fistula

[jonn r]

so guys i am going to dartmouth hichcock tomorrow to get my fistula..... i have to be there at 6 am and to tell you the truth i am s***ing bricks.....i really dont like hosptials or being put under...please tell me that things will be ok and what am i looking into as far as stiches??? or anything else..i am leaving my house tonight around 6:30 so untill then i am all ears

jonn

[jbeany]

jonn - hang in there.  I've had multiple fistula surgeries.   They haven't been fun or anything, but if there aren't any unusual problems, they aren't as bad as you think.  My last surgery was for a graft in my upper arm.  It went so well that I was off all the pain meds within a few days and my doc had to keep telling me to slow down and stop doing so much.   

Did you look through some of the posts about fistulas on here?  Type it into the search box at the top.  Someplace on here is a post with pic's of people's fistulas.  It will give you an idea of what the scars will look like for the average fistula surgery.

http://angieskidney.com  has some good photos of her surgery scars in her blog, as well. 

[goofynina]

Hi John,   I must be the biggest baby and most terrified of doctors but i have had 2 done and it all went fine.  No worries ok

[kitkatz]

I have Goofynina beat hands down when it comes to being a baby about surgery.  I whine the entire way into the surgical suite, then whine at the people in there, then whine at the surgeon when he arrives.  When the meds to put me out are administered I am sure they are glad I am out!  I try to keep a stiff upper lip and all that stuff, but it is my body they are messing with.  The stitches are not bad for a graft or fistula.  You will ache in the arm area for several days.   You might ask if you can put ice or heat on it after surgery and keep it elevated. I took a pillow into Denny's after one of my graft surgeries to keep the arm elevated while I ate. Of course this was a few hours after they let me out of the hospital.  Do what they tell you to do.

[MattyBoy100]

Hi John,

I think I'm posting too late before your op.  I recently had my fistula done and it was no problem.  The surgeon put me on a local anaesthetic.  The area where my stitches were stung a bit afterwards but I was given pain killers for that.  I didn't have full movement of my arm however cos twisting it from side to side was a bit sore.  I was told not to drive for a week but I started after three days - LOL!  I had to try and keep my arm straight while changing gears!!!  After about 3 weeks it was totally healed up.  I was given dissolvable stitches which gradually disappeared.

They will wait some time before they use your fistula.

Keep us posted on how you get on and any questions you have about anything at all, just post them on this site.  This is the BEST site to come to for all your answers.

[Zach]

And remember to exercise the fistula as per your doctor.
 

[anja]

Hope all went well for you, Jonn!  You will be glad it is behind you.  Take care and do as the doctor says---no picking Miaha up , she can hug your neck while you are sitting down....

[nextnoel]

John, hope all went as planned and you're healing fast and feeling well! 

[Lucinda]

Hi Jonn,

I had my graft the same time you had your fistula.  It is sore and very swollen and still typing with one hand.  I had three cuts, one at the wrist, another half way up my forearm and a very large cut in the crease of my elbow.  My veins and arteries are very small so they had a few problems. Got into the chatroom last night and everyone was very reassuring.  Take care, it's done now and we are on the road to recovery.     

[MattyBoy100]

Anyone heard from John?  I sent him a PM to ask how he got on and so far no reply.  Anyone got any news?

[Lucinda]

He is probably a bit sore and might not have turned the computer on yet.  I had mine done the same day and I am still feeling a bit crapy and very sore.  I'm sure he will let us know as soon as he is feeling up to it. 

[angieskidney]

I remember when I had mine I was unable to type on the keyboard because how close to the wrist my first one was. It may take time for him to post.

[jasperkat]

My husband just had a new fistula done last Thursday.  He had no real pain and was able to ride his exercise bike the next morning.  Yesterday he went for a follow visit and the surgeon feels that it will be useable within 4 - 6 weeks.  I will believe that when I see it!!

[AlasdairUK]

My husband just had a new fistula done last Thursday. He had no real pain and was able to ride his exercise bike the next morning. Yesterday he went for a follow visit and the surgeon feels that it will be useable within 4 - 6 weeks. I will believe that when I see it!!

Make sure he waits six weeks. You do not want to use it too soon. He must exercise it.

[gizmar]

If the vascular surgeon is good, the discomfort is usually minimal and managed with some pain killers.  I had an upper arm fistula (for the sake of vanity) - just didn't want ugly bulging in my lower arm.  Although I'm glad I did it that way, it's not always the most comfortable place to have a fistula.  Our hospital has a surgeon who we call "the butcher" - need I say more.  Everyone who's been under his knife has a horror story to tell.  When it was my turn, I insisted on going to a teaching hospital with a particular doctor.  I never EVER regretted that decision.  The butcher is still messing up peoples' lives and it escapes me how he stays in practise.

[Zach]

He must exercise it.

AlasdairUK is right, make sure he exercises it, as per his doctor's orders.

[jasperkat]

My husband's fistula continues to heal.  He carries his ball around in his pocket so he can exercise as often as possible.  Did I see a post somewhere about a jacket that the sleeve unzipped?  I need to find something for him to wear so he won't get toooooo cold and still be able to access the site on his upper arm.  I just took brownies to the Dialysis Unit for the staff.  I think they were consumed before I got out of the door!

[angieskidney]

He must exercise it.

AlasdairUK is right, make sure he exercises it, as per his doctor's orders.

My surgeon never told me to exercise it and I think I knew to do so only because of this site or else another one I mod at. But either way I am so happy because the surgeon was wrong to be so assumptious of me. The first time my fistula had failed. When he looked at my fistula it was before dialysis so of course my veins were large. Then he did the surgery right after dialysis on another day and of course that makes them small. There is never this advice online so that is why I am saying it. NEVER EVER let dialysis dry you out before surgery to make an AV FISTULA! The surgeon told me that my fistula failed after only 10 days because my veins were so small (his words). I felt like smacking him in the head and saying, "Remember YOU said they were huge and I had no reason to worry??" Grr 

So the next surgery I made sure to come off heavy. And it still works today 6 months later.

So I thought I would add that. Never let dialysis dry you out before that surgery to make a fistula! 

OH! I also wanted to add that they never told me to exercise my arm but trust me, everyone should! That is, if you want the fistula to work better than normal! 

[jonn r]

well hello all its me jonn r from maine...lets see i had a really bad time in the hosptial .....i am going to scan the dr report so everyone can read what happned to me...but to make it short i died for 8 min......i will post tonight....glad to be back

[MattyBoy100]

Hey John, glad to hear from you again! Hope you are ok.  Just tell us in your time what happened.

[jbeany]

 

Glad you're still with us!  We've been thinking about you!

[vandie]

So glad you are back.  What a scary experience that must have been.

[Lucinda]

So what happened Jonn......how could a fistula go so wrong!  I am having trouble with my new graft but not such a dramatic result.  Hope you are OK now.  As Matty said....just let us know in your own time.   

[angieskidney]

Hi jonn r! Glad you are back! We are curious and glad you are doing better now.

[nextnoel]

John, WELCOME BACK! I'm so sorry you a hard time of it; my thoughts and prayers are with you.