Nurse today says "you need to call your surgeon and tell him your cuff is showin

[donnia]

Okay, I went to dialysis today, and while they were putting a new dressing on my permcath, she tells me..." you need to callyour surgeon on Monday and tell him your cuff is showing"  I just got it put in 2 weeks ago?  Has this ever happened to anyone else?  Thank God I had a new fistula done in my right arm Friday(so far so good... I can feel the thrill!!! YEA!!!) , so it should be useable in about 2 months..... but is my permcath gonna last that long?

[Adam_W]

I had a problem once with the suture coming completely loose on mine, but I've never had the whole cuff exposed. Definitely see your surgeon as soon as possible. When my suture came loose, I was afraid the catheter was going to just fall out. It happened a few days before I was having the catheter removed, and it turned out that I had nothing to worry about. The cuff was holding my skin so tight, the nurse had to yank REALLY hard to get the catheter out. I hope everything turns out ok.

Adam

[donnia]

Thanks Adam.  This really has me freaked out!  She told me that the cuff is completly out..... it is completely exposed!  Dang... I have only had it 2 weeks.  I hope they can  just suture it.

[goofynina]

I hope so too Donnia   Take care and Please let us know what they did to fix it, thank you 

[donnia]

Well, today I noticed that my permcath is seeping yucky stuff.  I got worried so I tried to call my surgeon.  He was not on call, so I got to talk to another doctor.  He was worried about infection, so he gave me a perscription for antibiotics.  He told me that the permcath will have to come out.... so I will call my surgeon bright and early in the morning.  I am kinda scared, because I am supposed to have dialysis tomorrow.... wonder how that will work if my permcath is not working.....  I'm so confused!

[goofynina]

Man, i tell ya, if it aint one thing it's another huh?  I hope everything works out for you and they get you situated and dialyzed (which i am sure they will)  You hang in there Donnia, it will get better 

[donnia]

Okay, I am off to the doctors office.... I'll let yall know what he says!

[Rose From OZ]

Good Luck at the Doctors. Rose 

[donnia]

AAAHHHH!!!  The doctor won't be there until this afternoon!  The nurse looked at it and had this.... oh crap look on her face.... I have dialysis at 1:30, and she wants me to go in to see the doctor at 12:45.  Dangit.... dangit... dangit

[BobT1939]

When it rains it pours, Donnia! Let us know how this turns out. Thinking of you./bobt

[paddbear0000]

Good luck!!! I hope this gets straightened out soon!

[donnia]

Well, I saw my surgeon.  OUCH!  He said the cuff was completely out, so he deadened the area and put a few stiches in to hold it.  My fistula should be ready in 2 months, so we are hoping this cath lasts that long.  To top my day off..... I get to dialysis and they are running late.... 45 minutes late!  I got home right before the Cowboys game started.  They are lucky I got home BEFORE the game started... or we would have had problems!

[Laurie]

I hope your catheter will last that long. I've never heard of the cuff coming out. I had my stitches come out all the time, but not the cuff.

The Cowboys are not doing so well, I hope they do better in the second half 

[donnia]

Well, I talked to my doctor about why the cuff would come out.  He said it does not happen very often.  3 days after I had the cath put in I was slapped, hit and elbowed in the cath area (I work with special needs children... some are more special needs than others    ).  He said that is probably what caused it.


You are right Laurie... they aren't doing so well.... I sure hope they pick it up.... I think I might bust a stich!

[goofynina]

Well i sure hope you slapped, hit and elbowed them kids back   lol, j/k,  Glad they took care of it and i hope you dont have any further problems 

[angela515]

Speaking of cuffs, (I know this is a diff cuff situation lol), my cuff on my PD cath starting showing, and when I showed my PD nurse he said it was ok b/c the type of cath I had in had another cuff deeper down inside, by the time I had my transplant my cuff was about 1/2-1 inch out. I know I know, totally diff cuffs, but this topic reminded of that. 

[angellady07]

Donnia, I hope you have no further complications with your catheter. Take care.

[2_DallasCowboys]

Donnia,

Was happy to see the post about your cath, will pray you have nothing else go wrong with it. 
Now,   How About Those Cowboys???  I know Les fell asleep before the game was over, he has
dialysis at 6AM, -  but we did tape it and I know he'll want to watch it first thing as soon as he
gets back!

Anne and Les

[donnia]

Thanks Anne!  I am just praying it lasts another 2 months... then all I will have to worry about are the needles    Oh well, at least I will be able to shower and wash my hair properly.

Whew, How 'bout them Cowboys!  That was a heck of a nail biter!

[Hawkeye]

You have to be very careful about catheters when the cuff is exposed.  The way it works is that your body should form a "scar" or buildup around the cath as part of the healing process.  Thats all that keeps it in place.  Once the cuff is exposed the cath could just fall out from just about anything from leaning over to rolling over in your sleep or just removing your shirt if it gets caught up.  Just please be careful even though you got new stitches put in.

[donnia]

Thanks Hawkeye.  I wil be very careful with it.  I am glad you told me that, cause my doctor didn't. 

Thanks again!

[thegrammalady]

i'm surprised they didn't pull it and put in a new one. the cuff is what holds it in place. mine came loose, but it took almost a year. the old one was pulled and a new one put in within 24 hours.

[donnia]

Yeah, I was kinda suprised too.  I wish they would have.  This one does not feel secure... and hurts like the dickens!!!

[oswald]

i had 1 fall out once.  i reached over to get the remote and out it came.  please be careful.

[donnia]

Yikes!!!!  If it falls out, will it bleed???  What did you do when it fell out?  Go to the ER???