Port for IV & Blood Test and Constipation Remedies?

Pancreatitis
#1

To all of you at CarePlace!

On Friday, this coming Friday, I am having a port put in that will be subcutaneous (under the skin) and used for IV’s and blood tests. I have learned that this should last for at least 12 years. As I have no more veins for IV’s, blood tests and such, this is a great relief for me.

My new doctor, who is with Kaiser, fought for me to have this. Also, she has a standing order for the infusion of 2 liters of fluids in the Kaiser Infusion Center whenever I need them! All I have to do is to call the center, they will set up an appointment for me to be there, they will place an IV for me and give me the fluids that I need at the time. This is vital as I have severe problems with my CP such that I get so much pain that even drinking water becomes very painful. So, I simply stop taking in fluids altogether. By that time, I also have stopped eating. I have about 2 days to go before I have to go to the ER to be admitted for rehydration and pain meds for a usual hospital stay of 11 days. All of this is to stop this 6-week cycle of getting rehydrated and on to food again and out of the hospital after 11 days and then, 6 weeks later, begin the cycle again. This has been my lot since January of last year! 10 hospital stays in 1 year 3 months!! I can not stand to live like that!!

I am also interested in what you think is the BEST OF ALL products for beating down constipation. My doctor says that Mirilax is the best. What do you think?

With love and care,

Anyse

#2

There is a new constipation product on the market called Amitiza. While it comes with its problems, there seems to be hope.

Good luck with the port, I am probably going that route as well. Does Kaiser really give you a hard time about hydration? All I have to do is call Doc K and boom, in goes the line and hydrate away, no questions asked, whether at his office or the ER where I work.

Teresa

#3

Anyse,

What kind of port is it? What do you have to do to take care of it?

I sure hope that you are able to avoid the hospital stays once you have that in. I hate the hospital–its awful! My husband is trying to get me to go in there right now, and I’m fighting it! I just cringe at the thought. I’d almost rather die that go in the ER again.

Feel better!

Hugs,
Susan

#4

Teresa and Susan,

The port does need to be flushed avery few weeks or so and that is all! Susan, I need this type of “central line” put in so that they no longer will need to try to give me IVs through the veins in my arms. They will stick me as many as 5-6 times just to get in a pediatric IV that will last only a few days. Sometimes, they will actually get 2 nurses to take a try on each arm while taking turns! This HURTS a lot and, even after the IV is in, the pain is still quite a bit.

Kaiser does not have a problem with my getting rehydrated, it’s just the IVs that are a pain. Also, no doctor just said, “Here, all you have to do is cal the infusion center and the will rehydrate you as soon as they can.” I have NEVER had such a doctor’s order in the past 12 years of this problem. I, finally, have a doctor who can THINK and come up with alternatives without my having to argue, yell, bitch and write complaints to Kaiser’s patient care services. Last year, in August, I got a Hickman single lumen line. This was a line (tube) that went into my chest above my right breast and to the right and went into my jugular vein directly. It is very fragile and, because it was external, terribly subject to infection. BEFORE I got this port, I was actually BEGGING for on from my PCP and GI docs and they would not do it! Even after a hospital rounds doctor ordered my port, they did not put in one like the one I am getting on Friday (which is what I was actually PRESCRIBED to have last Augus!). I was ready to sue Kaiser for malpractice! I was fighting for weeks with my PCP and GI for this type of a port after my 6th hospital stay while arguing that this could keep me out of hospital and could actually save them money in the long run. They took the cheapest route and it just came out one night after our poodle somehow jumped on me and caught the tube (which was under my blouse!), pulling it out of my chest in the process!

THis one, being subcutaneous, is the VERY BEST way to go. Less chance of infection, easier upkeep, and long-lasting. It can’t be beat!!

Take care both of you and I hope that I have answered your questions.

Anyse

#5

Anyse, My doc just put me on Mirilax. It works very well. I would recommend it.

Vonnie

#6

Anyse,

I am so glad you are getting the port FINALLY!! I have had my share of AP/CP issues but nowhere near what you have endured, hats off to you overcomeing all this. I do hope this hydation plan will get you past the hospital “cycle”.

I understand about the IV issues. I have had 4 children and never had an issue with IV’s until my 8 days of hospital stay in Nov/07. In those 8 days I had 6 different IV’s because they kept “blowing” my veins. One infused and my arm swelled up because it was not in the vein. I was told that the older we get our veins get less tolerant, I am 35 for goodness sake LOL!!

Well I do hope this will be great for you, you deserve a break from all this crap!
Take care of you!

Keri

#7

Anyse,

Congrats on conquering that “hurdle” with Kaiser. My sister lives in CO and has Kaiser, and she really has issues with them ALL the time. I feel for you!

