trouble with my arm

[Jannie]

I started hemo dialysis just over a month ago. My fistulas is working properly they say, it has a good "thrill".  But there's a problem. Or two. It hurts a lot when the needles go in. I was starting to get used to that. But slowly my fistula arm is swelling up. At first it was soft and flabby, like edema fluid in the upper arm.  But yesterday something strange started happening. My bicep muscle is very hard and sore. I think my arm is getting infected. Has anyone else dealt with this? I am certainly going to point it out when I go to my next dialysis treatment tomorrow. Any advice is greatfully desired. Just don't tell me to go to the emergency room. i hate hospitals.

[skyedogrocks]

Are you in-center?  If so, what do the nurses say?

If it is very hard, you might have infiltrated it.  Try icing it and see if the swelling goes down. 

What is your temp?  That is a big detector if you have an infection.  If you aren't feeling well and truly believe it is an infection, get to the E-Room asap. 

Good Luck!

[Jannie]

I do think I got infiltrated a couple weeks ago. And I do have a slight fever-like 100.0 degrees. I go to the center tomorrow morning. I will sleep on it.

[jblamb]

I would definitely check it out. You could be clotting up also  - I had that problem at the beginning several times.  Also there is a cream (lidocain) that you put on the site about two hours before you go and then you won't feel the needles at all. It wasn't until I had been going for about a year and a half before I found out about this wonderful cream. Ask your doctor for a prescription for it.

[boxman55]

I am not a Doctor but it sounds like they are not placing the needles in properly. You can run ok even if the needle is touching a nerve but it hurts like hell. Is your arm black and blue also? They say to first apply heat then cold to help the swelling. I would make sure you do not feel any pain the next time you run because you shouldn't if the needles are in correctly. Request the senior nurse to stick you the next time...Boxman

[Ang]

sounds  like  the  needles  aren't  going  in  properly,for  the  pain,  herein  oz  its  called  emlar/lignocaine  cream,works  wonders  most  of  the  time.
the  hardness  maybe  scarring  as  i  thing  the  needles  aren't  in  properly
keep  up  the  fight  to  get  it  right
information  is  power

[okarol]

  Thinking of you Jannie - please let us know how you're doing.

[Jannie]

I went to the center Saturday morning. Insisted on someone looking art me before I would allow them to place the needles. Two nurses both looked at my arm and said it was infiltrated, not infected. They continued the treatment. They told me to take Tylenol.  to rest my arm. apply warm compresses, and keep it elevated. I will follow their instructions. Also plan to visit the surgeon who did my fistula surgery. Thanks for all the advice.

[Sluff]

That's what is so great about this site. Teamwork people you are all wonderful. I looked at this thread when it was first started and I felt bad because I could not help, but I knew that in a short time Jannie would get all the advice she needed to make the right decisions. The IHD family is the best.

[Jannie]

Today i showed my bruised arm to the tech who was about to insert the needles. He called in another tech and a nurse to find a spot on my arm. At least I got some attention. Luckily, the time passed quickly for once, and I had no bleeding problems when the needles were removed. Not bad-I hope more sessions become less painful for me. Last week my doc visited me and assured me "it will get better."

[goofynina]

Glad you had a better day and hopefully you got some answers that eased your mind a bit.  Take care Jannie 

[boxman55]

Good for you, Jannie stay on top of them techs. when the needles are inserted, yes granted the initial sticks Will be bothersome but, if placed properly they should not hurt. so next time don't stand for it if they feel not quite right...Boxman

[Jannie]

I started dialysis a little over 2 months ago. Today was the FIRST time I really didn't feel the needles going in. I love the tech who did it for me today.  Unfortunately he is already married. And get this: he's black and his wife is the daughter of a twelve-year dialysis patient and a white woman. How's that for keeping it all in the family?

[goofynina]

I started dialysis a little over 2 months ago. Today was the FIRST time I really didn't feel the needles going in. I love the tech who did it for me today.  Unfortunately he is already married. And get this: he's black and his wife is the daughter of a twelve-year dialysis patient and a white woman. How's that for keeping it all in the family?

That is amazing, only for the fact that you can tell how that family cares of each other enough to become employees in the dialysis field.  Good on them 

[boxman55]

Come on now Jannie all the techs should be able to insert the needles properly refuse to marry the one s that don't  Glad to hear someone got it right...Boxman