What do you do whilst on dialysis?

[dwcrawford]

I'm sure I'll do whatever the surgeon says to do.  How often does the first one not work?  I don't want to go through this more than one time.   

[RichardMEL]

I have no idea about stats of such things. Mine's been fine for well.. I've had it for nearly 5 years (in use for nearly 3) and no problems.. but I have seen others clot and fail on patients... so while they are the best form of access for dialysis things can and do happen.. but you shouldn't be paranoid about that aspect so much as just being aware that fistula placement is important and giving as many options as possible is the best idea "just in case" - hopefully you only ever have to use the one (that's what I hope too!)

[paddbear0000]

I pretty much wasn't given a choice where I wanted my fistula (which ended up being a graft). When they did the vein mapping, it turned out my veins were kind of crappy. I had two options--the only two spots that looked good enough to use were in my right hand wrist or in my left forearm. I am right handed, so the surgeon said no to that side, so my only real option was my left forearm. Once he got me in surgery and opened up, my veins weren't even good enough for a fistula, so I ended up with a graft. So, as you can see, you may not even get a choice.

As for not being able to use the arm if you have a forearm access, that probably depends on your clinic. My clinic just tapes my needles in really well, gives me a lot of slack in the tubing and clips the tubes to my shirt so that I can use both arms freely. I never set off the alarms or kink the lines.

[kitkatz]

How about this blanket for dialysis?

[dwcrawford]

he is going to put my fistala in the left arm right at the bend.   I think he said it would run across rather than up and down (not sure about that).  Veins in forearm are too tiny.  Ones in upper arms would be good but he wants to "start" with the mid arm.

[monrein]

My scar is across the arm in the inner bend of the elbow, that's where they joined the vein to the artery but the vein develops up the arm and I have a good 7 inches or so that is usable.

Good luck with yours dwc.

[paddbear0000]

How about this blanket for dialysis?

kk- That's just creepy!!   

My scar is across the arm in the inner bend of the elbow, that's where they joined the vein to the artery but the vein develops up the arm and I have a good 7 inches or so that is usable.

Good luck with yours dwc.

Mine is too. My vein and artery were actually attached on the inside of the bend in my arm (and that's where the scar is as well), and my access actually accessed in my forearm.