Lidocaine problems?

[SheilaW]

Today was a very interesting dialysis day.

The nurse did the lidocaine thing to me, then asked if I could feel that as she touched the needle tip to my skin.  I could.  So we waited a minute, and she touched again, I didn't feel.  So she went ahead.  But as soon as the tip pierced the skin, I was in pain.  So she stopped, administered more of the agent, and tried again.  I still felt it!  I watched, and she was hitting right on where the lido was put, so it wasn't that.  She was going to pull again, and I told her to just go ahead, that I would live.  Man, was that a mistake!  I didn't think a silly needle would hurt that much!  The pressures in it were fine, everything went well, but the sticking sucked today.  It was the arterial line that did it.  The venous line was fine, didn't even feel the stick. 

Why would I have this problem?  Do you think it's a freak thing or something that may happen every time from now on?

[carolynt]

I usually put a cream on an hour before and it kinda numbs the needle.  I still feel it but not as sharp.  Also it depends on the tech/nurse who does the needles.  Maybe there wasnt enough time for it to numb the site.  Is this the usual routine?

[SheilaW]

Yup, everything was done as per the routine.  Which is why I'm baffled about this.  I've never felt it before.

[Ang]

ut  the  cream  on  an  hour  to  two  hours  before  treatment,put  heaps  on  your  sites,  then  cover  with  glad  wrap  or  tegaderm  patches,  so  the  cream  stays  roughly  in  the  one  spot.
good  luck  with  it.

[boxman55]

I have never used the cream just because you have to start to apply it over an hour before treatment and wrap it with plastic just seems to be alot of hassle. I got a prescription for Ethel Chloride it comes in a bottle and the tech sprays it on your site right before they insert the needles. This stuff freezes the area. It works for me...Boxman

[Stacy Without An E]

Every once and a while the lidocaine is injected and decides to go somewhere other than the stick site.  It happens very rarely bur I know what you mean, the needle going in dry hurts like all hell.  I like the fact that they "tap" the needle against your skin first to see if it hurts.  Sometimes there's enough needle pain during the whole three hours that you shouldn't have to endure it at the beginning.  By the way, I've tried the Emla Cream too and it never worked very well.

[thegrammalady]

the lidocaine may not be at fault. the needle may have hit a nerve or the vessel wall.