Holy crap! The needles are huge!!

[paddbear0000]

Well they started using my graft today. They used one needle in my graft for outgoing blood, and used one line in my chest cath for ingoing blood. I had no idea the needles would be that huge!! I've heard everyone talk about them, but without pictures, it was rather a shock! And they said they were using a "small" one today!! They stuck me with a 17 gauge. I had no pain, but I did get a lovely large yellow, green and purple bruise. I feel like I'm ready for Mardi Gra.    The worst thing about it, is I can't move my left arm, so I'm left typing one handed with a broken finger with a very large splint on it! It's hindering my IHD time at dialysis!   

[Sluff]

Thats quite a predicament your in. Hope you heal quickly, go to the virtual bar and we will set you up. 

[kitkatz]

Oh yeah, the arm is going to look interesting for awhile.  I get black and blue, then it goes away for awhile, then creeps back into black and blue areas again.  And Holy Cow! Those needles are big!

[Joe Paul]

Congratulations Padd, another step forward, you will be an old salt in no time 

[Slywalker]

Holy Crap Batman

Hang in there Paddbear.

Sandyb

[twirl]

I have never seen the needles in person and I am in my 4th year
but I did see them when the member posted the needles
and holy shit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[monrein]

I could never feel any difference in pain between the 17 gauge and the 15 gauge.  I just try to think about what good clearances I'll get when I use the bigger ones.  Good luck Paddbear with the needles and you will get used to them in time as hard as that is to imagine.   

[David13]

On the positive side, I'll bet you will be very happy when they can start using the graft all the time and they can finally take your catheter out. 

[paddbear0000]

i don't know now. I'm starting to rethink the whole catheter now. Since I had the stitches taken out and I have special covers so I can shower, it's really no problem at all. And I can move freely too at dialysis with the cath. It makes using my laptop, writing and trying to hold books open to read a lot easier, especially since I will have this splint on my broken finger on my free hand for 6-8 weeks!

twirl, how have you not seen needles in person? I didn't think you had a catheter.

[monrein]

Just remember that the catheter goes straight into the right atrium of your heart and any infection could be be very very serious indeed. 

[David13]

Just remember that the catheter goes straight into the right atrium of your heart and any infection could be be very very serious indeed.

Exactly.  Catheters are a huge source of serious infection.  Fistulas and grafts also, in general, provide for better clearance of toxins and a better overall dialysis treatment when compared to catheters.   

[Jess21]

Yes, the needles are huge!  I can tell I've gotten too used to their size...during class the other day my teacher said on the farm we will be using 1.5inch length needles on the animals, and I actually thought "only 1.5 inch?".  Probably everyone else was like "1.5 inch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow!" 

[Rerun]

The bigger the number the "smaller" the needle.  So a 17 is smaller than a 15.  In the old days it was a 12.  It had two sides to it and it would pull a gulp of blood and push a gulp of blood back.  "lovely"! 

[paddbear0000]

Just remember that the catheter goes straight into the right atrium of your heart and any infection could be be very very serious indeed. 

I have a much better chance of getting an infection in my arm than my chest cath because of my dogs. My cath is always covered 100% unless I'm at dialysis.

[Wallyz]

Paddbear, there is a temptation there to stick with the catheter, but people die from infections from catheters, Grafts and fistulas are much much healthier.

[dwcrawford]

What is the difference between a graft and a fistula?  Which hurts less?

Will somebody explain needle gauge?  I inject insulin daily with a 31 gague.  That's little, huh? 

[paddbear0000]

Paddbear, there is a temptation there to stick with the catheter, but people die from infections from catheters, Grafts and fistulas are much much healthier.

Relax people, I'm not keeping the catheter! Not only does it not work with a dress I have to wear for a wedding this summer, it also puts a huge damper on the sex life!! I was just saying that I'm starting to prefer it. Besides, my neighbor from back home has had one for 3 years and has never had a problem.

What is the difference between a graft and a fistula?  Which hurts less?

Will somebody explain needle gauge?  I inject insulin daily with a 31 gague.  That's little, huh? 

Dwcrawford--

A graft is an artificial tube that is used to connect a vein and an artery for a dialysis access. A fistula is when your natural vein and your natural artery are connected together to create a dialysis access. A graft is used if your veins are not good enough to make a fistula. I don't think one hurts less than the other. It has more to do with where nerves are located in your arm, in relation to the access site. There are no nerves in your veins, so the type of access wouldn't make a difference.

Needle gauges are the diameter of the needle. The higher the number, the  smaller the needle. Your insulin needles and dialysis needles are a perfect example. Your insulin needle, a 31g, is very fine, whereas a dialysis needle, 15g, is definitely not. Before going on the pump, I was on 33g insulin syringes. They are almost hairline thin.

[MIbarra]

I did not know they made 33g insulin needles. I am using 31 and I only feel some pain if I hit a nerve I guess.

[Lucinda]

The needles are huge but I am already disassociating them with my own body when I am putting them in.  It is all very clinical and almost as if it is not happening to me but I am learning on someone else.  Hard to explain really but I also got a shock when I first saw them and wondered how the hell I was going to put them in myself.  But, not too many issues except for the bloody headaches two hours in to the treatment.  After you get jabbed a few times, you wont give it a second thought.  It is just part and parcel.  Now get rid of that catheter young lady.  Not good for you!!!  xx

[kitkatz]

Lucinda try turning the UF off for half an hour, then back on. Might help with your headaches.

[cherpep]

The needles are quite large.  I always tell people that they are the size of coffee stirrers.  It was tempting to stay with the cathetar, dialysis was actually much easier.  However, the clearance with my graft is much better than I ever received with the cathetar, and I felt the difference.  Because the clearance is better with the graft, dialysis takes out more toxins, leaving me with more energy and less nausea.  Also, I always thought my cathetar was very well covered - until I ended up in the hospital with a blood infection.  Sure enough, the source was found to be my cathetar.  I still do not know how it got infected, I was always very, very careful. 

[paul.karen]

Get a PD access??
No needles-less food and liquid restrictions and clean the toxins overnight everynight.  And in case of an infection you already have another access for emergencies.

my 

[monrein]

Some people don't do well on PD.  There's no right or wrong in all this.  Much, maybe everything depends on the individual.  I could never cope with the idea of a catheter in my belly and would much rather do the needles but I certainly understand that others feel very differently.  Cookie cutter approaches are for cookies.

[Wattle]

  And in case of an infection you already have another access for emergencies.

Paul having a backup fistula/graft doesn't always work out. Often the access clots off if you are not using it. Unless you maintain it well it is a waste of an access point you may need later down the track.
I have had the same tenckhoff catheter for four years without any problems. I don't have a fistula or graft. I often discuss it my my Neph and we are on the same page with this. I will get one when I need to transfer to Haemo. My veins are precious and I am trying to protect all my access points for my life of dialysis.

Paddbear you are doing a great job! Those needles are HUGE!! I wish I could hold your hand. You will have to settle for a cyber hug      

[cookie2008]

I do agree that the needles are huge some treatments I have 4 to 5 of them, I use the EMLA cream an hour or so before I go.