I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: Cordelia on February 17, 2012, 10:39:20 AM
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I just got back from my vascular surgeon and he said my fistula can finally start to be used, one needle! :bandance; This coming Tuesday! :thumbup; I'm so nervous and excited at the same time! :)
I had my surgery Nov. 28 and I had it checked a month ago and it wasn't quite ready yet, but its ready now! :bandance;
My goal is to be able to swim this summer!!!! :bow; :bandance; :yahoo; :2thumbsup;
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That's really terrific news! I hope everything goes well on Tuesday...I expect a full report!
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what do you mean by "one needle"?
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Super! :2thumbsup;
One needle will be used and the other line will go in the catheter, River.
Cordelia, make sure they are super careful so they don't infiltrate you. :cuddle;
Aleta
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Great news. I finally got my fistula working this week, with two needles. I was on one needle for almost a month. That's the good news. The bad news is that I'm hard to hit. My treatment didn't start until 1/2 hour into my four hour slot, and they cut my time short. I also learned my complex cyst was in my kidney, but benign, and not a problem.
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Congratulations, Cordelia! Try to be patient if they have to stay with one needle for awhile. It all works out eventually.
Great news, Whamo! I know you were worrying about that complex cyst.
All the best to both of you...
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Great to hear!
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Wishing you the best! :bandance; :) You should be much better off with the fistula online.
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Thanks so much everyone for your congrats! :clap; Congrats to you too, Whamo! Hope your treatments go well with your fistula! :bandance;
I'm a bit nervous, looking forward to it too, as I'm starting to get a little antzy to get this central line out. It's been in me for 1.5 years. I would very much like to swim this coming summer! :flower;
My one nurse told me that sometimes the first week can go really well and week 2 doesn't. Or, vice versa. She told me she'd rather needle someone the first week than the second because by week 2 the arm is traumaticized and it's not as easy to needle week 2.
I'm a little worried about post bleeding. I guess I'll just wait and see how this works.
I'll report back Tuesday! :)
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Cordelia, Yes, your nurse is correct. The veins have to adjust to the increased stress, and it takes awhile. In any event I hope you're good to go by this summer. I'm looking forward to spending some time in the pool this summer if not the ocean. My nephro doctor said to stay away from polluted beaches. Unfortunately Southern California beaches are all polluted these days.
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Congrats Cordelia and it will come to pass, you will see! So glad for your news, Whamo!!!! You two have been through alot lately. Things seem to be looking up for you both, and Iam so glad!
lmunchkin
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Thanks so much for your congrats too, lmunchkin. :thumbup;
Here's my blow by blow of my first experience :)
Well, I survived the morning!!!! :bandance; :yahoo; It was actualy much easier than I thought it would be. My nurse explained everything so thoroughly, she was just fantastic!
I didn't get hooked up til a bit later which delayed me leaving my normal time, but what are you gonna do?
One thing I was a little browned off about though was that the nurses wanted me to not go to the bathroom during dialysis. I have been very fortunate to have the luxury of being in the private/isolation room that has a toilet. And, I use it every time I'm there, about roughly half way through my treatment. I just can't hold it in for 3.75 hrs. (that's how long my treatment per session is) Anyways, they wanted me to try and 'hold' it and I couldn't.....I KNEW I'd pee my pants if I tried to hold out for that long, I just can't do it.
Anyways, I had to really push but they ended up allowing me to go halfway through afterall, I was so relieved, pun intended. ;D Anyways, I managed, I just held my arm, really, really carefully and I did my thing. But, it's so much less nerve-wracking with the cath, I must admit, when you get up to go pee ;D
The needle actually didn't hurt that bad. The access site was a bit sore upon her putting the needle in. Quite frankly, she jabbed me pretty quick so doing it fast, helped ease the anticipation of it all for me as I was pretty nervous up until she put the needle in. I somehow managed to relax. I found relaxing, really helped.
