I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: kristina on October 30, 2010, 01:49:57 AM
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I have two questions about Peritonitis.
1 What are the ways of getting Peritonitis in home-Dialysis.
Does it only come from unclean hands or are there other things we have to watch out for (I have read
it (only) comes from touching the connection between the bag of fluid and the catheter) ?
2 Again, this is about home-Dialysis. As I understand it, there are several different types of home-Dialysis,
is one better than another to avoid getting Peritonitis?
Thanks from Kristina.
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You get peritonitis from not washing your hands, touching areas that are sterile, not wearing your mask, leaving a fan on or window open. Having animals in the room when you do an exchange. Poor exit site care(exit site infection). Defect in the tubing or exchange set. Solution that has expired or is cloudy due to a small leak. Warming PD solution in a sink of water. You can even get it from the bowels from constipation.
There are a lot more ways to get it other than touching the connector. I just recently had it for the first time in 2 years and I have no idea what I did.
If you do manuals all day you are at increase risk because you are opening your cath 5-6 times a day. If you run on the machine all night you only have to make 1 sterile connection in the same time frame.
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Couldn't have said it better myself!
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Another point perhaps is that peritonitis is a risk for peritoneal dialysis patients rather than hemo patients.
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Another point perhaps is that peritonitis is a risk for peritoneal dialysis patients rather than hemo patients.
Yeah, for hemo patients with catheters, the big risk is bacterial endocarditis (which is worse than peritonitis, IMO).
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Absolutely RS, I'm certainly not suggesting that HD is without risks, merely pointing out that peritonitis isn't one of them. I will also add that I'm a big fan of The AV fistula despite the issue of needles (and yes fistulas too are no piece of cake) precisely because tunneled catheters may seem convenient but can also be very dangerous.
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Kristina do you mind me asking why you are asking about Peritonitis ? Are you considering starting PD? Does that mean you have finally found a neph? . All i can say is poor hygiene is the most likely cause , keep everything as sterile as possible. Im proud to say that in 6 years of PD i never got peritonitis or any other infection and i did manuals for 5 years and 6 months ! Oh and we dont wear masks over here for exchanges either.
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Bad PD nurses can cause peritonitis too..
I wass getting my tubing changed, which by policy here is done every 6 months. In case you're wondering, it's just the external tubing, with the end that connects to the bags, and older tubings also had a roller clamp. The tubing that she used was faulty, and came apart just after she put it on. She just reconnected it. Policy said that she should have started over, cleaning the end and putting on a new tubing. It loosened once after that, and me not knowing any better, just closed it up again. Then, one night it fell off completely. I battled bouts of peritonitis for 6 months after that, finally getting a fungal infection, caused by all the bacterial infections and was forced to go to HD
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Thanks for all your kind replies.
kana, this sounds like really great advice. Can you please elaborate on one particular point.
Not a nice subject but I have never heard this before and would like to understand how it happens,
I refer to your point that Perintonitis can be caused by constipation. Could you explain how this happens?
peleroja, from someone who has a great deal of experience, your reassuring comment is important to this discussion,
thanks for the input.
monrein, thanks, I have taken all the points, thanks again.
RightSide, gosh! What is bacterial endocarditis, how does it affect Dialysis patients
and what makes it worse than Perindonitis? Thanks again.
KICKSTART, no, I am not on Dialysis yet, I am merely preparing and acquiring all the information
on the issues which surround all the various methods.
I have not yet resolved the issue of a nephrologist and/or rheumatologist,
specialists, who appreciate both my 10-12% GFR and effects of my Lupus/MCTD-involvement.
It sounds as though you have been very successful in avoiding infection.
Would you mind my asking. Did you use any special cleansing agent?
Riki, I am so sorry to hear of your experience. It sounds dreadful.
I gather from this we have to keep a sharp eye on anyone
who does anything with the equipment
and we have to be absolutely consequent
about rules and regulations in order to survive.
Thanks for the tip.
Thank you all very much for your kind replies, Kristina.
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If/when you do go on PD you will be trained how to avoid infection. Just follow the proper procedure strictly and you will be fine. Don't take shortcuts, don't get lazy, don't get complacent. Keep everything clean and use sterile technique, and you will be fine....for a while.
