PD and swimming

[ChickenLittle56]

In another post that dealt with home dialysis Ms. Mamiyi goes bike riding and swimming.

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=20434.msg341363#msg341363

How can she go swimming with a catheter in her. I was wondering how is she able to prevent an infection while she is underwater. If thats the case then there is nothing keeping a person with a PD from taking a bath, shower pr any other activities that require immersion in water.

[MooseMom]

My neph thought PD would be a good modality for me, so I looked into it but quickly discarded that notion because of the swimming issue.  I love to swim; I swim every day at our park district pool during the summer.  Swimming is an extremely good coping mechanism for me; the instant I hit the water, I can feel the anxiety drain away, so I was not willing to give that up.  I'd love to know if there has been a change in thinking or a new technology that makes swimming safe for PD people.

[ChickenLittle56]

Now how can I enjoy a hot summers day in the blow-up pool  without getting the catheter wet

[casper2636]

I don't know if this will help or not, as I do not do PD D. I had a chest cath. for a year and used to swim and shower with it. The one thing I would do after , however, is really sterilize the site with alcohol and peroxide and cover it up ASAP. I had no problems with infection. Don't know if this could be a option? My Dr.s were really against it.

[lorna]

i loved to swin and was a huge water person. i was on pd for 4 years and in the last month found out you can swim . i wore an ostmy(not sure of the spellling) bag. it comes in 2 parts on the sticks on and seals to your skin and then you attach the bag to the part on your skin. the part stuck to your body had a huge opening plenty of room so it wont touch your site and my cath fit right into the bag. They are pretty expensive i think it was over 100$ for  but to me worth it. They are a little acward to get used to but i wore shorts and it wasnt a huge problem! My nurses said most peolple choose not to use them as they can be hard to find and somoe people find it too expensive but i would have done anything to swim! Now im on hemo and its not an issue!

[Henry P Snicklesnorter]

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[paris]

When I was evaluating different methods of treatment, I was told by the PD co-ordinator that I could go swimming in the sea, (have done this numerous times,) but to avoid public swimming pools and NEVER go swimming in the river.
The advice was to clean the exit site and apply a new dressing on exiting the water. No need for waterproof dressings etc.
It seems that different countries may have varying protocols regarding swimming. (Maybe we're a bit more relaxed about it all in Oz?)

This is what I was told by my neph, also.    Public pools are full of yucky things.   

[MooseMom]

How about Lake Michigan?

[chook]

Wow!!!! I love to go swimming, although find the water too cold these days and only go when it's really warm. I was saddened by not being able to swim: I assumed 'no bath' also meant 'no swimming'. My sister had ostomy bags for a while and I can see how good they would be to protect the site. I will be making enquiries as would love to go swimming again, especially with the grandies.
Once again, you people on IHD provide info and possibilities - thanks 

[ChickenLittle56]

MM, just don;t go swimming on days after a big storm. The Deep Tunnel can't hold that much of poop.

[RichardMEL]

I'm wondering why a river or mountain stream would be bad? Fresh water has more bacteria in it that salt kills???

[paul.karen]

I was told no public pools or lakes.  For sure NO HOTTUBS (not even your own personnel one).

Ocean is fine and pools if your own and kept at chemical listings as posted are OK.  I swim in our pool all the time.  Unless we have a party and there are kids swimming in it.  In the morning i will put chemicals in it and swim an hour later.  No waterproofing my exit site.  I just change the dressing like so many other people do.

Although cant take baths anymore.  At least i can swim down the shore or in the pool.