Oh, my bp never dropped that bad. My pump speed was much less with only one small needle .....it never got up past 225. My usual pump speed for my access central line was 400. My nurse told me my clearance might not be as good as I usually clear roughly 2 kilograms. Somehow, though, I managed to do the same amount of clearance. :thumbup;
All in all, it was a good experience and my nurses said I did great! :clap;
One other thing I found difficult was sitting very, very still and not being able to really move my arm. Once I went to move it and I was like ooops, I can't do that. ;D It is so much easier with the central line since you don't have to be as careful.
Once the needle was out, she had me apply pressure for about 5 mins after. (I'm so used to just getting up and leaving so sitting a bit longer wll take some geting used to) I didn't bleed much ....so she put a gauze pad on my arm where the needle was and used the tape over my arm. (So far the tape isn't bothering me)
One of my dialysis buddies told me to be careful opening up doors with that hand, doing that caused her to bleed. Once this afternoon I accidently went to pick my purse up in my access arm, and I was like oh, DUH! I'm not supposed to do that.
My nurse told me to keep the gauze on until supper time (I'm on the morning shift) then I can take the gauze off. Do not leave the gauze on until the next treatment, it can come off in a few hours.......
My nurse also told me NOT to panic if I notice any post-treatment bleeding. Just put pressure on it for a few mins and it should stop.
All in all it was a pretty good experience! :thumbup;
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Oh, you must be SO relieved! I can see why having to go from a catheter to your fistula would take a lot of getting used to; a lot of little things are different, like being able to go and pee halfway through treatment!
Thanks for posting about your experience, and I hope you will keep posting once you start using two needles. Are you going to try to learn to self-cannulate? I'm sorry...I've probably already asked you that.
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Oh, you must be SO relieved! I can see why having to go from a catheter to your fistula would take a lot of getting used to; a lot of little things are different, like being able to go and pee halfway through treatment!
Thanks for posting about your experience, and I hope you will keep posting once you start using two needles. Are you going to try to learn to self-cannulate? I'm sorry...I've probably already asked you that.
You're welcome, MM! :)
Yup, the little stuff I took so much for granted before is now a challenge! :rofl;
One thing my nurse advised too is to carry gauze around in your purse wherever you go in case it starts to bleed. I really, really hope that I don't have bleeding in between treatments! So far, so good!
Sure, I don't mind posting about when I have the two needles :)
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I'm glad everything went well. It is hard, especially the first time, to avoid moving your arm, and keeping it still for 4 hours is a bit long. I find my lower arm goes numb sometimes. My catheter came off in about 15 minutes. That little girl doctor was a pulling and a tugging for a long time to get it loose. She shot me up with locals three times. It's still sore, the day after, but I don't care. It feels so good to get it off my chest. :bandance; :bandance; :bandance; :bandance; :pics; :clap; :2thumbsup; :yahoo; :yahoo;
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I'm glad everything went well. It is hard, especially the first time, to avoid moving your arm, and keeping it still for 4 hours is a bit long. I find my lower arm goes numb sometimes. My catheter came off in about 15 minutes. That little girl doctor was a pulling and a tugging for a long time to get it loose. She shot me up with locals three times. It's still sore, the day after, but I don't care. It feels so good to get it off my chest. :bandance; :bandance; :bandance; :bandance; :pics; :clap; :2thumbsup; :yahoo; :yahoo;
Thanks so much, Whamo! I hear you, its a real challenge to keep that arm still when you've been free to move the arms for 1.5 years in the chair!! LOL! :rofl; I have never had two needles in one arm ever in my life so I'm a little nervous about when they go to put TWO needles in. LOL! :rofl;
Luckily, my arm didn't go numb nor tingle. My nurse told me to let her know if my arm tingles especially. I take it that means they've hit a nerve then, if that tingling or numbness happens, right?