What do I mean by for a while? Dialysis is not a long term solution. No dialysis is. If you're young it might not last you your whole life. This is why many have gone through PD, transplant and hemo throughout their lives. Not necessarily in that order. No modality will last for more than say about 20 years. Probably more like 10 on average. Be prepared to one day have to switch from whatever modality you're now doing to another for a myriad of reasons. Even if you never get an infection, your peritoneal membrane may no longer function adequately.
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No modality will last for more than say about 20 years. Probably more like 10 on average.
I beg to differ when it comes to hemodialysis.
8)
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Well I don't know what to say, I agree with what kana says to a point. We have been doing APD for a year now with no problems till Friday tea-time. Manual tea-time bag was cloudy, Shit. Visit to hospital straight away for antibiotics, Hubby will have to go every day for about a week. luckily he is not feeling unwell. . We are really spot on with cleanliness after getting an e-coli bug in Greece a year ago. We do not cut corners because peritonitis is a killer. My question is where did we pick up the bug. When we see our own nurse to-morrow she will say it is down to hygiene. No one seems to know the answer. Apparently there has been a spat of infections being reported at our clinic just lately. Another question I will be asking her is " how safe are the dialysis fluid bags.do people ever question that. It seems funny how you get a spat of infections in an area when you are doing it at home.
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BB hope Al is doing ok ?
Kristina ..dont worry about using the right fluid/sterile items as everything is supplied in the UK. You get a 3-5 day training course before you start doing home exchanges as well. PD would probably suit you if you are ok with being in control , it would also keep you away from a hospital enviroment and those horrid lights. However with your other complications it might not be considered the best option for you ? The one thing you will need though is plenty of room for storage. I used a spare bedroom both for my supplies and to do my exchanges in. Only i went in there and only used it for my exchanges, so keeping it reasonably sterile i suppose?
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No modality will last for more than say about 20 years. Probably more like 10 on average.
I beg to differ when it comes to hemodialysis.
8)
Point well taken. What I said applies to PD more than hemo. Now watch the PDers come in that have been on for 30 yrs lol.
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No modality will last for more than say about 20 years. Probably more like 10 on average.
I beg to differ when it comes to hemodialysis.
8)
Hemo will work forever.. the problem will be in running out of access sites..
A friend of mine, who is probably about 30 now, has been on hemo his entire life. PD didn't work for him, and even though he's had several transplants, they never "took" for him. He'd had several fistulas by the time he was 10,when I met him, and was using a line at that point. He told me then that they had run out of place to put them. I haven't seen him in a while, but my guess is that he's still using lines, because he has no other choice.
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No modality will last for more than say about 20 years. Probably more like 10 on average.
I beg to differ when it comes to hemodialysis.
8)
Point well taken. What I said applies to PD more than hemo. Now watch the PDers come in that have been on for 30 yrs lol.
One patient of my clinic has done PD for close to 18 years. This statement may not be true for some extreme PD patients too.
My "bible" says Peritonitis occurs once for average about 24 months for manual exchange patients and 48 months for cycler patients.
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I did well then all those years and nothing .. so you cant trust your 'bible ! '
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Thanks calypso for your honest reply. A lot to take in here, thanks again for the bigger picture.
Thanks Zach, could it be you are the exception, and the average is about ten years?
Sorry about this bb, it is quite interesting what you say about a spat of infection,
I have several times come across in the news reports about localized infection
which expert opinion says was just a coincidence.
One never knows if this has a political swing to it or some other swing
because to us it looks like there is a local spread of infection.
I suppose there is no definitive answer to this infection business.
It would appear that infections can come from many different directions
and all we can do as individuals is to pre-empt possible sources of infection
and try to prepare ourselves, and use strategies, to avoid as best we can getting contaminated.
KK, sounds like good advice if you have a spare room.
So whether it is hooked-up through the night or one has it several times through the day,
in both cases it does sound reasonable to dedicate a room for this purpose only,
where no one else goes in, but for some people this may require a lot of forward planning.
It is becoming obvious that the only form of Dialysis for me would be home-Dialysis
and any problems which that causes, I would have to find a way of dealing with.
