Friday, July 12, 2013

Injecting Lasix Into Myrna with 25 gauge Needles Not Working, Switching to 30 gauge Insulin Needles Which are Smaller

I gave up today trying to inject Myrna with the 25 gauge changeable needles we've been using.  I called the cardiologist and asked to use insulin needles that I can get that are smaller at 30 gauge.  They are thinner, also shorter and won't need to go in so far and risk piercing body or coming out the other side of the "tent".

I had a very frustrating day today which is why I gave up.  I gave Myrna meds at 8:30 a.m. as usual.  I then prepared the injection and got her a few minutes later.  She was fine for a moment but when I poked the "tent", she moved and my left hand that was holding the "tent", became wet.  That meant that the needle poked through the tent-even if I didn't feel it-and the meds injected on top of the skin and onto my hand.  I doubted lasix would be effective on top of the dermis so I gave her pills.  I made up an injection for lunch to replace her lunch lasix pill but she decided at lunchtime to hide under the bed.  She never came out until 5:30. I did feed her under the bed but that was all I was able to accomplish.

Injecting lasix has not been easy this week.  As I've said, the first week was a dream, just not this week. She's been in pain during the injection even as I tried other areas of the body.  Myrna is just too physically sensitive to the touch.  I should have known.  She does not like to be touched or held unless she comes to us to be petted, touched, or held.  When she walks by us and we reach out to pet her, she moves her body away.  If we pet her while she eats, she moves or stops.  I tried setting up a treat time with lasix routine or a routine where she is fed but they never worked.  She would stop eating when I touched her and would recoil.  When I tried to tent her and inject lasix as she ate, she whipped around to say "What the hell?

Someone at the Facebook page had recommended the insulin syringes and I'm glad to have had that in mind. But the cardiologist wanted me to use one needle for drawing up the med and one for the injection so that the needle going into Myrna would be fresh and sharp.  Insulin needles cannot be removed from the syringe so you're using one needle, risking that it can be dulled when poking into the rubber stopper of the lasix bottle, and further risking that it will still be felt by the patient.  I will give 20 units-insulin syringes are measured in units-which is equal to .2 ml.  We will begin Saturday and see how it goes.

The medication is metabolized so much faster as a shot than as a pill given orally.  It has done wonders for her ability to breathe and be comfortable.

When Myrna finally came out and came downstairs at 5:30, and came over to me to be petted, I picked her up and gave her the lunchtime meds and the .2ml shot that I had prepared just in case.  This dose covered the lunchtime 1/4 pill and the 6:30 p.m. 1/4 pill.  It only went o.k. as I still had the 25 gauge needle but at least this time it stayed beneath the skin.  

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