needling issues

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chessnut
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:31 pm

needling issues

Post by chessnut »

I'm curious, do any of you self-needling on HD with buttonholes ever have those days when a needle just won't go in?

I fairly regularly spend 10-20 minutes trying different angles etc, before succeeding. The other day, I was there 40 minutes, and had to give up and use a sharp. Two days later, the blunt one slid in no problems.

I know it's down to getting the right angle etc, but sometimes it just doesn't seem to want to work. My current thinking is that I may not have been diligent enough in clearing the dead skin around the button hole at times, and that 'grabs' the needle, preventing it from going in smoothly. Whatever the reason, it's frustrating ... :evil:
wagolynn
Posts: 1367
Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:49 pm

Re: needling issues

Post by wagolynn »

Hi chessnut,
Have a look at this information, it is an American source so you will have to allow for that but the technique is spot on.
http://homedialysis.org/documents/pros/ ... lation.pdf

You may be worried about the feeling of lack of control of the needle but that is the point (pun not intended), the needle is free to follow the channel, using 'sharps' risks destroying the existing channel.

Good luck.
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