I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Home Dialysis - NxStage Users => Topic started by: Angiepkd on March 17, 2013, 03:52:58 PM

Title: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: Angiepkd on March 17, 2013, 03:52:58 PM

Tomorrow is the start of my third week of training. My HHD nurse says I have to start my buttonholes, and that will require me self-cannulating using sharps. I am petrified! I know I can do it with blunts, but not sure about the sharps. Any advice? Wishing I had access to some Valium lol!   :'(

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: cassandra on March 17, 2013, 04:12:11 PM

Numb your skin with lidocaine spray/creme, or ice or so, and maybe a bit of Valium or something ;D , and find a nice place to stick yourself. After I did it the first time, I felt realy good, and very daft for not doing it 15 years earlier in the first place. I find the sharps just as easy as the BH's. if you go too far in, you'll feel it before you damage something.
Don't be scared, you can do it!

Lots of love Cas

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: MaryD on March 17, 2013, 04:53:04 PM

May the force be with you!

From one who wonders how she will do it when her turn comes.

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: Angiepkd on March 17, 2013, 05:49:51 PM

Thanks!  I am going to keep telling myself I can do it! I'm sure I will post when I get home tomorrow. Probably going to be a restless night!

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: Angiepkd on March 18, 2013, 12:50:19 PM

So today was the big day! I was so nervous, but managed to put in both needles!  My nurse helped with the arterial, but I did the venous all by myself. It didn't hurt at all, and no numbing cream. I can't believe I got so worked up over nothing.  Thanks for the encouragement!  For any of you considering doing your own needles, I highly recommend it. It hurt so much less than when my nurse did it. Who knew lol?!   :bandance;

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: amanda100wilson on March 18, 2013, 02:41:30 PM

 :flower; :flower; :cheer:

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: Speedy1wrc on March 18, 2013, 02:57:16 PM

Excellent!

You are creating your own buttonholes? Hmm. interesting. At my center the nurse establishes the buttonholes, then once the tract is there the patient starts in on it.

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: boswife on March 18, 2013, 05:26:49 PM

 :clap;  :clap;  :clap;  :yahoo;   I am so happy to hear :)  came here just to check on ya  :2thumbsup;

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: MaryD on March 18, 2013, 07:40:16 PM

That's really good news          :yahoo;        :yahoo;        :yahoo;

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: Angiepkd on March 19, 2013, 10:09:04 AM

Thanks everyone! Picked scabs and did it again today!  I am very proud of myself. It actually hurt more picking the scabs than putting in the needles.  I feel like a huge weight has been lifted knowing I can do it!  The information and support on IHD has been awesome. Thanks again!

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: monrein on March 19, 2013, 03:29:54 PM

In no time you'll wonder how or why you'd ever let anyone else do it.  Congrats on these successes.

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: boswife on March 19, 2013, 05:22:39 PM

I know im not the 'stick-ee' but i too hate the picking of the scabs worse than the sticking...lol   So glad ya got all that part out of the way.  I still wish hubby would have been able to do it himself but he's just too weak to do it, eyesite bad, and didnt want to try.  Im 'over the hump' and not scarred, and now wouldnt want to let him try..lol  bit possessive of those things... Soooooooooooooo glad your doing this :)

Title: Re: Help! Have to stick myself tomorrow!
Post by: cassandra on March 20, 2013, 05:57:10 AM

       :beer1;   Good girl.      B :cheer:



Love Cas