I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: TwistedKitten on February 12, 2009, 12:53:43 AM

Title: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: TwistedKitten on February 12, 2009, 12:53:43 AM
I'm finally using my fistula....(hopefully they start the buttonhole soon) but it's been good so far. First time they used 2 needles it was access flow week so I found that out. Greater than 2000 :bandance; So that's good and my clearances are SOOO much better compared with my crappy line. kT/v went from about 1-1.2 all the time (and a lot lower at times) to almost 2  ;D  ;D So now I'm just waiting for them to take my line out...Can't wait to go swimming this year. LOL. |It's been ages...and I miss it. My mom always said I shoulda been a fish...lol. But yeah, just thought I'd share my good news.   :waving;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: Chris on February 12, 2009, 01:23:42 AM
That's good news.
I remember having trouble with the catheter on clearance and flow and on a few occasions the lines had to be moved slightly because the blood flow started to gurgle. What an odd feeling that was.
Good Luck on next treatment
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: Joe Paul on February 12, 2009, 01:37:40 AM
Thats great news  :thumbup;  Back when I first started, my fistula was only 3 weeks and 1 day old. Its always good when things work as they should.
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: RichardMEL on February 12, 2009, 03:39:44 AM
great news TK!!! Hope you can get to go swimming soon too. We (ok me) want to see you in a bikini!!!!  :shy; :grouphug; :rofl; :yahoo;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: Rerun on February 12, 2009, 08:47:12 AM
That is great.  Do you use the lidocaine shots or just have them jab them in?

                  :yahoo;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: TwistedKitten on February 12, 2009, 04:30:23 PM
Richard: I doubt I`ll be in a bikini...lol... :P but it`ll be so nice in any case..

and Rerun. They just jab it in..lol...the freezing always hurts more for me than the needle stick so I do without.

AND huge surprise today my line actually got taken out..I don`t think I`ve ever been so happy to be in pain. :cheer: lol. not that it`s alot but still. I`m just so HAPPY that it`s GONE!!!  whooopeee!!!!!!!!!!

usually it takes longer to get them out. but the doc that takes them out was taking out 2 others today and had time to take mine out...2 minutes and it was gone.  ;D
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: monrein on February 12, 2009, 07:14:18 PM
Getting rid of a permacath is the best feeling.   
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: kitkatz on February 12, 2009, 07:30:00 PM
Oh yeah! Getting the line out is great feeling.  Go stand in the shower for about a week when you can!  :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: BRANDY on February 13, 2009, 12:11:39 PM
twistedkitten  hope everything goes ok for you. It sounds like you are on the right road.  :thumbup;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: jessup on February 13, 2009, 02:30:41 PM
Great news mate
 :clap;
Enjoy swimming
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: thegrammalady on February 13, 2009, 02:37:30 PM
 :bandance; :bandance; :bandance; :bandance;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: paddbear0000 on February 13, 2009, 05:58:15 PM
That's great to hear!   :clap; :clap; :clap;

You said in 2 minutes. Do they just yank them out without sedation?  :o  If so, I'm not so sure I'm going to look forward to having mine taken out!
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: TheBluePhantom on February 13, 2009, 06:23:34 PM
That's great to hear!   :clap; :clap; :clap;

You said in 2 minutes. Do they just yank them out without sedation?  :o  If so, I'm not so sure I'm going to look forward to having mine taken out!

When they took out my tunneled cath he used a small lidocaine shot, then broke up the scar tissue at the base.  The lidocaine hadn't really taken effect, so it was 30 seconds that hurt a lot.  To remove it he grabbed the cathater and yanked.  I opened my mouth to yell, and realized that it didn't hurt.  After that it was just pressure at the vein to prevent internal bleeding and I was out the door...
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: paddbear0000 on February 13, 2009, 08:06:09 PM
They don't suture the vein? They cut a hole in it to put the tube in. A hole that size will self-seal back up after weeks or months of use? Now I'm freaked out!
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: TwistedKitten on February 14, 2009, 12:33:16 AM
yeah it's like BluePhantom said. They just freeze it locally. My doc left the freezing for about a minute before he took it out. Cut the scar tissue..and once that was cut....just pulled it out. Then a nurses aide came and put pressure on it for 15 minutes....and it was done. No bleeding after that...and no stitches usually. I have one...but that'll come out next treatment. but the actual site where the catheter was isn't sutured up because they don't wanna trap any bacteria that could be there inside.

No need to freak out. Really quite simple. Hurts for a bit but extra strength tylenol takes care of that. You'll feel better once it's gone. I know for me...I feel like a normal person again. And it only been 2 days that it's gone. lol

It amazed me how much just getting the catheter out made me feel so much better about myself.
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: kitkatz on February 14, 2009, 10:52:32 AM
Getting that catheter out was the most awesome feeling!  :bandance;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: TwistedKitten on February 14, 2009, 11:29:46 PM
Getting that catheter out was the most awesome feeling!  :bandance;

yes it was  :beer1;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: AlasdairUK on February 17, 2009, 07:30:26 AM
I noticed a huge difference with the quality of life when I went from my permcath to a fistula. My clearence was so much better and I had a lot more energy, even started to exercise.

For me, it was also the fact that I did not have a plastic tube hanging out my chest and being able to shower and not be worried about getting an infection.

Alasdair
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: RichardMEL on February 17, 2009, 05:29:33 PM
I've never had a cath in there and obviously aren't female so can't really relate to how that must be on both counts but I *can* imagine how much of a relief it would be to have it out both from being able to swim/wash properly etc AND the whole body thing.. so glad you got it out and hope the fistula works well for ages!!!! :)

 :grouphug;
Title: Re: 2nd week using fistula
Post by: TwistedKitten on February 17, 2009, 08:13:41 PM
I noticed a huge difference with the quality of life when I went from my permcath to a fistula. My clearence was so much better and I had a lot more energy, even started to exercise.

For me, it was also the fact that I did not have a plastic tube hanging out my chest and being able to shower and not be worried about getting an infection.

Alasdair

It's only been like a few weeks of better clearances but already I can feel the difference. Slight as it is. And yeah not having the plastic tube in my chest is real nice.  :cheer: Thank-fully no infections but yeah it's nice not to have to worry about it all the time. Or worrying about it getting tugged accidentally. Never fun.


and RM I hope it works for ages too. LOL. I don't know how I'd do it if I had to go back to a line