Fistula Question

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Are there any musicians on IHD who've had a fistula built particularly keyboard players and guitarists. My question is does it affect movement and dexterity in the fingers. After all that's happened just lately if I lose my playing skills as well as having to do haemo I thing Ill top myself!

[Jess21]

Hi Ken,
I played piano/organ for a good 12 years.  While I don't play right now, I don't think it would be any difference for me now with my fistula...dexterity wise I mean.  My fingers, wrist, and hand moves the same as before my fistula..now my veins just pop out a bit more! 

[G-Ma]

Fistula or graft did not bother my wrists or fingers for playing but arthritis is doing a number on them.
Ann

[pelagia]

Ken, my husband Stephen (who plays guitar for a living) did everything he could to avoid having a fistula in either of his arms.  He and his neph discussed the possibility of having a fistula put in his leg instead.  Stephen's neph is also a avid guitar player.  As it worked out Stephen found a living donor and the entire issue was avoided when they gave him a permacath for the two months he was on dialysis.  At the time, I really knew nothing about any of this and I still am relatively uninformed.  Is getting a fistula in the leg unheard of?   

[nursewratchet]

Ken, my husband Stephen (who plays guitar for a living) did everything he could to avoid having a fistula in either of his arms.  He and his neph discussed the possibility of having a fistula put in his leg instead.  Stephen's neph is also a avid guitar player.  As it worked out Stephen found a living donor and the entire issue was avoided when they gave him a permacath for the two months he was on dialysis.  At the time, I really knew nothing about any of this and I still am relatively uninformed.  Is getting a fistula in the leg unheard of?   

  Absoulutly you can have a leg fistula.  As far as the playing goes, not an issue UNLESS you get "steal syndrome".  Since the blood is "diverted" from the hand somewhat, some people experience coldness, and some numbness to the hand on the fistula arm.  Wearing a glove helps during treatment, and I don't know if it would affect the dexterity.  If it does, I haven't heard of that problem, just during treatments.   

[pelagia]

Anything that would affect my husband's arms or hands even a tiny bit would be a big issue for him.  His playing depends on very fine dexterity and a high level of coordination (he's a "fingerstyle" player). Numbness of any sort would be a crisis.

[AlasdairUK]

Hi Ken,

I know someone who had a fistula in the lower are and they recommended that they play piano or a keyboard and he is now a very good keyboard player. His fistula works fine.

When I first had my fistula created my hand turned blu when on dialysis, so there are always some risks, but fortunetly it was my permcath that was restricting the blood flow and when they pulled it out - it all went normal.

Cheers,

Alasdair

[jbeany]

Nerve damage can also be a problem.  My surgeon attempted to do a fistula by my left wrist.  He damaged a nerve.  I spent about 6 months barely able to move that hand at all, with constant pain.  It did eventually heal itself, but it took a good year and a half before I returned to normal use of it.  I am currently using a graft in my upper left arm, and I do get a bit of the Steal syndrome, as my left hand is always a bit cold, but that hasn't affected my use of it much at all.  My surgeon wanted to do my next graft in my right arm, but so far, I've refused.  I want a leg graft as well, but the surgeon here won't do them on diabetics.  If my current graft goes, I'll end up with a cath instead.  I'm just not ready to risk the same nerve damage to my dominant arm that I had on the left.
My surgeon insisted the nerve damage was very rare.  Well, that might be true, but apparently I've already won the fistula lotto once!

[Wallyz]

I play guitar, and have not had  a loss of ability to play.  Even if you do have  problem, you can learn to play slide.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Thank you all for your replies. It's put my mind at rest and I think I'll go ahead and have a fistula done. 

[nursewratchet]

Thank you all for your replies. It's put my mind at rest and I think I'll go ahead and have a fistula done. 

   YEA!!!! Another fistula coming. 

[qwerty]

Also ensure you get the information on the surgeon. I know surgeons who dont take the time to do vein mapping or anything else but look and jump into the fire with a surgical date. Ask questions and be sure you are comfortable with the answers. Ask if he/she does the appropriate pretesting to choose the best site/vessels. Also this surgeons success rate, how many he does a year, infection rates, etc. I always explain to my patients if they are not comfortable with the answers they have every right to seek another surgeon they are comfortable and have the upmost confidence in. I dont care at all for the surgeon our nephrologist usually refers to as he does the look, feel and surgery the next day deal after one evaluation appointment. Our patient advocate helps me get them directed to the best in our area if I can without stepping on the docs toes too much lol.