POSITIVE things about Hemo

[WishIKnew]

I've been away for awile - in the hospital with gram neg infection that would not clear up.  Lost my PD cath and am now on Hemo.  I've had three treatments and, despite what was going on around me!!!!, I handled them well.  So now I'm looking for help in making the mental switch.  I loved PD.  I want to love Hemo.  I want your help to focus on the positive.  So give it to me!   What are the advantages of Hemo??

 

[Bruno]

The big advantage of Hemo is that you can use it when PD no longer works.

[jojosmommy]

First of all, I want to say.... hang in there, it may take awhile, but it will get better.  A few things that I have to tell myself when I get down about hemo are...  I get down time that as a working single mother, I would otherwise not let myself have, and it's good for me.  AND... overall, I feel so much better than before I started.  No matter how much it sucks to go through it, when I'm not there, my quality of life is better than it was without it. 

It was only a little encouragement, but I hope it was helpful.   

[TINA HUBB]

My daughter was on PD for @ 2 years before needing to go on Hemo. As a parent, it was great to have her at home and not travel so much(we live in central Jersey and her treatment was in DE).
Being a baby, It was easy to keep her in her crib for 10 hrs for PD  but as she got older, she hated it. She said she preferred Hemo even though it was so hard on her. She went from 10 hrs to a 2-1/2 hr treatment. Even though we traveled two hrs each way to DE, she was still happier. I was happy she took it so well. You may even find that you will have better clearance on Hemo.
My daughter also battled a gram neg infection, and still has been for the last 4 years- Puedomonas.

[cattlekid]

I'm getting a lot more reading done now that I have to sit still for 12 hours a week.   

[PatDowns]

The best advantage I see is...you.  I've read many of your posts and know how much you have gone through over the past few months.  You have weathered the storms and have come out on the other side ready to persevere.  Your attitude and ability to roll with the punches will get you through the change in treatment modality.  Have you decided to continue at home by going on NxStage? 

[romanyscarlett]

I can think of so many positive things about Hemo!

If you do in-centre then you only have treatment for 12 hours a week. You will no longer have to worry about fluid exchanges every day. You'll have the same slot for 3 days each week so it's easy to plan your activities. Or, if you're planning on having home treatment you'll have so much freedom because you can pick and choose when you have dialysis.

This forum is a huge support because everyone is in the same boat. It's same at a HD clinic. I've found talking to other patients about worries or concerns a big help. I don't work at the moment so if I didn't go to dialysis, the only people I'd see each day would be my mother and boyfriend. I look at my dialysis sessions as a chance to socialise with patients and nurses and have a good chat.

It's so much easier (at least in the UK) to have regular blood tests done. When I was having my hemoglobin levels closely monitored for 2 months my clinic was able to take the blood, courier it to the pathology lab and have the results back before I'd finished treatment. You don't get that with PD!!

[BillSharp]

In my case, 3 1/2 hours of uninterrupted reading time on my Kindle.

Also, after 2 years on In-center D, I'm gradually feeling better and better. Maybe my body is getting accustomed to the treatment.

[Poppylicious]

You have four days a week where you don't have to worry about anything dialysis related, so if you want to go away for an evening without having to remember anything but your medication and your toothbrush, you can ...

 

Sorry that the PD isn't an option anymore.  I hope you adjust well to haemoD.

*huggles*

[jeannea]

I was on hemo now I'm on PD. I thought the best part of hemo was that I got blood draws without needle sticks. Also, I had a good facility so I could relax and be relieved that I knew I was getting good treatment. The minus for me is that I was so much younger than the others there and felt out of place. But even just in 2 min conversation in the waiting area, some people had such great attitudes and were really encouraging. One guy read the newsletter carefully and brought everyone a birthday card.

[jbeany]

Lots of people like the social aspect.  I've had a transplant, and I'm still friends with some of my nurses and techs.  We still meet for lunch and talk on the phone.  I'm still in touch with a few of my fellow patients in spite of the age gap between us. (It was odd to be the youngest one in a crowd for a change!)

If you have a good center, you will see your doctor more.  I could talk to mine at least once a week if I had any questions - he always stopped by to at least say hello to every patient when he had to be at the center for anything.

I got a lot of crafts and reading done while I was on hemo.  At one point, I even took an on-line class and worked on my homework only during my D runs.  I got an A, so that worked well.

We're nothing if not adaptable - you can do this, too!

[Ang]

what poppy said

[cytoxin]

I'm on hemo now after losing my cat to infection.  I do love the short time it takes.  Show up at 6, take a little nap, watch some TV, listen to music then done by 10 or 11.  And it's only on M-W-F.  And I can finally sleep at nights.  I never could sleep on PD.  The one thing I hated about it is the huge chunk of time it took to do.

[lmunchkin]

Well, my husband has done all 3, PD, Incenter and Home hemo.  I believe of the 3, Home Hemo was the best for us!  It's just what works for you and also, what You make it!  Attitude, attitude and attitude!  What ever you make it to be, it will be!
You will be fine!

Sorry about the infection, cause PD was okay to do also. We just prefer the home experience.  Being in our own enviroment helped alot. But it is not for everyone!

Wishing you luck in your transition,

lmunchkin   

[kellyt]

You are lucky to need a "kidney", where you have the option of dialysis, instead of say a heart or liver.       That's positive, right?     I'm sorry, I hope that helps.   

[Des]

hmmmmmm.......

Still can't think of anything......positive.

hmmmmmmm

aaahh! got it. I am still alive.

That's about it.

[bette1]

I had to make a list because I had to get off PD due to an infection.  Sorry that that happened to you but there ARE positives.

-You don't have to store all those pd supplies!  Now you have storage again. 
-You can have some days that are totally dialysis free. 
-If you have a problem on dialysis day, the nurses will call the doc for you and you will get you problem addressed. 
-You can take a bath once your pd catheter heals. 
-You can go swimming in a public pool. 
-You can stop wearing elastic waist pants.
-You stomach will go down.
-You can sleep without a long tubes and alarms (cyler users only)
-You can stay out and not have to worry about getting back in time to do you pd treatment
-You can take naps 3 times a week and not feel guilty.

Hope that you feel better soon.   

[kitkatz]

12 and a half years on hemodialysis, doesn't that say it all?

[RightSide]

HD with a fistula is much less likely to give you peritonitis than PD would.

If you ever need to be on IV medications (such as IV antibiotics), then HD makes this a snap.   The antibiotic bag is just connected into the dialysate line, and the medication enters the body during the dialysis session.

[lmunchkin]

You are so right, Right Side, about peritonitis with a Fistula.  You got me laughing there!  But actual you can give IV anibiotics on PD.  Just shoot Antiobotics through port provided on the Big Guys (Bags).

You "crack" me up RS!!!! 

lmunchkin