Arterial buttonhole pain

My arterial site is paining again. The pain around the buttonhole was paining almost the whole of yesterday. I was tempted to change the site last night but decided to try it one last time.

It was all right to start with. But a few hours into dialysis the pain was quite bad. I could not sleep properly. The pain was a sharp stinging kind of pain. It was only in the arterial side.

I had the tech close dialysis about 45 minutes before the scheduled time.

My arterial site is always a problem. I don't know why. The venous site never seems to give me problems. I have changed my arterial site thrice already. And now the pain is back. Its more than an hour since I have got off dialysis and the sharp stinging pain is still there.

The pain is there till about an inch from the buttonhole. This means that I cannot cannulate a little away too. I will have to try a totally new site today. I am really nervous.

Comments

Unknown said…
did you ever find our why your buttonhole hurt so bad? Did you find a way to alliviate the pain? I am trying to find some help for my pain.

thank you
Kamal D Shah said…
Rebekka, it settled down eventually. It took some time. The pain was probably due to the scar tissue that forms. But with regular use, I think the pain should settle down. Its two years since I posted this and now, after cannulation, there is no pain at all.