hand pain during dialysis - need help

[balapandian]

I don't move the hand during the 4hours of  dialysis to avoid any bulges.  I have the fistula near the wrist.
I get the pain near the returning needle which is stuck near the elbow.  the pain may be from the flesh below the
needle. 

the pain is mild after 1 hour, tolerable after 2 hours, the pain is quite high in the last hour of dialysis. 
I have tried lidocaine cream and tylenol, but both does not reduce the pain

Has anyone had this kind of pain and how you resolved it?

[MommyChick]

Hello there,
I have actually been dealing with a similar thing the last few months.
I have a fistula on my upper arm. They had my flow rate always set at 500 because I could always handle it & I would always clear so well. Within the last few months my arm would start to ache & get sore with pain. I never move my arm because I'm always scared I might ruin my fistula if I would infiltrate it. Last month they scheduled me to get my fistula looked at, I thought for sure they would have to balloon it open & clean it like they do every year or two. Well I had the procedure done but they weren't able to find anything, they said my fistula looked excellent!
I was very happy to find out that everything was ok, but still a little worried as to why I was having pain during treatment in my arm. Then pain would get so bad by the 2nd hour that my BP would start to drop & they would have to take me off the machine early.

Anyway... They lowered my blood flow rate to 450, instead of 500. I still clear well & was able to still keep my 3 hrs without them upping my time.
My arm no longer hurts like it did & I am able to tolerate everything!!! 
They told me they think because my fistula is so big & having the flow rate that high was taking away blood flow to the lower arm & causing me pain... whatever the reason, lowering my flow rate helped me!

Good Luck
~ Marna 

[jbeany]

I had a nerve-damaged wrist that hurt terribly by the end of every run.  I found that a heating pad helped a lot when it was applied from the start.  I took a microwave rice bag and toasted it right before I went on.

[SugarBear]

I don't move the hand during the 4hours of  dialysis to avoid any bulges. 

When I first start dialysis, I too would not move my hand for the whole treatment time. That was a mistake as my wrist and elbow would became stiff and painful.  When I brought it to my doctor's attention he told me I have to move my arm in order to prevent the pain and help with blood flow to the arm.

[chiromac]

I had the same issues and had all the neuro testing done and found out that dialysis augments the neuropathy in my hands.  I notices lowering my arm from the armrest to my leg seams to help.

[slipkid]

How 'bout them Gators!

[Whamo]

I've noticed that taking pain killers before I go on helps for the first hour or two, but eventually it gets drained out, and the pains return.  When my hands go numb I flex them until the blood returns to them and/or massage them with my other hand.