What tape do you use for needles - nocturnal?

I’ve always used large Tegaderm patches to tape my needles down. Recently though, I ran out of them, and when I went to open a new box, I found that the hospital supply people had sent me the wrong ones. They were way too small to use. So, I improvised by using tape the usual way: one across the wings, and then one from behind and under the needle tube, crossed over towards the front. I decided I wouldn’t trust paper tape for overnight, as I’ve had needles pull out during in-centre hemo with paper tape on several occasions. It unsticks too easily. I though about the plastic tape, but in the end, I decided to use the silk-like 3M Durapore tape. It’s the one I use to tape the gauzes down after holding my sites, and it seems to be the one that sticks the most. Anyway, I’ve had no problems with that method and the Durapore tape. In fact, I think it might actually be more secure that way than with the Tegaderm. It’s not as convenient to put on or take off as a Tegaderm though.

Just wondering what tape other nocturnal patients use? My choice is between 3M Micropore, Transpore and Durapore, but as I said, I’ve always found the Durapore sticks the most.

Pierre

I use Leukopor tape. I really like the way it seems to hold things very securely, yet comes off without hurting. As I put the “stocking” over the needles and then tape again I feel quite secure now and am rolling over quite comfortably. I tape the lines on top of stocking and this is where the tape really clings as it being stuck to fabric. Always fun in the morning! 8)

Hey Pierre
We may end up being the only ones left doing Nocturnal! If everyone over there goes to NxStage and Bear doesn’t seem too keen on waking from a deep sleep to change those lovely bottles… :x zzzzzzzzz

Hi beachy!

I like your system of taping. Is your set up the way everyone in your program does it or is it something you came upm with yourself?

:lol:

Hiya Jane
Not sure, think these things just evolve. There is only 8 people doing Nocturnal in my program (total of 30 at home at present). My trainer listens to our individual problems and comes up with ideas as we go. We varied my taping and positioning of lines and even put another stocking over the lines at one stage until we found something I was comfortable and confident enough with so I could wriggle around during the night and actually get some sleep. Ahhhhh! He even bought me out meditation CDs but when it comes down to it once those buttonholes worked, pressures settled, no alarms. Heaven! Mind you , I could do without Freni sounding like a dishwasher at times, but its okay as long as you don’t focus on the sound. I focus on hubby snoring his head off instead! :lol:

LOL, beachy… you go girl! I know what you mean about trying to drown out an annoying noise as my puter was near me in m previous bedroom and it made a rumbling sound, too. But once a mom always a mom, so I am an expert at blocking out sounds as I learned to block out sounds of kids who can get right into one’s brain if one does not go to block out mode lol!

Hey, I’ll let you in on something I do in preparation for home txs. (hope no one thinks I’m nuts lol :roll: ). I must say, I am am going through a period of mourning, because I know once I’m on nocturnal, I will have to say goodbye to complete freedom of movement during sleep. So, what I’m doing is practicing…like I try to picture what it will be like when I’m hooked up to the machine during sleep as far as what I’ll do when I want to sleep in different positions. For ex. I know I won’t be able to tuck my arm under the pillow like I normally do as that would smash down on the needles. So, that’s out. And I won’t be able to roll over like I normally do turning from resting on one side to stomach to resting on the other side, cause that would get the lines all tangled up and tug at the needles. So, I’m thinking dear Lord how is this wonderful, natural process/ priviledge called sleep going to change when I’m all hooked up to the machine at night?! So, I try to practice turning over as if the lines were hooked up to my arm and it is the weirdest feeling. Most of the time I fall asleep before I can carry it out lol!

Oh well, maybe I’m not the only one who has practiced this drill in anticipation of nocturnal txs. I like to think I’m getting prepared :roll: .

Way to go, Jane! I did the same but then I realised maybe I should just be enjoying the nights of pre Nocturnal bliss. I also make hubby swop sides on nontx nights otherwise I wake during those nights stiff from lying still thinking I am connected!
I like sleeping with my arm under the pillow also, however I can still do it on my non tx arm side. I slip a little pillow (cushion) under my lower arm with the needles in it for a bit of extra support and to keep my hand from slipping too far down my body. Not sure whether you have upper or lower arm fistula, think movement would not be quite so much an issue with upper arm needles. However, sleeping this way is quite comfy for an hour or more. I tend to have stages during the night, wake every few hours, always end up on my back and spend the last few hours propped up with head on an extra pillow drifting in and out waiting for that first well earned cuppa for the day. :smiley:

            Hah! No Way  :D  I was talking to one of the nurses on the phone the other day from home....."You can always train on a Gambro & swap over!" was her bottom-line solution to the current situation. If it comes to that.... :roll: ...I never really fancied the Gambro, when Isaw the others on it during training. But hey!, if that 's the only solution, that's the way I'll go.  8)

About sleeping on nocturnal - my wife says I’m a “big fraud” when I say I don’t get enough sleep, as “you’re always snoring your head off when I go past in the night”. Hmm, O.K. :smiley:
…she always goes to bed early (before 9:00 usually), sleeps for about 3-4 hours then wakes up, gets a drink & reads for an hour, before settling down again. I do usually manage to drop off around midnight.
…I’ve moved the end time back to between 6:00 and 7:00, as coming off the hour before had the alarms waking me up from the best bit of sleep I was getting. SO it’s improving, but I still feel really stuffed when I come off in the a.m. , so not considering moving up from my 3-day week.

There is something about renal failure that causes sleep disturbance. When I was on conventional hemo, I was often awake all night - thank goodness for cable TV!

When I went to short daily, it improved, but not completely. It greatly improved when I went to daily nocturnal 6 days x 7 hours.

Then I went to 5 days x 7 hours, and I found myself waking in the middle of the night again.

Since I’ve gone to 6 days x 8 hours, I sleep like a baby.

What’s doing it? I don’t know. I can only say what my experience has been.

Pierre

I agree.

My husband still has 15% function – stabile since 10/05 – but he has not been sleeping well for many months. Now he rarely sleeps more than one hour at a time. He blames the lasix which keeps him going back and forth to the bathroom all night, but there are occasionally times when he falls asleep during the day shortly after taking it, and will take a 3 or 4 hour nap. I think he finally just gets so exhausted his body just crashes into deep sleep. The fatigue, from lack of restful sleep, was primarily why he quit work last October.

Once he becomes eligible for Medicare I hope we can get him checked for sleep apnea.

Maaaaate, imagine having to learn another tricky machine all over again so soon. I just got Freni sorted! :shock: Besides those Gambro monsters have such big bases to balance their narrower tops that it wouldn’t fit neatly into my wardrobe like Freni. I would have given up all that clothes space for nothing :x

I use the orange eukyband tape. Im allergic to most other tape, and this one irritates me the least. It sticks really well and is quite strong.
My taping pattern is firstly I put a strip straight across over the needle, then one under and over the tube part, then another one across. It works well. I also have a pillow under my arm for support. I have an upperarm fistula but my arterial is right at the crease of my elbow so I cant bend it too much. I normally sleep on my stomach so I have a bit of trouble sleeping. I sleep on my side or back while on the machine, and I often get a really sore neck.
I do sleep a heck of alot better though since I was put on Gabapentin for the neuropathy. It helps alot with the pain in the feet, and the tingly horrible feeling you get along with restless legs. It has helped my fiance too, as I used to keep him up all night shaking the bed lol

Bear, how come on fresenius you have to change the bottles?? (its amber by the way…)