I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Home Dialysis => Topic started by: mariannas on March 02, 2008, 01:26:15 PM
-
ARGH!!!
When I first started doing exchanges (actually...just when I was getting catheter flushes the first few months) I would get air bubbles whenever the techs would do the flushes for me. When I started doing my own exchanges I got air bubbles for a few days and I've been fine ever since.
Until yesterday.
Oh. My. God. I have been in such pain. First the pain starts on the right side of my neck, then travels down my right side, and eventually the left side of my neck starts hurting. It has happened both when filling and draining. I'm empty until about 6 pm this evening and I'm absolutely dreading doing my exchange.
I just have to keep telling myself, "It still probably hurts less than hemo."
Stupid air bubbles. >:(
-
Uggghhh! I used to HATE when this happened!
My nurse told me about a technique that Goofynina told several others about, as well...neither of us ever tried it, but here ya go...
When draining, get your hips higher than your shoulders. This should make the air bubbles rise and come out with your drain. Try laying on the bed or sofa for your drain and placing a pillow under your hips. Hope this helps!
-
I use to have the same problem. Believe me I know exactly how you feel. I never could understand why the pain is only on the right neck and side.
Now, I don't have too many problems with air bubbles. Make sure the fill line has no air bubbles. If so, tap it out until all the bubbles rise to the top. Also, check the end of the line that is connected to your transfer set. Sometimes there are bubbles trap in the piece that you break off. If so, tap that out and re-flush the lines again.
This method always helped me.
Wish you the best.
-
Is this with using a machine ? I've never had it happen doing capd .
-
No...it's while doing manual fills.
So I tried tapping out all the air bubbles and clearing my lines and it's STILL happening. When I did my first exchange last night (around 6 pm) I was in unbearable pain. I couldn't move and my side was just throbbing. It reminded me of the time I had whooping cough - I couldn't even take a deep breath as that would hurt too much. Tylenol with codeine helped a little bit, but not 100%. The rest of my fills/drains of the evening went ok, but my drain this morning was agony.
I'm seeing my doctor anyways tomorrow, maybe he has some ideas. It's just so weird that it's starting up after 4 months of nothing. I don't get it.
-
No...it's while doing manual fills.
So I tried tapping out all the air bubbles and clearing my lines and it's STILL happening. When I did my first exchange last night (around 6 pm) I was in unbearable pain. I couldn't move and my side was just throbbing. It reminded me of the time I had whooping cough - I couldn't even take a deep breath as that would hurt too much. Tylenol with codeine helped a little bit, but not 100%. The rest of my fills/drains of the evening went ok, but my drain this morning was agony.
I'm seeing my doctor anyways tomorrow, maybe he has some ideas. It's just so weird that it's starting up after 4 months of nothing. I don't get it.
When you fill, do you have your transfer set on full blast? I only turn mine 1/2 way so I don't fill too fast. If that doesn't work, I strongly agree with you about talking with your Dr. Keep us posted on what he said.
-
I don't think I have a way of keeping the transfer at half speed. I break the seals and then I use these big blue clips to either close or open the line. As far as I can tell there is no halfway. :(
-
Do you do CAPD? Your catheter has the piece on the end that you open/close to allow fill and drain correct? That is what I'm referring to. I turn it 1/2 way.
-
OH!!! DUH!!! I get it now. Yes, yes it does...I will try that when I do my first fill in a few minutes.
-
Ok! Well, slowing down the flow seems to have done the trick! So far so good. Let's keep our fingers crossed it continues to work!
-
Ok! Well, slowing down the flow seems to have done the trick! So far so good. Let's keep our fingers crossed it continues to work!
Yeah! :yahoo; I'm glad it worked. :2thumbsup;
-
Glad to hear that you may have found the culprit and that this continues to work for you, mariannas!
-
Mariannas,
:waving; How are things going? Hope the air bubbles are still under control.
-
Well...I'm able to perform my exchanges as I normally do (flow at full speed) with no problems again so I am happy. I'm really not sure what was up with this weekend...very strange!
-
Sometimes our bodies just do funny things like that. Glad things are back to normal.
-
I know this is kinda of old but mynurse told me to lay on the side that hurts when I fill. This really helped me and I haven't had any problems since I started doing that.
-
That doesn't really work well for me as my lower back starts spasming. I used to have a job where I did quite a bit of heavy lifting and I'm afraid it really messed my back. For some reason, unless I sit up I can barely get up again after filling.
It's been about a week of back to normal so fingers crossed it's only a rare occurrence.