A Little Too Much Koolaide

[Bub]

I went to dialysis this afternoon for the first time since Friday.  I was up 14 Kilos in water.  I couldn't breathe, could barely walk, and felt terrible.  They took 8 kilos and I go in the morning for the remaining 6. Worst cramping i ever had in my life. 

[tyefly]

   wow      wow    thats alot of water......  thats like 28 lbs of water.....??  right..??    how can that be.....     no wonder you felt bad.....  if I gain just 3 or 4 lbs of water   ( or 1-2 kilo)  I feel like I just ate the turkey day dinner......    Why no dialysis since friday...today is tuesday..... thats 4 days..... thats a average of roughly 4 lbs a day.?  or   2 keys......     I am new to Dialysis and just started my self...... I still urinate and take water pills to help with water retention...... They dont take much off of me.... I think they set the machine up for 0.9k     the min..... I am just curious.....  what do you think is the problem......

[Bub]

My urine production is down to almost zero and I have not adjusted my fluid intake.  i take 160 mg of lasix a day with little effect.

[tyefly]

  Yes  that seems like alot of lasix    I am not taking lasix anymore but taking another type of water pill that seems to work better than lasix did at least for me and seems to be softer on the cramps at night.... Bumex      I know I will be where you are  with very little urine production.... and right now I really dont control my fluid intake at all...except if I do get a little be too much water I just take the bumex  but I dont take it every day at all.... and now that I am on D  I bet I wont have to take it much.... I heard that your kidneys really stop working after you start D and your urine production goes way down....I sure hope it doesnt......  but   we will see.....
    I guess you will have to closely monitor your fluids..... that sound like a dangerous condition..... 

[RichardMEL]

mate, seriously, you HAVE to adjust to fluid restrictions - and quickly. That much fluid overload is incredible, and if you keep that up horrible cramps may well be the least of your problems. I'm serious here... this will be putting a HUGE strain on your heart and lungs dealing with all that extra fluid (and why did you go Friday to Tuesday, when the normal is Friday->Monday?).

Seriously, cut that stuff down. If you're producing next to no urine you should only be having around 1 liter(~32 fl. oz) a day of fluids - including water, drinks, ice cream, soups and all that fun stuff.

[Wallyz]

Yeah what Richard said- you gotta ask for help, and what the hell on the the 3 day weekend?  You have got to demand shorter weekends.

[Bill Peckham]

Oh my. Your heart/vascular system is like a balloon, each time you stretch it by gaining so much fluid it looses a little more of its shape. That's not good.

What's going on with your salt/sodium intake? Stop eating salt and you won't be so thirsty.

[billybags]

Bub that is awful, I have seen what fluid overload did to my husband, he could not breath, when he lay down I thought he was dying. His lungs had fluid on them and it took a few sessions to get it all off. It was terrible. He has to watch how much he drinks and he still pees alot at the moment. Please take care.

[KICKSTART]

Taking that much fluid off you wont do you any good either ! Seriously you are going to have to cut back on fluid !

[YLGuy]

Bub, as you read the responses I hope you understand that these people have a real concern for you.  They are not just scolding you on your fluid intake.  They truly are concerned for your health.  I am still new to this compared to many on this site but I have never heard of that much fluid overload.  Well, when I was first Dx with ESRD I did not know I had it until I went to the ER with congestive heart failure.  Over the next 30 days I became 37 pounds lighter.  The fact is that the fluid overload almost killed me.  My BP was 237/125 in the ER.  Please cut back.  We want you around.

[zona]

Bub, I am new to all this and just learning, but I too am worried about you.Please take care of yourself.

[lizabee]

Wow!  Hope you get it straightened out quick!

[Rerun]

Bub, I shouldn't encourage you to drink more, but tonic water has quinine in it and it helps with cramps.  Just take a couple of slugs before you go to dialysis.  You will be able to take off more fluid.

[Goofy]

I'm not on dialysis yet but my dad was.  He almost died a couple times because of fluid overload.  One time he got to the hospital just in time.  I was never so scared in my life.  He was gasping for breath.  I thought he was going to die on the way to the hospital.

Even me, who thinks nothing can happen to "me", I would never drink more then I should.  I saw the consequences of it and its not pretty.

[Bub]

Thank you all for your concern.  It mirrors exactly what the nursing staff at my center has been trying to tell me.  Its finally getting through my thick skull and I am being very careful with my fluid intake.

[keefbeer]

Bub
Three of the last four deaths on my unit have been assigned to problems caused by fluid overload, also if you do not play by the rules and show some self discipline it could effect your suitability for transplant.
Seriously mate you need to get a grip,renal diets and fluid restrictions are a pain in the arse but stick with it anything else is Russian Roulette. 
 

[paris]

Good for you, Bub.      Keep it up and let us know how you are feeling.   

[texasstyle]

I'm beginning to realize more & more the difficulties that can come along with being on dialysis. My husband is. When my husband first saw a Neph his feet/legs were so swelled. The dr. said he was probably carrying around 25 lbs or more of water weight in them. He was another one that ended up in ER with CHF because of fluid build up. He ignores the renal diet. Look at the great capability to learn about your situation here. I know this must be hard on you but the more you educate yourself the more you can feel , and actually have some sorta control with your life. Take care   of yourself

[RichardMEL]

good on you Bub for trying to reduce your fluid intake! I *know* it's so very hard at times - specially when you might have been used to drinking a lot more before dialysis (I used to drink 2+ litres a day of just water not counting other drinks like tea, coffee, soft drinks etc.. I'd love to have fluid guzzling down my throat.. and then on top of that I loved soups when it was cold and all that)... it IS an adjustment.. but you yourself know the painful consequences (and worse) that can happen if you don't watch your fluids... for me anyway that is massive incentive to keep my intake within the limits.... dialysis is much easier, I have next to no cramps (last one was in March) and I know I am doing my heart and lungs a service...

As someone else pointed out also - folks who ignore the renal diet and/or fluid restrictions may well be classed as being non compliant, and this will definitely be a black mark against them when it comes time for transplant......

[*kana*]

OMG!  I have no kidneys and I only gained 1 1/2 pounds between hemo treatments.  Seriously, you need to have a plan and not drink so much fluid.  Your heart can NOT take that much and when they do take it off you feel worse.  I never drank anything the day I had Hemo and just a little bit the next day.  I didnt get the wipe out like everyone else did.  Buy a snow cone maker and freeze Koolaid in the icecube tray.

This is the snow cone maker I have!  GET YOURSELF ONE!  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006IUYI/qid=1124402215/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-5288337-078 

[Bub]

Kana thanks!  That snow cone maker is a great idea.  Munching on ice is a great  way for me to reduce fluid consumption.

I have in the past handled my fluids well.  I dialyize on Friday then Tuesday and am usually only up 2 to 3 kg.  I am slowly adjusting to the fact that I am producing almost no urine, and now that the weather is cool, sweating less.

[paris]

Bub, seems like you have been given great advice and you are on track      Isn't it great to have so many people care?      

[Zach]

 I dialyize on Friday then Tuesday and am usually only up 2 to 3 kg.

How many days a week do you receive hemodialysis?