I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: paddbear0000 on February 07, 2009, 01:08:42 AM
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As you all know, I had my fistula and catheter surgery yesterday afternoon. I wan to thank everyone for their well wishes and support first of all. I love you guys! Anyway, it is now 4:00 in the morning and I have been up most of the night because of multiple problems with th esurgeries!! First of all, I ended up having to get a graft instead because once the doctor got in there, he discovered that my veins just couldn't support a natural fistula. I'm so upset about that!! Now, all night, I kept waking up every half hour or so because my hand in the fistula arm is tingling so bad and going numb. Not only that, but it's cold and I can't feel (hear?) the thrill! So now I'm up, fighting the Vicoden's side effect of knocking me out (it's been a rough night constantly waking up from a vicoden coma!), and trying to keep my hand either hanging down or in use.
I'm also having a lot of pain from both the fistula incisions and the catheter. I just want to cry right now! :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(
Please forgive me if this post sounds a little strange. I am operating under a vicoden and sleep deprived cloud.
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:grouphug;
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Hang in there Paddbear. You've had a lot done with both things together. I'm so sad you're having this hard time. The numbness and tingling should settle down but if you can't feel the thrill you need to let the doctor know asap. :grouphug; :cuddle; :grouphug;
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AAAAAANd that's why we are in chat.
To early to write more since we are still chatting on what happened.
You'll get through this. Vanity sometimes has to take a detour for better health.
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crap.
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I hope you feel better soon. I know it hurts right now. Elevate you arm, that will help. Put it on a pillow.
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I don't know anything to say to help, so please accept this heartfelt :cuddle;
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paddbear, I'm sorry I am just now seeing this. Len had the 2 surgeries the at the same time also. Once they got in there to make the fistula they discovered his veins sucked and they ended up putting graft in his upper left arm. He was told to keep it as evaluated as possible, not to pick up anything and to start out with cold compresses and then go to heat. I think you should call your doctor and tell him you need to see him. I hope things start getting better. :cuddle;
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:grouphug;
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Sorry your not feeling well :cuddle;
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AAAAAANd that's why we are in chat.
To early to write more since we are still chatting on what happened.
You'll get through this. Vanity sometimes has to take a detour for better health.
You got that right. <<sigh>>
Hang in there, Padd.
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Sorry to see you are having a hard time, P.Bear
Please call the Dr and let him/her know rite away
Sending :cuddle; to wish you well
Anne
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Geez mate
Sorry to hear you are suffering
Lots of love coming your way
:grouphug;
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I too had a graft and had severe numbness just after the operation. However, it went away. Just follow all the advice that has been given to you by the other reponses. things will get better. Also we really understand what you are going through (cloud and all!). Just continue to keep us updated. You will make it through!!! We are with you all the way. :grouphug;
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Hope you feel better today.
Here's a couple links http://www.aakp.org/aakp-library/Access-Arm/ and http://www.homedialysis.org/resources/tom/200603/
:cuddle;
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Hmmm...I was never told to put heat or cold on it. Of course, no one went over anything with me after the surgery! The surgeon talked to my husband, but I was still out cold, and he never really told me what he said. I did get a piece of paper, but the info on it is kind of lacking. Thank goodness I have IHD for info! I do know I'm supposed to elevate my arm, but that causes major problems. My hand gets so tingly it's excruciatingly painful, and it gets really cold. Because of my diabetes, I'm afraid I'll lose some fingers!
After much insistence from Chris and Wenchie in chat last night (or rather this morning), I did end up calling the doctor. He said he wanted to see me as soon as I could get to the office (he has hours from 8-noon on Saturdays). It wouldn't have sucked so bad if he wasn't an hour away! Anyway, we got there at 8:30, only for him to tell me that it's normal for diabetics because we usually have nerve damage in the extremities, like the fingers. The tingling and cold was because of lack of blood flow. No kidding?! :sarcasm; He could have told me this over the phone!! With his stethascope, he could hear the blood flow just fine. He said I couldn't feel it because I am so swollen. Oh yeah, the swelling...My arm (from mid-upper arm all the way to my hand) is almost twice the size. The doctor had covered my sutures with pieces of gauze covered with that clear sheet of sticky stuff they use to hold iv's in place, in order to keep it waterproof. Well, my swelling is so bad, the nurse ended up redoing it because the tape was pulling so much, almost to the breaking point. My arm was practically being strangled and it hurt like hell! She also redid the bandaging on my chest cath where it goes in near my neck. The tape was so tight from swelling there too, that I could barely turn my neck. And that hurt too.
So, my bandaging is now a little more comfortable and I have my vicoden prescription as well! The nice thing about the graft is that I won't have to have this catheter for very long, which is great! The stitches holding it itch like crazy!!!
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Here's a picture of the swelling of my arm! I tried modifying my last message and attaching the photo to it, but for some reason, it wouldn't do anything.
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No wonder it was painful with all that swelling. So glad to hear that the bruit is there though. :cuddle;
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Yeah, I'm so paranoid about something happening to my graft, that I am constantly listening to it with the stethoscope! I can't wait until I can actually feel it!
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Try to get some rest PB and maybe give the arm a rest, too (no typing?!). :cuddle;
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Nanay is on graft too and had the same swelling, looked like her arm was going to burst anytime. Move your fingers, use an exerciser ball, whcih can help circulation. When you sleep, put your arm up your pillow head, if this hurts, prop it on top of 2 pillows by your side. It should be gone in about two weeks. We used warm compress. :cuddle; :cuddle; :cuddle; hope you feel better.
love,
cris
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hope your feeling better soon Padd. :-(
You been through alot in a short time.
