Cannulation needles (blundts) don't go in all the way...

[flanbyjan]

My husband has been using his fistula and on dialysis for about two months.  At home he cannot push the needle all the way in the button hole and if he does, he does not get a good flashback.  Sometimes he puts it in and then pulls it back out a bit in order to get a better flow and reduce his arterial number when running.  Anyone else run into this?  Do you think he is not hitting the fistula correctly?  Thanks.

[Desert Dancer]

Could be that the needles are too long for his fistula. Have you asked about getting shorter ones?

Or it could be that he's hitting a dip in the fistula. Have you tried flipping the needles over once they're in? I flip both of mine over because my fistula is very shallow and if I don't, the needles suck up against the top of it.

[boswife]

I put a 'pillow' under the line to hold it at a slight tilt down.  I used to flip but it really bugged me and this has worked for over a year.  Give each of these a try, ya never know  

[flanbyjan]

will ask about needle size and try the flip and gauze support.  The nurse thinks he's hitting the bottom of the vein and suggested going in at a different angle and not going so deep.

Tonight was bad!!!  Should have called the 800 number but we panicked.  Kept getting a red 24 and tried everything to clear it, then decided to end the session and I couldn't get the rinseback symbol to light up.  Ended up I was still in alarm so holding the stop button did nothing... We ended up doing half a treatment and losing the blood.  He gets really nervous if the blood is in the lines too long and we're trying to clear alarms, etc.  Worried about clotting, which I totally get.  But panic makes me forget things....And then he took off the arterial line without clamping so blood was everywhere....
nice evening...better luck tomorrow. .

[Hazmat35]

I have had a buttonhole for over 2 years now.  And every once in a while, maybe once a week, it seems to "scab" over for a better term, more than others. 

The Techs have to "PUSH" VERY VERY hard to get past it.  It has actually scared some of them, because of how hard they have had to push.  But what they do, is use a SHARP needle to get past the overgrown scab, and it slides in like butter.  Next treatment, back to blunt needles with no issues. 

The sharp needle, just reopens the pathway for the buttonhole that has already been established, and you should be back to normal.

[Desert Dancer]

I have had a buttonhole for over 2 years now.  And every once in a while, maybe once a week, it seems to "scab" over for a better term, more than others. 

The Techs have to "PUSH" VERY VERY hard to get past it.  It has actually scared some of them, because of how hard they have had to push.  But what they do, is use a SHARP needle to get past the overgrown scab, and it slides in like butter.  Next treatment, back to blunt needles with no issues. 

The sharp needle, just reopens the pathway for the buttonhole that has already been established, and you should be back to normal.

I do the same thing with sharps to re-open the buttonhole, but since I do nocturnal I can't sleep with sharps in. I use the sharps just to re-open the hole then I pull the sharps and insert the blunts.

[flanbyjan]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.  Past couple times he's had to push very hard.  We adjust needle, use gauze etc.  The tunnels are on angles and he has to make a turn once he sees flashback.
We're working through it.  When you can't get a hit, it sucks!