You must feel so much better having your central line out! That's great to hear! Oh btw, I wanna be 'knocked out' for when that happens when they take my central line out but I know they won't do that! LOL! :rofl;
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I had forgotten how Carl would bleed after treatments when he first started. I remember one evening we were eating dinner and he noticed that where his arm was resting on the table there was blood running across it and onto the floor! :rofl;
You are going to do great. :2thumbsup;
Aleta
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I had forgotten how Carl would bleed after treatments when he first started. I remember one evening we were eating dinner and he noticed that where his arm was resting on the table there was blood running across it and onto the floor! :rofl;
You are going to do great. :2thumbsup;
Aleta
Well, I spoke too soon LOL :rofl; I bled after the treatment this morning. Figures, I was in a hurry to get to my transplant hospital and it happened before I even left my dialysis unit! :rofl;
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Was the bleeding really bad? Did it stop before too long?
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Was the bleeding really bad? Did it stop before too long?
No, it wasn't too bad I would say. I didn't panic, which my nurse said I reacted very well. Most important, don't panic......
I would say the blood just blotched my small puffy square gauze pad. It bled for maybe 3 mins, she had me sit back down on a chair and within that short time frame, it stopped.
My clearances are quite good for my fluid removal-just a little over 2 kgs today! :)
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Cordelia, That is SO AWESOME! It seems really quick after your fistula surgery - you must have good veins.
One thing I remember the vascular surgeon telling me was - when you have to apply pressure, just be sure not to over do it. You want enough to help stop the bleeding, but not actually "close" the vein (push the top of the vein down against the bottom of the vein) that is bad for the fistula. You don't actually need a lot of pressure to stop the bleeding - it's more about how long you hold it (your clotting time)
I'm so happy for you. I had some troubles getting started, and it took me many more months than you to get to the point you're at now. CONGRATS!
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Fearless, Thanks for the tip on how to handle the bleeding. I hate that chore, holding the bleeding, because if you do it too hard you hurt your vein, and if it's too weak, you bleed. Most of all I hate the waiting because I'm anxious to get out of the freaking chair. I'm glad your fistula seems to be working so well.
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Thank you so much Fearless, for your congrats too! :yahoo;
Thanks also for the tip on the bleeding, also! It's helpful to know that, I had no idea. So is it best to hold a gauze over the site just gently as opposed to firmily?
It's so strange, I was so doubtful this whole fistula thing could even work because I had been told by many people that I have small veins. I was very leery to even think about doing the surgery for a fistula. I thought it couldn't be done but my surgeon said he could and I'm pleased so far how it's working. I am thinking it will likely be a couple weeks yet before they up to the two needles I'm guessing, although I'm not really sure. I'm gonna ask at my unit tomorrow and see what they say. They told me I have to have consecutive runs for a few weeks before taking the central line out.
Oh, I'm still hoping and praying that I can swim this summer! :rofl;
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Showering was a BIG issue for hubby. He was so glad to get the cath out. First thing he did was spend alot of time in shower. He loves it. He can't swim in pool cause of his amputation, but Im thinking about pushing him to go sometime. He loved to swim, but surprisingly, he never mentions it!
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
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Cordelia, my mother had teeny tiny veins because she was a teeny tiny lady, and her first vascular surgeon really screwed up and never was able to create a working fistula. She had a cath for 18 months. Her VS was affiliated with her Davita clinic, and he was crap. One of the dialysis nurses secretly told her that he was crap and told her to find someone else. She ended up going to a top notch surgeon, and out of that teeny tiny vein, he was able to create a truly magnificent fistula that served her well for five years. So, often it is down to the brilliance of the surgeon.
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The whole thing about not pressing too hard is: you're not trying to stop blood from flowing through the vein, you're just applying gentle pressure to keep the needle site from bleeding til a clot can form where the needle was through the skin and vein. You don't want to push too hard because that can cause damage to the fistula vein. I didn't realize my surgeon was being so vigilant by telling me this! i guess i got lucky in that regard, since I didn't do anything to find this guy - he just happens to be a very good doctor.
