Chest catheter question

[paddbear0000]

I've had my chest cath in for 1 week now, but for the last 2 days, when I bend my head down, I feel like I'm choking a little. There's pressure on my wind pipe that has never been there before. My catheter is located right on the collar bone. Has anyone else who's had a chest cath experience this before?

[TheBluePhantom]

Yes,
They told me the cathater was not near the windpipe, but I could swear it was pushing against it.  I felt like I wanted to gag a lot.  The best explaination they could offer was that it was near a nerve and maybe some pressure on the nerve was being interpreted as pressure on the windpipe.  I got used to  it, or it faded a bit with time, I had it for 3 months.  It really only fully went away when I had it removed, but it was tolerable after a while.

[paddbear0000]

Thanks! That makes sense. I'm just hoping it's not swelling from an infection. I rebandaged it today and noticed that the skin around the entry site is redder than it has been and the redness is creeping up towards my shoulder about a half inch. I'm going to have them check it at dialysis tomorrow.

[Rerun]

Stop bending down.   

[paddbear0000]

Thanks.   

[kitkatz]

I agree with Rerun. Take it easy.  Let things heal.   (Yes Mother!)

[pdpatty]

You are changing your own dressings?
When I got mine,I was told not to mess with the bandage as the techs or nurses at center would take care of it. I got it on a Tuesday and went to dialysis on a Wed that week. They remove my bandage and clean area with swaps of providone(sp) ,then they cover it with gause pads and a large plastic covering. I've had mine for 1 year 8 months,never any trouble. Whenever they change my bandage ,both the tech/nurse and myself must wear a mask and they NEVER touch it without gloves on.The ends are also soaked in providone before they flush me and hook me up,then again before they take me off.

I also found safe way to shower and wash my hair and never has my site been wet.

[paddbear0000]

I take all the precautions they do at he clinic. I use the mask, gloves, provodine/iodine, gauze, alcohol and tegaderm. They said I'm doing everything fine. They checked it today, and it turned out that the red area I saw was  actually a provodine "stain".       I change it at home because of the location of the cath to my arm pit. It's so close that it gets irritated pretty quickly. I have to rotate where the bandaging is everyday or the area gets raw and extremely painful. I can't wait until my graft can be used!!

[anga]

to pdpatty, you said you found a way to shower w/o getting the cath wet - how did you do that?  annie

[pdpatty]

to pdpatty, you said you found a way to shower w/o getting the cath wet - how did you do that?  annie

I place a strip of Press N Seal that is as wide as my plastic covering over my cath area. This is taped down on sides and top with water proof tape. Tuck the end under the cath tip. A second wider piece is then laid over the first and taped almost all way down on sides and across the top,making sure tape sticks to PnS and the skin.

I use a hand held shower sprayer and make sure spay doesn't hit cath directly. When wetting the hair or rising it ,I cover cath with hand to divert the water.Also tip head back to rinse.

When drying off,dry cath covering  first. I don't remove covering until I towel dry (short)hair. Remove top layer and pat dry any moisture on under layer. Then remove first. Cath site should be dry ,if the tape held. My site has never been wet.

Bet this is the most unusal use for PressN Seal so far

[paddbear0000]

I just use a Nexcare/Tegaderm with pad that is large enough to cover the entire cath, from insertion point to caps. It's so much easier. Just peel backing , stick and shower! the attached pad keeps the cath from getting sticky.