My experience of having a picc line inserted since 30th November 2023
1) insertion was not painful but was involved as it needed 2 members of staff gowned up. Appointment took about half an hour from start to finish
2) it bled on the way home and soaked my sleeve This is rare but can happen. As I live 13 miles away from the hospital and it had clearly stopped actively bleeding I went to my local gp surgery. Luckily the surgery nurse was an ex District Nurse so was trained to re dress it. As I had just come from the hospital I had plenty of dressings as the surgery does not hold them.
3) District nurse comes once a week to redress. In my area they do not make appointments or let you know when they are coming. They just turn up. This is not a criticism of them but the reality of what happens. Needless to say they are all marvellous - not all DNs are picc line trained.
4) my DNs also come to take my bloods via the picc line. This also makes life so much easier for me. Not least saving me time and money on a 26 mile round trip to the hospital. Note: the hospital did not advise me this was an option. It was the DN who suggested it on the first appoinment I had
5) I found the first few weeks I was scared of the picc line. Scared it would bleed again, I’d pull it out in my sleep and lots of other things which have not happened.
6) For the first few weeks it ‘pinched’ on a regular basis and sometimes it was hard to get comfortable. It felt like there was a needle in there that occasionally pricked me. This was not the case. It was the insertion wound settling down. Took about three or four weeks to slowly stop pinching. Now it hardly does at all and is so much more comfortable
6) Protection . I have a short sleeve protector from Limbo which cost £16. It is well made and has elastic at the top to keep it in place. I wear it 24/7 to keep everything in place. I wash it weekly. I also have a waterproof sleeve for showering. This has been a god send. About £21 also from Limbo and worth every penny. I really struggled with the cling film - even with two of us trying to wrap it was very difficult and I found not very effective. With the Limbo waterproof sleeve I gained some independence and peace of mind and it does the job so well ( I can’t link from my phone so google ‘limbo waterproof sleeves’ and it should come up )
7) Having a dressing on my arm since November has meant the skin is slowly breaking down. Ask the hospital for kinder skin contact dressings if this is the case. The DNs will advise. The first dressings you are given from the hospital are bog standard. The kinder ones in my hospital are called ‘diamond dressings’ and ‘IV dressings’ and have helped. The nurses will also redress to try and make sure the same skin isn’t always in contact with the dressing but because of the nature of it some skin will always be in contact with the dressing.
8) Psychlogical effects of picc lines. Apart from my initial concerns when I first had it inserted my hatred of the picc line has never dissipated. Yes it makes life so much easier that I do not have to be cannulated for every treatment or pricked for bloods and it is very much worth it for that. If I need further chemo post surgery I will have it re inserted. But I hate it. For me it is a daily reminder of how sick I am. It is an inconvience and a constant, alien companion attached to me. As soon as I have my last treatment pre surgery I will arrange for it to come out ASAP
But in the meantime it is a very necessary and helpful part of the treatment for which I am very grateful and I would recommend having it done if you are offered it.