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Thanks so much for the tip, Fearless! I will remember that, thank you so much!!! :waving;
MM, I'm so glad that your Mom seeked a second opinion. My surgeon at first was doubtful but he really investigated my arm more carefully and I'm so relieved that he did! I think he's a brilliant surgeon too! :thumbup;
I didn't have such a great run today......my arm ended up swelling at the needle sight.....where the arterial was on the bottom, so they took it out and said they'd try again on Tues. I'm ok with that, they placed ice on it right away which made the swelling go down thankfully. I'm a little bruised tonight though. ;D
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Now you know why they say that the first few months of dialysis are often the hardest. So many new things going on all at once, and on top of that, there's the natural anxiety not only for you but also for the staff as they get to know you. I am hoping that with each run, everyone will feel more confident.
I am curious...now that you know your husband has been cleared for donation, a transplant is much more likely in your near future. Does knowing that make all of this a bit easier to cope with?
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Now you know why they say that the first few months of dialysis are often the hardest. So many new things going on all at once, and on top of that, there's the natural anxiety not only for you but also for the staff as they get to know you. I am hoping that with each run, everyone will feel more confident.
I am curious...now that you know your husband has been cleared for donation, a transplant is much more likely in your near future. Does knowing that make all of this a bit easier to cope with?
I think it does, MM. I am really hoping and praying that my time on the machine is starting to wind down. It gives me hope that I may not have to wait 4-5 years for a transplant, which is what my doctor originally told me with going on the "List"
You're right, its such a huge adjustment the first few months. I kind of feel like I"m starting all over again in a sense of the way even though I'm been 'doing' dialysis heading into my 2nd year now. Getting used to the needling, getting used to having to sit really, really, REALLY still, is a real challenge. It was a huge adjustment for me when I started, I had never sat for 4 hrs in length before except for on a plane! LOL!
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Cordelia, I know exactly what you're going through (excuse my confidence in saying that, but when you talked about sitting so still for 4 hours - BOING! that's ME! ) I'm so jealous of the people who come in, get stuck, and go to sleep! My arm is numb by the time I leave from keeping it so still. I'm always looking at the pressures on the machine too. Now I'm sweating out the buttonhole formation. But you seem to be handling things so very well. Most admirable! and congrats on the progress with transplant. TERRIFIC! :)
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Cordelia, I know exactly what you're going through (excuse my confidence in saying that, but when you talked about sitting so still for 4 hours - BOING! that's ME! ) I'm so jealous of the people who come in, get stuck, and go to sleep! My arm is numb by the time I leave from keeping it so still. I'm always looking at the pressures on the machine too. Now I'm sweating out the buttonhole formation. But you seem to be handling things so very well. Most admirable! and congrats on the progress with transplant. TERRIFIC! :)
Hi Fearless! Oh, the sitting is looooooong with the needle in :rofl; It was getting easier with the cath and I was able to sit but now I truly feel like I'm starting aaaaaaall over again LOL
I am finding the last hour tough. I can make it the three hours no problem and the last one I suffer and I get so restless I want to get out of that godforsaken vinyl chair :rofl;
There's enough on TV to keep my interest mentally but physically I'm finding it beyond hard. I hope in time that I will get used to it like I did with the cath. Not being able to move that needled arm too is a bugger. *sigh
I hear ya, I get jealous of the ones who can come in and fall asleep in minutes too, that is NOT me. I have even when sick have never ever been able to sleep in those chairs, ever!
And oh boy today I forgot my snack that I bring from home so that just made my morning drag even worse this morning! :rofl; Thank goodness the unit supplies saltless soda crackers! :P
The needling went okay today too, did not go so well on Saturday so I didn't have a full run on Saturday with the one needle but today it worked good ......I'm just a little bruised and sore from Saturday's run.
Thanks so much for your encouraging words, it means a lot to me! :bandance; Thanks a bunch for your compliments! :cuddle;
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Well, I'm graduating to the next level---two needles---tomorrow! :yahoo; :bandance; :clap;
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If your fistula has trouble, they may take a "fistulagram" or XRAY of your arm to find the best alternative vein. That's what happened to me. With me they decided to stick with the original vein, as a network of smaller veins formed to take up the slack.
