Hand- pain/numbness after upper arm AV Graft surgery

[BionicGhostKid]

I'm a first time poster, but longtime lurker of this sit Mymom has been a dialysis patient for a little over a year. Last may she had a graft inserted into her lower left arm. I remember her being in a lot of pain, but the site where she was operated on was the only part in pain. About a month ago the graft stopped working. Today she had surgery to get another insert into her upper left arm just below her arm pit. The doctor said to expect numbness and for her to make squeezing motions with her hand to get the circulation going. Mom says her wrist is in pain and her hand, wrist, lower arm feels much colder than the opposite.

Is this normal? Has this happened to anyone else? Advice? I'm really concerned.

[Relentless]

Had mine 2 years ago and same thing. Mine went away after 5 month. The numbness and pain I mean.

[BionicGhostKid]

Woah, that's a longtime.

What medications did you take for it?

[jbeany]

Sounds like she's got a combo of Steal Syndrome and nerve damage.  The cold hand is from the Steal - it literally means the graft is stealing blood flow from the lower part of her arm, leaving it cold.  And any surgery carries a risk that they will cut a nerve ending - which often leaves behind a lot of pain, even in sections not close to where they were cutting.

Working the squeeze ball will help build up the blood flow in the blood vessels below the graft, and lessen the Steal.  The nerve damage usually fades with time - only think months, not weeks.  Unfortunately, the only option for medication to treat the problems are pain killers and time.

[Sue]

I had numbness in my hand for about 3 months after I had fistula op - used the sqeeze ball too. Does take a bit of time tho.

[kitkatz]

I had coldness in my hand for quite awhile after graft and fistula surgeries.  Get some skiers hand warmers packs and have her put them in her hands and pockets to help keep the hands warmer.

[kit78]

Yes it is normal so please relax. I had the same thing after getting mine last Sept.  I had wrist and hand pain and what I was feeling the pain in those area's but in fact it was coming from the area surgery was done.

Now back in 2001 when I got my first graft in my lower left area, my whole arm swelled up like a balloon and that whole are is still numb to this day. 

So please relax and tell her to take her pain pills and also keep Miralax on hand as pain meds due tend to make a per stop going to the bathroom and that can be uncomfortable as we all know.  I learned the hard way...

Hope this puts you at ease, but by all means if it gets severe, it never hurts to call the doc and ask questions.