Post-dialysis bleeding episodes

[RightSide]

OK, my fistula is now working (yay!).  But I've had some accidents with it:

After one dialysis session, I started to put on my coat before leaving the dialysis center.  The bandages taped over my fistula caught on the sleeve of my coat. The bandage came off and I started bleeding profusely again.

After last Monday's dialysis session, I went into the bathroom. I had abdominal pains due to constipation, and I grabbed hold of the bar on the wall to steady myself.  The bandages popped off my arm and I started bleeding profusely again.

Each time, there was lots of blood all over my clothing; those bloodstains won't all come out.  I don't want to ruin any more good clothing.

Have other folks had similar post-dialysis bleeding episodes?  And what can be done to prevent them, aside from being extra extra extra careful with the bandages? 

I don't want to tie the bandages extra tight around my arm because that might cause the fistula to clot, yes?

[Pam]

That doesn't sound good. I have button holes and they do not bleed. Just like a pin prick. what kind of tape are they using? Doesn't seem like the tape should come off that easily. I get paper tape and that stuff sticks like super glue. It takes me 30 min to get home and I have to yank the stuff off. Maybe they are not using enough tape. We get 3 strips across each site.
Pam

[2_DallasCowboys]

Hi,

I agree with the above poster in regards to the tape.  Sure does not sound like
they are using a strong enough one, if they won't change it maybe buy a different
type on your own and bring it in with you.

As far as the blood stains, try good ole peroxide!  Just pour it on the stain
and let it bubble up, like when you use it on a cut on your body.  then cold
water rinse, spray on some shout, and wash as usual

Hope this helpe a little,
Anne

[willowtreewren]

Two thoughts...

Perhaps your heparin dose should be reduced. Over time we have reduced Carl's to 2600 units (he is of slight build). When he started dialysis 18 months ago, it was at 3500 units. We have fewer issues with bleeding post treatment now.

Secondly, when he was in center they taped all the way around his arm. Since he is sensitive to tape, they wrapped his arm with the gauze sponges and taped over that. No flicking the tape off accidentally.

I know how frustrating this can be. We have had some blood geysers at home (oops, forgot to close clamps!). Nothing like having your home look like a scene from CSI! 

[kitkatz]

I have a wardrobe of T-shirts to wear to dialysis.

[Ang]

its  a  bit  hit  and  miss,  but  try  figure  that  in  10  minutes  you'll  stop  bleeding,maybe  20  minutes  i  always  give  myself  15-20  minutes,as  much  as  i  wanna  get  the  hell  out  of  there,20  minutes  will  save  me  from  a  new  wadrobe

[pamster42000]

When my daughter went to dialysis the nurses used a type of bandage wrap called Vetrap. It's an elastic wrap that sticks to itself , not hair or skin. They  put some gauze  over site and then wrapped the Vetrap  around the area a few times and it always stayed in place. It doesn't interfere with circulation and stays in place when putting jacket on etc. and it comes in all different colors!!

[fc2821]

      Do you hold your "sticks" or do they clamp them?  How long do they wait for the bleeding to stop before they tell you it is ok to leave.  Or do they just take up the area and tell you it is ok to go?  I hold my sticks and I give them at least 10 min before releasing pressure to see if they are bleeding. Usually it is 15.  Then they tape them up using several strips, at least 4 per site.  I am algeric to the glue in paper tape (found this out thanks to dialysis. Who says there are not positive sides to it  )
      I have specific clothes to wear to dialysis, older not so good shirts and jeans.  Also, I have found if you remove the clothing as soon as you get home soak it is Oxyclean and wash them using deteregent and oxyclean it doesn't remove the blood stain if you have a "leak"  but it gets rid of most of it. 
   

[monrein]

Peroxide is great for removing blood.   My unit used to strongly discourage using clamps although some people insisted on using them anyway.  I used to just hold my sites and check for any bleeding before taping them off.

[Rerun]

I've posted this before, but I had a scab we were avoiding for dialysis sticks.  I was putting my shirt on at home and it caught on the scab and pulled it off and blood shot to the ceiling, all over the walls and covered the mirror.  I had to call the ambulance.  It was awful.         

[monrein]

Good point Rerun.  Those scabs really do an important job of holding back the flow and if they're dislodged the dam can burst.  I used to keep my tapes on overnight as extra insurance even though my skin didn't enjoy the tape much.

[fc2821]

I've posted this before, but I had a scab we were avoiding for dialysis sticks.  I was putting my shirt on at home and it caught on the scab and pulled it off and blood shot to the ceiling, all over the walls and covered the mirror.  I had to call the ambulance.  It was awful.         

 I know this sound crass, but you haven't lived till you've seen your blood spurt out. Something I experienced long before dialysis, back when I was stilly a healthy person. Clears your mind quickly, at least I hope it would for others, after the "what just happened" tought.

