Bled out

[Joe Paul]

Ive been taking dialysis for granted, a way to stay alive. I left dialysis today, and the wife was excited, today is out shopping day. She had plans to go to the store today, and make everyone happy, cooking the way she does. I told her, I didn't feel we should go right away, something told me not to go. I felt bad, as this week of the month is what she looks forward to. We got home and she had to run across the street, to a friend of ours house, to bring her some eggs, Sue (our neighbor) asked to borrow. I started a coughing spell, that sent my heart pounding fast. Next thing I felt was a warm stream running down to my hand, the entrance wound, (MAIN Vein) had broken open! PLEASE friends, be sure you know what to do during a bleed out.

[mallory]

Holy cow, Joe Paul, that's scary!  Very good advice that people should know what to do during a bleed out.  Is that something they train you for during your dialysis training?  Are you okay now?

[Rerun]

Joe Paul, please tell us what you did.  I hope you are alright.

[Sluff]

Thats scary please share how you got through this.

[okarol]

Some info here http://firstaid.about.com/od/bleedingcontrol/ss/bleedingsteps.htm - basic steps are:
The first step in controlling a bleeding wound is to plug the hole. Blood needs to clot in order to start the healing process and stop the bleeding. Just like ice won't form on the rapids of a river, blood will not coagulate when it's flowing.

The best way to stop it is to...stop it. Put pressure directly on the wound. If you have some type of gauze, use it. Gauze pads hold the blood on the wound and help the components of the blood to stick together, promoting clotting. If you don't have gauze, terrycloth towels work almost as well.

If the gauze or towel soaks through with blood, add another layer. Never take off the gauze. Peeling blood soaked gauze off a wound removes vital clotting agents and encourages bleeding to resume.

[Ohio Buckeye]

wow, Joe Paul how scary!
I'm sure glad you are o.k. and glad you followed your "instincts".

[goofynina]

Sorry that happend to you my friend, but isnt it funny how we know something is either gonna happen or has happend, i am glad your doing better now 

[Joe Paul]

Holy cow, Joe Paul, that's scary!  Very good advice that people should know what to do during a bleed out.  Is that something they train you for during your dialysis training?  Are you okay now?

Yes, I am OK now. This is something they went over at the clinic, and gave me a pack of gauze, tape and bandaids in-case it should ever happen. I keep some in the car, and here in our home.  I never thought much of a bleed out, till yesterday. I just grabbed the wound, put pressure on the leak till I could get new gauze and replace the soaked gauze. It took a few tries to stop the blood, but as I said all is well today. Thanks again for all your concern.

[Epoman]

Holy cow, Joe Paul, that's scary!  Very good advice that people should know what to do during a bleed out.  Is that something they train you for during your dialysis training?  Are you okay now?

Yes, I am OK now. This is something they went over at the clinic, and gave me a pack of gauze, tape and bandaids in-case it should ever happen. I keep some in the car, and here in our home.  I never thought much of a bleed out, till yesterday. I just grabbed the wound, put pressure on the leak till I could get new gauze and replace the soaked gauze. It took a few tries to stop the blood, but as I said all is well today. Thanks again for all your concern.

Glad to hear that all is well. I used to see people EVERYDAY practically when I was in-center who would get up after dialysis and go weigh themselves and BAM! blood everywhere. Glad to hear you are fine, but remember this is a common occurrence for some people.

- Epoman

[Sara]

Some info here http://firstaid.about.com/od/bleedingcontrol/ss/bleedingsteps.htm - basic steps are:
The first step in controlling a bleeding wound is to plug the hole. Blood needs to clot in order to start the healing process and stop the bleeding. Just like ice won't form on the rapids of a river, blood will not coagulate when it's flowing.

The best way to stop it is to...stop it. Put pressure directly on the wound. If you have some type of gauze, use it. Gauze pads hold the blood on the wound and help the components of the blood to stick together, promoting clotting. If you don't have gauze, terrycloth towels work almost as well.

If the gauze or towel soaks through with blood, add another layer. Never take off the gauze. Peeling blood soaked gauze off a wound removes vital clotting agents and encourages bleeding to resume.

I just grabbed the wound, put pressure on the leak till I could get new gauze and replace the soaked gauze. It took a few tries to stop the blood, but as I said all is well today. Thanks again for all your concern.

Just wanted to give more attention to what okarol posted about not removing the bandage - maybe that will help if there's a next time, and make it stop quicker? 

I'm so glad you're ok, and I bet that was really scary!   

[Joe Paul]

Some info here http://firstaid.about.com/od/bleedingcontrol/ss/bleedingsteps.htm - basic steps are:
The first step in controlling a bleeding wound is to plug the hole. Blood needs to clot in order to start the healing process and stop the bleeding. Just like ice won't form on the rapids of a river, blood will not coagulate when it's flowing.

The best way to stop it is to...stop it. Put pressure directly on the wound. If you have some type of gauze, use it. Gauze pads hold the blood on the wound and help the components of the blood to stick together, promoting clotting. If you don't have gauze, terrycloth towels work almost as well.

If the gauze or towel soaks through with blood, add another layer. Never take off the gauze. Peeling blood soaked gauze off a wound removes vital clotting agents and encourages bleeding to resume.

I just grabbed the wound, put pressure on the leak till I could get new gauze and replace the soaked gauze. It took a few tries to stop the blood, but as I said all is well today. Thanks again for all your concern.

Just wanted to give more attention to what okarol posted about not removing the bandage - maybe that will help if there's a next time, and make it stop quicker? 

I'm so glad you're ok, and I bet that was really scary!   

That was the hard part, everything was soaking wet. Being its colder here now I had a sweater and a long sleeve shirt on, it was definitely a mess. Normally I wouldn't have removed the gauze, but I had to get the shirts off as well. Again, thanks for all the concern and, hopefully it will be a while till this happens again.

[nextnoel]

Joe Paul, glad to hear you're OK now!  Wow, how scary!  Hope those weren't your favorite sweater or shirt!

[Black]

Wow!     Give yourself a big pat on the back -- you didn't pass out, you didn't panic, and you saved your own life!  I know that had to be sooooo scary!!!     Glad you're okay.

(Karol, thanks for the info and the link.)

[kitkatz]

I leaked so bad one night I had to wear a clinic paper jacket home.  I looked great in it getting gas in the ghetto gas station near the center.

I also was in my car making the first right hand turn onto a major road away from the dialysis center and felt blood running down my arm.  Holy crap! I said, as I manuevered the car over to the side of the road and grabbed the gauze I keep in the car's glove compartment just in case of an emergency.  I pulled the tape off and cleaned it up, waited until it looked like it was not gushing, then drove home, one hand holding the sites, the other carefully steering. It will scare the crap out of you the first time it does it when you are alone.