Riki, thanks for the information, this sounds like a tough life, I hope your friend continues the best he can.
Jie, thanks for your reply. The trouble with statistics is, we never know whether we are average or not.
I suppose the objective is to beat the average. That gives the statistics a headache...
Thanks again for all your kind replies, they did raise many diverse issues
and they have given me a lot to think about and have been very helpful, Kristina.
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You may want to ask what the average time between bouts of Peritonitis is for PD patients in your area.
I asked at my hospital, and they told me that in their experience, a PD patient has an average of one attack of Peritonitis every two years. I said "Thank you very much and goodbye"--given all my allergies to various antibiotics, that put the kibosh on the whole thing.
The bane of catheter-based HD is bacterial endocarditis--an infection of the heart caused by the catheter spreading infection right into the superior vena cava. Even with treatment, it has a 25% mortality rate:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infective_endocarditis
That's why I wanted that HD catheter out of me as soon as possible. It was a Sword of Damocles--not hanging over my head but stuck directly into my heart!
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Are you serious? You dont wear masks? I cant belive that! What if you are sick? Do you still not wear a mask? I am shocked! WOW.
Lisa
Kristina do you mind me asking why you are asking about Peritonitis ? Are you considering starting PD? Does that mean you have finally found a neph? . All i can say is poor hygiene is the most likely cause , keep everything as sterile as possible. Im proud to say that in 6 years of PD i never got peritonitis or any other infection and i did manuals for 5 years and 6 months ! Oh and we dont wear masks over here for exchanges either.
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Thanks Rightside & Lisa,
Rightside: This raises some issues for me as I am totally allergic to Penicillin & should never be given this,
& I also have allergic reactions to many of the other antibiotics.
If I go by the statistics if and when I am on home-dialysis, I am likely to get an infection,
whether it be once a year or once every two years.
In my position that’s not something I’d like to have hanging over me.
Therefore I will make the subject of infection the most important on my list
and I shall try to find out every possible way to avoid it.
Thanks for writing about this because I know it must be an unpleasant subject to write upon.
Lisa, with regard to masks I think they are a good idea because even if one sneezes or coughs,
possibly even in a nervous slight way whilst doing the exchange
there could be something falling on the connections,
so a mask would avoid any such possibility. Prevention is better than cure...
Thanks again, Kristina.
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Are you serious? You dont wear masks? I cant belive that! What if you are sick? Do you still not wear a mask? I am shocked! WOW.
Lisa
No we dont wear masks for PD and like i said i DIDNT get any sort of infection in 6+ years , so surely that tells you something ! Your hands would be of more concern !
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Kristina , when the time comes one way or another you are going to open to infection. I didnt have a single infection when i did PD , so dont presume that you might , but if you are going onto a unit full of patients there is a good chance you are going to pick up something even if its just a cold !
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My husband has just gotten over peritonitis, this is the first infection in just over a year on APD. We do not know how it happened, he follows really strict hygiene rules because we have been there before. We do not know how it happened. I don't think a mask would have helped.
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Thanks for your kind replies.
KS, thanks, it is heartening to know it is possible to beat the statistics.
May I ask you if you think there is anything special that you do which may be a main reason
why you avoided peritonitis?
Did you find, washing your hand thoroughly with soap and water is good enough,
or, is it absolutely vital to use alcohol-based hand-cleanser or the equivalent?
And, is it important to also wear special disposable gloves and if so, what type?
bb, I am so sorry for your experience.
Would you mind if I asked what the first indication is
that makes you think it is peritonitis?
Thanks again from Kristina.
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Kristina everything you need for pd is supplied, in the UK. You will actually be 'taught' how to wash your hands using a special anti-bacterial soap in its own dispenser (its also quite expensive! .) Then i just made sure after i had completed every step i used the special hand gel ..again provided. If i touched anything and i mean anything while setting up and connecting up i used the gel. One thing people may forget is that you must also scrub your nails. I also disinfected my work-surface (again with wipes provided) . Although i do not have OCD i was borderline when it came to setting up for pd ! :rofl; Just a note ..the first indications of peritonitis are a cloudy bag (exchange fluid)
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Thank you very much KK,
I gather from this and what I have read elsewhere, that well-scrubbed and disinfected hands (and nails)
are better than disposable gloves. I get the feeling that the hands are the big weak link
with regard to getting infections. I wanted to know if there was anything else to consider,
but it appears, the hands are the absolute priority as well as paying strict attention to the procedure.
