Awaiting dialysis

[Yvonne]

 

[monrein]

How did the fistula surgery go?  Mine is buzzing away and I'm feeling good?  Hope John is also doing well and you too of course.

[Yvonne]

Hi Thanks once again for all your support. It's been just over a week since John had the fistula fitted.  We can feel it buzzing, but he is getting a lot of pins and needles and a cold feeling in that hand, is this normal?  he goes back on the 30th to have the stitches removed.
He is also feeling very itchy all over his arms and legs! is this normal.? He is very short tempered as well, but I am trying to count to ten. I know he is very uncomfortable with his body, he has a terrible cough that has now caused him to have another hernia.  We have to make an appointment with the doctor today  to see if he can be fitted with a surgical belt. He was offered an operation to fix the hernias but he said no. He has have an xray for the chest but we have not had any results back yet, so we say no news is good news.

Are there many people from England on this site?            Yvonne  (John's wife)

[rose1999]

Are there many people from England on this site?            Yvonne  (John's wife)

Not huge numbers but increasing all the time, there's me and then Ken and Kickstart are regulars and I'm sure there are more who read but don't post often - I suppose it's up to those of us who have been lucky enough to find this site to spread the word throughout the UK!!

[kellyt]

Hi Thanks once again for all your support. It's been just over a week since John had the fistula fitted.  We can feel it buzzing, but he is getting a lot of pins and needles and a cold feeling in that hand, is this normal?  he goes back on the 30th to have the stitches removed.
He is also feeling very itchy all over his arms and legs! is this normal.? He is very short tempered as well, but I am trying to count to ten. I know he is very uncomfortable with his body, he has a terrible cough that has now caused him to have another hernia.  We have to make an appointment with the doctor today  to see if he can be fitted with a surgical belt. He was offered an operation to fix the hernias but he said no. He has have an xray for the chest but we have not had any results back yet, so we say no news is good news.

Are there many people from England on this site?            Yvonne  (John's wife)

I had my AV fistula placed on Oct 31st and and I still get little prickly sensations every now and then.  My surgeon said it's the nerves "waking up".    My arm doesn't feel cold, but if I place it on a hard surface it always feels as if the surface is cold and wet.  That bugs me.  Otherwise it's good.  Is it in his wrist or his upper arm?  When it's done healing, be sure he doesn't sleep on that side or that arm.  I've heard that can be bad sometimes.

[Bajanne]

We can feel it buzzing, but he is getting a lot of pins and needles and a cold feeling in that hand, is this normal? he goes back on the 30th to have the stitches removed.
He is also feeling very itchy all over his arms and legs! is this normal.?
Yvonne (John's wife)

Thanks for the update.  Yes, I also had pins and needles and my hand was so numb I was scared and went back to the hospital.  Nothing was done and it just went away.  It comes back every now and then.  I have to be careful how I sleep with my hand. BTW, I don't have a fistula; I have a graft.   However, I haven't had any itching. That is usually associated with high phosphorus levels.

[Romona]

 

[ponybill]

Hi Yvonne, I'm new to this site too and I can tell you I have an aprehension to doctors as well. I almost died when I was 13 because a doctor told my mom when I was very sick to go home and feed me red meat because I was anemic. Yeah, I was because of kidney failure! That misdiagnosis almost ended my life. Maybe your husband is just feeling angry because of that but he can't let you do everything either. It's rough, but he needs to take charge of the illness (with your help and support). It can be empowering for him to take control of what he can. By the way, my fistula buzzed too and even though it hasn't worked in over 25 years (disconnected after first transplant), I still get some coldness in my left hand.

Hope this helps,

Bill

[Yvonne]

Hi there can anyone help me.  John's skin itches all over most evenings now, it started on his legs but now it's all over his body.
Do you think it's to do with his kidney and also his diet? Also he likes sitting in the sun maybe you are not supposed to if you have kidney failure.
We are not due to go to clinic until 29th. I told John to phone up about it but he won't what am I supposed to do with him.
Yvonne

[monrein]

Itchiness (pruritus) is a common symptom of kidney disease related to toxins that aren't  being cleared away by the kidneys (or even dialysis sometimes).  It's a horrible symptom and can drive you nuts.  A dietician may be able to  help but I know that John doesn't want to deal with this stuff.  Could you do a Google search of "itchiness and kidney disease" and print it out for John to look at on his own schedule?  Cutting back on protein might help but I'd consult a dietician to know for sure where to begin.  I used to use calamine lotion but I can't say it helped a whole lot except that I felt I was at least doing something.

[annabanana]

Your husband sounds so much like mine! And you sound like me.  Itchy skin is normal.  I think the sun is fine for him. 
I know you want to get him to a doctor whenever anything at all happens...that's how I feel, too, about Randy. But I'm usually over-reacting. Right after he was diagnosed I wanted him to see a doc every day of his life....I was so scared. It's been 5 months now since he started having kidney problems and I've calmed down a LITTLE.  The 29th is right around the corner!    

[MyssAnne]

Sitting in the sun is just fine. It really is. If he feels good, then have at it!

As for the itchies, I got them, sometimes still do. Benadryl helps somewhat.  The cheap drugstore variety is fine. 
That's the toxins not having anywhere to go so....they become itchies. Ick. I hate them too.

[flip]

I read somewhere that sunshine actually helps itching.

[MyssAnne]

Hm. Kinda makes sense. Vitamin D?  Or just the general sense of warmth the sun provides?

[Yvonne]

Thanks for all your help.  Will phone the doctor today to see if he will give John (Piriton) see if that will help it's driving him nut's.
I have added a bit more about John!  don't know if I did it right, added to the first letter a wrote. One day I will go back and add some more to it.
 But the bit about John having a horseshoe kidney, there can't be many of these about in England because when his Xrays came back every surgeon in the hospital kept coming in to see it.  Infact every time I asked to see the xray it was always away on some other ward. However they did manage to take the bad one away. Be interesting to hear from anyone who has the same condition.

[kitkatz]

I am sorry I so late in welcoming you to the site!  Welcome, welcome!  This is a site for all kinds of information. Your husband is lucky to have you. Share the posts with him.  Have a good laugh in the off topic section. Ask your questions for support when you need it.

kitkatz,moderator