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Glad you went to the doc to have the bandages changed. Hope you feel better soon.
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I hate when they do access stuff. It hurts more than anything for about three or four days, then one day yu wake up and swelling and pain is gone. Elevate, elevate. elevate that arm! I even took a pillow out to eat with me for a week to keep the arm elevated and comfy. It will help with the swelling.
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Today I noticed a red area about an inch from one of my stitches that is very hard. It wasn'tthere yesterday (at least when I was at the surgeon's). Does anyone know what this might be? My arm is also rather warm, but I don't have a temperature at all. In fact, my temp is 97.7 (but then again, that's my normal body temp for the last few years). The area with the graft also hurts like a son of a b**** when I cough!! Yikes!
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The warmth over the area is quite usual as I recall, due to inflammation from the swelling. The pain from coughing is also to be expected as when you cough the blood in your veins presses against the internal sore areas. I mean, after all they did do some pretty severe things inside your arm Paddbear. If you had a cut on the outside and you suddenly pushed on it (what coughing is doing on the inside) it would hurt too. I don't know about the hard red area. Perhaps you could call the clinic tomorrow and ask.
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Maybe neosporin on the area as a precaution?
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Sweetie, take it easy until the swelling goes down and quit poking at it, makes things worse for you. Relax and let it all heal. Place are going to feel funny for awhile on the arm. I speak from experience. Two grafts, twelve redos on the bottom arm graft and two on the top arm graft. Just let it all heal; then see what happens.
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Yes Mom! :rofl;
Chris, I did put some neosporin on it and bandaged it back up again. I've also started taking Tylenol to help with the pain and hopefully reduce some of the inflammation.
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PB - I hope that you will listen to Kit - It's million dollar advice! :flower;
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Yes dear, Now do as I say, not as I do!
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No lifting, no lifting, no lifting with that arm for several weeks, not even your purse!
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I was told not to put anything on my fistula (cream, lotion, perfume, etc.). I heeded this advice even after the scar healed. It is different for a graft?
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My doc said it was ok, but I had dissolvable stitches though.
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My stitches aren't dissolvable. They're supposed to come out at my 3 week follow-up appointment. My paper says I can take the gauze and tegaderm off after 3 days, which would be today. That seems kind of soon. Is this normal? I sure wish I could take it off of my cath site too because the peice of tegaderm closest to my neck is driving me crazy!!!
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Have tape on stand by if the catheter one starts to come undone. You want o avoid infections and water. I used Nexcar Clear Cloth tape since it din't pull so hard on the skin when removing and less irritating to me than the other taoes. Your neck one will b changed at the dialysis clinic Tuesday, time to get use to new smells from the cleanser.
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Yeah. My best friend is a drup rep who used to call on a dialysis clinic. She said the smell was horrible. The way I'm feeling lately, I have a feeling I will be throwing up soon after I walk in! When I'm nauseous, smells make me puke every time!
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Good Luck tomorrow Padd. You'll be in my thoughts. You are going at 11 a.m., right?
I hope you can find something to take that will help pass the time quickly and keep your mind off what is happening, as well as the smells.
If you have a laptop join Netflix. Then you can watch movies and such.
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Thank you! Yeah, I have a laptop, but it's really old and really slow. There's no way I can view movies on it.
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Im so sorry you are having problems, maybe when swelling goes down it will be ok. I am going to get my fistula thursday listening to you I seem to know what I might expectl I hope it is all normal tho. You arnt saying anything about fever, that is a good thing . a great big hug to you., :cuddle;
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Yeah. My best friend is a drup rep who used to call on a dialysis clinic. She said the smell was horrible. The way I'm feeling lately, I have a feeling I will be throwing up soon after I walk in! When I'm nauseous, smells make me puke every time!
I am very sensitive to bad odors and I never noticed anything smelly at my husband's clinic. Do be careful about bleach on the chairs though. He ruined some pants that way - getting into the chair too soon after it was disinfected from the person before him. Do they do it that way at every clinic?
In any case, good luck tomorrow! :cuddle;
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No, no fever thankfully. And the hard area I mentioned before turned out to be the tube! Oops! What can I say? I'm new to this! My hand became completely swollen with fluid today which was new. I've been keeping my arm elevated and have been using a heating pad and ice pack. I've been holding my arm up vertically for the last 2 hours and that seeme to have moved most of the fluid elsewhere. I can make out my knuckles again! And I got my wedding ring off for the first time in days! But, I think I'm starting to gain fluid weight all over because over rhe last 2-3 months I lost 11 pounds, but have gained it all back in less than a week. I've also noticed I'm not urinating as much either. I just noticed that I can't see the veins on my other hand as well as I used to either, so I don't know if the left hand swelling is surgery related or not (or it could just be making it worse?).
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I'll be with you in spirit tomorrow Paddbear. As hard as it is to do, try your very best to stay calm and relaxed. No needles so that's one less thing to stress about. Big hugs Janet. :grouphug;
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When did you last get labs done? Be very careful about the fluid - sounds like you may be retaining some.
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I had labs done last Monday.
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Yeah - I wasn't thinking when I wrote that Janet, that you're starting hemo tomorrow. Hopefully they figure out a good dry weight and take off excess fluid without doing too much.
:cuddle;
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Ouch! Hope that dialysis can help. Sounds like you are starting? Sorry for the pain, I remember mine wasn't that fun either, but I had less complications than you are even. HUGS!!!! Keep us updated.