I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Home Dialysis => Topic started by: mariannas on October 08, 2007, 07:41:16 PM
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WOW!!! It's so easy. I was actually surprised how easy everything was. I only was at the clinic for about 3 hours total and my nurse doesn't even think I'll have to come for the whole week of training! I am excited to start doing this on my own and hopefully feeling better in the near future.
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Congratulations Mariannas :2thumbsup; I agree, it is very easy. I started on Friday with manuals and used the cycler today. I too was very surprised.
Hope things continue to go well for you :clap;
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Congrats on your training going well. It is very easy I agree. Glad your getting it. :)
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Good for you Mariannas :yahoo; Will you be doing CAPD? or CCPD? (the cycler) :popcorn;
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I would like to do the cycler, but I'll see how it works into my "nighttime bathroom routine." I ALWAYS have to pee in the middle of the night so I'd have to make sure the tubing is long enough for me to make my nightly trips. I don't think my bladder is smart enough to time itself along with the drain period. ;D
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You can aslo disconnect and reconnect after going to the bathroom if it don't reach. Due to me having kids, I wanted to be able to disconnect and reconnect as many times as I wanted... incase they needed me. So since I was on Fresenius, I also ordered the extra conections lines, which is a long line with like 4 extra connetion spots on it so You can disconnect and reconnect more times. I know Baxter and Fresenius are different, and I think Baxter you can disconnect and reconnect as many times as you want with the same connection, dont know if I remembered that right or not... but just some other options for ya incase u wouldnt be able to reach the bathroom :)
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So glad to hear your training is going well!
I was also concerned about reaching the bathroom, but once my husband and I traded sides of the bed, the tubing reached. The tube is about ten or twelve feet from the machine to me. I did ask my nurse about extensions when I was going on vacation, and she told me they've discontinued them (I use Fresenius) - why would they do that?
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I am on Baxter and they can order you (if needed) an extenstion that will give you 12' more. And you can disconnect also on Baxter as long as you have the flexi-caps, feel free to ask questions Mariannas, that is what we are here for :2thumbsup;
Will you be on Baxter or Fresenius?
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Well, I finished my training today and two days early! YAY!!! The only things I had to do today were meet with a social worker and nutritionist and do another exchange in front of the nurse. I was mostly nervous about meeting with the nutritionist because I was SURE she was going to limit my foods further, but it turns out my numbers are really good so I can basically eat what I want, but limit sodium and take my binders. I can eat potatoes again...and spaghetti sauce!!! The only thing we are worried about is me not eating enough. I am fairly small and I usually have a few very small meals (snacks, really) and one big meal per day. I'm not too sure how I'm going to get 6-7 servings of protein in when I might eat one serving of protein every other day now. I see many a supplement in my future.
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Glad all your training went well Mariannas :2thumbsup; Remember, patients on PD lose alot of protein so you will have to get some supplements for sure if your not able to get it in the foods you eat. Take care and keep up the great work, remember, we are just a keyboard away if any questions and/or problems arise :2thumbsup;
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Yep. The dietician gave me some protein packets so I can add them to pretty much anything. I have a feeling those little packets will become my new best friends.
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Woohoo! I got my first set of labs back today and the difference between now and before I started is remarkable:
Before starting PD:
Creatnine: 7.8
BUN: 81.0
Potassium: 4.3
Phosphorus: 5.7
Two weeks later:
Creatnine: 5.1
BUN:46
Potassium:4.8
Phosphorus: 2.5
Everything is in range except my Phosphorus which is BELOW range. WOOT!!! Now wonder I've been feeling so much better. :bandance;
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Congrats on the successful training! I think PD is a great modality. successful training is quite an accomplishment! :clap;
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Mariannas,
Are you currently on the cycler? If so, how's it going?
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Congrats, Marianna!! I'm so glad it's going well for you!!!! Let us know how it continues, and if you have any questions, ask!!!
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mariannas, I've also found some protein bars that don't taste too bad (just be sure to take a binder with it!). I believe they're Atkins Nutritional Advantage, and I really like the chocolate chip (they're chocolate liquor, that my nutritionist says is ok) and apple. Wal-Mart carries them, as do Publix and Kroger, though they're much cheaper at Wal-Mart - but still not cheap. When I have them in the house, I'll usually have one of those for breakfast, and a very small lunch and dinner, and my albumin stays around the 4.2-4.4 range.
