buttonhole scabs

[tyefly]

  Ok guys with those buttonholes......   how do you guys pick those scabs.....  seem like they heal too fast.... or they are really hard to get off..... I feel like I have to do surgery to get them......  making myself bleed....  I am worried about infection.....  how important is it to get them off.... should they be soft  or hard.....before taking them off......  twizzers just dont do it..... I have to get a needle..... there really sore after I dig them out.....  yes all of that.....  give me some pointers....Please......   

[Pam]

I have button holes. My tech uses a needle to remove the scabs and there is no problem. I've tried washing them off and that doesn't work. I've never had a problem with them bleeding either. This is just one of those off the wall ideas but if you think they should be softer try putting a dab of neosporin on them and then cover with a band aid. Seems like that wold soften them up and protect against infection. My tech did tell me that in the 10 yrs she has been doing this she has never seen an infection with button holes.
Pam

[monrein]

I used to wash my arm thoroughly with soap and water before sitting down.  Then I swiped the scabs with alcohol.  Then I used a new, small gauge needle on each site to gently scrape at the scab and lift it.  No bleeding at all.  I found it easier if the scabs weren't too soft as I tried to lift an edge and then ease the whole thing up.  Sometimes I'd have to go over it a couple times if it didn't come off in one piece.  I dialysed 5 days a week.

[silverhead]

We presently use EMLA cream applied 1 to 2 hours before sticking, the scabs dissolve and wipe off with a gauze square, before EMLA I put a little bit of antibiotic salve on them and used a fabric band-aid and had the same results......

[YLGuy]

Yes, my tech says that putting the EMLA cream on makes getting the scabs off a piece of cake.  He uses the plastic plugs at the end of the needles.

[cookie2008]

I use the emla cream and it softens the scab up, then my husband Dave use the blunt needle with the buttonhole scab remover on it.

Medisystems Twinpack Buttonhole Needle Set  with anti-stick dull bevel and steripick buttonhole scab remover.

[Brianna!]

Put some EMLA cream, or lotion over the scabs. They soften, and come off easier. That's really the only advice I have for you. My scabs come off pretty easily.

[petey]

I get Marvin's scabs off pretty easily, too.  Here's what we do...

--lidacaine creme for 45 minutes to an hour before treatment (for numbing and also softens up the scabs considerably)
--wrap the cremed arm with a long piece of Sarah Wrap (protects his clothing from getting smeared with the creme and also "heats" up the creme and makes it work better)
--Right before treatment, Marvin washes, washes, washes, washes his arm (sometimes the scabs come off at this point)
--if scabs are still there, I pull them off with tweezers (the plastic, sterile, one-use kind) ... By this time, I find that the scabs' edges have pulled loose from Marvin's fistula, and I just gently tug on a corner with the tweezers.  Comes off in one piece.  No blood. No pain.
--if the edges are not pulled back enough for me to get the tweezers on, I will take the "pick" on the end of the needle to get the corner up, but then I switch back to using the tweezers.

We were told NOT to dig, dig, dig (either with the pick or the tweezers) for fear of damaging the opening of the fistula.  I do NOT stick anything in the fistula while I'm trying to get the scab off (I save that for later when the needle goes in  ).

[petey]

...it just occurred to me ....where else in the world could you come for instructions on how to pick off a scab?   

...and also, has all of my education come down to being an expert at picking off scabs?         

[dwcrawford]

Why am I not getting any scabs?  Is that for when you start buttonholes?  When will they get off their behinds and start buttonholes for me?  Damn Petey, I didn't know you knew about this stuff.  We need to start discussing more things than how  to keep  life in an uproar (although that's probably more fun).

[YLGuy]

...it just occurred to me ....where else in the world could you come for instructions on how to pick off a scab?   

...and also, has all of my education come down to being an expert at picking off scabs?         

petey, you can be IHD's official scabologist. 

[tyefly]

    Thx   everyone.....  and  I think having a title of  Scabologist  is just what we need here at IHD.......  I showed some others yesterday at the clinic  and I was told that they were very soft scabs...  thats why I cant pick them off..... they just dont come off...... and doing surgery is not what I need to me doing......

   I was told that as my buttonholes develop I will get a bigger crater and a bigger scab may develop...... Again  I have been working too hard.... I dont have to dig for meat  I just need to remove the crust if any....

[dwcrawford]

tyefly,  how did you get them do start buttonholes so fast?  I'm still beggin after 8 months of this (well only 3 on fistula)

[tyefly]

   Dan...... I just looked at them with my big brown eyes and  slipped them  50 bucks and they agreed.....

[dwcrawford]

Tyefly.... See my donkey......

[tyefly]

    Dan    even jack...asses   are smart... asses.....     they can tip.....and plus they have big brown eyes.....

[petey]

    Dan    even jack...asses   are smart... asses.....     they can tip.....and plus they have big brown eyes.....

If being a smart ass will get buttonholes started, you're long overdue, Dan!    What color are your eyes?

[dwcrawford]

Big and Brown...

[willowtreewren]

Big and Brown...

 

Watch out, ladies!