IV site, Such an unnecessary aggravation..!!!

I have an aggravation from surgery that I feel was totally "Uncalled" for. I have the "so called clot" in my arm from the IV torture that, I have since learned, I could have refused.. ........ didn't know that at the time, or was too drugged to realize it.

They first had the IV in my "THUMB" can you believe that...... Woke up from surgery and it was in my forearm, between wrist and elbow.... which worked ok.. The next day they unhooked the IV from fluids and left needle in my arm, they proceeded to "Flush" it out several times during the day and night... That HURT so bad... I would never want to go thru that again... ever. If at all possible. I know it was left in for a precaution but, they never did have to use it again.......( just ranting, I guess)

Now, as I said, I have the clot thingy......with burning from wrist to elbow mostly and sometimes radiating into shoulder. I have been to Dr. twice about it...... (2 different Drs.). They finally decided I have Nerve damage, and may have this feeling for who knows how long. Said it my never go away.....

It hurts for anything to touch it, clothing, blankets....or even how I bend my arm..... They told me to use anti-inflammatory meds, and either heat or ice on it. The ice works best for me..... the meds. don't touch it.

Just seems like an "Extra" problem, that I have never experienced before, that was just totally unnecessary...!!!!

We "Hurt" for so long, and deal with so much, that anything of this nature, just puts me over the top..........

Thanks for letting me "Rant",



Gen

Gen - I'm sorry to hear that you are hurting.

When I went back into castle for infection, they put an IV in my left arm in the ER even though I told them that my right arm was better. Well, I don't know what this nurse did but I was screaming in pain and I now have a "lump" in my vein that may never go away.

Songinthedark.....

I can't help but wonder why that happens..?? The lump in the vein, I have had many IV's in the past and never once had this happen...

When the first Nurse put the IV in my thumb, I was dumbfounded, she didn't even try anywhere else....that was her first choice. The IV never did work...I laid there for half an hour before I noticed it wasn't dripping...... When she finally came back and I told her...she just jiggled it around and said "OH WELL"........ then off we went to the.....OR....

Things happened so quickly.....plus I had had some Versad...so wasn't thinking straight at all....!!

I do take some responsiblity for it tho....I could have refused the location.........and I could have asked to have the IV removed after seeing that I was fine after surgery.......But, again the drugs kept me from thinking.............. Just wish I could turn back the clock..

Other than this......doing really good........so, just feel if this hadn't happen.....things would be so much better......... ugh.

Gen

Sooo sorry for your added pain and aggravation. My niece had a similar experience with an iv giving her nerve damage in her arm. It has been 5 years I think, she still has some issues with it, but it did get better. She can have material touch her arm. I am so fortunate for the care I got at the castle! I was worried about that after hearing so many horror stories.

Sooo sorry for your added pain and aggravation. My niece had a similar experience with an iv giving her nerve damage in her arm. It has been 5 years I think, she still has some issues with it, but it did get better. She can have material touch her arm. I am so fortunate for the care I got at the castle! I was worried about that after hearing so many horror stories. to you. Take it easy on yourself, you were not in your right mind because of the meds you had.

Sorry you guys went through this! I am a nurse and when my IV was being started the nurse missed(I have great veins) so I asked her to please warm up my arm. She didn't and stuck me again with the IV in my wrist. All I can say is some should not be nurses. We are not all that way. Do you have redness up your arm? The nerve damage should improve. I had a numb toe after surgery and it is better now.

Thanks KG44,

That gives me some hope.......no, there is no redness or swelling...just burns from base of thumb to elbow, and sometimes into
upper arm. The lump in the vein is mid-way between wrist and elbow........ Nothing seems to relieve it except an ice pack...can't see doing that for years..........LOL.



Gen

Let's see, I'm just at 6 weeks out. I've been thru two rounds of antibiotics and am taking 2 full strength aspirin every 4 hours while awake to try to dissolve the thrombus in the vein. The antibiotics have pretty much taken care of the redness and pain, however the area is still puffy and I can't wear my watch. The vein is hard and looks like a bruise to someone looking at my arm.

There wasn't any problem starting the thing. I think the problem began after the rough drugs they give us, the IV was stopped the next morning and the IV wasn't touched. In the meantime it blew or whatever. Then the nurse (who I could barely understand) woke me up at 2 am to flush it (I did night work and we would never wake a patient for this routine thing...) and then caused me to scream when she continued to push when I told her it hurt tremendously.

I've tried warm compresses, heating pad, ice, it just doesn't seem to want to go anywhere. I go back for my check tomorrow so I'll see what they have to say this time....

Y'all are right, as if we didn't go thru enough with the female parts and all the hormone garbage... let's just have one more reminder of this nightmare......

I am just 2 days post op and have inflamation in my forearm as well. At this point it doesn't appear to be anything serious though a sausage instead of a hand isn't pleasant. I'm keeping elevated, heat compresses, and antiinflammatories. The doc will culture it on Friday if not doing better. It is kind of odd how some things hit some of us rather than others. I have no significant gas or bloating, not bleeding or discharge, but this arm thing... well, darn it.....

I still can't wear a watch on the IV arm. Mine was moved to the thumb also, and really felt alot of pain when the nurse put an anti-nausea drug in and pushed it through with another syrynge of water? (it think maybe some kind of saline?) All I know is, it hurt alot. When I got home, I had red swelling up the inside of the arm to the elbow. I put warm compresses on it and kept it elevated.
sorry to hear about your complication