Thalassemia Patients and Friends

Discussion Forums => Iron Chelation Corner => Topic started by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on July 27, 2006, 09:03:58 AM

Title: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on July 27, 2006, 09:03:58 AM
Please explain your option.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: floWer on July 27, 2006, 12:01:07 PM
Could we have "all of the above" option?   :)
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Miaki on July 27, 2006, 02:32:30 PM
I would say the pricking of the needle is the most painful thing. Don't you just hate it when you fall onto a site that's all lumpy............. :mad

Premixing the desferal.............thats just a pain in the ........  :rotfl

And the taking it out is a breezeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....that should be the fun part.

Miaki
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on July 27, 2006, 03:49:39 PM
floWer, I've added the option that you wanted but I'm afraid now I can't get the setting to let users change their vote or vote many times.  :-\
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Andy Battaglia on July 27, 2006, 04:17:20 PM
I changed it so you can change your vote now.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Danielle on August 02, 2006, 02:53:42 AM
I think putting the needle in is the most painful out of the poll choices, but I'd have to say the most pain is the actual infusion.  Over the 8-10 hours, the site gets all red and swollen, and it's very painful and itchy.  Sometimes it's so bad that I rip it out in my sleep.   :-\
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Isis on August 02, 2006, 09:31:07 AM
Quote from: Danielle on August 02, 2006, 02:53:42 AM
I think putting the needle in is the most painful out of the poll choices, but I'd have to say the most pain is the actual infusion.  Over the 8-10 hours, the site gets all red and swollen, and it's very painful and itchy.  Sometimes it's so bad that I rip it out in my sleep.   :-\

HI Danielle,

Pricking the needle into the skin is the most painful esp. as Miaki said..when U hit an already bruised site...or what feels like some nerve. (Subq layers don't  have nerves do they ?)

The things, I found helpful to prevent red and swollen site over the number of hours is ....you never let the subq needle go in shallow. Choosing the fatty areas helps.  :blush 
Second, dilute the desferal as much as you can. 
Earlier, I used to think that the increasing number of CC/ more the liquid.. the more it is painful.  However, the diluting does work....makes it less concentrated, and less toxic to us in the long run anyway.

I know of  someone that is allergic, they are prescribed some med/s by the doc, for local application as well as for intake. Also, generic desferal causes way greater irritation than the original desferal brand. 

You may already know all this, but I still hope it  helps.

 Maybe, someone can add about the local remedies used to anaesthetize the subq site, before injecting themself. I have never used any. Is it called Emla cream?

Regards,
Shilpa.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on August 03, 2006, 06:25:11 AM
Quote from: Danielle on August 02, 2006, 02:53:42 AM
I think putting the needle in is the most painful out of the poll choices, but I'd have to say the most pain is the actual infusion.  Over the 8-10 hours, the site gets all red and swollen, and it's very painful and itchy.  Sometimes it's so bad that I rip it out in my sleep.   :-\

I suppose that the second option would have been better for you; considering the pain of the swelling, it is maximum when you peel the tape off the swollen/sore area!
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Miaki on August 04, 2006, 01:44:45 PM
Shilpa ....I agree with you in were you say using more water to dilute the desferal causes less swelling and pain. I actually use a 20ml syringe and I use 2 10ml water, total water used is 20mls. Then I dilute my desferal in that 4gms. Also using the longer needles to go in deeper in a fatty area helps.  :rolleyes

Miaki
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: TruBlue on August 04, 2006, 03:32:04 PM
I can't comment on the pain of the needle as i faint at the mere sight of needles   :rotfl   But I remember the first time my wife invited me to mix the desferal. I was so nervous I literally couldn't stop my hands from shaking and spilled more than a little much to my wifes amusement. It was such a truly awesome responsibility to prepare the injection that helped to keep my wife alive.

I know one other husband of a Thal major woman who insists on preparing his wifes injection every night without fail. It doesn't matter what was going on at that set time he would excuse himself to his study, lock the door and prepare the injection with an almost religious precision.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: TruBlue on August 04, 2006, 03:38:05 PM
On a slightly different note, I'm not sure if my wife is alone in this observation/experience but she has found that particular nurses are almost always capable of placing the transfusion needle without causing subsequent swelling or later bruising whereas other nurses, whose technique appears the same, always seem to achieve negative results? It does lead to all sorts of shenanigans as I attempt to run interference on transfusion days to buy time until one of the nurses she prefers is manning the needle room. Just wondering if others had encountered a similar thing?
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Andy Battaglia on August 04, 2006, 03:44:21 PM
TruBlue,

I have heard this mentioned by patients many times and Lisa had her favorite nurses who knew how to find a vein. My own experience in the hospital was also "hit and miss" depending on which nurse or tech did the sticking. I learned to be very happy when one certain tech stuck the needle for the frequent blood tests.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Miaki on August 04, 2006, 04:05:49 PM
TrueBlue,

Get your wife to request her favourite nurse. I also have my favourite nurse in the unit and even if she is not working the treatment room that day i request for her.The others dont mind at all. They would rather see patients happy than nervous.

Miaki
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Shikha Mitra on August 04, 2006, 05:51:25 PM
Shilpa

Try Zylocain 20 minutes before the prick.. it works!

Emla is costly and might not be available in India.. and use the 25 scalp needles...
Hope that helps.

Shikha
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on August 05, 2006, 05:17:49 AM
TruBlue, you are right!

