Guppda - Priming Needles

[guppda]

Just a fast back story that leads into a question.

I did my first infusion Friday night all by myself (dose number 4) and when I went to stick myself with the first needle I couldn't get it to go in. When I was trying to prime the tubes I think I might have gone a bit to far and get the meds to come out into the needle covers and make them a bit sticky. So it could have been worse but for the 4 needles I had to stick myself 6 times.

Now for the question, if I pinch off the 4 lines at the needles would I still be able to prime them all the way? To make it better this time I just used the alcohol wipes to clean off the needles and after that they all went in well. My fear is that if I don't prime them all the way to the needles that I will get air in the line and Im not sure how bad that would be with the SubQ? I know there is a bit of air in the whole system but with being new to all this I don't how much is air is to much.

Also is it a bad idea to do the infusion when Im home alone? My wife was at work and my 2 little kids were in bed when I did this and so far I haven't had any side effects yet but I know that might not always be the case.

[glowing]

Hi guppda.

Sometimes I have to resite the needles, though I only use two. I was told that we should use new needles if we have to take them out but the fact that they don't go in properly in the first place I don't consider them used. I just wipe the needle again and the site I'm going to use.

I was told never to do treatment unless someone is with you. Some of the people I used to talk to in clinic, before I started home treatment, weren't allowed to even consider home treatment if they didn't have a partner or someone who could be with them throughout the treatment. I have not had any bad reaction but as my nurse told me it doesn't mean that I won't ever have a reaction.

I think it's a nice idea to make treatment time a bit special. I relax and my husband brings me a cup of tea and a Kitkat and I watch whatever I like on tv. If we have to go through all this for life it doesn't hurt to try and make it as positive an experience as possible.

Best wishes and good luck.

Gloria

[s162216]

Hi,

In theory you should be able to prime it like that, but I don't think it would be recommended (ask your healthcare professional as they'll know the answer). A tiny bit of air won't do any harm as its going into subcutaneous tissue (with IV it is a problem as you have a bubble of air going directly into the bloodstream which could could cause problems if it was big enough), but it best practise to minimise it (this coming from me having a subcutaneous insulin pump which stays in all the time, and I have to be extremely careful to avoid bubbles when I change the cartridge and prime as even the smallest air bubble means me not getting the correct amount of insulin)

I wouldn't do it alone (in fact at the hospital where I used to infuse they insisted that all their home therapy patients always had somebody with them in case of problems) as you don't know what could happen, so I would say delay it until you have someone with you who could help if there are any problems.

Sam

[guppda]

Thanks for the info

The idea of me doing it alone maybe not the best idea came after the fact and I was thinking back. I did have my 7 year old there and if something did go wrong I think I would be ok with his help but I was not sure if anyone was told it was ok to do it alone because I never asked the nurse when she was at my house for the past 3 weeks.

I think the idea for my wire and I was to make it a movie/stay home date night for us and that will be nice. She started a part time 2nd job and it was her fist night and I was thinking that nothing went wrong before so I would be ok. Looking back I feel that I was lucky and not to risk it again.

Thank you all for the help with getting started with this new life change. Plus side is I am now 6 weeks with out getting sick and for this year that a huge thing with having pneumonia 9 times from Dec 2012 till now. Still need to wait 2 week before I get blood work to find out it this is working but so far so good.

Sean

[john]

Hi Sean,
I pretty much agree with Glo and sam and what they've said.
I'm now about to do my 18th sub cut, using 4 sites like you and I have the following comments.
When I prime the lines I stop short of the fluid coming out of the needles, a tiny bit of air doesn't hurt at all, and as you say, a dry needle goes in more easily!
There are often sites where it seems harder to insert the needle, my trainer just told me to " use more welly" and push harder, which is what I do!!
Often my wife is out of the house when I infuse, I really don't think anything dramatic is going to happen. It's obviously better if someone is around, but life can't always be ideal.
The advice I was given was to stop the infusion and call my clinic for advice if it was bleeding badly or hurting, and call an ambulance or get to A and E if I had a severe reaction to the infusion itself, which again is extremely unlikely to happen!
I do believe in spoiling myself while infusing, and so I line up the treats and make it " ME " time, there has to be some payback for having to go through all this!!
I'm really pleased that you feel the infusions are working for you, keep that thought and go from strength to strength, you deserve it!!