There does not seem to be any tolerance here. As regards the bag, that must become a regular focal point.
Thanks very much for pointing these matters out, it is very much appreciated, Kristina.
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The only instance that gloves would be better is if they were 'sterile' ones and they dont provide those.
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Thanks for the reply, KK, it seems then
that it is all down to clean hands
and being extremely precise
about handling the parts and equipment,
and as has previously been mentioned,
it seems logical to also keep the machine
and area around it also very clean.
Thanks very much for everybody’s input here,
it makes it very clear what is important,
thanks again from Kristina.
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My daughter Sandra has been on manual PD for almost 5 years, and have not had one bout of peritonitis yet. We live in Canada, and we went for training for 1 week before she started PD. I was very impressed with how they insisted on the importance of cleanliness, and yes, to always wear a mask....even for others who are in the room during exchanges. I was very concerned when we went to India last summer, because as we know it is not the most hygienic environment. But we all had a wonderful time, without even the slightest bit of stomach discomfort. Sandra choose PD because she felt it would enable her more freedom, and also, frankly she is deathly afraid of needles. One drawback is that, due to the liquids in her belly, she looks like she is 7 months pregnant, and is very often approached by strangers who asks her when she is due. This can be very uncomfortable, not least for person who asks. From what we understand, the reason for this is that Sandra is a "high absorber", and that she is a very tiny person. Over all, until Sandra gets a transplant, PD has worked very well for her.
I hope this helps a bit Kristina.
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Thank you very much indeed for your reply, Ulrika.
It does seem more and more from reading the replies to questions about PD
that training is very important and even more than that is the vigilant cleanliness
when exchanging. Some people wear a mask and others don’t, but I think,
I would always wear a mask as the thought of Peritonitis along with a hospital-stay
is not what I would want to risk or go through.
Thanks again from Kristina.
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In the UK the target is a dose of peritonitis in 18 months. :o
I've got a 100% certain way of avoiding peritonitis — I'm on hemodialysis. :laugh:
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In the UK the target is a dose of peritonitis in 18 months. :o
I think this information is outdated. A peritonitis per 18 months was based on the old style of tubing. The peritonitis is much less happening with the current tubing.
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Just a note ..the first indications of peritonitis are a cloudy bag (exchange fluid)
That's not true in every case. When I had peritonitis, my bags were clear, except for a bit of fibrin. And remember, if you still have a menstrual cycle, you'll get bloody bags just before you start as well. That was the only indication I had, was a bloody bag 2 or 3 days before.
As for statistics on infections, I"m not sure how good they are. in all the years I was on PD, I never had any infections at all until the nurses I have now took over my care. When I was a kid, my mother did everything, but this last time, the nurses wanted to do everything, and I got exit site infections all the time, and I do believe it was one of the nurses not following procedure that caused my peritonitis infection.
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By the way Kristina , you keep calling me KK ...its KS ! :rofl;
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Thanks Stoday, point taken.
But in my case, with my photosensitivity etc.,
HD-sessions at a centre would be unbearable for me,
so it looks as though PD would be the better of two survival methods.
It seems everyone is trying to find a way
round the problems associated with all the types of Dialysis,
but one way or another, problems will occur, with whatever method is chosen.
We have to work it out for ourselves,
but it is most important and absolutely brilliant
that though IHD we can get many different suggestions and opinions.
And therefore the decision, as to what type of Dialysis to have,
if and when we start, is made a little easier.
Thank you Jie, what is different about the tubing?
Just by chance I saw a PD-tube which flexible plastic
and the end of it was coiled round and the tube had lots of holes in it
and there were two small collars
which served to anchor the tube against the lining,
but the tube still came out through the skin.
Is this the latest type of tube?
I read that the sticky dressing placed over the entry point
also held the connection point.
Thanks Riki, that’s interesting,
I read that one knows of an infection if the bag is clouded.
