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Climbing with a PICC line/port
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Hey MPers, recently I was diagnosed with leukemia and have had a PICC line inserted in me. I’m wondering if anyone has any experience about climbing with a PICC or port while undergoing treatment. Most sites mention to avoid strenuous activity/contact sports, but If I’m not bashing my arm against things it seems reasonably safe? I would probably stick to indoor stuff for now just to rebuild my base fitness such as indoor bouldering/TR where falls are minimal or on a big mat. Looking for other stories and thanks again! |
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Sometimes this is an annoying answer but on this one I would definitely ask your doctor. |
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PICC lines can migrate inside your body due to physical activity and lead to complications. A central port (generally placed high on your right chest) would probably be better to avoid that risk, I would discuss this with your healthcare provider and tell them the whys and whats. Of course, there is what they recommend and what you deem necessary to maintaining sanity but you also don’t want to get the “non-compliant patient” label, it may affect your treatment. I wish you the best in your treatment and recovery. |
Colonel Mustard wrote: All of the above, plus the fact that the soft tissue around the port in your arm would be seriously irritated by movement and muscle contraction. Bleeding around the site is likely. I had a PICC years ago and was unable to climb because of other medical problems. However, climbing with one sounds unpleasant and risky. |
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I have had both, and the port wins 1000%. I have the port now, and I would not hesitate to climb moderately if I was otherwise able, but my Leukemia and the resulting anemia precludes any such physicality. A PICC line leaves IV tubing and port(s) hanging off your bicep/inner arm which is taped to the arm or held in place with an expanding tube bandage sleeve. The PICC line maintains an opening through the skin where this tubing enters the body and is a common point of infection. My line needed to be maintained daily with heparin flushes, and weekly for bandage replacement by oncology nurses. It is not a complicated procedure that my wife and I could DIY, but I had so many clinic visits, it was easy to have this done weekly in clinic. The PICC line went right through part of my bicep and as a reuslt I never had full range of movement with it, it was too uncomfortable, and would move slightly making the insertion point hurt. As stated above it could have also migrated. You don't want the internal end of the catheter in the wrong place! I would be downright scared to try to climb with that line. Compared to having multiple IV sticks, missed and blown veins etc, the PICC line was better than nothing at the time, but compared to a port? No contest. Port wins. I asked the NP who installed my port a lot of questions when I was having it installed, including whether there would be any physical restrictions with the port, including climbing, and working out. She said only while the incision is healing. I also asked about locating it so I could carry a pack. She installed it a bit more towards the sternum, and carrying a daypack is fine. I had the port installed close to a year ago and it has been a Godsend. It is currently being accessed 2x/week, and feels like part of me. No muss, no fuss, easy peasy. Despite my N=1 personal experience with it, do check with your provider. |
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Echoing above sentiments: PICC line is a poor match up with climbing due to all the overhead reaching, etc. While this doesn't constitute any sort of medical advise: a port would be much less likely to become complicated. There are different approaches to ports. Perhaps discuss with the doc who is going to be placing it your intention to climb, knowing they are unlikely to recommend you do so. |
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I climbed (very poorly) through chemo and would be happy to talk any time. As stated above, climbing with a picc is a bad idea. Depending on your chemo schedule you might be able to have it pulled and reinserted. If not a port is the way to go. |
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My middle son (22) is on cycle 2 for Hodgkins. He has a Picc. they couldn't give him a port due to inflammation in neck due to Hodgkin's. after two of six cycles port is back on table. but really climbing still isn't. The other aspect not mentioned above is the immunosuppression you'll be dealing with. cuts, scrapes, bruises, are a much bigger deal with your palette count is way low and your ANC is below 500. My oldest son also dealt with ALL when he was 4, so I've got a "parental PHd" in this shit.. Tough times don't last but tough men do.... |
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One more well wisher here and another vote for a port if it’s an option. I wasn’t a climber when I went through treatment but once the insertion site healed I was comfortable with everything from working out as I was able to having a young nephew punch it as my on/off power button. You should of course listen to your docs but I wouldn’t hesitate to climb with a port. I would strongly recommend that you go climb if you can get the ok from your doctor. Chemo is hard enough. Do what you love when you can. I truly believe it helps. Now I’m another kind of statistic. 11 years and counting. I hope you’ll recover as well and climb through it all. Fuck cancer! |
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First if all, best of luck and speedy recovery. Dealing with this shit and trying to keep a chin up is difficult. I had a broviac and climbed. It terrified the hell out of me every time and that was just in the gym. Something I did start doing to give me a bit of comfort was wrap plastic wrap around the lines, over my chest. This kept them from getting snagged. At the time I was only over TRing vertical stuff too. Years later I was offered the chance to have a port implanted and nearly took it. There is a thread buried somewhere where someone cooked up a "shield" to go over it. Not sure where that went. Either way, my two cents is just being ultra conservative and cautious. Best wishes |
Eric Poretsky wrote: I was searching for pervious response and saw this thread. |
Jim Urbec wrote: Hi, thanks for asking! I've been doing overall well and have been in remission for a bit now. Was not able to climb with a PICC for those wondering so took about ~2 years off. |
Eric Poretsky wrote: Awesomeness!!!! best thing I've read all week |
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Picc lines are pretty fragile and prone to breaking. I had that happen on a Friday afternoon with one I was depending on for IV antibiotics after a perforated appendix. Hospital couldn't put a new one in until the next week, which was a bit of a setback. So more than the convenience of climbing with one I'd also ask the doctor about the likelihood of breaking either variety. Best of luck with your treatment! |
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Another plug for ports. Still have my port and remission is good enough I've started climbing again, no restrictions. My doctor is fine with me keeping the port indefinitely since it is likely I will need it again. |
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I have never done it, but I very much do not recommend. (Although I understand the desire,lol). There are just too many things that can go wrong, places that can get snagged or bumped. A picc line is a pretty serious medical intervention, a line that goes straight into your heart, and until recently you would have to be in the hospital while you had it. Please try other exercises, instead. Source: am nurse that cares for people with picc lines in their homes, and I am also a climber. |
