interventional radiology

[justme15]

sorry guys, I know I have been on question overload lately...but I really appreciate your advice

has anyone had to go to interventional radiology to get their PD catheter checked out or fixed?  What is this experience like?  I will likely be going to one tomorrow or thursday.

[MaryD]

Funny how question overload can happen - then nothing for months.

I don't know if it's the same thing, but I had an abdominal X-ray just before my first PD catheter was removed.  It was just an ordinary X-ray, but I was fascinated when the technician showed me my X-ray and there it was - a gentle loop of catheter, much lower than I expected.

I hope you are heading for the end of question overload, soon, and all is well

[Mike_NC]

justme15, what is the reason for the interventional radiology? I don't know if it's the same but I once had to have my catheter "manipulated" because it had migrated to my right side and was causing me a lot of pain. For mine they gave me versed to try to sedate me. I say "try" because they couldn't sedate me enough to do the procedure. They gave me 10 times the normal dose before calling it off. The procedure they were attempting was to open my catheter, insert this rod(s) to try to manipulate it away from whtever it was irritating. Overall, not a bad experience, just unsuccessful in my case. My catheter ultimately seemed to settle back into place....right after I met with a surgeon to have it corrected or replaced.

[justme15]

yeah MIke, what you described sounds like what the nurses described.  it's comforting to know that they try to sedate you.  hopefully it will be successful.

[Mike_NC]

Just to clarify...the reason the versed didn't work on me is because I have used xanax for my anxiety for quite some time, and versed is similar in the way it works. I just have built a high tolerance to it. They were stunned though, as I continued to chat with them as they tried to sedate me lol. Good luck with your procedure! I hope whatever they need to do will be accomplished for you.

[Lillupie]

yes I did way back in 2007 when my cathether when in my chest. I had a hard time draining at the time, and the tip of the cathether was in my chest by the looks of the x-ray. I was sent to interventional radiology, they stuck something similar to a wire hanger up there hoping to move it, to avoid surgery. I next had to go to surgery to get the catheter sewed down.

Lisa

[justme15]

ok lillupie, what was that experience like? sounds pretty uncomfortable? did they give you adequate sedation?

[Lillupie]

It was kind of weird. I remember it. Its like someone else is moving your cathather besides you. with a wire, they are moving around in the inside of it, causing your cath to me. Very weird.

Lisa