PICC line- experiences please?

DH has one. He drove himself to hosp during Covid and back again. He has his chemo every 3wks using it. He hasn’t had any trouble with it and it has been in situ since Jan 2021. If not on chemo he has it “flushed” once a month to keep it working well. It is a raised lump in his chest but showers etc as before.

DH had one - he said the insertion was fine - unfortunately the hospital didn’t realize he had one, so it wasn’t flushed through as it should’ve been. Once it was pointed out it was seen to. Friends of the Hospital made little bags to keep the end in between chemo sessions so it didn’t dangle.

My DD and DS both have got PICC lines used for chemotherapy and now immunotherapy and say they are brilliant. Son is needle phobic so it is a great relief for him. Good luck and take care.

DD had this fir chemo. It is better fir veins by allowing access without danaging them.

I had a BardPort inserted below my collarbone for my chemotherapy, apparently so the drugs dropped into the vein immediately above the heart. It was inserted under a short general anaesthetic and closed with a couple of stitches. It was a small half-dome shape and there was a lump obvious to me, but not hugely conspicuous to others. It was removed after chemo, again under a quick general anaesthetic. It’s 15 years on and nobody would know there’s a faint scar.

I’m very glad to have been offered it (the insertion and chemo were at the BUPA hospital). The veins in my arms aren’t great and I had dreaded having them dig around for a vein each time.

Good luck with your treatment plan.

I had a PICC line for chemo treatment and it was much easier on the veins. Dead easy for bloods to be taken before your next chemo treatment. Mine was inserted really easily with the nurse using a ultrasound to find the vein, quick X-ray to check it's in right place and you are done!! Lots of luck with your treatment. Make sure you ask for anti-sickness drugs and whatever they offer you to help you the treatment - take it! Better to have it than be caught needing help over a weekend.

Thank you all so much for giving me positive feedback. I had initially asked for a port but they seem to have conveniently forgotten that! As I don’t want to delay treatment any further I am having the line inserted this morning.