What are the indications of an infection if the bag is clear?
So sorry KS, a senior moment...or two...thanks for correcting me.
Thanks again for all the replies, Kristina.
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Kristina the tube you describe is the tube that is used .. as far as im aware its been in use for a long time. Myself i can only tell you that my tube WAS stitched in place. I expect different countries have different methods. But in reality it needs to be stitched at some point otherwise it would just slide out ! Where it exits your body, that small collar you describe is most certainly to have a stitch or two to stop it coming out , if it isnt stitched elsewhere to stop it flipping upwards inside. The dressing , you will hear many on here say they remove it and dont wear one after the exit site is healed , over here we are told to NEVER leave the exit site uncovered and that is what this dressing is. You will remove it regularly and clean the exit site and then replace the dressing. All this and supplies are covered in your pd training. I can appreciate your difficulties with hemo , but please note pd will not last forever ...how long it will last no one can say. So at some point you will find yourself on a hemo unit , like me !
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Sandra, myself and my granddaughter Kylie just finished participating in a documentary which deals with organ selling in India....It also shows Sandra doing her PD...the documentary premiered today at a film festival in Amsterdam.
Here's a link showing a trailer of the film:
http://www.themarketfilm.com/trailer.html
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By the way Kristina , forgot to mention ...you wont be able to have a bath , also we are advised against swimming. Although i do know a lot of people in the US still swim. I never did either of these while on pd . So how did i keep clean ? I managed to get some large waterproof patches that covered the whole of my exit site and dressing , so it was quick showers for me !
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The tube coming out of body has not been changed much. The change is the filling/draining tubes. During the early years, it was one tube for both draining and filling. The peritonitis rate was about one per 12 months for the earlier single tube. After some changes, the peritonitis rate was improved to one in 18 months. Now we have a Y-tube, which further reduces the peritonitis rate. The cycler reduces peritonitis rate further.
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Thanks KS for your detailed reply,
which highlights the infection aspect of PD.
With regard to HD, my hope is,
that Home-HD will answer
my problem of going to an HD-centre.
This point about washing raises the question
of whether PD with the exit-site in the chest
is a better option which allows a person to sit in a bath.
But, I tend to agree with you that protecting the abdomen-exit
and having a quick shower is probably a more reliable option.
Thanks once again.
Thank you Ulrika for the film-trailer by Rama Rau.
The film certainly highlights the tremendous desperation of people
on both sides, which gives rise to the commercialization of human organs.
How this could be regulated for the benefit of both parties,
seems to be a problem of unbelievable proportions...
Thanks very much for the information, Jie,
I shall have to investigate this further,
as I don’t know yet precisely what a Y-tube is.
Thanks again from Kristina.
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Kristina you do not have a pd tube placed in your chest ! I think you are getting it confused with a chest cath for hemo ! As for this Y tube that is mention , i have asked around and no on has ever heard of it ?
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Thanks for replying KS.
No, I am not confusing it with an HD-catheter.
The information I provided, I found on the Internet:
The method of PD via an exit site in the chest is called
“The Presternal PD Catheter”, nicknamed the “Bathtub” PD-catheter,
which came about in the early 1990’s.
So it may not be widely known yet.
The tube reaches down into the abdomen
and is said to act just the same as the normal abdominal PD.
The advantages are said to be that there are
less germs in the chest and therefore safer
than entry into the abdomen where there are more germs.
Also the chest does not move as much as the abdomen,
so there is less problem with the exit site.
Also, there is not the interference with clothing
as there is with the abdominal PD (e.g. the belt of trousers etc.).
Patients using “The Presternal PD catheter-method” can take a bath.
This information I found on the Internet, but I have no feed-back
from any patients using this, or who have used it.
I would be interested to learn if “The Presternal PD-catheter-method”
is used both in the day or during the night?
As for the Y-tube perhaps someone may enlighten us?
Thanks again from Kristina.
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The PD catheter can be in the chest. This is not very common, but it has some advantage for cleaning. I know a lady who had exit site in the chest and liked it. But there is some inconvenience for a lady: if she needs to clean it in a public area, like shared emergency room, her upper body is exposed.
