losing the thrill, should you really go to the er?

[sullidog]

Hi all,
I ask this question because my thrill stopped working one night so I paged my doctor, he told me as long as I'm feeling fine otherwise not to go to the er that they'd put me on the schedule tomorrow, but I've read where others have been advised to go to the er when not feeling their thrill so was just wondering is it really an emergency or does it depend on the hospital / doctor?
Thanks,
Troy

[lola]

My husband was told to go to ER ASAP so they could check if it was a clot. They didn't want to take the risk of losing it.

[tubes]

I'd say go to the Emergency Room. The other week I had this problem. On Saturday Jan. 9, I noticed my fistula felt different. I didn't check for the thrill or anything. Then on Sunday my fistula was swollen and very sore. So I called my mom and asked her to go with me to the ER. I couldn't feel the thrill anymore. I was taken back to a room and had an ultrasound done. About 30 mins later the nurse came back and said that the doc said my fistula was clotted off. I was told to report to the access center at Methodist hospital at 8 am Monday morning to have my fistula declotted.
So yes, you should go. It is your "lifeline" and you don't want to play around and possibly lose it.

Hope everything turns out A'ok.
Robert

[willowtreewren]

Don't fool around with this. You are kept alive through your fistula.

Go to ER.

[jbeany]

Depends on how your center operates.  When mine clotted, I had a 'scope, so I didn't need a doc to tell me it blocked.  I just called my center, and they immediately organized an appointment with the doc who did fistulagrams.  I had a small, good center with a lot of personal attention, though, so I knew I'd get quick action from them.  Going to er just would have confirmed what I already knew and wasted time while the er contacted the nurse at my center.

[RichardMEL]

I've been told to go to the ER also. No ifs or buts. Anyway I'd rather be safe and over the top than sorry so I'd go anyway. That thing is your lifeline so you don't risk anything with it I reckon.

[jennyc]

ER, I don't know about how the US hospitals work but we only go to the ER at one of the major hospitals because there is always a neph on duty (they are on a roster, you may not get your neph but you will get one instead of being under a roughshod ER Dr). But that it only after hours during daytime i've been advised to avoid the ER and head straight to the renal clinic at our major hospital (the clinic in the hospital adjacent to the renal ward, for outpatients only.... they are the transplant clinic and do everything else for renal patients).

For the clagging of a fistula i was adivsed they've normally got about 24-48 hours to save it. I was lucky mine happened in the daytime so i went to the clinic, they admitted me then and there and operated the next day.

You'll probably find they want you to go to the ER (if it's after hours) so that they can be sure you've got a bed (admitted and on nil by mouth from midnight) so they can operate first thing in the morning.

[sullidog]

I actually was operated on Saturday, all is well! One thing I noticed not much pain with the insision.

[nycrtst85]

E.R. for sure.i had my fistula clotted once{because of heavy lifting},and went to the E.R. the next day i was scared to be honest.Then they did a procedure to unclogg the Fistula nad it hurt a lot but i had strenght from god and managed not to scream.

[jbeany]

E.R. for sure.i had my fistula clotted once{because of heavy lifting},and went to the E.R. the next day i was scared to be honest.Then they did a procedure to unclogg the Fistula nad it hurt a lot but i had strenght from god and managed not to scream.

God is good.  A doc smart enough to give you pain killers would be better!  Standard practice for all fistulagrams at my hospital is a twilight sleep med called Versed.  It doesn't knock you completely out, but just puts you in a hazy, comfortable place where you can still feel the pain as it happens, but it doesn't bother you nearly as much.  Next time, make sure they give you something!