Running a fever - is my PermaCath infected?

[Maker]

I started running a fever Friday afternoon at dialysis.  I had some of the worst chills of my life and could not get warm.  The fever persisted at around 99 degrees all weekend - I am normally around 97.8.  Then I went to dialysis again today and endured 3 1/2 hours of literally shivering the entire time.  I thought I was going to die. 

My catheder looks a little red, but it always does.  The nurse called my Dr. and he said to give me a round of vanco, then he prescribed me Cipro to pick up at the pharmacy tomorrow.  He also said if my fever goes over 102 to get to the ER and they will pull the cath, and I will have to have another put in!!  I honestly just can't go through that again 

Right now my fever is hovering between 100 and 101.  I would love to hear from anyone who has went through this - should I let them pull my cath or wait it out for the antibiotics to work?  I am really scared 

[boswife]

ok Maker.  Im guessing there's different situations, and i hope someone else comes on QUICK to tell me wrong, but they wouldnt let my hubby out of the room when his fever went up during dialysis with his perma cathater.....until!! they pumped him with antibiotocs and his fever went down!!   If it hadnt come down there, right at the center, we had to go to emergency.  Im worried about you.  Honestly, i would go in.  Infection is too close to the heart and i just wish you would go in!!  Please..  That way, just antibiotocs pumpd in may be the only treatment you'll need. 

[jennyc]

Hi Lori
Ill pm u when I get home.I  agree don't wait. Too risky.
 infection could hurt fistula even if its not your catheter. Your bp can fluctuate.
Good luck.
Jenny

[Maker]

So the blood cultures they took yesterday already grew something - definitely I have an infection.  My fever is holding steady around 99 today so its still low grade.  I spoke to my neph and he is writing me levaquin and said if I'm no better tomorrow they are pulling the cath.  I will keep you all posted, and I really appreciate your prayers that the antibiotics will kill this infection and I can keep the cath 

[nursewratchet]

Pull the cath... It;s protocol in many clinics.  They will put in a new one.  The catheter, if infected can harbor and seed the infection to other places.  Get it out.  I hope you have a maturing Fistula.

[monrein]

Pull the cath... It;s protocol in many clinics.  They will put in a new one.  The catheter, if infected can harbor and seed the infection to other places.  Get it out.  I hope you have a maturing Fistula.

I agree with this 100%.

I wouldn't want to risk messing with the potential risks from an infected cath.   Pull it and get a fresh one.

[Hanify]

Arghhh - what a pain!  But it does sound like you should pull it.  Dammit.

[boswife]

thinking about you today but been at daughters cooking so couldnt check on ya...Keep in touch and just keep up prayers.. Hopfully this is 'non cath' related!!!  hugs and prayers from me...

[jennyc]

Praying for winter cold!!!!! no cath infection

[lou]

Sending loads of love and thinking of you today Lori. x x x

[Darthvadar]

Thinking of you, Lori...

Hope things work out!...

Darth...

[Maker]

Thanks so much everyone, I can't tell you how much your thoughts and prayers mean! 

Well, I have made it through another day with my catheder    My temp was normal this morning at dialysis, and I made it thru my session without incident.  But after I got home the fever started creeping up again, to about 100.  Now its normal again.  So my body is obviously still fighting, but things are looking up! 

Thank God, because another surgery is the last thing I need, not to mention the painful recovery.  I'm not completely out of the woods yet with this but it looks like I may have caught it early enough and they may have pumped me full of enough antibiotics to kill this thing 

[YLGuy]

That is good news. 

[jennyc]

 

Awesome!!!!! So happy for you Lori

[RightSide]

Thanks so much everyone, I can't tell you how much your thoughts and prayers mean! 

Well, I have made it through another day with my catheder    My temp was normal this morning at dialysis, and I made it thru my session without incident.  But after I got home the fever started creeping up again, to about 100.  Now its normal again.  So my body is obviously still fighting, but things are looking up! 

That is good news indeed!

But there's still a chance that the antibiotics left a pocket of infection behind, perhaps in the catheter itself.  If so, then a few days after the antibiotics are stopped, the infection could flare up again.

I've been through that sort of thing myself.

But if you can go five whole days after stopping the antibiotics without a recurrence of the infection, you should be home free!

[galvo]

Excellent news!

[Lillupie]

I forgot can you do PD or no?

What do they think caused the infection? Or is it just because you have a permacath?

Lisa
Best wishes

[boswife]

sure good to hear this...Your in my prayers

[Maker]

I forgot can you do PD or no?

What do they think caused the infection? Or is it just because you have a permacath?

Lisa
Best wishes

I could do PD but I've decided its not for me for several reasons I won't get into cause I already bored people with that on some previous posts.  I really want to get a nxstage. 

They don't really know what caused the infection.  The permacath is suspected, but its not irritted or red or anything. 

At any rate, no fever for 2 days, and I'm good to go to see my family for the holiday.  Love me some drugs!! 

[jennyc]

That's awesome Lori, Have a good Holiday 

[galvo]

Good, good news! Have a great holiday, Lori!!!

[Maker]

So believe it or not, this is still going on 

I finished my course of antibiotics a week ago today.  Then Monday during Dialysis I had horrible chills/shivers again.  Fever 101 thru the night, then normal the next morning.  No fever during dialysis Wed, but they did more blood cultures. Then Fri, got hooked up to the machine, and within the first half hour got the chills/shivers, and my temp went from 98 to 103 during my treatment!  Cultures came back positive again, but Neph says he doesn't understand the cultures because they don't look like what he usually sees, whatever that means.  Got a dose of IV antibiotics again before I went home.  Still can't believe they sent me home with that fever, but Neph says it must not be my permacath because it looks normal (no swelling, redness, pain, or drainage). 

I don't know what to do!!  I feel great when I'm not at dialysis, then I get horribly feverish when they hook me up and I'm sick all night.  Sitting thru treatments is agony for me, I've never been so cold in my life and there is no amount of clothing or blankets that can warm me up.

I really need some help with this, so please let me know if anyone has had a similar experience. 

[BigSky]

Even if your cath looks normal it can be infected.

I had no signs of infection in my cath.  Just started with the chills and shivers on the machine. It culminated with ending up in the hospital getting the cath pulled and sleeping with ice and on a water cooled bed because my temp was so high.

[jbeany]

 
Hope they figure this out soon!

[nursewratchet]

I cant believe they havent pulled it yet.  Its not a big deal, but it could save your life.  I'm not kidding, this can go directly to your heart.  GET IT OUT!!!!!  Get a new one, and a fistula.