Took the needles without anaesthetic!!!

[MattyBoy100]

Hi guys,

as some of you may know, I have been on hemo for 4 months now.  Well, I don`t like the needles (I don`t think many of us do!!!) and I always get myself in a state of anxiety when it comes to being needled during each session.  I have been using lidocaine so I don`t feel the needles going in but I`ve been getting bad press about the long term use of it and the effects on the nerves and the longevity of the fistula.

So last night, I took the BRAVE decision of no lidocaine.  Well, yes, the needles hurt going in, but it's only 3 seconds of pain and it's over.  It's much better than having the lidocaine injected as well cos then that's four needles or four piercings of your flesh instead of only two.  Something else I noticed is that once the lidocaine wears off, my arm throbs round the areas where the needles are in my arm but without the lidocaine there's no throbbing.

Now, I`m no fool and the nurse who was needling me was my favourite nurse and she knows me well.  She knows I don`t like needles and therefore, made the effort to put the needles in quickly without any fuss which, she achieved with no mess.  Unfortunlately, she may be going to help out at another unit and so, I will have to decide if I want someone else to needle to me.  So, the anxiety is now passing from the needles to "who is going to needle me?". 

I'm sure that if we all thought about it rationally and didn't make such a big deal about the needles then we may find it's not as bad as we make out.  It worked for me anyway.

[Joe Paul]

Good job! 

[susie q]

I don't use any type of freezing either... I don't think it hurts too much... except when the nurse goes exploring ... nearly jump off the bed then.. 

[RichardMEL]

When I first started I was offered a local with my needles. I did take it that first time because I wasn't sure what to expect. They told me though that they did not recommend it for long term use as it damaged the skin or something. Anyway the 2nd time I decided to not be a wuss and go without... and have done so ever since.

It does hurt, specially when they move to new spot, but yeah it wears off pretty quick after the needles go in.

I hate the needles but I just don't look when they stick them in. I look somewhere else and think about something else.. something nice (or I try to anyway). Sometimes the nurses are good and try to distract me with a joke or laughter or stuff... sometimes it even works

[kitkatz]

I was offered Lidocaine the first time they were going to stick me and I looked at them and said:" How many needles? Are you crazy??"  I can do two if I don't think about it, but four, no way!  I have been taking those needles straight for the past eight years.  Only once after surgery did I let them lidocaine my arm.  I was pretty out of it and they got me.  It really does not hurt unless you let your mind go nuts thinking about it.

[Fox_nc]

I'm not a needle person either, but I hear that if you learn to do it yourself it hurts way less.  You might look into that if you are brave enough ....

[Black]

Good job, Matty    As much as I hate having blood drawn, and as apprehensive as I am when I donate blood, I cannot imagine being stuck with those huge needles 6 or more times a week.  You all have my respect and my sympathy.

Is the next hurdle a "buttonhole"?

[jedimaster]

Actually I love needles...feels soooo nice. I do needles in my arm, leg, neck and stomach....feels nice.....NOT!
Is going to sound weird but now that I needle myself (home hemo) I'm in control. It hurts, no doubt, but still is me and only me who does it. I won't let anybody needle me now. I use blunt needles as I use the buttomhole technique....

[angieskidney]

Actually I love needles...feels soooo nice. I do needles in my arm, leg, neck and stomach....feels nice.....NOT!
Is going to sound weird but now that I needle myself (home hemo) I'm in control. It hurts, no doubt, but still is me and only me who does it. I won't let anybody needle me now. I use blunt needles as I use the buttomhole technique....

That is what I will be doing. The nurse asked me on Wed if I will be needling myself and I said yes. EEEK!! I am afraid of needles .. but that is my goal. I even told them, "Look I am 33! I will probably have a LOT of fistulas in my life so I must take care of mine now!" and I explained about how with my limited stick areas that it is best if I do start buttonhole.

I don't have 4 pics though because I use Emla cream to numb .. but eventually I will go without that.

[Rerun]

Angie, do you use the Emla cream AND lidocain?  I've ordered the Emla cream and will pick it up on Monday.

[Len]

I tried Emla a few times  it worked ok but I usually used same sort of stuff as lidocane .I used Tegaderms  ontop of the Emla cream  which seemed to hold it in place better . Xylocane or Lidocane is free here  but we had to buy our Emla cream. Away from all the freezing now and buttonholing

[angieskidney]

Angie, do you use the Emla cream AND lidocain?  I've ordered the Emla cream and will pick it up on Monday.

I only use the Emla cream Rerun. But I also wrap my arm with wrap. Also I learned the hard way .. don't use the dollar store wrap .. because that stuff rips all over and is very hard to get back off. The Glad Cling Warp is really good to use! 

Tegaderm is also an idea but can get expensive. I mean I already have to buy the Emla. But I can get re-embursed if I buy more than one tube at once (disability will only reimburse if I spend so much on medical supplies).

[Rerun]

OK, thanks!

[jedimaster]

Angie:
I never used anything to numb my arm (I was not offered and I didn't know better) but really is that I don't need it now. With the buttomhole technique the pain is really minimal and, as I said...I'm in control...I know what to expect. Good luck....is hard and VERY weird to needle your own arm but no crazy nurse is going to hurt me anymore!!
Now...sorry to ask stupid questions...what do you use the cling wrap for?.....to stay "fresh"?   I have absolute no idea what you use that for...illustrate me please

[Len]

Cling wrap or tegaderms  are used on top of the emla cream as the emla cream would be soaked into a pad  the cling wrap covers the emla cream  so it will stay and freeze the site for needling

[angieskidney]

Angie:
I never used anything to numb my arm (I was not offered and I didn't know better) but really is that I don't need it now. With the buttomhole technique the pain is really minimal and, as I said...I'm in control...I know what to expect. Good luck....is hard and VERY weird to needle your own arm but no crazy nurse is going to hurt me anymore!!
Now...sorry to ask stupid questions...what do you use the cling wrap for?.....to stay "fresh"?   I have absolute no idea what you use that for...illustrate me please

I will make a vid on Monday before dialysis. No need to waste now just for a vid to "Illustrate" lol  

The wrap is so that it doesn't evaporate into the air or get smeared onto a sleeve of a shirt or coat sleeve. Cheap wrap won't prevent all evaporation just some (I tested that theory today). Glad brand is stronger and thus keeps it all in.  A full hour for full effect. Less time for partial effect. Also the cheap stuff rips and is PURE HELL to take off at dialysis.

[Jill D.]

Way to go Matty Boy! At my center, there are some who are hesitant about putting in my needles and I just tell them that if they are unsure, then please have someone else stick me. By now, I know which ones are comfortable with my fistula. Also, I never watch when they do it, and I prefer for them not to say "here's a little poke". It's better for me if they just do it without saying anything.
Hope this helps!

[Bajanne]

  That was a great move!  I had been using lidocaine, and my flesh was becoming tough.  Also when the  medication was going in, it really stung, so I decided some months ago to take just the needle, and it is going quite well.  As some others have said, it does hurt when it is going in, but it wears off very quickly.
WAY TO GO!

[Zach]

Congrats Matty!

Soon you'll be self-cannulating.  That's the way to go!
 

[angieskidney]

I will make a vid on Monday before dialysis. No need to waste now just for a vid to "Illustrate" lol  

EMLA Video: http://angieskidney.com/Video/EmlaVid.wmv (7.72Mb)

** Emla topic continued over here in thread titled Emla (easier to search for that way)

[jedimaster]

Good luck on Monday!....let us know how it goes. Remember to take your time...don't let anybody to pressure you.