Cannulated myself today for the first time.

[monrein]

Well, I did it.  Just nine weeks after my fistula surgery I'm using it and today was the second time running with two needles in.  I've infiltrated twice so far and my arm is a serious shade of purple above the elbow.  No pain, just ugly as sin and then some.  However, today I did my arterial myself and got it right off the bat and it worked well for the whole four hours.  My nurse did the venous because the bruising was so  but she's very good and it worked well too. 

[Rerun]

Good for you!  That is the very best way.  Although, I would have to die first.  There is no way I could sitck myself with a needle.  Did you do the lidocaine needles too?

Epoman would be so proud!

                                                   

[monrein]

Thanks Rerun.  Nope, no lidocaine, no creams, no nuthin.  I don't find it hurts.  I concentrate and visualize the vessel and just slip it in.  I can't feel things if it's numb so it's harder to find my way in.  Last time I was on D I always did my needles and never used freezing.  I try to just relax and tell myself it's not so bad and I find it isn't.  My nurse was very pleased with me.  Only one more happy was of course me.

[keith]

congrats i remember my first time doing it it's not as bad as you think it's going to be

[Ang]

way  to  go  gail,  pity  some  of  us  can't  be  as  strong  willed  and  tough  as  you,got  talked  into  doing  it  once  and   found  it  was  empowering,  but  just  as  fast  became  lazy  and  never  did  it  again

[Bill Peckham]

Way to go monrein! Are you thinking of using the buttonhole method?

[okarol]

  Be gentle with that arm! I am proud of you for doing it on your own!

[Robby712]

I remember I dreaded it.  Using my non-dominant hand to stick the good one?  Sounds like a terrible idea.

But after you do it you almost can't imagine anyone else doing it for you.

[Sluff]

Good Job! Monrein

[twirl]

no, this can not be
I have not even looked at the needles
you are an extreme person in all you do
 you have ba ++ s   ------ and I mean that only in the most respectful intent
I am so proud of you
you are well, just wonderful
you are the living example of how to take the crap life hands out and do it with grace and beauty ( and dining )

[pelagia]

Congratulations Gail.      Hopefully the purple will go away soon.  XO

[ODAT]

Glad you did well - I'm sure the anxiety over it was worse than it was. I find that in a lot of things myself. Here's to more non-events with the needles! 

Are you going to work on a buttonhole?

[monrein]

Yes, I am going to be doing buttonholes.  The arterial is pretty much the spot we want to develop the first arterial buttonhole and that's why I've started doing it to get the consistency and on Friday we hope to go higher on the arm and start the venous buttonhole.  I'm also considering asking my neph if I can do shorter runs (say 2 hours) five times a week instead of four hours three times a week.  I want more consistent clearances.  I'm also considering nocturnal but in-centre since they don't want to train me for home if I'm going ahead with a transplant.  So many things to consider.

Thanks everyone for your comments.  I really don't feel brave, I just like the control and it takes away my anxiety about getting a nurse who isn't that great.  I like consistency as I think I've mentioned. 

[Adam_W]

When I first started using my graft, I went straight into self-cannulation, and besides the first couple sticks done by my nurse as I was learning, no one else has ever cannulated me. Even the treatment I had to do in the hospital when I had a staph infection, I put my own needles in. The nurse was kind of surprised when I told her I wanted to self-cannulate, and I'm guessing it was because she works in an inpatient hospital unit where it would be much less common to have a patient self-stick. That being said, she very gladly handed me the needles. I'm glad you're doing well with the cannulation monrein. Self-care is the best care!

Adam

[Rerun]

I would highly recommend the in-center nocturnal.  Your days are free and you gotta sleep anyway.  You would be getting 24 hours of dialysis instead of 10.  You just plain feel better and if you have fluid to take off they get it without the crashing. 

   

[monrein]

Actually Rerun, it was reading your posts about the in-center nocturnal that got me thinking about it and so I started making enquiries.  All the benefits you describe make sense to me.

[Razman]

Sure   "no lidocaine "   but  I saw  the  bottle of whiskey she had beside her bed when I dropped in to visit  !!!     Just  kidding .   But,  the colour of her arm is true.   Man,  it was a big bruise.   I'm  glad everything  is working out.  Regards , Dave

[monrein]

Way to go Dave.  Now my "clean living" cover is blown to pieces.  I told you that bottle of whisky wasn't mine and I'm sticking to my story.  The bruise is even bigger now as it's about six inches long and about three inches wide at the widest spot.  Doesn't hurt though.  Lee maintains that it's a case of "no sense, no feeling".   

[del]

Good for you! Hubby has self cannulated but I usually cannulate him.  He does 35 hours of dialysis on home nocturnal.  Blood work is a lot better with the long slow runs.  in center nocturnal is good if you live close to the center but his center is over an hrs drive away and they don't offer in center nocturnal.

[kitkatz]

"Congratulations you are no longer a virgin!"    Did I really say that? 



I hope the sticking goes well.

[monrein]

    Actually Kitkatz I used to cannulate myself all the time when I was on dialysis for 5 years the first time around but since it's been so long, you're right I had regained that "virgin" status.  But no more.  Hopefully, I'll turn pro in time.....now, will they pay me do you think???

[Loretta]

 
You are a great example to me.  I need to be more like you!

Loretta

[Hemodoc]

Wow, that is simply awesome.

If it has been only 9 weeks since you placed the fistula, you should really consider going slow with advancing needle size.  But what a hurdle to overcome placing your own needles.  I did not sleep well at all the night before my first cannulation attempt but now doing both venous and arterial, I am free to travel which I am doing for the first time since starting dialysis over a year ago.

Be brave and continue to self cannulate, but go slow, slow slow until your fistula is mature.

May God bless,

Peter

[David13]

Actually Kitkatz I used to cannulate myself all the time when I was on dialysis for 5 years the first time around but since it's been so long, you're right I had regained that "virgin" status. But no more. Hopefully, I'll turn pro in time.....now, will they pay me do you think???

I doubt that they will pay you , but cannuating yourself seems like such an empowering and logical step.  I am surprised that more people don't do it.  But hey, we are talking about aiming rather large needles at yourself, so maybe it is not such a big surprise!  Congratulations to you and best wishes for continued success with your self-cannulation!

[monrein]

Just got home from D and had a good run.  Did my own arterial again successfully in the same hole  then my buttonhole trainer did the venous quite a bit higher up.  We used two 16 gauge needles today but only a 300 pump speed.  We're going in at a 45 degree angle for the arterial and a 60 degree angle for the venous as the vessel is quite a bit deeper in that spot.  It is tricky at the beginning as the vein is still rather fragile but I feel very lucky to have an experienced and skilled nurse helping me out at this stage.  My arm is still a complete horror to look at but it doesn't hurt and neither does the cannulation even though we had to dig around a little today.  I think I somehow manage to disassociate myself from my arm until the needles are in because I sure do feel it when my arm starts feeling tense after about three hours.  Now, if only I could do the same trick when I get a dialysis headache.  Blissfully, I don't have one of those today.
  for all your good wishes and your posts.