My first use of my new fistula--and it ALMOST went perfectly

[RightSide]

After four fistula operations since last March, one of my fistulas finally matured enough to be usable.

And this evening was our first test with it:  One needle in the fistula for arterial, one tube in the catheter I still have for venous.

Cannulation, went well.
Dialysis, proceeded smoothly for nearly 3 hours.
Until only 5 minutes to go till the end.
I reached for a mask to put it on to finish up with the catheter.
You guessed it.
I moved my left arm upward to put on my mask--and infiltrated the fistula.

Still, it wasn't a bad infiltrate--and for 2 hours and 55 minutes, the fistula worked splendidly.  No complaints from the dialysis machine at all.

So I may actually be making some progress!

Are folks so conscientious that they keep their arm ABSOLUTELY still for 3 hours, session after session?  Nobody ever slips up but me???

[YLGuy]

I did. ONCE and ouch!    Now the tech reminds me once in awhile to not move and I tell him NS.

[Maker]

Um...no moving your arm?  That doesn't sound fun!  I don't have my fistula yet and they are going to try to put it near my wrist.  Will I still be able to type on my laptop?  I do a lot of work at dialysis!

[Brianna!]

Ow! I'm sorry that your fistula infiltrated! The first time they did mine it infiltrated too. But mine infiltrated right away. The last time it infiltrated, in infiltrated so bad, they couldn't stick me again, and I missed dialysis that day, and I had to get my cathater put back in. I had the catheter out for only a month! =[ How bad did it hurt? Do you have a lower or upper arm fistula? I can't keep my arm still for 3 hours. I have a upper arm right one (writing arm!!) and after like an hour, my arm gets so sore, I need to move my arm. I don't understand how they can expect anyone to stay still for that long!!!

[RightSide]

Um...no moving your arm?  That doesn't sound fun!  I don't have my fistula yet and they are going to try to put it near my wrist.  Will I still be able to type on my laptop?

Absolutely! You can type with one hand!   

[RightSide]

Ow! I'm sorry that your fistula infiltrated! The first time they did mine it infiltrated too. But mine infiltrated right away. The last time it infiltrated, in infiltrated so bad, they couldn't stick me again, and I missed dialysis that day, and I had to get my cathater put back in. I had the catheter out for only a month! =[ How bad did it hurt? Do you have a lower or upper arm fistula? I can't keep my arm still for 3 hours. I have a upper arm right one (writing arm!!) and after like an hour, my arm gets so sore, I need to move my arm. I don't understand how they can expect anyone to stay still for that long!!!

It didn't hurt.  I got a little swelling above the needle stick, but it seems to be getting better.

My fistula is in my upper left arm.  I write with my right hand.  So I've been able to still do my crossword puzzles, by propping them up against my knee while I write with my right hand.

My concern is that sometimes I doze off; and I might move my left arm in my sleep.  I'm thinking seriously of asking the tech to tape the fingers of my left arm to the arm of the chair, so I can't move even in my sleep.

[Melissa]

when I first started dialysis I could blink and I would infiltrate....awful.  My arm was dark purple for months.
My fistula is also on my upper left.
I learned not to move that arm, at all, ever, no matter what!  My fistula is very mature now, and I probably could move it but I never will.  You'll get used to it...
I have also asked many times for my arm to be taped down so I can take a little nap.  The nurses/techs do not like to do it - I think there might be some laws about restraining patients - but I finally got them to do it.  Just knowing the tape is there is a big help.

[RightSide]

when I first started dialysis I could blink and I would infiltrate....awful.  My arm was dark purple for months.
My fistula is also on my upper left.
I learned not to move that arm, at all, ever, no matter what!  My fistula is very mature now, and I probably could move it but I never will.  You'll get used to it...
I have also asked many times for my arm to be taped down so I can take a little nap.  The nurses/techs do not like to do it - I think there might be some laws about restraining patients - but I finally got them to do it.  Just knowing the tape is there is a big help.

My fistula isn't straight; the vein curves back and forth.  It's all too easy for the needle to fail to negotiate a curve, hit the side of the vein wall and infiltrate.

Anyway, I have started having my hand taped to the arm of the chair too.

[Melissa]

Hi Rightside,

Mine is curvy too, and it rolls out of the way easily....I can imagine what you're going through!
Luckily my fistula is big now, and my arm is small, so it's easier to find now!
Glad you are being taped down now, hopefully you can get a nice nap in (-: !

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I've found that now the two small stenosois areas have been ballooned (Ouch Painful!) that I can move my arm slightly more without the machine alarming and the pressure building up. A question to anyone who has a big mature fistula. Can you safely move your arm more when the fistula has become so developed?