Slow Fill/Drain

[J-D]

Hi everyone. I have been onPD for only 4 weeks and have been having trouble lately. I was not filling/draining well with the cycler ... It started Friday. I was on my last exchange drain when I had alarms saying slow patient line, and constant alarms no matter what I do. Went to the clinic, my nurse used manual drain/fill bags and it was soooooo slow.... Well it is filling/draining but it is really sluggish. She did some flush, change my transfer set, injected 4 mls fibring diffuser (I forgot what it's really called), then went home, and was advised to take colyte (was not constipated though). I still drank colyte and missed dialysis for 2 nights. I tried last night, went well for the first 2 exchanges fill and drain but started acting up again on my 3rd cycle drain.   :oops;I'm so confused what is going on.... any one out there experienced the same? 

[jeannea]

That sounds frustrating. Hope you find the answer soon.

[Joe]

J-D, I had those kinds of problems when I was doing manual exchanges, but not with the cycler. I would think the Heprin (fibrin diffuser) would free things up and get you moving again. Have you tried getting up and wiggling around to reposition the catheter. I had to do this fairly frequently when I first started PD. Don't have to do that often at all now. Hope that settles down quickly, those late night alarms can be a nuisance.

[J-D]

Tried cycling again last night. Thought everything is ok until the it started alarming with SLOW PATIENT LINE, CHECK PATIENT LINE again on my 3rd fill. I even removed my dressing plasters, moved around, no kinks but still the fill went 3 mls at a time! My last drain took 1 hour!  I  My PD nurse called and followed up with me this morniing and she said I may need to be booked for a cathetergram. Anybody to have done this before?

[tbarrett2533]

I do CAPD, not the cycler however awhile back I had this same problem with the exception that mine was associated with a lot of pain, now what worked for me was this (not that this will work for you, but it won't hurt)

1.  while full......... get on all fours and rock back and fourth (your cath could have migrated)
2.  do this a few times a day
3.  put heparin in your bags (do not do this without talking to ur neph or nurse)
4.  do this for a few days

after about 5 or so days or slow/no drains things finally worked itself out

I really, really, really, really hope this helps

good luck
and keep us posted
 

[J-D]

Hi there,
Did my cathetergram yesterday. So they injected a dye contract (Visipaque) on my catheter and then took a picture of it. They said there's really blocking at the end of my cath  . They scheduled me for a cath manipulation on the 14th. Well, I tried to test it with the cycle last night, I was filling and draining fast!  But so i thought...I slept thru the 3rd, 4th and 5th, and 6th exchanges and woke up with an alarm Low Fluid drain with a negative UF of -585.  I stood up and slowly all the fluid drained out little by little 3-5 mls at a time and was able to get a +UF of 370!!! (I'm using 1.5%)/ 

My nurse also called me awhileback and said they would give a TPA on Monday, dwell for a day or two and see if that works!

[billybags]

JD it is a pain in the butt, these alarms drive you mad. One night last week my husband had a slow drain, it took about an hour, he did every thing apart from jumping on the bed. He wiggled, did the PD dance  he twisted tubes every thing and just when he said I am going to by-pass this (a thing you should not do unless desperate0 .the bloody machine went merrily on its way. Are you sure you are not constipated?

[bleija]

about a month after i got my firsat catheter, it got caught on my omentum and kinked and twisted 480 degrees. the surgeon that placed said he had been doing them for 22 years and had never seen one do that... i would fill really slow and even slower to drain until one night i couldnt get it to drain at all. of it could be something as simple as fibrin... it only takes a little peice to block it.

[highway61]

While my fills are proceeding as usual, my drains are sucking. I am very regular, and have tried jumping, dancing, and doing the shake, rattle, and roll. No luck. I think I will try TBarrett's lurching dog routine. Hey, whatever works is good for me.