Keke,

I have problems with my veins blowing out, too. You have to tell the nurses when they give you a bolus of medicine or a flush of saline to GO SLOW! You have to be very stern with them BEFORE they get to the IV. They can push 2-5cc then pause for at least 20 seconds, and then another 2-5cc, etc. You have to TELL them to do that, though. If they grumble, ask for the charge nurse!

Also, tell the doctor that you only want them to run the IV at 75-100cc per hour so that your veins do not blow. Refuse to allow them to run it faster than that if that is what you want. This is your RIGHT as a patient. Yes, it will mean that you will not rehydrate as quickly and you may be in the hospital longer, but you will save your veins. I cannot handle an IV running faster than 100cc per hour without my veins blowing! Its awful!

#8

Congratulations on the port! I have to say I am jealous. I just got out from an admission on Saturday, and on Thursday (after the first IV that took 4 tries blew) I endured TWENTY tries to restart the line before the doctor came in and was successful. They even tried with an ultrasound machine, and tried accessing my feet, all to no avail. I now look as though I have been beaten! I wore long sleeves all week, but it is warm, and the bruises are yellowing - but I have had comments from at least 10 people today! My PCP says no port until I am “critical - or falling fast” This sounds ridiculous to me. I am in the hospital or requiring blood tests at least 5-6 times per year. In Feb. even a PICC line failed. But, it is their world - patient comfort and ease of treatment and what seems to be common sense doesn’t seem to equal medical sense!
Again, congratulations! Maybe I’ll ask my doc again - maybe I’ll take pictures of my bruises!
susan

#9

Susan,

I am so sorry that you have to go through all of that. It is “cruel and unusual” punishment! After speaking with my doctor (and after having a port before to show the positive results of having one), there was not a moment of hesitation. She said that without one I would be in the hospital on a 6-week cycle and would also sink further into more serious health problems (just being in hospital is a very large on in terms of possible infection, error, and overall costs that just cannot be justified). Are you trying to say that your doctor "believes in what he has said and is so stubborn that he will not directly address your health and comfort concerns? Can’t you approach him again and discuss what happened this last hospitalization (or ER visit) and how barbaric it all is? Can’t you address the “expense” thing as well?

Why do you have to go in as much as you do? 6 times a year is NOT financially a good thing overall. Most people don’t go into hospital for years at a time. I have NEVER seen a health care provider NOT seek to reduce costs as much as possible and more in the favor of the patient’s comfort as well. It just makes no sense at all. I am reliving all of the past trauma that Kaiser has put me through for so many years (around 12) by NOT providing me with proper pain medication until a couple of years ago, by NOT seeking out any plan at all for my health care based upon my prognosis, by NOT listening to ANY of my complaints over the years about various problems until they got so bad that there was no way to overcome them when they were able to be taken care of back then (not sleeping well, bad diet, constantly progressive levels of fatigue, and a horrible lack of veinous access for tests and infusion). This kind of healthcare is not healthcare at all! It is cutting costs to the point that they, ultimately, have to pay far more because they did not follow the usual “a stitch in time saves nine.”

Did you know that I have a rant about Kaiser on YouTube? Look for my name when you search for a video. My name on there is “Anyse Joslin.” Read the responses as well. This is very interesting when you get the full picture of how this site has worked so far.

Please, try to approach your doctor again as this latest situation should NEVER be encountered by any patient. Remember that a subcutaneous port will last for up to 15 years if taken care of (by you as well) and treated properly by medical staff. You will have to be on guard and extremely cautious and watch ANYONE who is trying to access the pot as well, quizzing them on the procedure BEFORE they even TOUCH you! I think that your doctor, under the present situation, will listen and, hopefully, will respond positively to you having a port.

Take good care and I hope that, if we do not get in touch before Monday, you will have a wonderful 3-day weekend.

With love and care,

Anyse

Anyse Joslin
anyse1@mac.com
SKYPE: anyse1
(915) 364-1743 (9AM-5PM PST M-F only please)

#10

I had to fight long and hard for a PICC line until I changed doctors and found one who was more than willing to do whatever made a hospital stay easier for me. I never got anyone to think seriously about a port although I did ask several docs about one. Isn’t this crazy?! In my hometown hospital the nurses and lab folks were very supportive of a PICC line but the docs were resistant. Why should we be put through the agony of blown veins and multiple attempts to find a vein? Many times I would be in tears due to the sheer frustration of others trying to find a vein. During my last e.r. visit a new doc tried using an ultrasound machine and very confidently started trying, only to give up and let someone else try. Rare was the tech or nurse who looked closely at my veins for many minutes before trying a place. The pain has been horrible but people trying to start an i.v. are the second worst part of pancreatitis in my experience.