OMG! I can see my veins!

[MooseMom]

Yes, it's another thread about my fistula.  My arm still hurts...now it's more of a generalized ache from the fistula itself on into my upper arm.  For those of you who have not memorized the location of my now 5 week old fistula, it runs from the bend of my left elbow down about 2 1/2 inches toward the outside of my arm.  I noticed tonight with horror that I can see the veins in my upper arm.  I can't see the veins in my upper right arm, but I can see them in my upper left arm.  Not only can I SEE them, but they PROTRUDE!  From below the bend of my elbow all the way up into my underarm area, I can see my veins bluely jutting out.  IS THIS NORMAL?  No one EVER told me to expect this.  No wonder my arm hurts; it's as if my veins are about to split open.

[Jean]

I dont have an answer for you Moose Mom, but of course, some one else here will. Whatever it is, I hope it's okay and not a problem for you. 

[calypso]

I've always been able to see my veins. But then I've always been a bit on the skinny side. I don't have a working fistula yet but I suppose seeing as your fistula is only 5 weeks old that it has not matured yet, so you may be experiencing growing pains. Have you spoken with your doctors or dialysis nurses about it yet?

[calypso]

I wonder if he's worried he can see his veins? lol

[MooseMom]

EEEEK!  That guy's so vain...

I have an appointment to see the surgeon later today.  I think I might ask for another prescription for pain pills as I am a bit concerned about having to take Tylenol almost every day.

[glitter]

My husbands looked like a snake, big and bumpy. The bigger and tougher it is. the better it can handle being needled, so its a GOOD thing.

 

[Mizar]

 I'm with Glitter, on this one. My Husbands, is also, Big and Bumpy. It was a Surgery. Surgery, leaves, Scars, no matter, where they are on the Body. People who know Him, know what this is. People who, don't, either don't ask, or if they do, ------- We give them an Education, about Kidney Disease.

[sullidog]

I think this type of thing is normal, I can't see my vains but I can feel mine more then I did before the graft was put in.
Troy

[Quickfeet]

That picture made me vomit . I have seen pictures of fistulas and the veins can get very noticeable. Like the body builder's veins, but just in one spot thankfully.

[MooseMom]

I went back to see the surgeon today so that he could have a look.  He assured me that everything looked really good and that the fistula should be mature in a couple of months.  He drew a diagram on my upper arm of where the access will actually be; I had incorrectly assumed that it would be alongside the scar which runs below the bend in my left arm.  So, I was really surprised to learn that the access is actually going to be in my upper arm.  I have to confess to being a bit annoyed that more was not explained to me.  I didn't expect this level of discomfort nor did I expect the access to be where it is going to be.  But at least now I know that what's happening is normal.  My mother's fistula is in her upper arm, too, and it is enormous, but then again, she doesn't even weigh 90 lbs, so it is very noticeable.  I don't care what it looks like; I just want the thing to work.

[natnnnat]

MooseMom, its been awhile now.  How's your fistula? Hopefully not driving you nuts like it seemed to be at first...?

[MooseMom]

Oh, it still drives me mad.  I feel it all the time.  I can't hold the phone to my ear with my left arm (fistula arm) because I can actually hear my pulse through the phone.  It still throbs and buzzes, and sometime it just hurts...it feels like the blood vessel walls are stretching, and that hurts and pinches.  I am hoping this is all a good thing, but I don't know.  I like to swim, and I find that whenever I do upper body work in the pool, it buzzes and dances even more.  I can actually SEE it throbbing through my skin.  I hate it, I really do.  I could write a book on how much I hate it.  Aren't you glad you asked?

[chiefsfan301]

I can only talk about my fistula, it starts just above the bend of my arm and continues up curving up over the top of my arm and then down towards my armpit, it stands up about the size of a straw the full length.  I started dialysis 8 weeks after surgery, it shows all of the needle marks and stays black and light blue all the time.

[Jean]

this is not the voice of experience here, since I do not have one and had never seen one until our IHD mini-meet. Marc ( YL Guy) has a gorgeous fistula. Had he not pointed it out to me, I would not have noticed it. In fact, had met him before and never noticed it. So, I dont know, but maybe you might want to ask him. And boy does that thing ever buzz!!!!

[Des]

My fistula is completely invisable. (that is obviously why they battle to stick me heheh) I use bio-oil to minimise the scar from the op. So I have no veins and no sign of anything only the holes where the sticks went in.

[RightSide]

My anastomosis (where the artery joins the vein) is at the crook of my elbow, and it's 5 cm long and protrudes one whole centimeter above the crook of my elbow. It's big.

Then the "bumpy rope" is in my upper arm.  I'm a bit overweight, and I don't do heavy lifting with that arm because I don't want to damage the fistula.  So there must be plenty of flesh and flab obscuring the veins though.