Nocturnal - problems with machine alarms Gambro AK200 - arterial pump revolution

[Sleepyhead]

I started nocturnal about 7 weeks ago.  Worked fine in the hospital but, when I got home, endless machine alarms.  Moved some of the tapes, which helped (I always use a lot of tape at home as I am nervous about the needles coming out).  I use single needle, double pump and wondered if this set-up creates more alarms than double-needle.  I find the broken nights are really spoiling the days after dialysis (4 x per week).  The main alarm is arterial pump revolution high.  I fiddle around with the needle to make sure that the pressures are as low as possible but still get alarms about 2 to 3 hours into treatment.  Once I have woken up, I don't get properly back to sleep and wake up feeling rotten.

I have checked all the things you are supposed to check to see what is causing the alarms but, to be honest, everything seems to be OK.  Has anyone else had this problem?

[marje]

i DID SINGLE NEEDLE DOUBLE PUMP NOCTURNAL HOME DIALYSIS FOR 10 MONTHS.    ASK YOUR RENAL TECHNICIAN BECAUSE I HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH ALARMS.   MY RENAL TECHNICIAN AND RENAL HOME NURSE GOT IN TOUCH WITH A TECHNICIAN IN WALES, UK (I LIVE IN THE UK) AND THEY HAD HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND WITH A LITTLE ALTERATION BY YOUR RENAL TECHNICIAN ALL WILL BE WELL.  ONCE THEY HAD REMEDIED THE PROBLEM IT WAS GREAT WITH VERY VERY FEW ALARMS.

HOPE THIS HELPS BUT DO ASK YOUR RENAL HOME NURSE AND YOUR RENAL TECHNICIAN AS I AM SURE THEY WILL HELP OR IF THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE UK (MY RENAL TECHNICIAN IS BASED IN CROSSHOUSE HOSPITAL, KILMARNOCK, SCOTLAND) AND I AM SURE HE WOULD HELP.

[Sleepyhead]

Marje
Thank you so much for your reply.  I will get in touch with your technician tomorrow as I have spoken with one of ours and he wasn't aware of any adjustments that can be made to the machine (just lowering the stroke volume which I don't want to do if I can avoid it as the quality of dialysis isn't so good then, I have heard). 

I have only just joined this site and am really delighted that someone answered my post so quickly!  I will be on here every day now to see if I can't do the same for someone else!

Hope you are keeping well and thanks again.

Sleepyhead

[Rerun]

I don't think in the United States, as far as I know, we do not use single needle.  I have tried and tried to get people (of higher authority) to look into doing single needle but get nowhere!

               

[Sleepyhead]

Hi Rerun

That's a shame they don't do single needle in the States.  I live alone and don't think I would be happy doing double-needle at night without anyone else in the house.  With single-needle, the machine alarms immediately if the needle drops out - with double needle, the alarm would take some time if it was the venous needle that had come loose - by which time you could have lost quite a lot of blood.  I think Morriston Hospital in Swansea (Wales, UK) do single needle for their nocturnal patients and I believe there are quite a few of them so you might be able to get some support from that quarter (maybe get your providers to talk to them).  I was on holiday in Swansea when I found out about it and they seemed very keen to promote what they were doing.  You can get their telephone number by Googling them.   

I have noticed, on this site, that the US does not seem to use Gambro machines.  Is this correct and do your machines have one pump or two?  You need two to do single-needle.

I hope you get somewhere with this.  Let me know if there is anything further I can help with (although, as you will have guessed, I am a bit of a novice myself!)

[Sleepyhead]

Hi Marje

The terchnicians rang your unit on Monday and found that they had to alter the settings so that the arterial pump could turn up to 6 times (instead of 4) before the pressure was reached.  They came round and sorted out my settings on Tuesday and it worked perfectly that night!  It is such a relief that I won't be getting any more of these alarms (unless there is a real problem of course!).  Thanks again for your advice and please say thanks to your technicians as well.

Unfortunately, I have encountered another problem but I will start a separate thread for that.  If you have any further advice, it would be gratefullly received.

[marje]

Delighted you got one problem solved.   Hopefully whatever the other problem is that is now also solved.  Sorry have not been back on the website but had just spoken with my renal technician who told me someone had telephoned them and they were able to help.   

This is exactly what this website is all about - helping each other.   

Hope all is now well with you sleepyhead.

[Sleepyhead]

Hello Marje

Yes, thank you.  THings are much better now.  I have sorted out the other problems and will post the solutions tonight in case anyone has the same issues.

I will now have to change my name from "sleepyhead" as it is no longer true!

[marje]

Delighted to hear all going well Sleepyhead (or whatever you call yourself now that you can sleep !).    As I said I did single needle double pump for 10 months but am now doing HD with the two needles (previously HDF before single needle).   What a difference it makes, the noise from the machine is continuous but at least I don't have the clunk click every 10 or so seconds - that was the worst noise keeping me awake.     I ensure the needles are secured well and have a pad under my arm which would alarm should there be any needle fall out.   I am so appreciative of my renal consultant and renal nurse because they do try to make things as easy as possible for their renal patients and went to great lengths to ensure any risk with the two needles was covered.   So far all going well but I do keep my fingers crossed.

I wish you and anyone else in the forum a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.