Fistula "Owners" ;) Does your fistula.......Say what?........

[Epoman]

Does your fistula flatten when you raise your arm above your head? I have a pretty good size fistula and when I raise my arm above my head it flattens. Does your "lower arm" fistula do that too? I am thinking it's not a problem and it's just gravity at work. It has always done that but I was just thinking I have not heard anyone else talk about it.

- Epoman

[Zach]

Does your fistula flatten when you raise your arm above your head?
- Epoman

Same here.

[BigSky]

Most of it does.

[Epoman]

Really? Thanks guys, I never asked anyone when I was in-center. I feel so much better, it's weird when ever I showed the techs or nurses that my fistula did that, they just looked shocked and said they never seen that before. 

[BigSky]

At the point of the  anastomosis mine also does a fluttering motion (kinda like a muscle spasm) when my arm is over my head.   Does your guys do that also?

[Epoman]

At the point of the  anastomosis mine also does a fluttering motion (kinda like a muscle spasm) when my arm is over my head.   Does your guys do that also?

Yes actually I get that too sometimes. It looks weird when it happens.

[Zach]

The women love it ... they think I'm bionic!     

[angela515]

In 1999, when I first started dialysis, they took me into surgery and when I woke up I had a perma-cath in my chest and something in my left forearm. I don't remember what they put in, it's been so long now.. I don't know if it was a graft or a fistula but i believe it was a graft. Anyways, whatever it was it was the type that grows into your skin, so it cannot ever be removed as it is basically a part of my skin now. It is flat and when you look at my arm closely you can see the outline of it going from my elbow area to my wrist. They had to take a little part of it out by my wrist many years ago because that part was starting to push up through my skin and was about ready to breakthrough my skin.. that would not have been pretty. It only worked for a few months and it gave up, my viens are so small and scarred from hundreds of IV's and daily blood draws for years. So I used a perma-cath until my transplant from my mom 7 months after starting dialysis that year.

Then in 2004 when my transplant failed and I started hemo again, they started out with a perma-cath and they then put in an access in my right forearm. Again, I dont know what type of access, but i believe a graft as my viens are too small and crappy for a fistula..it went from my elbow down to the middle of my forearm. This access however is not a part of my skin and its raised up, meaning when you lok at my arm you know there is something in it. This access didnt work very long, only a month. The dr then put another access in the same arm (right arm) this time from my elbow going the othr way up my arm a little. This access never worked from the time of insertion. Then they put another access on my left arm, going from my elbow and going up towards my armpit. This access was never used because it got infected a week or 2 after it was put in, so they took it out.

I used a few caths in my chest, switching sides periodically due to gtting infected or falling out. Eventually the dr said they were gonna try to put my next access in my thigh... I said I didn't want one there and I then found out about PD and switched to that.

If I ever have to go back on hemo, I guess I would try an access in my thigh since I dont like the perma-caths.

I was wondering... I don't like having the raised area where my access is in my right arm, would a docor take that out? Like would the insurance cover that? Or would there ave to be a medical reason or emergency to get it out?

[angieskidney]

Does your fistula flatten when you raise your arm above your head? I have a pretty good size fistula and when I raise my arm above my head it flattens. Does your "lower arm" fistula do that too? I am thinking it's not a problem and it's just gravity at work. It has always done that but I was just thinking I have not heard anyone else talk about it.

- Epoman

Yes mine does and mine is lower arm!

[jbeany]

Okay, my turn . .

Does your fistula or graft throb when you cough or sneeze? 

Mine is in my upper arm, and if I'm holding it at the wrong angle when I start hacking or sneezing, it feels like the pressure on it is going to make it pop.  It doesn't hurt, just feels like there's too much fluid trying to go through at once.  I have to hold it back down by my side until I stop.

[kitkatz]

My graft will ache up under my arm occasionally. It feels weird.  I figure it is a nerve getting in the way up there.

[angieskidney]

My fistula only feels like that when I have the needles in. Other than that it is fine. But I have learned to always be aware and if you have any worries about how it feels then talk to the surgeon (the Neph will be clueless so don't ask him). One lady had numbness and said it felt odd but didn't give enough detail or push for an answer. She ended up getting her fingers amputated!

[Joe Paul]

My fistula doesn't flatten when I raise my arm, but the "thrill" goes crazy. When I sleep and put my arm above my head, its like an alarm clock, the buzz wakes me right up.

[Epoman]

My fistula doesn't flatten when I raise my arm, but the "thrill" goes crazy. When I sleep and put my arm above my head, its like an alarm clock, the buzz wakes me right up.

Really? Do you have high blood pressure, and what is your average pressure?

[RichardMEL]

oh wow that is freaky! I never noticed that until I tried it just now.. yep flattens right away ...how weird... and the thrill goes weird too.. doesn't feel right till I put it back down and it goes back to normal. A bit worrying really since they always told me if you find that thrill has stopped you MUST go to ER right away !

oh god speaking of at night and alarm clocks... if I am in bed and put my arm in the wrong place.. god it can so piss me off it's so loud and distracting! lol

[Rerun]

Lately I feel the buzz up under my arm pit.  Drives me nuts!

[AlasdairUK]

Lately I feel the buzz up under my arm pit. Drives me nuts!

When I try sleep, depending on where I put my arm I can feel it under my arm pit and even on to my chest occasionally

[Joe Paul]

My fistula doesn't flatten when I raise my arm, but the "thrill" goes crazy. When I sleep and put my arm above my head, its like an alarm clock, the buzz wakes me right up.

Really? Do you have high blood pressure, and what is your average pressure?

Not really too high (considering) average is 170/90.

[angieskidney]

If my arm is up against the pillow I can hear it all the way through the pillow

[jbeany]

I can hear mine thru the pillow too.  I'm my own white noise machine now.  After having the first one  in my lower arm stop and not be able to be fixed, I find the continuing noise kind of reassuring.

My cat thinks I purr now.  She likes to put her head on that arm and purr back at me.

[angieskidney]

My cat thinks I purr now.  She likes to put her head on that arm and purr back at me.

Awww that is so unbelievably cute!!

[RichardMEL]

My cat likes to do that too. I am certain she thinks it is like her "mother" cat purring at her. She puts her little head down and snuggles right against my fistula and goes to sleep all happy and contented... of course that is right when I want to move or get up Guess what happens? Yes, I stay there for longer than I should because I am a good slave and don't wish to distrub the mistress!

[jbeany]

My cat likes to do that too. I am certain she thinks it is like her "mother" cat purring at her. She puts her little head down and snuggles right against my fistula and goes to sleep all happy and contented... of course that is right when I want to move or get up Guess what happens? Yes, I stay there for longer than I should because I am a good slave and don't wish to distrub the mistress!

Me too - guess we all know who's really in charge in our house!

[angieskidney]

Is that why my cat now loves to sleep with me? I just thought she was calming down

[kitkatz]

Your cat is just lulling you into a false state of contentment.  You do know they are planning to take over the world one person at a time, right??