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Mariannas,
Are you currently on the cycler? If so, how's it going?
Nope, not on the cycler quite yet. Right off the bat my cell counts became a bit elevated and I had a course of antibiotics for about 14 days. My doctor isn't sure if it was actually peritonitis or not since we caught it and took care of it so quickly. Anyways, they said they don't want to do my PET/adequacy test too soon after an infection so as to give the membrane a chance to be really strong. I am scheduled for the PET test on November 20th.
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Marriannas how did your PET test go? Hope all is still going well for you :grouphug;
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Marriannas how did your PET test go? Hope all is still going well for you :grouphug;
I just got my results back yesterday!
My creatnine clearance was 78.74 (my goal is about 60 per week)
My KT/V was 2.07 (my goal is above 2.0)
Everything else was in normal range except my hematocrit and hemoglobin which were just a tiny bit low. Amazingly my albumin was 3.5 (my goal is above 3.4). I have no idea how that happened, because I know I don't eat the recommended amount of protein (6 servings! I'm only 87 pounds or so...). I must be doing something right though!
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So are you a high transporter or low?
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My lab results don't say, but I have to see my nephrologist soon so I am assuming he'll tell me then. I'm assuming I'm at least a little high since I reabsorb quite a bit of 1.5 solution (2.5 is better, but I still absorb some of that too). Luckily I still pee a lot so I am not seeing any swelling anywhere. I am sure we'll be tweaking my prescription when I go to see him in a week or two.
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Keep us updated :)
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Also be careful with your salt intake, that tends to keep the fluid on as well ;)
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Oh yeah...no worries about that. I've been watching my salt intake for awhile now. Most food is too salty for me now unless I prepare it myself. ;D
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I'm glad things seem to be going well on PD. That is great!! :thumbup;
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Congratulations on your pd training!
I have been on pd just since 10-31-07. I was on hemo for the 7 months before that. Needed to change to pd because my veins were too small (3 surgeries on my arm w/ no luck), and the doc did not want to continue using the temporary catheter in my chest for too long.
I am really enjoying pd. I like being home, and the convenience of adjusting my schedule if I need to.
Originally, my nephrologist told me I would look 6 months pregant on pd. That was enough to scare me away and choose the hemo (silly, vain me!). The hemo was ok, but I would come home tired and drained the 3 days i went to the dialysis center.
On pd, I only look a little larger in the belly. I was underweight to begin with, so it wasn't too big a deal to have my abdomen increase a little. I did need to buy some new jeans, but just 1 size bigger.
I have more energy, my diet is not as restricted - hurray - and I'm told I look better these days, compared to when I was on hemo.
Good luck to you with your new pd! Hope it goes well for you, and that you like it!
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Alright! I saw my neph today and he told me that I am a high transporter. So, for right now I can continue doing 2 exchanges per day for 4 hours each (8 hours total) and be empty the rest of the time. I know I've got it good for the time being so I am going to enjoy it while I can. My numbers look great and he said it's definitely something to be happy about! :bandance;
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Wow, only 2 exchanges a day? I'm totally jealous! Definately enjoy it for the rest of us! Glad to hear your numbers are good, too.
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Alright! I saw my neph today and he told me that I am a high transporter. So, for right now I can continue doing 2 exchanges per day for 4 hours each (8 hours total) and be empty the rest of the time. I know I've got it good for the time being so I am going to enjoy it while I can. My numbers look great and he said it's definitely something to be happy about! :bandance;
Do you retain any of the fluid after dwelling for 4 hours? I would, because I was a high transporter as well, and high transporter means shorter dwelling times b/c you absorb the fluid faster. Glad your numbers are great, keep up the great work. :cuddle;
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I usually absorb about 200 ml of 1.5% solution, but when I drain my 2.5%, 1200 ml usually comes out (I only do 1 liter dwells, not 2). I also still have normal urine output so whatever I am absorbing is being peed out. I haven't had any swelling and my bp is nice and normal (even a bit low right now) so everything is going swimmingly. It's nice to feel sort of healthy again. It's hard to believe that I was so miserable only 2 months ago now.
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Ah, normal urine output makes a big difference. :) I am so glad your feeling good, always a great thing to hear when someone is on dialysis. :cuddle;
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Sounds like your doing good Mariannas, keep up the great work my friend :2thumbsup;