Oh, don't make my mistake. It causes you to bleed. When you hold your band-aide and gauze after the session, don't turn your head to talk to the technician cleaning your machine. Blood spurts out on your arm, your clothes, and your chair. And it creates extra work for the staff. They hate that. I've done the same thing, twice, in a month. I'm an idiot sometimes. :shy;
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I'm keeping my fingers......and toes crossed LOL :bow; :rofl;
The nurse I had yesterday said I have a pretty good working fistula :bow;
I'm a little nervous........I've never, ever had 2 needles in my arm at one time. I'm not sure what to make of that. We'll see how it goes tomorrow ;D
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I get to start using my fistula next week, starting Tuesday. Everyone says it looks great, but to me the usable area looks a little short. I guess we'll see.
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I get to start using my fistula next week, starting Tuesday. Everyone says it looks great, but to me the usable area looks a little short. I guess we'll see.
Good luck, Restorer! :yahoo; Hope it goes well! Well, they used two needles on me today and it went quite well until the end, about 15 mins left, my bp dropped quite a bit, but I suffered no ill effects from it, I never really do. My arm is sore this afternoon. I'm just taking it easy. :)
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Excuse the interuption Cordelia, but I need to ask Restorer a question, cause I just now read his profile! "Blame it on my Blondness" LOL.
Restorer, I noticed you did PD on the Newton IQ, but switched to Liberty. May I ask why? People have been having probs with Liberty Cycle, but we never had big issues with the N. IQ. Just curious!
Cord & Restorer, your fistulas will thicken over time! You will get there eventually! Just make sure that you feel the "Frill" on both venous & arterial. If you don't, something is amist. I know you both will be excited once used without problems. You can shower & swim your hearts content!!!!!
God Bless,
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
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Excuse the interuption Cordelia, but I need to ask Restorer a question, cause I just now read his profile! "Blame it on my Blondness" LOL.
Restorer, I noticed you did PD on the Newton IQ, but switched to Liberty. May I ask why? People have been having probs with Liberty Cycle, but we never had big issues with the N. IQ. Just curious!
Cord & Restorer, your fistulas will thicken over time! You will get there eventually! Just make sure that you feel the "Frill" on both venous & arterial. If you don't, something is amist. I know you both will be excited once used without problems. You can shower & swim your hearts content!!!!!
God Bless,
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
Hi lmunckin! :waving; No problem! I'm hoping my arm will toughen up over time too! Yup, I check daily, usually about 3 times per day checking.....and it purs! LOL! :rofl;
I can hardly wait to swim, I'm getting so excited, I've really, really missed going into a pool! I can't wait! :bandance; The showering doesn't bother me so bad because I've been showering doing the shower method technique, and I've had luck with it, no infection ever, but boy oh boy I sure am antzy to get in a pool! ;D ;D
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I know you are, Cord, and now you wont have to do any of the showering technique either! You will be able to shower without worry of infections. It will all be natural, nothing artificial in there to have to worry about. It will be GREAT! Just take care of yourself and enjoy!
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
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I know you are, Cord, and now you wont have to do any of the showering technique either! You will be able to shower without worry of infections. It will all be natural, nothing artificial in there to have to worry about. It will be GREAT! Just take care of yourself and enjoy!
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
Thanks, lmunchkin! :waving;
First thing first I'll be having a nice, LONG hot shower! :rofl; Then the swimming will likely be second! I want to get a membership at a nearby Holiday Inn Hotel not far from my home, bout a 2 min drive ;D I heard from a friend it's like $30 a month for the use of the public pool plus you get the use of their gym too :bandance; It sounded like a pretty good deal to me :cheer:
Today went well again......I'm so itchy to get the central line out. I just have to be patient, it will come, I know :beer1;
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Really? I didnt know they had a public pool. That would be so cool. I wonder if the ones in this area (Nashville) do that. Is it inside or outside?
