Can't hear fistula

[Rerun]

I was in class all day and so I didn't notice until I got home but I can't feel or hear my fistula.  It is placed in my upper left arm and I feel a slight pluse down on the inside of my elbow where it is connected.  I called Davita and they said it can wait until tomorrow to be looked at.  I called my surgeon and am waiting for a call back.  The thing is if I go to ER I'll wait 5 or 6 hours and just see the idiots from hell. 

What should I do??

[charee]

Hey Rerun Here in Aus which might not help you ,I have been told to go straight to the ER if that happens , and they would contact my dr so if i was you i would go , the quicker its looked at the better, good luck

[thegrammalady]

i was told that if mine stopped "buzzing" i should go to the er. however i have no idea what they are expected to do about it. checking with the surgeon sounds like a good idea. if it were me and he hadn't called back in an hour, i'd put in a 2nd call. hope it turns out to be something simple and can be easily taken care of. let us know.
 -s

[Black]

I agree with the others.  I would call the surgeon's answering service again, and tell them you are on the way to the ER and expect the surgeon, or someone they can send, to meet you there.

It might not be a good idea, but if that were to happen to Mike I would give him an aspirin before we left for the ER because the usual problem is a clot.  BTW, I would tell the ER, "I think I have a clot in my fistula and if it breaks loose I might have a heart attack, or a stroke, or a pulmonary embolism."  Those are highly unlikely, but that might scare them into doing something quick. 

[goofynina]

I just hope that whatever you decide to do, that there is nothing major wrong with it and you can go on with no problem  

[Rerun]

Thanks it is 7:15PM and I'll give the sergeon a second call.  I hate ER!!

[angela515]

Hope you get it worked out soon and keep us posted! 

[KT0930]

Hope everything's ok. Let us know what the surgeon says.

[Sluff]

Hope everything is ok. 

[AlasdairUK]

Hi Rerun,

Having my fistula stop buzzing is one of my worst fears and I hope you get looked at soon if not already. I would go to ER and call your surgeon as he could always meet you. Taking an aspirin sounds like a good idea.

hope all goes well.

[LightLizard]

what they do about it is a 'fistula-plast'i. ask to be sedated during the process, or it will hurt like hell!
i had one done a month or so ago. my fistula (in my right wrist/forearm) stopped buzzing. they had me come in the next day (to medical imaging) and it was about an hour process. they put a wire down inside the arm with a balloon attached to it. then, they inflate the baloon to expand the artery.
again, i suggest you get sedated for this. i didn't, and i wasn't even told i could be or had the option. i was so confused by what was going on. after, the doc said, 'wow, you're a real trooper, most people ask to be sedated during this!'
i could have strangled him, if my arm wasn't so sore!

love

~LL~

[Rerun]

The Surgeon did call me last night and said it would have to wait until today.  There is an access intervention specialist who is supposed to call me and try and fit me in. 

It is not like I could make an appointment a month ago for this.  "Oh gee my fistula might quit on the 29th of August I think I better call the Access Intervention Specialist so I have a spot"  Don't you think they must have to "fit" everyone in?  These things are not planned!

I'll keep you posted.  Thanks everyone for your thoughts and advice.

PS --  ZACH told me first everything the Surgeon later told me.   

[livecam]

I hope they come up with a quick fix for you Rerun.  A good fistula can be hard to find!  You'll be fine!

[Rerun]

Last time I dialyzed was Tuesday at 9AM-Noon.  Fistula Clot Wednesday, Thursday get appointment for Friday at 10AM.  Now the dialysis center wants me there at 1:15 for dialysis after the declot.  How stupid!  I probably won't even be out of recovery by then. 

At least they finally let me eat something.  I didn't eat from Wednesday at 7PM to Thursday at 11:30 AM  That is 16 hours.  I won't die, but I was sure hungry. 

I hate dialysis!

[okarol]

That seems so long to wait. I hope they can fix it for you.

Most of this info you know already. I can't find any info about what to do besides calling the surgeon, and most of this you probably already know.
this is from: http://www.endovascularsurgery.com/?q=Hemodialysis_Access+

Detecting problems with grafts and fistulas
While a fistula is considered the best kind of access, problems can occur, including vein narrowing, or "stenosis," and clotting, or "thrombosis". Both of these problems can be treated by an interventional radiologist with excellent results. Treating the vein while it is narrowed but not clotted yields the best results and takes the least amount of time. There are a number of ways to detect narrowing in the vein before thrombosis occurs, through "screening" by your Dialysis Unit. Once an abnormality is detected it is essential that you be seen by the interventional radiologist as soon as possible to treat the problem.

What if my dialysis access is clotted?
If the graft or fistula is clotted, interventional radiologists use a variety of procedures to dissolve or remove the clot. First, X-ray pictures (fistulogram) are taken which show the area(s) of narrowing (stenosis). Then, a balloon is inserted to open up the clogged area(s) in the vein, in a procedure called an "angioplasty". A clot can be removed either with drugs that dissolve it or mechanical devices that remove it or break it up into very small pieces.

These procedures are all done as an outpatient using conscious sedation and local anesthesia (numbing medicine). In conscious sedation, medicines to relieve anxiety and discomfort are given through an intravenous tube. In order to receive conscious sedation, you must not have had anything to eat or drink six hours before your procedure. Also, you may not drive home after receiving conscious sedation, so be sure to arrange a ride home after the procedure.

After angioplasty, your self-examination should return to normal. Screening tests should be repeated in the Dialysis Unit to ensure that they too have returned to normal. While balloon angioplasty is effective in dialysis access it may need to be repeated periodically, usually every six months. When angioplasty is unsuccessful, interventional radiologists have other alternatives available to them. Generally, the first of these is to repeat the angioplasty. If this is unsuccessful, depending upon the location of the narrowing, a small metal tube called a "stent" can be inserted in the same outpatient procedure as the angioplasty. This is done quite uncommonly and more often in the chest than the arms. When angioplasty is unsuccessful, a patient may be referred to a surgeon for a procedure called a "revision of the graft or fistula".

[Sluff]

Last time I dialyzed was Tuesday at 9AM-Noon.  Fistula Clot Wednesday, Thursday get appointment for Friday at 10AM.  Now the dialysis center wants me there at 1:15 for dialysis after the declot.  How stupid!  I probably won't even be out of recovery by then. 

At least they finally let me eat something.  I didn't eat from Wednesday at 7PM to Thursday at 11:30 AM  That is 16 hours.  I won't die, but I was sure hungry. 

I hate dialysis!

No pun intended..LOL

I do hope they get this worked out to your satisfaction. Waiting.

[Rerun]

Thanks Karol.  It was good to read that they have options for clearing these out. 

I agree that 41 hours after being notified of a clot is too long.  WTF?

[Ohio Buckeye]

I was wondering how you were Rerun and if they got the clot removed.
Hope things are better by now.

[Black]

Hope it went well, Rerun.  Post when you can. 

[okarol]

Rerun... how ya doing???
Thinking about you 

[kitkatz]

Hey Rerun. I hope you have the arm elevated and pain killers on board!

[Sluff]

Thinking of you Rerun.   

[Wattle]

   I hope everything went well.

[tamara]

 

Hope all is well

Thinkin of ya

Tamara xxx ooo xxx 

[goofynina]

OK Rerun, we are ready for an update 

gettin' a little worried over here