Fistula/buttonhole problems

[valve]

Hey everyone!  I haven't been on the site in a while due to now have internet at home right now.  But I needed to get on here and check with everyone about problems I have been having. 

I have been at home with my nxstage for 7 months.  I have had my buttonholes established as long.  Recently I have been having problems getting my blunts into my arterial and sometimes my venous.  I keep telling my nurse at the clinic about my problems and they really don't suggest anything to do differently.  So, just the other day I started a new site with a sharp and so far that is going well.

My problem before (and sometimes now with the venous) is that on some days it would slide in like is it supposed to and other days it wouldn't go into the vein.  It would like go through the skin and as soon as it gets to the vein it stops (like a blockage).

I periodically have the same problem with my venous and when that happens I have to use a sharp, which I absolutely hate doing.

My questions is does anyone else have problems getting their blunts into their established buttonhole and if so what do you do to try and fix the problem?

It just makes it really frustating  sometimes because I do this at home with no assistance and I just don't what to do, miss treatment, keep on poking and proding, or just use a sharp.

I look forward to the replies and hopefully I will be back on in the next day or two to check your replies.

Happy Dialysis and Happy Valentines day to everyone!

God Bless!!!!!

[valve]

not ONE reply!!!!!!!!!  Thanks!!

[silverhead]

Sorry, I couldn't reply until I got online, We have been on the NxStage for 3 years now, and still use Sharps daily, tried very hard to use blunts in the beginning, but she seems to scar up enough overnight that the only way to go is with sharps, and even then after a day off it takes quite a poke to get them in......

[Pam]

Hi Valve......I did not see this post until just now. I have buttonholes too. I have been using them for about 7 mos. My arterial has never been a problem but the venous has given me problems at times and they had to use a sharp. It rolls bad at times and I think that is why a blunt would not go in. Luckily  it has been 2 months since they had to use a sharp.
What part of Michigan are you from? I live in  the Thumb.
Pam

[monrein]

Hello valve...sorry you got so frustrated that people didn't reply but I think many of us may have simply missed your post or don't do buttonholes.

When I did them, I had trouble occasionally especially when I was dialyzing just three times a week.  It became easy when I went to 5 times but I still often had to really push hard, and I mean really hard to get the blunt in.  I did use a sharp a couple of times but didn't like doing that either for fear of developing an aneurysm there.  I got used to the amount of pressure I had to exert and only worried about being able to stop once I felt it pop into the vein.

Skipping sessions is never a good idea, in my opinion, and if the trouble persists then perhaps you'll need to consider going back to consistent laddering with sharps.

Let us know how it goes.

[valve]

Thanks to those that replied.  Sorry about snapping, but I don't have anyone else to ask.  This is the only place I have to come to ask questions and to vent and it really hurt my feelings when NOBODY replied in 2 months.  Again I apologize.

Pam, thanks for your reply.  I live south of Detroit near the Ohio border. 

My buttonholes are getting better.  Still have a slight problem with my venous, but I think I have to start doing the ladder technique again.  Which upsets me because I hate sharps but I quess you have to do what you gotta do to get your treatment done. 

I've been home for a year on the NxStage and on dialysis altogether for close to  years.  I hope a kidney comes through soon.  I pray for all of us!!!!

[monrein]

Have you considered using sharps to establish a new venous buttonhole from scratch in a different spot?  I think that's what I'd do.
BTW, when you hit reply to comment on a post, yours or someone else's, just above the left hand corner of the box is the bump button which will cause the thread to become active again...then if people missed it the first time, it's a reminder that answers are welcome.