I believe I will check that out. I know that the YWCA has a pool, but it is inside only! If I swim, it is going to be IN THE SUN!!!!
lmunchkin
:kickstart;
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Cordelia, I can certainly understand your eagerness to get back to the pool! That's the whole reason I decided on hemo vs PD; I figured I'd already had to give up so much due to CKD, and I was NOT going to give up swimming, which I love. Dipping into cool water on a hot day at our park's pool is the most efficient stress-reliever for me, and I will NOT sacrifice that to dialysis.
I'm sure that you will be ready for the pool by the time summer rolls around. You've still got plenty of time to get that new fistula toughened up. Returning to swimming will be the perfect reward for perservering! :cuddle;
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Fistulas are the way to go for vascular access. I love being able to take showers. :yahoo; :2thumbsup; :clap; :bandance; :waving;
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lmunchkin, I'm in Canada......could be different up here, I don't know. Anyways, I'm just going by what my friend told me. I think there's a pool inside and outside, I think from what she told me. I'm gonna have to check it out ;D
MM, I hear you.....I didn't want to give up my love for swimming either! :2thumbsup;
Whamo, it sure will be nice to do that......and be worry free of the risk of infection for the central line! ;D
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congrats cordelia !! :yahoo; :yahoo;
Will they be using a sharp for your dialysis or are there plans on creating a buttonhole ?
I know the feeling of having to sit still for the duration of the dialysis treatment, especially with a sharp. I had only one buttonhole (I lost the other one), so when I went to seattle and doing one last dialysis before my transplant surgery, they had to use a sharp, and it is tough sitting there not having to move your arm for hours. I guess I got spoiled with blunts.
I found overtime, as your fistula matures and your veins toughen up, the amount of time you have to hold a sharp poke lessens. I remember the 2nd time I got poked with a sharp, I made it to the elevators and noticed a nice trail of blood dripping from my left arm and onto the floor. :rofl;
Because of that, when we went to seattle I hold the sharp hole for over 15 min (paranoid I guess).
I'll tell ya, when I got good at using blunts, I never looked back at the central line. Being able to shower was a huge bonus :clap;
Congrats again, and I hope it all goes smooth. :2thumbsup;
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Restorer, I noticed you did PD on the Newton IQ, but switched to Liberty. May I ask why? People have been having probs with Liberty Cycle, but we never had big issues with the N. IQ. Just curious!
Several reasons. I was originally going to be started on the Liberty, but for some reason that was never explained to me, my first clinic started me on the Newton instead, with vague plans to switch me to the Liberty later.
After I switched clinics, they wanted to switch me to the Liberty because it was what they knew. They didn't know anything about the Newton. I had to fill in my PD nurse on its specs. I was happy to switch because the Newton:
1. was a pain in the ass to travel with because of all the parts, and it was very heavy.
2. had a simpler, low-power heater, which meant if I didn't get my bags hoisted up onto it at least an hour before treatment, my first fill was cold.
3. only had room on the heater for 2 5-liter bags. If I needed more than 10 liters, I had to pile a bag on top of the two on the heater.
4. required the integrated stand because of the hanging drain bag. I couldn't put it on a nightstand, so it took up more room.
The Liberty was less error-prone to set up than the Newton. Lots of things to connect and hang and hook in with the Newton, as opposed to a cassette, the bags, the drain, and the patient line for the Liberty.
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congrats cordelia !! :yahoo; :yahoo;
Will they be using a sharp for your dialysis or are there plans on creating a buttonhole ?
I know the feeling of having to sit still for the duration of the dialysis treatment, especially with a sharp. I had only one buttonhole (I lost the other one), so when I went to seattle and doing one last dialysis before my transplant surgery, they had to use a sharp, and it is tough sitting there not having to move your arm for hours. I guess I got spoiled with blunts.
I found overtime, as your fistula matures and your veins toughen up, the amount of time you have to hold a sharp poke lessens. I remember the 2nd time I got poked with a sharp, I made it to the elevators and noticed a nice trail of blood dripping from my left arm and onto the floor. :rofl;
Because of that, when we went to seattle I hold the sharp hole for over 15 min (paranoid I guess).
