Complications...

[Lovebelle]

So I am new to all of this and when I was in the hospital recently for Kidney failure the Doctors placed both a PD catheter and an AV fistula. Both were done on 10/15/10. I had zero preparation for either procedure since all this ESRF issues was a surprise to me. Even being a nurse I had very little knowledge about dialysis since I normally work with healthy people with Orthopedic issues. Anyway. I spent another 1 1/2 weeks in the hospital after the PD cath was placed. The entire time no one really looked at it (just checked dressing) and every time I inqired they said they would do flush in outpatient.

Fast forward to now. So I went to outpatient for the first time and the PD nurse tried to instill solution into the PD catheter (mind you this is now 2 weeks post op). NO Go, solution wouldnt budge. So She me return on Monday to try to clear the line with activase. But there was so much resistance she couldnt manually push the medicine in. So she tried changing the outter part of catheter and after that managed to get the activase in. Shortly after however I started having some abdominal cramping (similar to severe gas pressure). But I still waited the hour and went back to the PD nurse and told her about the pain, wondering if it was coincidental (I mean it was only maybe 2mL of activase). She decided to try the diasylate solution again by gravity and it worked but with resistance and very slow.

I couldnt tolerate it at all. She maybe instilled 100mL before I begged her to stop and she drained the fluid off. After that I had the abdominal cramping from hell! Literally saw stars, sweating and thought I would faint. I could barely walk out of the center! To sum things up, I saw the vascular surgeon and he didnt seem surprised. He said the catheter should have been flushed 1 week after it was placed NOT 2-3weeks later. So now I have to go back to surgery friday to repair the damage.

Im a little pissed because I asked in the hospital and they just seemed to pass the responsibility on to everyone else. Plus I could have been a better advocate for myself had I received proper education prior to the procedure instead of rushing me into everything. So now I have to suffer through yet another surgery, and have my quentin catheter placed with a  more permanent central line. Thats a lot to go through in less than a month.

Anyway thanks for listening, just wanted to share and say please educate yourself because you are your own best advocate!!

[carol1987]

That stinks lovebelle!!!   

[boswife]

Thats awful!!  And it's hard to get educated on everything just incase someting is going to happen to us.  So are they going to use your fistula until the other gets right??  Like i said, how awful to have yet another surgury to deal with so soon.  So sorry...

[Jean]

That absolutely sucks lovebelle!!!! I sincerely hope that this is the last MORON you have to deal with.

[Restorer]

The same thing happened to me. When the PD nurse tried to flush my catheter at the 2-week mark, it went in, but wouldn't come out. Before we were able to get it checked out, I got pretty sick and spent 3 days in the hospital with 3 hemodialysis sessions. I had the PD catheter replaced 3 weeks after that, and I was able to start PD treatments, slowly, a week after that.

[Lovebelle]

Yeah I am literally dreading going to surgery tomorrow. But I hope its successful so I can begin PD. I am still having abdominal pain since monday though so it should make things interesting. They will not be able to use my fistula because its not mature yet. Its only been in for 3 weeks. So they will have to give me a central line catheter (something a bit more permanent). The Quentin catheter I have now (in my neck) has reached its expiration date since its only for temporary use (3weeks at most). So it will be replaced. Hopefully the next catheter isnt somewhere so obvious, since its hard to go out right now with tubes sticking out of my neck. You dont want to appear sick, but its impossible to hide things like that when I go to the store.

Anyway I am scheduled for tomorrow and Hemodialysis today. Trying not to feel discouraged but honestly feel like going to bed and not getting up. But I am marching along...

[boswife]

How you doing today?  Hoping all went well.  Sending you best wishes 

[peleroja]

I'm surprised.  They flushed mine the very next day, and then a week later.  I agree with you, we all must be our own advocate, or at least have someone with us who will speak for us.

[Lovebelle]

I have been wanting to post an update but didnt really have access to my computer this past week. But anyway I had the revision surgery last Friday and can say it went remarkably well although the post op pain this time has been a bit out of control. The original Placement of the PD cath, I had pain, but it was ok and managable. This time however it was pretty bad. I found out though that my bowels were wrapped around the catheter so that at least the tremendous pain I had with the first flush.

I had my frist flush after surgery #2 Yesterday and it was a success. I was nervous going in, but it really went off without a hitch and had zero pain. I am relieved because at least now I can move forward. So next steps I guess are to get trained and start doing home dialysis.

They did place another tunnel cath for me to continue haemodialysis, but at least its not as obvious as the first central line that was in my neck. They placed this one in my chest, so while it makes taking showers difficult, at least I can hide it under clothing and its not so obvious I am "sick". Thanks for all your support everyone