"Lymphatic Drainage"

[MooseMom]

I'm going to bet a  that this question has never been asked on IHD.

Last weekend, my husband and I went out to breakfast, and as we were leaving, I saw him wander into a beauty salon next door.  I thought what the hell is he doing in there, and I followed him in.  Turns out he was buying me a gift certificate for a facial.  The shop is owned and operated by a lovely woman from France, and it is a small, intimate place that seems really nice.

When I lived in London, I'd treat myself to a facial once a month.  I had the same facialist for years and watched her career advance to where she finally opened her own place.  Dealing with CKD and an autistic kid made me feel like I earned a treat once a month, but what I paid was just half of what the going rate is here in the US, so I've not had a facial ever since I moved back here in 2003.

Anyway, this would be the first time I've had a facial since finding out that my kidneys are really bad.  The lady began telling me that she has in mind a facial that would "facilitate lymphatic drainage" so that toxins would be more easily removed from my skin/body.  Well, as you can imagine, this raised a red flag as I don't "do" toxin removal all that well.  So, I had to suck it up and tell her about my kidney disease.  I wrote it down for her, and she said she'd do some research and would contact the company whose products she uses to see if they would be safe for me, and I appreciated her attention to detail.

I also pointed told her about AV fistulas and how mine results in a thrill that can be very easily felt at the base of my throat; I didn't want her to feel it and freak out.

Anyway, my question is this...does a facial really result in "lymphatic drainage", and can that be harmful to a CDK4/5 patient?

Thanks, and sorry if this is silly. 

[cattlekid]

This isn't silly at all.  My massage therapist does lympthaic drainage.  I used the lympathic drainage when I had bad sinuses and it worked great, but this was years before I was in ESRD.  I think it's a good idea that she is checking, but I wouldn't be surprised if she came back saying that it's not recommended.  I think a basic facial would be fine, though.

[MooseMom]

Thanks for not making me feel like a right twit, Cattlekid!

I've emailed the facialist and suggested that any facial incorporating "lymphatic drainage" probably wouldn't be appropriate for me.  She seemed genuinely interested in tailor-making a regimen for my special needs, so I am sure she will appreciate your imput.  Thank you!

Last question in this regard...

Is there any kind of product that she should avoid using?  I told her that I have to avoid dietary K and phos but that I didn't think this would extend to stuff being slapped on my face.  However, even "natural" products can pose a risk to us fragile renal people, and while none of these products have ingredients that would enter my blood stream, I still think it is wise to ask the question.  So if anyone can think of anything risky about getting a facial, please let me know.

Oh sorry...one last question regarding my fistula...

I have an upper arm fistula, ever been used, but thrilling like a freight train.  Like I've said, I pointed out to her the bulging pulse in my neck; she could see it from behind the counter!  Should she not touch it at all, or can she use a light massaging touch, or what?  I want to give her as much guidance as possible; I don't want to worry that she is worried.  I want to find a facialist that I can go to on a regular basis, and I want this lady to feel comfortable with me.

Again, I know this is very trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I've learned that you can never be too careful. 

[Riverwhispering]

MooseMom I've not heard of feeling the pulse in the neck before.   It made me think about what I experience often now is sometimes I can feel the pulse in my chest and it freaks me out especially when I'm laying down trying to take a nap or sleep at night.   Do you experience that too?

[MooseMom]

Hi there, Riverwhispering!  My apologies for not having gone over to your introduction thread that you started today; I didn't see it until just now.  I've read your other posts, though, and it looks like you have an AV fistula, is that right?  For how long have you had it?

Mine was created in April of 2010, and I have not had to use it...yet.  But it is as mature as it can be, and over time, I've noticed how the veins on my left upper arm, shoulder and neck have become more pronounced.  They seem bluer, and it's rather bizarre.  However, I am assured that this is normal.

The incision was made just under the crook of my left elbow, that's where you can feel the thrill and hear the bruit just as one would expect.  I can feel the exact same thing at a point at the base of my neck, just above my left collarbone.  When I went for my cardiac testing as required by my tx center, the cardiologist ordered a doppler ultrasound of my neck just to make absolutely sure that the bruit she could hear was due to my fistula and not from something else more sinister.  While it is decidedly creepy, it's normal.

I seem to be always aware of my pulse, particularly as I am trying to go to sleep because the quiet of the night seems to amplify the swoosh swish.  I can just sit here and close my eyes, and I can feel my upper arm throbbing.  Since I haven't had to use it yet, I have no real way of knowing if it is OK, but I get it checked every time I see my neph. 

Yes, I experience what you are experiencing, and yes, it is totally freaky.