Ok, tattoo 3, take 2.

Wow. I went back to the tattoo shop yesterday to have my cat finished... and didn't make it all the way through! Everything on his tail was absolutely excruciating! Every time my tattoo artist hit that one spot, my right leg cramped up so hard and so fast that I was almost kneeing myself on the chin! We've managed to finish the colouring on his body and put the pink on his ears and nose, but he's going to have to wait to be finished for another two weeks All of the white patches need to wait because we need more ink for that, and the yellow eyes are sitting just on my ribs, which is also very painful.

I got the most part of it done though, and I'm back home waiting for it to heal up. I think next time I go back I'll be stoked on painkillers - and I've managed to find a skin cream with a strong local anaesthetic in it, because I'm REALLY going to need help to get through it.

On the up side, it is looking really fantastic, so I can't wait to see it finished - and if I've got to suffer for it, I think I'll appreciate it a lot more I'm really looking forward to posting pictures of my baby - then I can tell you a little story about what he REALLY means!

Aw, yea. It hurts more depending on, um, what time of the month it is too, so take that into account. Don't take any painkillers, they'll just make it bleed more!

On the fourth go-round with my one on my leg, I bled like a stuck-pig and it hurt really bad too. Not sure what the difference was- I had healed for a month but after so much trauma I guess it doesn't quite heal all the way that fast. The bit by the ankle was pretty terrible.


And, pictures! More pictures! Which reminds me that I owe you all some pictures myself...

Ah sweetie, I wish I could get away without the painkillers - it's not that time of the month either, fortunately! *phew* But the tattoo IS sitting on a lot of nerves on my lower back and up on my ribs, which apparently is just where I happen to be most sensitive. It's also a cover-up of my very first tattoo, so I'm tearing through scar-tissue which also adds to the pain factor. I bleed rivers too anyway, so I don't think the pain killers will make much of a difference to that - if anything it should help not to be so tense. If it's anything to go by, the scream nearly took the roof off the shop, so yah, was preeeetty painful. I've certainly been considering the question: "what was I thinking?" quite a lot recently! Hahaha!

It really sounds painful -- I hope its not as bad next time you go in.

I've had some bad/painful tats but nothing that has ever made me feel like you describe... and I have one that spans my entire low back. The coevr up does hurt more. I can't wait to see the finished cat. I'm sure it will be worth the pain... just think you'll have your cat for the rest of your life and the pain is temporary.

Take Ibuprofin before you go...you just don't want aspirin, it will make you bleed more.

I can't wait to see it!!! I love tattoos!!! They all tell a story!

It must be a big one? I had the same experience on my back, there was one spot that made my leg go crazy. Luckly it wasn't too bad and I got through it, but man was it weird! I will admit that I whinned like a baby for the one on my foot! I could literally feel my tendons moving

Now that I remember it I had to get the one on my back done twice!!! And it wasn't even my fault, that was the worst part! It was a guy who was worried about me because I was a girl and he didn't believe that I was fine and it didn't really hurt. So what ended up happening was that he didn't push the needles in far enough and much of the color bleed out. He knew when it was done that I would have to come back, but it took 1 1/2 hours. He told me it wasn't a good idea to tattoo for that long agian on an unhealed tattoo. THANK GOODNESS!!!

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

Aw, yea. It hurts more depending on, um, what time of the month it is too, so take that into account. Don't take any painkillers, they'll just make it bleed more!

On the fourth go-round with my one on my leg, I bled like a stuck-pig and it hurt really bad too. Not sure what the difference was- I had healed for a month but after so much trauma I guess it doesn't quite heal all the way that fast. The bit by the ankle was pretty terrible.


And, pictures! More pictures! Which reminds me that I owe you all some pictures myself...

Click to expand...

And about the pain killers. They aren't supposed to tattoo people who have taken pain killers (depending on the state) because pain killers thin the blood. The two tattoo shops I've been to refuse to tattoo someone who has taken pain killers.

Ouch! I passed out when getting one on my ankle. They hit a nerve in my ankle bone and I went But after I came to, I bit the bullet and finished it!

Originally Posted by Dixie_Darlin

Ouch!

I passed out when getting one on my ankle. They hit a nerve in my ankle bone and I went

But after I came to, I bit the bullet and finished it!

Click to expand...

Oh my goodness!!!! I wonder what the tattooist thought when you went down!!!

Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

Oh my goodness!!!!

I wonder what the tattooist thought when you went down!!!

Click to expand...

He knew exactly what to do. He stopped tattooing and gave me a cool rag to put on my forehead and something cold to drink I think he was more scared then I was lol

Originally Posted by Dixie_Darlin

Ouch!

I passed out when getting one on my ankle. They hit a nerve in my ankle bone and I went

But after I came to, I bit the bullet and finished it!

Click to expand...

Wow I have never heard of that happening. I have 1 on each of my ankles and for me they did not hurt to bad. Actually in a few short weeks I am getting one of my ankle ones covered. It was the outline of a partial heart. Its gonna be covered by an upside spade (card variety). The other I am gonna get reworked in a few months. It was done badly and looks bad but I don't want it covered I just want someone to make it look a little better.

Originally Posted by Ping

Wow I have never heard of that happening. I have 1 on each of my ankles and for me they did not hurt to bad. Actually in a few short weeks I am getting one of my ankle ones covered. It was the outline of a partial heart. Its gonna be covered by an upside spade (card variety). The other I am gonna get reworked in a few months. It was done badly and looks bad but I don't want it covered I just want someone to make it look a little better.

Click to expand...

I think he may have hit a nerve the wrong way

everyone's different, and every artist is different too.

My artist has a pretty light hand and is very fast so even though it sometimes hurts like hell it's never for very long.

good luck with your kitty, can't wait to see pics.

Yeah the one on my leg and down towards my ankle was no problem. the one on my belly just tickled - in fact the artist had to keep stopping and telling me to stop giggling so that he could get the lines straight! But this one is just hell! Not everywhere here will refuse you if you've taken painkillers, because it depends on the type of painkiller you take. I tend to take Ibuprofen because it doesn't thin the blood, and besides, aspirin is probably one of the most useless, ineffective painkillers I've ever taken. That stuff won't even kill a headache for me.

Of course, NOBODY here will tattoo someone who is drunk, sunburned, pregnant, or suffers from a heart problem. But, painkillers are actually recommended by some tattoo artists. They also recommend a cream called Emla, which has two local anasesthetics in it, so if you find that there is somewhere that really is unbearable, you can have some sort of relief. Certainly not total pain relief, but enough for you to be able to sit through the tattoo. So I bought some of it yesterday and I'm planning on testing it this week say on my hand or something, so I know what kind of reliefe it can give me....

Besides, I know what I'm up against, I've done this before!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished result though.....

I have some cream here from when my son was getting shots that has lidocaine and prilocaine 2.5% for both. I might give it a try when I get my ankle redone. Mainly because its the inside of my ankle right above (and will partially be on) that round bone that sticks out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lidocaine/prilocaine

How long did you wait until you had your tat worked on the second time. I have been doing tattoos since 1995 and with my experience if you go back too soon after the first sitting, it will be much much more painful. And if it is that painful for you now unless you take a handfull if pain meds they are not going to give you much relief plus it has a tendency to thin you blood and cause more bleeding, which in turn makes it harder for the artist to put the ink into the skin which will cause you more pain also. It generally takes 4 days to a little over a week for a tat to peel out then another week to two for the sensitivity level to go down, so if you go back any sooner than two weeks or even three you will have much more pain and alot of burning sensation like you are being cut with a hot knife. Hope this makes the third trip a little easier

Emla cream is by prescription in the US, and some artists do not like people to use it. (I have developed a nerve condition, so I have to use it or not get tattooed any more. I am about done except for finishing up my back, which is a full back coverup of several very old tattoos.) It works best for me if I take a hot shower right before I use it, then wrap it firmly in saran wrap for about 2 hours before the tattoo. The rib cage is one of the most tender spots on the body. I have very little on my ribs, only what spilled over from my backpiece, and I have about 40% coverage. You are certainly braver than me about it.
It is not at all unusual or serious for someone to pass out during a tattoo. It happens fairly frequently for various reasons, such as quick endorphin release, drop in BP, or even not having eaten before getting in the chair. My SO has been tattooing for so long he has learned to feel it coming on their skin much of the time. They will usually get suddenly cold and clammy. He will stop then and give them a cool compress, water or soda, or if they have not eaten, they keep some kind of snacks at the shop. After a few minutes, the customer will be fine and able to continue.
Your cat is really cute so far, I am looking forward to seeing finished pics. And knowing the story.