I'll tell ya, when I got good at using blunts, I never looked back at the central line. Being able to shower was a huge bonus :clap;
Congrats again, and I hope it all goes smooth. :2thumbsup;
Thanks, Mcclane! :) No plans for a buttonhole since I am not planning to do home dialysis. If I was planning to do home D, then they would start creating buttonholes for me.
Ooooooh yes, its rather tough sitting there for hours not moving the arm. Maybe next month they will decrease my time down another 15 mins and that would be just great! I'm hoping so, fingers and toes crossed! So far my clearances have just been great and that's why they are considering dropping my time. :beer1;
I'm really looking forward to getting my central line out too. I'm just nervous at the procedure but........looking beyond that, I'm anxious/excited to get it out! :cheer:
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Thanks Restorer. I never knew why they switched, but definately see the advantages to the newer machine. I remember all to well those you listed, and yes, it was a hassel!
How have you been, since going to hemo? Do you miss doing PD, Restorer?
lmunchkin
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How have you been, since going to hemo? Do you miss doing PD, Restorer?
Don't remind me. If it were at all possible, I'd go back on PD. I'd take the hassle of dealing with the supplies and the waste and the pain of peritonitis to get off in-center hemo and ease up on diet and travel restrictions, no question.
Hemo is a pain in the ass. It drains me enough that I just consider my dialysis days lost. I can't commit to doing anything 3 days a week because I usually feel too bad to socialize normally or get any chores or errands done.
I doubt home hemo is an option, mostly because I don't have room for the setup in a clean room.
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Did you ever have the peritonitis, Restorer? I have heard it is very, very painful.
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I bet Restorer. Actually, it takes more room to store PD supplies than NxStage supplies. Im serious, Restorer, you should give it a try. If you don't like it, then go back, but I think you are an excellent canidate for Home D, and especially NxStage. I know no one likes the needle part of it, but other than that, you can get good cleaning on NxStage.
These In-Centers are just geting you on and getting you off to put the next one in that chair. Most run BFR so high, and thats not good for access or heart. I just wish you would try it Restorer. No doubt you could do it if you wanted. You have a very good knowledge of your care. Just got to try it. Also, we find traveling with this machine to be very easy.
At home, we can wheel the machine outside w/h extension cord, hang out bags and drain in the yard! We love it! But Im sure you have your reasons, but storage can not be one of them, if you did PD.
Sorry, not telling you what to do, but I do agree, In-center is the Pits!
Did you ever have the peritonitis, Restorer? I have heard it is very, very painful.
Cord, Im not Restorer, but I will tell you, Peritonitis almost took my husbands life the 3rd time around. He was sick to death, and doubled over with pain. The first 2 times were bad, but not that sick, but the 3rd one was horrific pain! J has very high tolerance for pain, but this was one HE FELT!!! It was a very serious infection! Thus ending PD modality
for him. But looking back, PD was just not getting it for him anymore. And we feel NxStage is a much better choice.
God Bless,
lmunchkin :kickstart;
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I bet Restorer. Actually, it takes more room to store PD supplies than NxStage supplies. Im serious, Restorer, you should give it a try. If you don't like it, then go back, but I think you are an excellent canidate for Home D, and especially NxStage. I know no one likes the needle part of it, but other than that, you can get good cleaning on NxStage.
These In-Centers are just geting you on and getting you off to put the next one in that chair. Most run BFR so high, and thats not good for access or heart. I just wish you would try it Restorer. No doubt you could do it if you wanted. You have a very good knowledge of your care. Just got to try it. Also, we find traveling with this machine to be very easy.
At home, we can wheel the machine outside w/h extension cord, hang out bags and drain in the yard! We love it! But Im sure you have your reasons, but storage can not be one of them, if you did PD.
Sorry, not telling you what to do, but I do agree, In-center is the Pits!
Did you ever have the peritonitis, Restorer? I have heard it is very, very painful.
