hep-lock during extended hospital bedrest

Mustardseed2007 · February 2014

Hey ladies,

I am looking for a reality check from women who have been or are in this situation, and I want to apologize in advance that this is longer than it probably needs to be. Background: I have complete placenta previa, velamentous cord insertion, and a suspected placenta accreta. On Dec. 23 I had some bleeding and so went into the hospital for 4 days. After that I was on home bed rest until February 13, when I had some more bleeding. This time my doctor (now an MFM) says I'm in for the duration, which for me meant a total hospital stay of about a month.

After being moved out of L&D into antepartum, my IV was gone but I of course still had a hep lock. I was told by a nurse that when they did take it out, they would reinsert it in my other arm, and basically I would keep the heplock for the entire month of my bed rest. This really upset me. It's not that I don't expect to have an IV when I deliver, I totally expect that. But for me the hep lock really began to itch, sometimes hurt, and then they flush it twice a day which stings every. time. and also just gives me the hebejeebees.

After talking to my doctor he said I could get it out and leave it out until closer to delivery as long as I'm not bleeding. It's been out since Monday. Another doctor in my doctor's practice is on call this weekend and without discussing it with me or mentioning it to me, she ordered that a hep lock be inserted, which I found a bit weird. I understand they want you to have one in case there is an emergency, but when she saw me I didn't have one and I know my doctor's order to remove it is in my chart.

So I've refused the heplock, which the nurses ominously told me they would have to document but of course they have to go with what I want. I haven't seen this doctor again, but I expect to see her today. I'm not planning on bringing it up but of course she may. I'm wondering if I'm totally off base for not wanting the hep lock for a month. To me it's a quality of life issue for what feels to me like an extended period of time, but of course I know there is a risk should I have a serious emergent situation...but then again if I have one of those I'm in the hospital.

Also, if it makes a difference, some of you may remember I was posting here about concerns with my MFM leaving and the practice wanting to reassign my case to a doctor that I didn't like. Well, the doctor I have is the MFM I requested. The doctor ordering the hep-lock is the doctor I refused.

So anyway, I'm a little perplexed and am wondering if I'm really being that unreasonable, or if it's all good since my doctor agreed with my wishes and nothing in my situation has changed since he put in his help lock removal order.

haziedaze · February 2014

I would probably do the same thing. They are really annoying, how are your veins usually. I'm a pretty easy stick. Sounds like there's some risk to leaving it out, but is you're a pretty easy stick and the hospital has other resources in an emergency like anesthesiology or a PICC team, then I'd probably take the risk too.

Mustardseed2007 · February 2014

haziedaze said:

I would probably do the same thing. They are really annoying, how are your veins usually. I'm a pretty easy stick. Sounds like there's some risk to leaving it out, but is you're a pretty easy stick and the hospital has other resources in an emergency like anesthesiology or a PICC team, then I'd probably take the risk too.

I would say how easy a stick I am probably depends. My first visit to the hospital for this pregnancy it took 3 times, but when I came in this time it was 1 stick, no problem. I think it sometimes depends on how good the "sticker" is.

MissChanandlerBong · February 2014

I absolutely hate the heplocks as well, so I don't blame you at all. I was hospitalized for two weeks prior to having DD, and then a few days after she was born, and had one in the whole time. They also really hurt for me and creep me out. I don't know the implications as far as refusing it or having it documented though. Perhaps the doctor saw you didn't have one and ordered it since it's standard procedure. Did she mention it today?

nylalany · February 2014

I've been on bedrest at the hospital for almost 6 weeks with complete placenta previa, which, after having 2 prior c-sections, has a 50% risk of placenta accreta. They won't let me take the hep-lock out and they switch it every 2-4 days. I say 2-4 days b/c sometimes it goes bad after 2 days! There was one period of 2 weeks when I didn't have any bleeds or contractions and they finally let me go a short while without one, but then I started to have contractions again and needed iv fluids and of course some days the veins are easy to find and other days they are not! And b/c they force the 18 gauge, which are big, and I have small veins, all my veins are totally messed up. One helplock site even got infected inside (hot/swollen/hard/red) and now I'm on antibiotics. So I feel you!!! They also draw type and screen blood every 3 days and poke me 4 times a day for sugar levels, so at this point I'm very used to needles!

However, I do have to say, when I started to bleed the last time, and it was very heavy and not stopping right away, I was very happy that they could just hook me in right away and not have to sit there trying to find a vein, so I guess there is some point to it (sometimes they poked me 3 times before finding a big enough one that wouldn't roll - after this they started calling the IV nurses to do it). I'd say there are arguments on both sides and I am concerned about what has been done to my forearms, but I also understand wanting easy access. But I just want to warn you that you can be fine for a few weeks and out of the blue bleed or contract and it could be at the same time as other patients are having issues and then suddenly it gets so busy - it is one less thing to worry about them doing? I guess I had too many incidents of bleeding/contraction for them to let me go without it (I argued too and the doctor on call finally agreed and then my OB called me that night (a Sunday night to tell me you are getting it put back in, sorry.)

Sorry to ramble. Anyhow - when are they scheduling your c/s? I came in at 28 wks 3 days and originally they said 37 if I could make it, then 36, then 35 and some, and after the last bleed, they moved it up to 34 and 4, which will be this Wednesday.

Mustardseed2007 · February 2014

@misschanandlerbong She did not mention it. I may have to speak to my doctor about it again though, b/c I'm starting to have (TMI) brown, mucusy discharge. I don't know if that will count as bleeding to him or not.

@nylalany I totally know what you mean about the unexpected bleeding and that is my concern, but then again what you have gone through is also my concern!! I'm so sorry you're having to go through all of that!! So far I've been here 10 days, beginning on my 11th day today. And no red bleeding since coming in, just some recent brown discharge that started last night, which I'm going to have to speak to my doctor about today - not sure if he'll want to reinsert the heplock with that info or not.
They also do the type and screen every 3 days for me, but they aren't checking my blood sugar, TG. Do you have GD?
My C Section is currently scheduled for March 11, 35 wks 1 day.

ETA: I told my doc about the brown spotting and he's not concerned so still no heplock orders from him, though I had to re-inform the new day nurse that I'd "declined" the heplock they wanted me to do over the weekend, which telling her was really NBD.

Want a personalized experience?

hep-lock during extended hospital bedrest

Re: hep-lock during extended hospital bedrest

Choose Another Board

Search Boards