As to the Y-tube, or Y set, if you have a manual bag, spread out the tube of the manual bag on a table, you will see the tube is "Y" shape. Or think this way: the two ends of Y are drain bag and solution bag, and the bottom is the tube connected the body. Don't worry about whether you can get a Y set or not. Nowdays, If you use manual bags, you have Y set. If you use cycler, you do need to consider the lengths of drain line and patient line. Different tubings come with different lengths.
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Ah this ..Y tube , its just the standard bag of dialysis fluid you get for exchanges. I thought you were referring to some type of catheter. I doubt very much you will come across any chest caths , in all my years i have never known anyone to have one , so i expect they are not popular ,there must be some reason they are not widely used . To be quite honest , i think they would be pretty horrible , given the size of a pd cath, certainly for ladies ! At least at waist height you can pretty much keep it under wraps ! Movement was never an issue with one in tbh .
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What a lot of info there is here and I'm glad to say that I can tick all of the boxes for my PD routine. Definitely want to avoid peritonitis.
Don't know if anyone answered the query on the link between constipation and peritonitis: constipation slows everything down and over time will thin the walls of the bowels. The dialysis solution is sugar based and because of it's strength, can draw the 'nasties' through the bowel wall and into the peritoneum. In a sugar-loaded atmosphere, they go wild.
The other thing that I feel is not stressed enough to PD patients is NO LIFTING. Because the peritoneal wall is continually stretched by the fluids, it weakens and the result can be a hernia. I know - I now have a small one. And if it requires surgery, apparently I will have 4-6 weeks on haemo. Had I been told the consequences, I would have been MORE careful. (I think I was pretty careful anyway - child bearing can also weaken the peritoneum).
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Thank you, Jie, for the explanation, of the Y-tube,
I can now visualize it. I hope we get a few more posts about the “Presternal” PD
as it seems to be rather uncommon. Thanks again.
Thanks KS, for the information,
again it would be helpful to get some feed-back
from anyone who is/has been on the “Presternal” PD. Thanks again.
Thanks very much for this posting, chook.
I have read about the hernia-issue
and that PD-patients have to be very careful,
but I don’t know how easily a hernia can occur
and whether it is more common in ladies than in gentlemen.
The travelling of “nasties” from the bowel into the peritoneum
and its consequences sounds awful.
I hope I understand it correctly
that this is more likely to happen with constipation
(I don’t understand why constipation should thin the bowel-wall)
- or is this one of the problems why PD can only be taken for a number of years.
You imply there is something which thins the bowel-tissue. That doesn’t sound too good.
Thanks for pointing out that there should be no lifting for PD-patients.
Thanks again from Kristina.
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G'day again Kristina
I'm no medical expert but I would presume the bowel walls thin from the straining associated with constipation - I have never asked why they thin. You obviously have a more enquiring mind than me :)
My renal nurses told me originally not to lift over 5kg and post hernia only 1 kg - that is a large tub of margarine. My greatest sin is lifting the grandchildren - try very hard to just sit and have cuddles but sometimes I HAVE to lift them - for their own safety, for example. I find it amusing that the bags of fluid for the Baxterovernight cycler weigh 6kg - go figure. Thankfully, hubby does all the lifting but not everyone on PD has a helpful other.
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Sometime I carried all of my monthly supplies to my second floor; one box each time, which is more than 12kg. When I travel, I would have to carry over 50 lb items into the airplane. So, the weight restriction is not too strict. I have not had any hernia yet after such a lifting for more than 22 months. But is is a good idea to avoid to lift heavy items.
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Thanks for coming back on these issues, chook,
It is a good piece of information about the limit on the weight one can lift.
The bowel-thinning issue disturbs me, but it is something new to me
as I haven’t heard or read about this before,
it would be interesting to get some more feed-back on this.
Thanks again from Kristina.
Thanks for the post, Jie. Maybe a consideration is
how one lifts something, in order to avoid a hernia.
Maybe one could lift slightly heavier items
with a more safe method like bending the knees perhaps,
keeping a straight back and don’t overstretch etc.
Thanks again from Kristina.
