avoid the port- scared of the unknown!!

[shawna]

I've had mine in for six, almost 7 months (10 rounds of chemo) with no problems.

[Nik Colon]

In my opinion I would go for a port any day over a pic and as far as the pain if very minor obviously you like anything there is a little sensitivity and also which I'm sure you've heard people talk about the issue yes you may feel a little discomfort or tugging sunsation but all of these go away in like a week or so and after that and up until today I totally forget I even have it I guess you can compare it to people getting implants like tattoo people yeah its obviously they cut you what like an inch to put it in it's so small and like I said you might have a little tiny incision in your neck which to be honest I don't even know where the hell it is mostly and again the discomfort of maybe a week or so just moving around and such but like I said now I don't feel nothing, no discomfort in my chest and I forget about it all the time until or showering or whatever. Again I totally would recommend a port it's so convenient and especially like someone like me that has bad vains in the first place it so helpful and again I don't feel anything at all anymore nothing unless of course I touch it but other than that I don't even know its there

[Ontario Guy]

I was wondering if anyone had 4 months of chemo through a picc line. Is that possible?

Yes. I had it. No problems at all.

I don't know about Québec, but Ontario simply won't do ports for "short-term" chemo (less than, say, 6 months). What Ontario did pay for was visiting nurses to unhook the 5FU pump and flush out the line a week later. That kept me from having to navigate outside in freezing weather. Not good on FOLFOX.

Best,

OG

[CLD]

My husband had a Pic line in the hospital after not being permitted to eat for soo many days, so I know what they are like. He got a port for chemo. One thing to consider is your children...I see on your signature that they are young. They were constantly bumping (accidently) the port... I imagine it would be harder to handle kids with a pic line for 4 months. Just my opinion!!! Good luck!

[H is for Hawk]

A Port (preferably a Power Port, which can be used for CT scans) wins hands down over placement of a PICC line. The port is installed by an interventional radiologist and is a very minor operation. Accessing it at the chemo treatment only takes 2-3 minutes, it just makes your chemo so much easier. There is very little pain when the needle is inserted in the port, and no pain when it is removed.

Installing a PICC line requires a skilled nurse to position the end of the tubing near your heart, sometimes they make a wrong turn and the procedure must be done all over. This process takes about 10 to 15 minutes and is prone to complications.

Get the port, you won't regret it.

[nicola smith]

Lydia666 wrote:
I was wondering if anyone had 4 months of chemo through a picc line. Is that possible?


OG wrote:
Yes. I had it. No problems at all.

I don't know about Québec, but Ontario simply won't do ports for "short-term" chemo (less than, say, 6 months). What Ontario did pay for was visiting nurses to unhook the 5FU pump and flush out the line a week later. That kept me from having to navigate outside in freezing weather. Not good on FOLFOX.

Best,

OG

--------------------------------------------------------------

I am in Ontario. I was scheduled for 6 months of chemo which they originally wanted me to do through a PICC line (since I already had one as a result of complications post-colectomy). Having had the experience of a PICC for a month, I knew I did not want it any longer...itchy, constantly getting tangled, made it impossible to take a bath and had to be covered up during a shower, required a home care visit every week...I could go on...but did I say ITCHY! I was able to argue that my active lifestyle would be really restricted by a PICC and that seemed to do the trick for getting the powers that be at my hospital to agree to a port. The port was absolutely no trouble and the surgery was a breeze. I do not regret my choice at all. Good luck to you in making your case, should you choose to got the port route.

[Steph20021]

Lydia666 wrote:
I was wondering if anyone had 4 months of chemo through a picc line. Is that possible?


OG wrote:
Yes. I had it. No problems at all.

I don't know about Québec, but Ontario simply won't do ports for "short-term" chemo (less than, say, 6 months). What Ontario did pay for was visiting nurses to unhook the 5FU pump and flush out the line a week later. That kept me from having to navigate outside in freezing weather. Not good on FOLFOX.

Best,

OG

--------------------------------------------------------------

I am in Ontario. I was scheduled for 6 months of chemo which they originally wanted me to do through a PICC line (since I already had one as a result of complications post-colectomy). Having had the experience of a PICC for a month, I knew I did not want it any longer...itchy, constantly getting tangled, made it impossible to take a bath and had to be covered up during a shower, required a home care visit every week...I could go on...but did I say ITCHY! I was able to argue that my active lifestyle would be really restricted by a PICC and that seemed to do the trick for getting the powers that be at my hospital to agree to a port. The port was absolutely no trouble and the surgery was a breeze. I do not regret my choice at all. Good luck to you in making your case, should you choose to got the port route.

I suppose it depends which Ontario hospital you are at as I was offered the choice of pic or port right from the start when it was going to be for 6 months. I chose picc. After that 6 months was up and I had to continue with chemo, they made me go port and I am glad for it now.

[Kick'nAssCancer'sAss]

I too live in Ontario. I had the PICC for the chemo/rad 5 weeks then had it removed. I had it reinstalled after my surgery when I did FOLFOX. I never had the choice, the line was no big deal but it did get in the way often. I also developed a clot in my arm where the PICC line entered which I needed 120 daily unwanted injections of FRAGMIN to correct it.

[CRguy]

Won't try to sway you ... BUTT just share my IMO

My "roommate" for both resection and pelvic abscess ( YES he was still there when I came back !!! )...
at one point had 7-8 surgeries ( NOT CRC but abdominal ) and also looked like a " Christmas Tree " ( = HIS words ) with all the lines going in and outta him.

HIS take = NG tube was the worst
PICC line was a close second

... I took his advice and when I jumped back into the CRC pool for FOLFOX, just went for the BARD PowerPort with Groshong catheter.
Had it in for about 3 years ... inserted and removed by the same VASCULAR surgeon !!!!

NADA problems during any access or infusion.
Got it flushed about every 4-5 weeks without heparin because the Groshong is Ok with saline flushes !!!!

for me : PICC = NO
BARD PowerPort = YES !

JMO .... BUTT never had a PICC
SO YMMV

Best wishes moving forward my friend
Cheers
CRguy

[Ontario Guy]

HIS take = NG tube was the worst
PICC line was a close second

I don't get it.

Compared to learning how to deal with a colostomy - pooping out the front, changing gear in unusual places, caring for peristomal skin, etc. - having a PICC in my arm for four months was a walk in the park.

Compared to dealing with a 24/7 pain pump - like a PICC you can't get it wet or it stops working and when it stops working you hurt like hell - the PICC was a cinch.

Compared to actual chemo, with the complications we all know about - runny nose, bleeding nose, hair loss, first bite, cold sensitivity, peripheral neuropathy, tissue degeneration, freaking, freaking fatigue - the PICC was nothing.

Absolutely, YMMV. But for me the PICC was not an issue at all. It went in, I had my chemo, it came out.

Not a big deal.

OG

[CRguy]

Which ... is exactly why mileages vary.

My roomie had his PICC line in / out over 17 months ...
and I am just sharing what he expressed to me,
hence my own choice for a power port.

Not comparing this to any other aspect of what treatments I have had ... resection, chemo, ostomy, radiation, VATS ...
just PICC vs port : No more, no less

Cheers
CR

[Lydia666]

Thank you guys. I appreciate your comments and recommendations. I don't even know now what kind of chemo i have to do and how long, but i think that if i can have it thru a picc line, i will go for it. It's not connected 24/7 so it should be better than when i did the 6 weeks of chemo/rad. I can understand that maybe the port is better in some respects but having inserted on a somewhat permanent basis sort of freaks me out. We'll see- it depends what my docs recommend as well.