Jump to content

Abnormal Reaction To Subcutaneous Saline Infusion


Recommended Posts

Hi All

Haven' really been posting much lately as things have been hectic and I have been going through a bad flare. As I mentioned in a previous post my specialist has started me on biweekly IV saline infusions which are turning out to be very complicated indeed. So the first time it took 3 nurses to do a veinous access because I literally have no veins in my hands and when they do find them they collapse and roll...useless. So my fabulous nurse whom I love came up with the idea of subcutaneous infusion.....they put a lancet just underneath your skin and over about 7 hours it infuses saline into your cells. I was sooo excited about this method as the pump is completely portable and less invasive.

Well.......went to start it today...the butterfly lancet went in fine but as soon as she started flushing saline in my arm started to burn and become very painful that was only with 4cc's of fluid....but the worst part was that in the span of a minute I had a huge lump on my arm from fluid build up .....it was not dispersing into my cells just sitting there. The nurse said this is highly abnormal and thank god they didnt put it through my stomach. I asked her if she had every seen this before and she said only in cases of fibrosis? or if something is wrong on a cellular level?

So to all you smarties out there any theory as to what the heck this is all about? and why my muscles will not let the fluid in? I am looking at all you EDS'rs also...is this a sign? she also keeps mentioning how my skin is weird too baby smooth...etc

I am stumped....now they have to go and get permission to see if they can infuse straight into an artery...I would love to say no but my specialist refuses because my sodium and blood volume is so chronically low

Thanks for any input!

Bren

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest, I have never heard of subQ infusion. I can't wrap my mind around how that might work!! I would think it would literally just go in the subQ space and build up. I don't see how any "infusion" other than a couple of millilters might "diffuse" through into the veins. Maybe someone here can explain this, but I don't get it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm, my nurse freaked out when she saw that the iv had slipped, because I had a lump, and the meyer's cocktail via

saline bag was subq. I don't know why but she thought it was a bad idea.

I've never allowed an iv in my hand since leaning the were painful. No one thought it was important enough

to fight me over it either. Haha

On the weak veins .. Mine were that way all the until I changed my diet. I never found a reason for this

on the web back when I was looking. I'm guessing it was a combo of constant inflamation

from food intolerances and nutritional deficiencies. Now, I only have a rough time if I'm too cold,

dehydrated or fasting for too long.

Tc .. D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Subcutaneous infusions[, (a.k.a hypodermoclysis and sometimes referred to as simply clysis) were suggested to us by my Endocrinologist as a long term home saline solution. They are infusions given slowly just under the skin in the fatty layer above the muscle. ]A butterfly needle is inserted under the skin (often in the squishy part of your stomach skin) and fluid is very slowly dripped in at a rate of about 500ml/12 hrs. It is absorbed away into the blood stream and supposed to hydrate your tissues better rather than a normal Iv that goes into the vein. The idea was that this way the fluids would get to where they needed to and not be so quickly excreted out.

that is how it is supposed to work anyway and its not supposed to be burning and painful long term. The nurse was concerned because the fluid just kept sitting there and the pain was very bad.....its a mystery to me :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Naomi

yep they have tried my hands and arms my veins are so tiny and collapse so easily they just cant get a viable one to use so they thought subcutaneous would work because it goes into the fat layer but there should be no pain and no swelling.....hopefully my specialist will have some ideas :( I am really starting to wonder about the whole EDS thing.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They use subQ fluids to hydrate small animals (dogs and cats) all the time. It works on the theory of osmosis...fluid will move from a more hydrated area to a less hydrated area until the hydration is equalized. So, if your body tissues are dehydrated, they will absorb the subQ fluid pretty readily. One reason it is useful is because the fluid is absorbed over time instead of all at once which makes it more likely to just be flushed out by urination because the body can't hold all that fluid all at once when received by IV. That being said, I am not sure how effective this method is to pump up blood volume as opposed to helping your general hydration which I would think needs to be differentiated in the case of POTS.

Could the burning have had anything to do with your MCAD? Also, if you can't stay hydrated in general, I wonder if you would have to have super, uber, slow subQ infusion to allow your body more time to take up the fluid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah good point on the MCAD thing Katy! I never even thought of that....may explain why my upper arm was so beet red and swollen...I do have a lot of skin urticaria and cold urticaria, etc maybe that is part of it. Its just another red flag in a long list of abnormalities that I believe one day will all add up to something and I may finally get some answers....hoping anyway :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Naomi

yep they have tried my hands and arms my veins are so tiny and collapse so easily they just cant get a viable one to use so they thought subcutaneous would work because it goes into the fat layer but there should be no pain and no swelling.....hopefully my specialist will have some ideas :( I am really starting to wonder about the whole EDS thing.....

My veins are the same. My doctor said it was like I hadnt drunk water in days or like a a guy he once treated straight out of the desert.

if its any consulation, one doctor is looking at anal saline infusions...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...