Getting my 1st fisutla next Wednesday...what should I expect?

[Annig83]

Hey guys-

I'm scheduled to get my first fistula next Wednesday and I'm super nervous!  What should I expect in terms of pain, drowsiness...etc? 

[Lexxtech18]

First off, congrats! You'll get a great cleaning with a fistula! 

Secondly, if by drowsiness you mean coming out of the surgery itself, that depends on your body. Anytime I have a surgery it takes hours for me to come out of it. I just love to sleep! lol

Pain... well, it's been 7 years since my first fistula surgery, so I don't really remember the pain. It was very sore, but that's expected with most surgeries. Is it going to be upper or lower arm? I think upper arm is more sensitive area, so that may hurt a bit more. Just be careful with it! Don't lay on that side. Remember to feel for the bruit/thrill every day. And remember it will look horrid and bruised for awhile while it's healing but that will go away.

Good luck, hun!! 

[Annig83]

Thanks Lex

It'll be in my lower left forearm.  I'm a drowsy person too... I hope I come out of it okay... I have a tendency to do poorly with anesthesia  

[Lexxtech18]

I'm sure you'll do fine! It may be the best sleep you get all year.  Do you usually get nauseated with anesthesia? I once got sick while under.., docs were not happy. Lol

[Sue]

I had my fistula op last April ( haven't needed to use it  YAY!) I was wide awake in recovery room, had very little pain at all. The thrill was present straight away. I was in hospital for one night. You do need to be careful not to lie on it My hand was numb in parts for several months. I has to do exercises to help it mature - squeezing ball !
I had a stenosis fixed last October and several little veins which were branching off fistula tied off last November, I had a scan today and it looks good apart from a little narrowing at surgery site.

[CebuShan]

I had some pain afterwards but they put in 2 at the same time. 1 in my lower arm that we used first, then a second deeper one as a backup.  I suggest having a pillow to rest your arm especially on the trip home. When I first started to feel the "thrill", I told the kids that they put a kitty under there and it was purring!     You should be fine. I'm a coward when it comes to pain and I managed to survive.   

[Alex C.]

My fistula last September was a failure. I'm in the process of suing the surgeon for the co-pay, because he decided that 'vein mapping' was not worth the trouble. Of course, when the fistula ended up never working, and I DID go for vein mapping, it turns out that my left forearm was the ONE place he never should've tried.

For your benefit, if the surgeon has NOT done a vein mapping procedure on you, then cancel the surgery right away, and have this procedure done first.

[Cordelia]

Good luck! I had hardly any pain. I only took extra strength Tylenol for any minimal discomfort. I've had mine just over a year and its running well minor bumps along the way but that's to be expected

[Sax-O-Trix]

I would have thought that vein mapping would be a requirement for placing a fistula.  The fact that it isn't is rather scary.  I guess I learn something new all the time!

I hope everything goes well and you are up in no time at all!

[kit78]

Congrats!  I had my Fistula done Sept. 18 of last year. Now I go for "Vein to surface" surgery next week.  My arm was numb for 2 days.  Did have some pain and he gave me a narcotic which did help but makes you sick and constipated so DO make sure you get Colace or some kind of stool softener or you WILL be sorry.  This time I will just stick to ADVIL...LOL
I was "Twilighted" and was wide awake afterwards. They didn't give me regular "anesthesia" which is what they use for a transplant.  But don't worry, it's not as bad as you think.  My biggest worry is because I live alone and do not have anyone around to help me, but it went ok.
Good luck with everything and don't worry! It will be fine.

[Alex C.]

I would have thought that vein mapping would be a requirement for placing a fistula.  The fact that it isn't is rather scary.  I guess I learn something new all the time!

Yes, and sadly, this guy was the top fistula surgeon for a major hospital in a fairly large city! A surgeon with 35 years experience, even!

[Annig83]

Thanks all!  I feel a little better knowing that it's no biggie.  I've had lots of surgeries...and I mean lots  I think I'm up to about 20 in my 29 years!  I had a vein mapping a month ago because I have DVT's in my right arm from a PICC line after having my son 2 years ago.  My right arm is a complete mess and so the doctor knows not to even attempt it.  My left is awesome though.  Said it was the best arm he's seen in a while

I don't get sick with anesthesia, I've been twilighted before for a liver biopsy and thought it was so cool.  They showed me the sample right after they removed it   I was planning on going back to nursing school before I got this bad with the ESRD, so any medical stuff makes me happy as a clam

I'm not sure if they plan on putting me completely under or not?  I don't know the procedure around here.  Guess I'll find out Wednesday.  I'll let you guys know what happens!

