My dad is about to start dialysis next week...

[ccasnet]

My dad is getting ready to start dialysis next Tuesday...Is there anything that he should expect on the first day?  Also, I live in Florida and he is in Philadelphia and lives with my mother and brother.  Both of them will be working and he will be going alone...is it okay to go alone?

I read on the other posts that one should continue their daily routines as much as they can when on dialysis, and I will definitely pass this along to him.  He has been feeling very weak and this past week was rushed to the hospital with stomach and back pains...also, the week prior he suffered from a nonstop nose bleed...I'm not sure if any of these symptoms are related to kidney failure.   So, when he went to see his nephrologist, he recommended that he start dialysis now, and he made an appointment to start next week, 3x's a week.
So that is where I am with him right now...Any pointers would be great!! 

Thanks, Cyndi

[casper2636]

ccasnet,
I am a newbie on this site, but have been undergoing dialysis for 2 1/2 years. I remember my first day and I was terrified. Most important was that after treatment, I had the worst headache of my life and felt very ill. Having someone there to pick him up might be a good idea, because he may not be up to driving. after the first week you kind of get used to it and he can gage it from there.
Casper2636 - Best Wishes!

[Stoday]

I've been on hemodialysis for just a month.

First time the kack-handed tech stuck the needle into my vein and out the other side. So I got no dialysis that day and got a big bruise to show for it. I had been in hospital for a week when they decided to give me dialysis.

Three days later got my first dialysis for 2 hours with a single needle. All went without any problems whatsoever. Next day I felt so much better than I had for months before. No problem driving from my house to hospital on the other side of town & back.

Now I'm happy to drive there & back three days a week. I am happy with the dialysis regime because I remember the wretched life I had before. Apart from getting infiltrated on a couple of occasions, I've had no problems. However, I think my mental acceptance of the regime and the lack of problems is the exception rather than the rule though.

So my tips for your dad is to mentally prepare himself and to look forward to a better life in the future. I do believe that if he can achieve the right mental attitude he'll have fewer problems related to dialysis.

[KICKSTART]

On a more practical level , will anyone be at home for him when he gets back? The chances are he might just want some quiet time , but if he is on his own ,try and organise a simple meal thats easily ready and make sure he doesnt have anything to do.

[Riki]

yeah, I usually feel like someone has kicked the royal crap out of me after, but not until I'm home and settled.  I have gone out after dialysis for dinner and stuff.. but usually crashed as soon as I got home

[ccasnet]

  soo much for your inputs...I really appreciate it and will have a talk with my father to see what will be best for him.  I just am a little concerned because it will the first week and do not know what to expect and neither does he...

So I guess right after a treatment, you are really hungry and need to replenish yourself..is that right? If I know him, if he is up to it, he will go and get something to eat close by before he even goes home. 

I sure hope that he will start to feel better and more energized after starting because he has felt like crap lately and does not want to do anything but lay around.  I can even hear the weakness in his voice when I speak with him.

I really appreciate all of you sharing your experiences...I will keep you all in prayers also!!

[FindingNeverland]

I don't think anyone knows what to expect the first few times, just to hope for the best and prepare for the worse. I got extremely sick and vomited the first four or five times, but after that it got better... of course my doctors think it was because my body was reacting to having all the toxins removed that had built up in my body. Now I just got to deal with cramping and staying warm during treatment, I get so incredibly cold. After I feel worn out, sometimes I take a nap when I get home and sometimes I go out, I usually crash after going out though. I'm definitely starving by the time I'm done so I usually end up raiding the fridge before I do anything. Make sure he takes it easy and to listen to his body. I wish your dad the best of luck! 

[Restorer]

The first time I had dialysis was in the hospital, after being sick with uremia for a week. After the first session I had extreme restlessness - like Restless Leg Syndrome, but through my whole body. Since I was in the ICU and stuck in bed, all I could do was punch violently at the air until it went away.

I had three sessions in three days, then they released me. For a week afterward, I had intense "dirty fishbowl syndrome." My body was used to being so full of toxins, and now that it was cleaner, I felt really weird, kind of disconnected from my body, and my feet were numb. For the rest of the day after I was released, I had scary episodes of... I don't know. Lying in bed, then all of a sudden I "wake up," unaware that my eyes had been closed, and I feel like I need to catch my breath, but breathing as hard as I could wasn't relieving thirst for oxygen. Even with all that, I had more energy than I had in a long time.

A little bit of a tangent, but I described all that just to point out that it's hard to know how the first dialysis session will affect him. If he's been sick with all the toxins lately, it could be hard on him to suddenly get back to a cleaner state. He might feel great, or he might feel terrible for a while afterward.

[ccasnet]

FindingNeverland and Restorer:  Thank you sooo much for the input.  I understand that each person is different and has their own experiences with the treatment...I just wanted to hear some of everyone's experiences though.

I really appreciate that you took out the time to explain each of yours... I wish you both well!!

[greg10]

My dad is getting ready to start dialysis next Tuesday.....also, the week prior he suffered from a nonstop nose bleed...I'm not sure if any of these symptoms are related to kidney failure.

Do you have a familial history of bleeding?  HHT is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by vascular dysplasia and hemorrhage.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1086114-overview

[texasstyle]

My husband recently has a non stop real bad nose bleed for 6 hours. Didn't seek any attn (long story-he never does) anyway, I was surprised to see your dad had this situation. Gee I guess it could be so many things. My husband goes by himself to dialysis and has no problem. Sometimes after if his blood pressure is low they do make him wait a bit before leaving. I believe they put saline in you to get it up again. I think your dad should do fine. I remember him feeling better than ever for some months after he first started. Seems going there is a little depressing after while for many 9 Which i can understand) but positive encouragement is the best thing! Best of luck!