sore and itchy av fistula

[zona]

Why does my 3 week old av fistula itch so bad! It is driving me crazy! It is also still sore. and my arm is not as strong as it was before the surgery. I cant get used to it.

[lizabee]

I have noticed that my arm is quite itchy at the spot where my graft is.  I have a hard time scratching the area because I am a baby and get grossed out when I touch it...lol.  I'm not sure what causing the itching, I have asked the nurse at dialysis and she doesn't really give me a good answer.  If you find out what causes it, let me know!

[tyefly]

Zona      your healing  and that is great..... I hate the itch.....  sometimes when I am hooked up I itch and I can get to it... like the botton of your foot when your driving.....  drives you nuts....   

[zona]

Lizabee,I am the same way,I cant touch it cause I get grossed too! I dont know how I will handle dialysis!         

tyefly,I guess your right,it is healing,at least it doesnt look infected or anything.

[Goofy]

I had a failed kidney transplant a year and a half ago.  The incision still itches.  Maybe its the scar tissue?

And what's funny about it is that I can't stand to touch it either!!  I try to scratch it through my shirt of if I have to tough the skin, I just scratch on the side of the scar and don't touch where the actual incision is.

[lizabee]

Glad to see that I am not the only one that's grossed out, that makes me feel better...lol

[Fluffykiwi]

Hi There,

I have often had a very itchy fistula or should I say the skin at the site of my fistula is very itchy. This could possibly be caused by an allergy to the medical tape they use in the hospital to attach the gauze over the needle sites or when attaching the needles and lines to your arm.

There are different types of medical tapes they can use, and many of them cause some degree of itchiness on patients, it just depends on your skin sensitivity. Anyhow, as I mentioned, I used to have a very itchy site and then they tried using a different tape and that helped, the itchyness went away. Another thing you could try, even though its not really recommended, but using it very sparingly, rub a small amount of aqueous cream over the fistual site. This immediately helps to relieve the itch. It will stop you from scratching as it is most likely the medical tape causing the issue. But firstly, try see if you can use a different tape and if that makes a difference.

As for the scar tissue, yes, I too have some scar tissue where they my tunnel line. They took the stitches out too early and the wound pulled apart, resulting in an awful looking scar. Sometimes it itches too, and I can't stand touching it. It also feels really wierd to touch, I absolutely hate it.

I suffered from severe pain in my fistual for months and months after they started using it for the first time. After six months, they finally discovered that the pain was a neuropathic type of pain associated with the fistula. I.e. the nerves are affected when my fistula was being used. They eventually started treating it with a medication called Gapapentin which treats neuropathic pain. It took approx. 1-2 months to start working but I no longer have any pain in my arm.
That might be worth something to discuss with your doctor and see if the pain you are experiencing could be something similar.

Cheers,
Natalie (Fluffy)

[Brianna!]

Well, I know when scars heal, they itch, but I don't know why your fistula itself would itch. And I can't stand touching my fistula! I shiver when I touch it. haha

[Fluffykiwi]

Maybe just a bit of sensitivity I think. We are all different and I think all react differently. I personally hate the feeling of the 'bruit' myself. It feels like insects under my skin! Yuck! LOL!!