[Mr Pink]

I had my fistula done on my upper left arm on October 22nd and it was a walk in the park. I was home after four hours following the procedure itself. There was no bruising with me (which is unusual given how easily I do bruise), and there has only been minor bruising since it started being used, which was only recently. I must admit, I was a bit anxious about having it done, but when it was all over, I concluded that my anxiety was really over nothing. It was a doddle, as the Poms would say.

[Lexxtech18]

I won't go into detail of the nightmare that happened with my first fistula...  Let's just say... it.. kind of... exploded while I was recovering in hospital. -_-'

[Annig83]

Hey guys. I'm happy to report that my first fistula is a success! It's in my left wrist. It's buzzing like a swarm of bees... At least that's what we tell my two year old to explain to him what it's like. . He says Momma feel bees? I let him touch it and he laughs. Glad he thinks its cool lol. It's extremely sore though, I had to have a highe dose of pain meds, but its healing well. They had to cut into my wrist tattoo though. My sparrow and cherry blossoms may have not survived but I'm hoping I will?!

[natnnnat]

Lexxtech:  Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
Annig: Good news!   

[MooseMom]

Well done, Anniq83!

[Lexxtech18]

That's awesome news, Annig! Glad everything is working out alright! 

@natnnnat: Yeah, it was not pretty. They didn't sew it shut, they used the surgical glue stuff and one night it just popped open. For months we had to pack it with sterile gauze and clean it out. It was a nightmare. But it's done me pretty well for the last almost 8 years. I had a jumper graft hooked up to it about 4 years ago. Still kickin!

[CebuShan]

Hey guys. I'm happy to report that my first fistula is a success! It's in my left wrist. It's buzzing like a swarm of bees... At least that's what we tell my two year old to explain to him what it's like. . He says Momma feel bees? I let him touch it and he laughs. Glad he thinks its cool lol. It's extremely sore though, I had to have a highe dose of pain meds, but its healing well. They had to cut into my wrist tattoo though. My sparrow and cherry blossoms may have not survived but I'm hoping I will?!

I used to tell the kids it was a cat purring!   

[Annig83]

Everyday Carson (my son) asks to hear and feel the bees!    he's so funny.
Everything is healing like it should but my thumb is killing me. I asked the surgeon today is that's normal and he said they stretched a nerve while doing the fistula... It hurts so much!! Hope it goes away soon?! Anyone else have that? And I so what helped you ?  I've been using a heating  pad just on the thumb area (not on the fistula site). It helps a bit but its almost like a burning sensation that won't go away.

[gothiclovemonkey]

employ the 'stress' ball as much as you can. if you cant handle it, mimic the motion.
i replied on fb, so i wont here.
i hope it goes away sooner, rather than later. i know that blows.
stretched nerve? ive never heard of that though... ive had the nerves cut in my tummy (not on purpose!!) when i had my tumor removed when i was 9, havent felt anything on my tummy since.... (weirdness though,  i have felt an itch and absolutely couldnt scratch it!!!)

[Krisna]

Hey guys. I'm happy to report that my first fistula is a success! It's in my left wrist. It's buzzing like a swarm of bees... At least that's what we tell my two year old to explain to him what it's like. . He says Momma feel bees? I let him touch it and he laughs. Glad he thinks its cool lol. It's extremely sore though, I had to have a highe dose of pain meds, but its healing well. They had to cut into my wrist tattoo though. My sparrow and cherry blossoms may have not survived but I'm hoping I will?!

I tell my young niece's and nephews there are bees in my arm too!  I also used to tell my younger sisters that when we were kids.  I got my first fistula at age 15 and had it for 21 yrs.

Definitely do all the excercises they prescribe as much as you can handle.  I didn't with my first one and developed an aneurysm near my wrist.  And it never got very big so it infiltrated all the time.  I had it a long time because they patched it a bunch so I guess it was more graft than fistula in the end.  lol
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  The fistula I have now it huge because I had the old one so long.  I had a lot of pain at first but it went away in about a month.  The first one was too long ago to remember!