In my case, there is one technician who can find my vein in one go while it requires several attempts for even the more senior nurses!
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: jzd24 on August 05, 2006, 05:28:52 AM
   I agree that there are some nurses who seem to have a particular talent for doing a good and painless job of finding a vein, while others seem to have difficulty, and it hurts. I can't figure out why that is.   :dunno  Jean
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Isis on August 05, 2006, 08:49:27 AM
Thanx.  The 25 scalp, I don't use them anymore. After I started with  27 gauge I just could not go back to 25 gauge scalp veins.  :dunno


Sajid, try dousing the sticking tape at the swollen area, with a cotton swab soaked with spirit (ethanol). It loosens up the tape. You can then peel it off, without added discomfort.
 Elementary, my dear Watson   :bored

Quote
It does lead to all sorts of shenanigans as I attempt to run interference on transfusion days to buy time until one of the nurses she prefers is manning the needle room. Just wondering if others had encountered a similar thing?

Yes, that is very familiar and has happened a lot with me too.  As a kid I would not even want anyone else to touch my hands (to check for the veins), but the same person who started my IV , each time....and would totally stress if I did not get them.  The one that I depended most on, I still remember her name (though she is no more now), Faria aunty.  :wub

We develop a rapport with the same special nurses , since the transfusions are a regular requirement. 
Def. some nurses seem to have a magic touch and gentle hands,  and will  never hurt or bruise you. 
 :cloud9       

 Shilpa
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on August 05, 2006, 11:05:01 AM
Quote from: Isis on August 05, 2006, 08:49:27 AM
Sajid, try dousing the sticking tape at the swollen area, with a cotton swab soaked with spirit (ethanol). It loosens up the tape. You can then peel it off, without added discomfort.
 Elementary, my dear Watson   :bored

The tape I use for Desferal is water proof plastic-based with pores. However I do remember back in Saudi Arab that some Nurses did use spirit to remove the cotton based plaster tape after the transfusion as they used to admit us for a day and the whole thing had to taped up to my hand with a cardboard support.

Ahh.. Childhood memories! How they haunt back the visions of crying in pain plus seeing my mom cry along me :wah
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Ironman on August 06, 2006, 04:10:04 AM
I hate putting a needle in myself. When my mom used to do it, I was cool with it.

But it is very strange doing it on me myself ???



I dont know why, but the best thing I know is the needle when I am having a transfusion.

I love it. The more pain, the better :biggrin

Maybe because the needle is so big and I dont se it a lot, only when getting transfusions.


The funniest thing is, when they have tried both hands and they cant find a veine and they look at me, with a sorry face saying: "Oh well, lucky number 3 right... but where should we put it?"

Haha, I am  :rotfl inside about the stressed faces while they come up with strange places to put the needle. Haha


There is one thing I hate though. It is when they want to put the needle in the upperside of the arm. My skin is very thick there and the needle will bend before it can come through. Also, they cant find the veine because they have no control over it.


Until we meet again needle, SAYONNARA :wink
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on August 06, 2006, 05:16:01 AM
Wow Kochi, :shocked
                You enjoy the needles at Tx! You are one tough dude!
Stay strong :thumbsup
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Ironman on August 06, 2006, 10:11:22 AM
Hehe, tnx m8 :biggrin
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: sahil on September 05, 2006, 07:25:49 AM
U should have one more option :- None of the above.

Coz from mixing the desferal to pricking and till taping I dont feel it is painful or hard and difficult.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: KHALIFA on September 05, 2006, 09:46:17 PM
somebody ask me same quistion one day i told him the first enjiction i prebare it for my son abdulwahab all my body was shaking and my tears covered my eyes (how come i put a needle in his stomach) he is my son it's not only painful or harder or difficult it's bad dream ... dosn't mater long needle or short butterfly or thalaset by I.V or by stomach this child am his father i brought him to this life me and his mother i can't leave him like this so i have to stay with this bad dream intel we find a salotion ..
            that was my answer
                                    GOD BLESS ALL
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: §ãJ¡Ð ساجد on September 06, 2006, 05:52:36 AM
Yes, we are all waiting for the time when Exjade and other oral chelators are easily available to everyone.
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: marionetteskies on September 20, 2006, 10:50:48 PM
I'd have to say that pricking the needle is the most painful part of doing Desferal. I would spend so much time looking for a "sweet spot" to prick the needle, but the spot ends up being a lumpy one and I'd end up crying. Okay I'm kidding about the part about crying, but yeah...ouch!
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: Mei Ren on November 07, 2006, 08:50:11 AM
Since i've been used to needles, for me it would have to be the 8 long hours till I can remove it from my tummy. Its itchy and very swollen. At times it hurts when the medicine is pushed by the pump, how I hate that undescribable pain you get!  :hissyfit I actually prefer it to be administered intravenously rather than subcutaneously.
Emla does help ease the pain, you won't feel the pain just the pressure of someone poking you. hehehe...  :biggrin
Title: Re: Which is more painful/harder/difficult?
Post by: harsimran on November 08, 2006, 01:45:38 PM
 :veilpricking  needles is more painful than other thing but i  have a solution to it .i use a cream for lumps and hardness of the skin  by the name of SILVEREX (silver sulfadiazine and chlorhexidine gluconate cream) thou this cream is available in india  only. but u can use any other cream with the same chemical compsition :wave