Thank you all so much

[Lucinda]

HI Paul.  Good to hear you are now ready.  I had my fistula in two years ago and I have been told ever since...next month, next month.  Still fending off the inevitable but like you are I am ready to start when I need to.  I also had a bad time with accepting it but with the help of the guys from here I am now in the right frame of mind.  You wouldn't think I would have been such a pussy when my whole family is riddled with renal disease but still different when it is you in the box seat.  Anyhow, I hope you can hold off a bit longer but if not, you thankfully have you head in the right place. xx

[MIbarra]

This just goes to show how incredibly important education is to the pre-dialysis population.  If you hadn't known any better, it seems as though your doctor would have just automatically set you up for in-center hemodialysis without even bothering to mention other possibilites such as CAPD and CCPD.  

You are one of the fortunate ones.  Imagine all those people out there who haven't received any information on their own.  They might never know there are other options until it is too late.  

There is definitely something lacking in this country in terms of educating patients prior to starting dialysis.

You are sooo right, David13! I was not informed of any options by my nephrologist and at that point, I was too sick to do my own research. She never bothered discussing anything about dialysis before I got too sick! So, I got stuck with in-center HD at HER dialysis center (she owned it in part -- wonder if that had any bias on not discussing choices?) Then I was told I MUST get a catheter AND a fistula, which I now feel was such a waste of my arm since I was so close to a transplant. I feel I could have just stuck with the catheter and not ruined my left arm as an access. So now, I'm stuck with a fistula that is not drumming away like it used to and when I have to go on dialysis again, I'm sure I will need a new access site.

Paul, I'm so glad you are able to make informed decisions because of IHD. I too wish I had found this site a lot sooner so I could have made better decisions regarding my care and future care. Best of luck when it is your time to start and I hope everything goes as smoothly as possible.

[kellyt]

I just wish Epoman could hear this. Good Luck at your appointment. 

He knows.      I firmly believe that.