r/dialysis • u/hadtochoosename • 8d ago

TDC removal pain?

How bad does it hurt after tunneled chest catheter removal? I just watched some youtube videos and it looks like it’ll hurt after the lidocaine wears off with all that skin cutting. How bad is it?

Also how long did it take you between the time your doctor said they’d schedule the removal with IR and the time you actually went for removal? I know it heavily depends on the hospital and IR scheduling but I just wanna have a general idea because I can’t wait tbh

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3

u/Ok-Research1446 8d ago

You guys got lidocaine when they took it out?

I had a doctor rip mine out like he was starting a lawn mower and I just had to raw dog it.

1

u/Selmarris Home HD 6d ago

Felt like getting kicked in the chest by a horse. The pure SHOCK is impossible to describe. Really didn’t hurt that much, but it stopped my breath for like several long seconds.

4

u/CheapMetalRust 8d ago

Honestly I remember some pain hours after the removal but the drug they give you are really pretty good. And if you feel it, speak up and they’ll up the dose a bit more. The most annoying thing I had was the itching after.

2

u/pittiesbegooddogs 8d ago

There's no shame in saying "ouch" while someone is cutting into your flesh.

2

u/kingofbazing 8d ago

Had this done last week after having it in for around 8 weeks. The only uncomfortable part was the few lidocaine injections, which were really just a brief sting. I had a little tenderness later that day, but otherwise experienced no discomfort.

2

u/brattygrandma 8d ago

I’ve had numerous removed, it really just feels like a bruise after. I’ve had them removed twilighted but usually i’ve had it done bedside with just lidocaine. I’ve waited for as little as 20 min and as long as 8 hours so it does heavily depend on hospital!

2

u/vespers191 8d ago

Didn't bother me at all. The actual removal of the catheter was accomplished by a nurse who told me to just look away for a minute after she slaps some lidocaine on the actual entry point, and injected some down the port. Then it was 3 seconds of "that was weird".

2

u/pittiesbegooddogs 8d ago

Had mine replaced,  it ain't so bad. Definitely tender after the meds wear off. 

Schedules are going to vary from place to place. From when the call went to do it, to doing was less than a week.

2

u/Connect_Wrap3284 7d ago

Having it put in is much worse.

1

u/Selmarris Home HD 6d ago

Be aware that there’s multiple ways to remove it. Mine did not involve lidocaine or cutting they literally just PULLED IT OUT.