Cord, Im not Restorer, but I will tell you, Peritonitis almost took my husbands life the 3rd time around. He was sick to death, and doubled over with pain. The first 2 times were bad, but not that sick, but the 3rd one was horrific pain! J has very high tolerance for pain, but this was one HE FELT!!! It was a very serious infection! Thus ending PD modality
for him. But looking back, PD was just not getting it for him anymore. And we feel NxStage is a much better choice.
God Bless,
lmunchkin :kickstart;
When the nurse told me about that risk, that was one of the personal reasons why I chose not to do PD. It scared the hell out of me hearing how painful and really dangerous it can be. That and I really wanted to be able to swim so those two reasons were the deciding factors for me personally.
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Well PD does have some advantages though, but sterilization is the KEY word with PD. But some don't like the looks of the "Fistula". I personally don't mind what my J's looks like, I think it is a Beautiful thing cause it is his lifeline. He can shower and swim all he wants, if he wants, an not have to worry about infections. It's all natural, nothing artificial.
There are Pro's & Con's to all modalitys! You just have to go with what you are comfortable with. Ours was being at home! We did PD for 5yrs till it petered out, and now, of course doing NxStage. In J's case with his other medical issues, I think PD may not have been good for him in hindsight. The Dextrose and the prone to infections I think maybe could have saved him some things had we gone with Home hemo instead. For those reasons, and those alone, are why I feel maybe PD was not right for him. Other than that, PD was a fantastic option. There are others here that do very well with PD. Being at home was our thing, period!!!!
Cord, sounds like you will soon be able to take your youngun's swimming soon! God Bless you, cause with an Autistic child, it is a little more difficult, but admire the love that you have for your children and having to deal with Kidney Disease! My hat is off to you dear! My daughter has an autistic son also, and her husband has MS, so she definately has her hands full too. I keep her other son on weekends so she can give my other G-son the attention he needs. We really enjoy our grandson that comes to stay on weekends. He loves going to church with us cause he knows some other kids there that go to his school. He just turned 14, so those are very impressionable years. Self worth is so important at their age. He really is a great kid!
Sorry, I got in a NOVEL mode again. It happens!!!!!
God Bless,
lmunchkin :kickstart;
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Yes, all different forms, they have their advantages and their disadvantages. I agree! :thumbup;
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I bet Restorer. Actually, it takes more room to store PD supplies than NxStage supplies. Im serious, Restorer, you should give it a try. If you don't like it, then go back, but I think you are an excellent canidate for Home D, and especially NxStage. I know no one likes the needle part of it, but other than that, you can get good cleaning on NxStage.
These In-Centers are just geting you on and getting you off to put the next one in that chair. Most run BFR so high, and thats not good for access or heart. I just wish you would try it Restorer. No doubt you could do it if you wanted. You have a very good knowledge of your care. Just got to try it. Also, we find traveling with this machine to be very easy.
At home, we can wheel the machine outside w/h extension cord, hang out bags and drain in the yard! We love it! But Im sure you have your reasons, but storage can not be one of them, if you did PD.
Sorry, not telling you what to do, but I do agree, In-center is the Pits!
I live in a second-floor apartment with little extra space, and my living situation is not especially stable. My family is 400 miles away. I'm on SSI and there's no way I could afford the kinds of supplies or equipment that isn't provided for me.
Is a partner or caregiver still required for home hemo/NxStage? I don't have anyone I'd feel okay about roping into that.
Did you ever have the peritonitis, Restorer? I have heard it is very, very painful.
I had peritonitis 5 times, all Staph aureus. Each time was more painful, but I have a high pain tolerance. The last time ruined my peritoneal lining and cost me my ability to do PD. Lots of scar tissue. For the 2 months after that, it was fibrin everywhere and highly negative ultrafiltration - I absorbed fluid very rapidly. Then I just had too much fluid on me and I had to go on hemo.
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It sounds so painful.
What is fibrin?
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It sounds so painful.
What is fibrin?
Hard or stringy snot-like clumps that form because of infection or inflammation. They can get caught in the catheter and cause problems.
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Oh my goodness, sounds gross just from the description! :o