Pulling the needles!!

[Rerun]

Today when the tech took out my needles she pushed down real hard before they were out.  Man!  My arm still hurts a hour later.  I politely told her (I know... not like me).      I hope she doesn't do that to everyone.  Ouch!

[Bill Peckham]

Yeeesh. I think pulling the needles is an unappreciated skill.

Now that I think about it, self decannulation should be at least as common as self cannulation. Yet when I was in center I never pulled my own needles, it never occurred to me even as I self cannulated for 10 years. There was that staff person who would:
A) Pull on the needle line while it was still taped down, as if I wasn't still attached. I knew her habit was to pull the luer lock to her hand rather than moving her hand to the luer lock so I would always grip the line anticipating this habit.
and/or B) press down way too early when pulling the needle and then press down way too hard once the needle was out.

Doing it myself never occurred to me but it is easier than putting the needles in which is encouraged.

[MattyBoy100]

I ALWAYS worry every time I get towards the end of my session about having the needles taken out.  I have no reason to worry though coz all the staff in my unit are very good.

When I first started dialysis I used to have a line in my chest.  Once, one of the staff was putting me on and she went to get something but was holding the line from my chest in her hand at the same time.  When she moved she yanked on the line in my chest and the pain was terrible.  Not something that was very nice at all!

My unit have suggested taking my own needles out but for me, it is a real stumbling block but like self- cannulating I will get over it in time.

[ILOVEFLUID]

Now that i am training for home dialysis, I take out my own neeles and i much prefer it.

[Rerun]

I think I can do it.  I think I can take them out.  I just can't see myself putting them in. 

Thanks for the feedback.               

[Amanda From OZ]

Rerun i have been on home-hemo for about 2 years and i still get scared everyone i pull out my needles............ well OK i am lying someone pulls it out for me, but i press down and hold it when i feel the needle is out.... maybe you should try that... 


Amanda
xxoo

[luckaholic]

You shouldnt press down until the needle is completely out! Lightly hold the gauze over the site, pull the needle out quickly and press down as soon as it is out.

[keefer51]

The nurses and techs that pull my needles are quite inept. Out of all of them there is only ONE yes one that can do it without pain. She also is the only one that can put them in without any pain. I watch to see how their day went. I can sense when they have had a bad day. The needles go in with a problem they never hit the "sweet" spot. Usually those days i get stuck more than twice. If i show pain or cry out in pain when dialysis is over they make a point of taking them out by pressing on the needle and taking it out slowly. Because i am at their mercy if they have a fight with their spouse or partner they always take it out on me. If the needles are done right i always say thank you. But after three years you could count that on one hand.

[kitkatz]

keefer51, you need to borrow my big stick and whack a few people over the head at your center!  There is no reason for you to be treated this way!

[skyedogrocks]

My husband Rob does home dialysis with Nx Stage now.  I'm the one pulling them out and let me tell you how scary that is!  At first I was always afraid of hurting Rob.  Once when I pulled them out, Rob didn't have the gauze on his site.  Blood poured out, I dropped the needle.  Thankfully I didn't hurt myself.  So now, I use the safety cap, Rob makes sure he has gauze on his site and doesn't press down.  It has helped us both....since he doesn't get scared I will hurt him and vice versa!

Larraine

[luckaholic]

My husband Rob does home dialysis with Nx Stage now.  I'm the one pulling them out and let me tell you how scary that is!  At first I was always afraid of hurting Rob.  Once when I pulled them out, Rob didn't have the gauze on his site.  Blood poured out, I dropped the needle.  Thankfully I didn't hurt myself.  So now, I use the safety cap, Rob makes sure he has gauze on his site and doesn't press down.  It has helped us both....since he doesn't get scared I will hurt him and vice versa!

Larraine

If you pull it out too slowly it will bleed. You need to be quick, but smooth. I once got my untrained partner to pull mine out (cant remember why), but he did it too slowly coz he was tryin to be careful and blood went everywhere and ended up with a huge hematoma and having to call and ambulance.

[skyedogrocks]

If you pull it out too slowly it will bleed. You need to be quick, but smooth. I once got my untrained partner to pull mine out (cant remember why), but he did it too slowly coz he was tryin to be careful and blood went everywhere and ended up with a huge hematoma and having to call and ambulance.

Never said I pulled them out too slowly.  He holds the gauze on the site with light pressure, I pull the needle out.  Very smooth process and I don't hurt him.