Terrible itching!

[Tallons5]

Hello to all, It has been 4 days since I got my PD cathater and the itching at the exit site is beginning to drive me nuts!, trying so hard not to scratch since I do not want to disturbe the dressing, I am wondering is this normal? has anyone else experienced the same problem? I am supposed to wait until middle of next week before I go in to have them change the dressing not sure I can wait that long!
Oh and I have an upper chest exit site, something the surgen insisted on doing.

[Tallons5]

Hope this works! pictures of what they did to me...every now and then I still panic thinking about this silly tube in me.

[Rerun]

Yes the itching is bad.  If feels so good when they clean it I would want to move my leg like a dog getting his belly scratched.  Ahhhhh

Maybe call them to see if you can get the dressing changed sooner.

They must have put the catheter in your chest as an emergency measure for hemo??

Hang in there.             

[Rerun]

I've never seen anything like that.  You are on PD??

[Tallons5]

Hi Rerun! yes I am on PD, manuals I guess, I was at high anxiety level just before the operation all prepared to get a tube in my belly and then to hear from the surgen that the chest exit was what he was going to do!, he left me in the prep. room to think about what he had said and planed! he said I still had a choice of not having the operation and leaving, What was I to do? I gulped and said OK...

[Tallons5]

The end of the sily tube hangs down past my belly as it is!

[Tallons5]

What am I supposed to to do with the silly thing?, tried taping it in place but found the tape to itch to much, maby I should throw it over my right shoulder!!
All prepared for the belly tube and now this...even checked out the PD support belts they wont work now.
The surgen was very graphic during his explanation, talked about tunneling under my chest muscles just like road construction!
I know, I know, I'm whining, not the manly thing to do its just at this moment I'm thinking about this silly tube and kidney problem.

[Hanify]

Hey Tallon - whine away.  That's what we're here for!  And you're not whining by the way.  You've just had a huge tube stuck in you - I think you're entitled to be a bit overwhelmed by that.  Can't help the itching - can only reiterate what Rerun said - ask if you can get the dressing changed early.  I've got my tube in my tummy, so am not sure what people do with one up high.  It would be easier I guess for a woman cos we've got bras.  I think I would put a bit of tape near the dressing so it doesn't tug, and maybe just let it hang?  The good thing is that you'll be able to have a bath, or go in a pool if your careful about not going in too deep.  I guess you could even go in a spa pool up to your waist (I have a penchant for spa pools).  Good luck with the itching.  My nana used to say itching was a sign of healing.

[Wenchie58]

I thought I understood how PD worked, but now I'm a tad confused.  How is this tubing supposed to drain up?  Wouldn't gravity come into play here?

LOL Rerun.....I did jerk my leg once like a dog when they were cleaning my chest catheter.  They just laughed and thought I was whacked!

The itching was terrible for about a week and a half, then it calmed down.  Best of luck with it!

[Tallons5]

Thanks Hanify! your nana sounds wise, I have heard the same about the healing guess I am just paranoid about Infections!
Hadn't thought much about being able to go into a pool your right could be a good thing, my kids went to the local water park this summer while I stayed home injured, maby next year I will go along.

[Tallons5]

Thanks Wenchie58 I asked the very same question and the surgen didn't seem very open about answering questions, he was in too much of a hurry, he had other surgeries to do.

[Tallons5]

Gotta go for the night, one of my kitties just stole my computer chair!, thanks everyone for your input and advice good night!

[sico]

Yeah, i know that feeling Tallons5. At the moment i get itchy where i tape down my tenckoff, feels good when i remove the tape.
I'm interested as to why the they put it in your chest and not your abdomen? Why did they think this would be better?

[KICKSTART]

Iam also very confused, are you positive that you are doing PD? only i have never heard of anyone having a 'chest catheter 'fitted for PD . It seems physically impossible that it would even work!! If you have got it for PD i think you should definately go back to the doctor and find out why and how it works (i am sure lots of us on here would love to know!) I cant see any reason why a PD catheter would come out nr your chest. Yes itching is a sign of healing.

[sutphendriver]

My surgeon offered to place my PD cath exit in my chest also, said it was less prone to infection than in the belly.  I chose the stomach and had him place the exit below the belt line so it all stays below the waist band (avoids alot of questions at the lake or pool!).  I believe your internal abdominal pressure does most of the drain work, not gravity. 

YMMV

[Tallons5]

Good morning to all...I believe that was the reason he put the catheter in my chest as well, my wife membered the surgen saying something about in the event of an infection all he would have to do is create a new exit site lower on my chest this was better than having to remove the entire tube, he said that in 2 years he had only put in 3 belly tubes and this was a much better solution.

[monrein]

http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/yjarr/article/PIIS1073444902700101/abstract

[sico]

I think peleroja mentioned she has a chest catheter for PD also.

[Restorer]

I was itchy where I taped down the catheter for a few weeks, but eventually I got used it to. Right now I don't even feel the tape. I use a belt to hold the catheter, but I have anchor tape near the exit site to keep it from being tugged, plus the tape around the dressing. I have to change my dressing often because I have a partial cuff extrusion that's causing repeated infections, so the exit site itself gets itchy sometimes, and sometimes sore. It feels really good to scrub it hard every once in a while. I have a bunch of stuff - Betadine and gentamycin cream - to try and keep it from getting too bad.

[Tallons5]

Hello Restorer, hope I don't sound to dumb but you said, partial cuff extrusion, can it be corrected? I hope you situation turn out for the better, right now I am so paranoid about getting an infection wonder how you manage getting repeated infections.
As I said I hope things turn out better for you.

[Bub]

I suffered for months and months with horrible itching that made my life completely miserable.  Recently I begin to have foot pain caused by neuropothy.  My doctor prescribed Nuerontin for the pain. To my great relief the itching was also reduced. Neither the pain or the itching disappeared completely, but both were greatly reduced.  I would say the itching was on a scale of 1 to 10, a 9.  Now it is maybe a 3 or 4.   My doctor said he has never heard of this, but admits that itching is not a common problem he faces. But it makes sense because Fronting works on the nerves and thats how itching is transmitted to the brain (much like pain).