Fistula- my arm is soar/tender, hurts to the touch

[Duane]

Tender, hurts to the touch most of the time. I put Lidocain creme on two hours before dialysis and the needle still hurts going in most of the time. Does this sound like an infection?

My thrill is strong and pulse is good. But i feel everything the entire needle all the way in even with the Lidocain creme, then after it's in about 10 to 15 seconds later i feel fine.

But later after dialysis my arm area is tender to the touch all the time. Is this normal.
duane

[keefer51]

I don't know if it is normal Duane. I can tell you my friend it happens to me too. I wake on dialysis days at 3am put the cream on at 4am to go by 6am. The needle still hurts but, how can i put this... you kind of have to put up with it somehow. The worse is when it sits on the nerve for the four hours. good luck with it buddy.

[Duane]

thanks. i do my best not to move my arm, so i kick my legs up/down until it's in, i'm sure the look on my face is funny.

the lady next to me uses the creme and spray and she screams almost every time, it takes two tech's with her each time. one to hold her other hand in support. i tell her it wouldn't be the same if she didn't scream, then she laughs.

[KR Cincy]

Another possible cause for tenderness/hurt to the touch is arterial phlebitis...a small clot, espeically common (so they tell me) if they've coiled off any accessory veins around your fistula. I had that done a couple of weeks ago and couldn't figure out why the pain persisted and one area was so tender, and that's what it was. I went on Advil for about 3 days and an occasional heating pad on the area and it's been fine since.

[donnia]

I have alot of tenderness in my arm too.  I just started using my fistula 5 treatments ago.  I put the Lidocane on about 45 minutes to an hour before I go in for treatment, and it hurts a little.... but not too bad.  My arm is pretty swollen and it hurts.  I have been using a heating pad, and it has helped.

[jbeany]

Heat and ice, Duane, and lots of pretty little pills.  Mine hurts at some level most of the time, but like keefer, I guess I've just gotten used to it.

[Adam_W]

For about the first month after I started using my graft, it really hurt, even with the EMLA cream. But after a month or so of sticking it six days a week, a little layer of scar tissue started building up and the pain eased. It's a trade-off, though. Now I feel pretty much no pain when I put the needles in, even without any anesthetic, but now the scar tissue makes it really hard to get the needles in. When I put them in it feels like I'm trying to push a needle into a block of wood. Ah, the joys of sticking it almost every day.

Adam

[Rerun]

I use the cream and the lidocaine shot.  They tell me it is not good to use the shot.  I don't care!  I live in the NOW.  I don't want to feel ANYTHING!! 

             

[boxman55]

I use the Ethel Chloride spray it freezes the area on the spot no messing around two hours prior to dialysis. Your on it long enough, to start preparing a couple hours before is well ,up to you...Boxman

[donnia]

boxman.... I have never heard of the Ethel Chloride spray, what is that???

[boxman55]

boxman.... I have never heard of the Ethel Chloride spray, what is that???

Donnia, ask your nepth for a script, it comes in a brown bottle about the size of a can of soda. Right before the tech is going to insert the needle you just have them spray the area until you feel numb it takes maybe 5-10 seconds. its not 100 % pain free but close...Boxman

[KR Cincy]

It is amazing, isn't it? Here we are (well, many of us), surviving because of the advancements of modern medicine, yet they can't figure out a better way than mondo needles to hook us up.

This is seriously a crazy ride....

[donnia]

Thanks boxman!  I use the lidocane but I would like to see if this works better.

[kitkatz]

It is amazing, isn't it? Here we are (well, many of us), surviving because of the advancements of modern medicine, yet they can't figure out a better way than mondo needles to hook us up.

This is seriously a crazy ride....

It is a completely crazy ride.  Hang on into the hand basket we go!

[boxman55]

 a better yet they can't figure outway than mondo needles to hook us up.
I brought the blue hemo needle (15 gauge 1" long with the little wings and attached to about 12" of plastic tube) home and left it on the window sill almost everyone that was over for Thanksgiving asked what that was for. The looks where priceless...Boxman

[kidney4traci]

Interesting Thanksgiving host you are there Boxman!!   

[donnia]

a better yet they can't figure outway than mondo needles to hook us up.
I brought the blue hemo needle (15 gauge 1" long with the little wings and attached to about 12" of plastic tube) home and left it on the window sill almost everyone that was over for Thanksgiving asked what that was for. The looks where priceless...Boxman

PRICELESS!!!  Why didn't I think of that??!!??!!

[kitkatz]

Now everyone of us should take some needles and string them on the Christmas tree like icicles!

[kruep]

Buttonholes people, buttonholes!!! Once established my patients didn't have the pain that they started with.


kruep

[glitter]

Buttonholes people, buttonholes!!! Once established my patients didn't have the pain that they started with.


kruep

not all dialysis centers are willing to use buttonholes!!!

[jbeany]

And those of us with grafts can't use them at all.

[Black]

Buttonholes people, buttonholes!!! Once established my patients didn't have the pain that they started with.


kruep

not all dialysis centers are willing to use buttonholes!!!

Not using buttonholes is like being in the dark ages.  I would shame them into it.  If I were in your situation, every week I would pick a web page about the advantages of using buttonholes and give a copy to the tech most likely to be interested.  Leave a copy on the social worker's desk and another on the dialysis nurse's desk.  Post a copy on the bulletin board.  Give a copy to one of the other dialyzors most likely to take an interest.  Mail a copy to my nephs office.  I would do it every week without saying a word.  There are probably dozens of web sites with buttonhole info so I would keep it in front of their faces for many weeks.   

Remember it's your access, and your life.  They do not have the right to deliver outdated substandard care.

[vchen]

Try Gebauers ethyl chloride it really helps

[Loretta]

I am using one needle in the fistula and then one perma cath tube. I asked about using the button hole, and they acted like they couldn't do it because my fistula is not mature enough yet.  Does anyone know if there is any truth to that?

I also have another question.  My fistula quite working today.  I usually take coumadin but have been taken off of it due to having to have a neph tube put in and then a second surgery to place a stent through the same hole.  They aren't going to fix it until Friday morning.  I thought they had to fix the fistula within 24 hours or it would be lost for good.  Does anyone know anything about that?

How bad does it hurt afterwards?  How do they clean it out?

[qwerty]

My center doesnt use buttonhole as it requires the same staff member to insert it every time. At least that's what the administration tells me as the RN. I have questioned this myself on numerous occasions. We recently had a visitor who even brought his own needles and guess what - they still used regular needles and cannulated him!!!!! I think centers dont use them due to inexperience more than anything. The scheduling to have the same person on those days is difficult when you have centers like Davita that has only 1 or 2 RN's to staff the entire week lol. I just quit so now they are down to just the FA and 1 very inexperienced nurse who is constantly having panic attacks and calling in already.