burning sensation when getting a relaxing sedative via IV via the hand?

[sullidog]

does anyone else notice, whenever I have a procedure like a fistulagram or whatever and they put the IV in the hand and give you the sedative to relax you, there's a bit of a burning sensation as the medicine is being administered? this stops when it's in. However when tmy IV is in my arm, which do to dialysis they like to use the hand, I don't feel the burning as the IV meds are going through, does the size of vein that is being used have an affect on rather the setative burns or not, or why is this happening. I know profofol burns, but even versaid and other setatives have this affect on me.

[jeannea]

I think a lot of medicines burn when going in. Potassium, ganciclovir, lots of stuff. I think it's your vein's way of telling you this isn't normal.

[Riki]

saline burns when it's going in for me, but only at first, once it's started, it's doesn't burn anymore.  I have this effect with just about any medication I have via IV whether it's in my hand or my arm.  I think it's just the initial shock of something new coming in, and once it gets over the shock, all is good.  I don't have that particular issue if I'm getting something through the machine at dialysis. I tend to taste what they're giving me, though, especially heparin.

[Restorer]

The only IV drug that I ever felt burning in the vein near the needle was Benadryl. I had an IV in the inside of my elbow, and I felt it burn all the way up my arm, into my neck. The only other burning I ever feel is before/after a surgery when they give me Dilaudid for pain, and that burns first in my lungs, then my muscles, moving down my body - an interesting way of tracking the path of circulation!

It might be that the vein in your arm is big enough that the sedative gets diluted quickly, to where you can't feel the burn. It'll also depend on the rate of infusion and the strength they're giving you (which I assume are related).

[sullidog]

I talked to the doctor before surgery today and I found out that some hospitals such as the one my v surgeon practices uses acid in their setatives as they work better and that's why it burns, however today when they did my surgery they injected it very slowly and with numming medicine so I wouldn't feel it as much. Saline only burns with me if the IV hasn't been used for a while e.g a hospital stay, I was told the reason for that is because if IV's haven't been used for a while they tend to develop a little clot on them.