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Oh, Jie - I am so envious. I have always been a bit useless when it comes to lifting things and so would never attempt anything too weighty, so really feel I shouldn't have got a hernia. Glad to hear that lifting things may not be such an issue for everyone. I am only a small person, too, just over 5 foot, so I guess that is a factor too.
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The hernia is not too dissimilar to a pulled muscle and it is not too far away from a slipped disc,
& it seems to me that the only answer to avoid these very disabling problems
is to have some degree of discipline with how one goes about doing certain tasks.
Quite often such problems occur through making a simple wrong move.
At the time before it happens we feel ok and think we can go that bit further,
and then it suddenly happens.
Because I have suffered from a slipped disc on several occasions I know how easily it can happen.
Because I never wanted this to happen again I disciplined myself to only carry out tasks
well within myself and to use different methods to achieve the same objective,
where previously I had just stretched that bit too far.
I guess, it is the same for hernia where we have to exert a bit of discipline
and use different methods to achieve the same objective.
I wish you the very best of luck.
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i was on PD for almost a year - my neph moved me back to hemo because i struggled with blood pressure
I was a bit of a renegade on PD - all the usual precautions about masking, cats, fans etc i found that I could basically get away with out doing
also i did find that I could successfully take a vacation in Hawaii and spend every day swimming in the ocean and my tunnel cather site was totally fine
the only time i got peritonitis was from exposing the tubing to my sink drain, realizing i had set up the machine wrong and then did not restart the set up with new equipment
if you do PD its common sense to wash hands and keep the tubing connections clean - you will be fine
if you can hack the daily set up of the machine and the storage of materials it is a good way of getting D
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Oh, Jie - I am so envious. I have always been a bit useless when it comes to lifting things and so would never attempt anything too weighty, so really feel I shouldn't have got a hernia. Glad to hear that lifting things may not be such an issue for everyone. I am only a small person, too, just over 5 foot, so I guess that is a factor too.
Yeah, the weight is body-dependent as well as whether the belly is empty or full. I do not have solution during the day, so lifting a little more during the day is fine. If one cannot lift the cycler (about 30 lbs), she or he cannot travel with a cycler. The hard part is to put the cycler to overhead and take it down on an airplane.
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I'm empty during the day too, just have a weak peritoneum, to go with the weak muscles (and brain!)
I travel with the cycler and one wonderful hubby, who carts all my gear without complaint. But I have to agree, without him to lift and carry, travelling would be very difficult. I can not imagine lifting 'Polly' into an overhead compartment on a plane!!!!
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Thank you, lunatadura and Jie, for sharing your experiences.
Thanks chook, for giving us a good idea and a good picture
of the problems in connection with the weight of the unit
and the difficulties of lifting it when travelling.
Thanks again from Kristina.
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i would like to add that i shattered my knee falling down a flight of 15 cement steps carrying my PD machine.
I dont have a hubby who is strong and willing to haul my stuff around - lucky are those that do.
the manufacturers really could make a light more portable machine - maybe i should sue?.....
becareful when hauling this puppy around - it can do some damage.
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Hello, lunadatura, sorry about the problems you have had transporting your PD-Dialysis-Unit.
No doubt, you have probably thought about it, but you can get very small,
collapsible and very robust two-wheeled baggage trolleys (or like)
on which you could secure the Dialysis-Unit when going up and down the stairs.
If you have a local craftsman-engineer they may be able to modify it to your requirements.
I have seen such trolleys in DIY-shops and stores and shops that sell luggage etc.
Best wishes from Kristina.
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Kristina , irrc the machines we get supplied with, come in a hard- case , not dissimilar to a suitcase and have wheels on them.
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Such trolleys are available in stores. I understand the problem Lunadatura had. It is the problem of "steps". In some airports, one has to walk on steps to reach airplanes. In such cases, elevators are not available. Also, when inside an airplane, there are not enough space for the trolleys, so one has to carry the cycler, carry-on items and the trolley. For me, the total weight is about 50 lbs. I have been a MVP and can select a seat on the front rows so that I do not walk too long on an airplane.
It will be difficult to sue Baxter since they can argue that the patient can buy a hardcase and check the cycler. I used the hardcase during my first trip after starting dialysis, and the cycler was damaged during the flight. Then, I have never used a hardcase since.