Here's wishng you never bleed after dialysis is over and don't ever experience what made me spurt in the other  life. 

[kitkatz]

A friend of mine had the tech scrape and tear the vein on her fistula removing a needle.  Hours later at the center, she finally went home. As she took her jacket off at home, blood flowed everywhere.  A trip to Kaiser, stitches and angioplasty later she is doing better. Scary episode.

[RightSide]

That doesn't sound good. I have button holes and they do not bleed. Just like a pin prick. what kind of tape are they using? Doesn't seem like the tape should come off that easily. I get paper tape and that stuff sticks like super glue. It takes me 30 min to get home and I have to yank the stuff off. Maybe they are not using enough tape. We get 3 strips across each site.
Pam

The tape that my dialysis center uses, stinks.  Oftentimes it's already started to peel off by the time I have walked out of the dialysis center!

[hurlock1]

OK, my fistula is now working (yay!).  But I've had some accidents with it:

After one dialysis session, I started to put on my coat before leaving the dialysis center.  The bandages taped over my fistula caught on the sleeve of my coat. The bandage came off and I started bleeding profusely again.

After last Monday's dialysis session, I went into the bathroom. I had abdominal pains due to constipation, and I grabbed hold of the bar on the wall to steady myself.  The bandages popped off my arm and I started bleeding profusely again.

Each time, there was lots of blood all over my clothing; those bloodstains won't all come out.  I don't want to ruin any more good clothing.

Have other folks had similar post-dialysis bleeding episodes?  And what can be done to prevent them, aside from being extra extra extra careful with the bandages? 

I don't want to tie the bandages extra tight around my arm because that might cause the fistula to clot, yes?

For one thing bloodstains come out, often with a regular wash, with regular detergent. If not get some Oxyclean. That'll do the trick. For the most part, the techs know how tight the bandages need to be. If you're laundry handicapped, just don't wear your good clothes to dialysis.

[Malibu]

We had post d bleeding episodes, it turned out to be a stenosis in the graft.  The graft was only just over a month old at the time.

[monrein]

OK, my fistula is now working (yay!).  But I've had some accidents with it:

After one dialysis session, I started to put on my coat before leaving the dialysis center.  The bandages taped over my fistula caught on the sleeve of my coat. The bandage came off and I started bleeding profusely again.

After last Monday's dialysis session, I went into the bathroom. I had abdominal pains due to constipation, and I grabbed hold of the bar on the wall to steady myself.  The bandages popped off my arm and I started bleeding profusely again.

Each time, there was lots of blood all over my clothing; those bloodstains won't all come out.  I don't want to ruin any more good clothing.

Have other folks had similar post-dialysis bleeding episodes?  And what can be done to prevent them, aside from being extra extra extra careful with the bandages? 

I don't want to tie the bandages extra tight around my arm because that might cause the fistula to clot, yes?

For one thing bloodstains come out, often with a regular wash, with regular detergent. If not get some Oxyclean. That'll do the trick. For the most part, the techs know how tight the bandages need to be. If you're laundry handicapped, just don't wear your good clothes to dialysis.

Hydrogen peroxide is great for getting blood out of clothing.

[KICKSTART]

When my daughter went to dialysis the nurses used a type of bandage wrap called Vetrap. It's an elastic wrap that sticks to itself , not hair or skin. They  put some gauze  over site and then wrapped the Vetrap  around the area a few times and it always stayed in place. It doesn't interfere with circulation and stays in place when putting jacket on etc. and it comes in all different colors!!

Had to  when i saw this. Over here in the UK we also have Vetrap , i used to use it on my horses ! 

[pamster42000]

Glad I gave you a laugh I think vets use it here too but does work well. Even when Sarah got blood drawn at the hospital this is what they used.

[JeanieSpokane]

I had another marathon holding session today (1.5 hours).  I bought some Coban on my way home.  (Also - the same thing is sold at feed stores for horses - much cheaper. I'm going to try it Monday.

[cassandra]

Maybe you could also try Kalsistat (spelling?) has K+ (potassium in) which stops bleeding quickly. When the post bleeding started with me again, I increased the 'stop time' from the Heparine.

good luck Cas

[Riki]

do you guys not use bandaids??  The ones I use are called sure seals, but they look like regular plastic bandaids you could buy at a drug store.  I always hold my sites for at least 15 minutes, sometimes more if I"m not sure when I started holding.  The clamps don't work on me.  My arm is too big.  If I bleed, which does happen from time to time, I'm told to sit back down, and hold for another 15 minutes.

For blood stains on clothes, my mom uses Spray-Nine, and it has to be the kind you get in automotive departments, the heavy duty stuff.  She can usually get all the blood out in one or two washes