Time at the Dialysis center

[Riverwhispering]

I was under the impression that a normal dialysis session was about 4 hours but...

I called the Dialysis center near where I hope to be moving to and talked with the head honcho there.  I liked that she said they have three shifts because where I am they only have two.

What did surprise me was she said they are three hour sessions three times a week.  Everything I've read I thought says that three hours isn't enough time and way too fast.   

Any comments?

[cattlekid]

Everybody's time is different.  She may have just been saying three hours as a generalization.  Personally, I started at three and a half hours and got penalized with 15 more minutes when they didn't like my numbers.

You may want to check with your nephrologist and find out the prescription he/she will be writing for you as far as time.  Then you can check back with the clinic and see if they can get you in on your preferred shift with the time that you were given.

[Riverwhispering]

I haven't started dialysis yet, I'm hoping to move before I have to start.  My GFR is running 11/12 right now.  I still have to move and then find a Neph where I'm moving.  I hope I have time.

[Zach]

More dialysis is better --that is if you want to live a longer, healthier life.
 

[cattlekid]

Has your GFR been steady?  I didn't have any time - I went from a creatnine of 1.2 to over 9 in the course of three months.  I went from "dialysis - yeah, someday maybe" to "OMG - you need to start tomorrow!". 

Here's my cynical side - will you be on private insurance when you start?  I found that because I had private insurance, my clinic moved heaven and earth for me to get the shift and time that I needed.  Sad but true.  You may find the same thing - they may be very willing to accommodate you if they know that they are going to get beau coup bucks from your insurance company.

[Riverwhispering]

My GFR has been going down slowly, it was down to 11 and last time was 12 but many things could be factors on that. 

I have no insurance at all.  I will have Medicare when I start and will be getting supplemental insurance hopefully to cover the 20%

[Traveller1947]

At my center, time on the machine can vary from 2-1/2 hours to 5 hours.  All the same, each shift is 4 hours long, so I would guess that the nurse who told you 3 hours, was just giving you an average.  It will all fall into place once you start dialysis.  As always, wishing you the best.

[Lillupie]

I knew a guy at my center who was on for 7 hours at a time, 3 days a week!
That is too much

Lisa

[Whamo]

I started off at 3 1/2 hours, but they bumped me up to 4 hours.  It takes 4 1/2  hours because setup and get-off time adds to the time.  They're weaning me on bigger needles for my new fistula, so hopefully they'll be able to draw more blood faster, and do it less time.  Or is that wishful thinking?  At my center the time varies from patient to patient. 

[malaka]

It depends on how much "drawn off" you need and what you can tolerate.  I started at 3, was bumped up to 3.5, and now I'm back to three hours.  I still make urine and have some remaining kidney function, so less time was needed.  Also, they can change the ultrafiltration rate on you so its not just time alone.  Generally, however, according to many dialysis sites, removing "X" water and urea, etc., over a longer time is better for you.

[lmunchkin]

More dialysis is better --that is if you want to live a longer, healthier life.
 

Totally agree with you, Zach!  Plus, the higher the BFR the harder it is on heart & access!  Longer/slower is best for longevity in all things!!

God Bless,
lmunchkin
 

[Riverwhispering]

much relieved now 

I just got off the phone with a nurse at the dialysis center I will be going to and he said what everyone has been saying here that it depends on how well you follow the rules on fluids and what you eat.   He said most of their patients at that center do dialysis for 3 hours with no problems if they follow the rules.  If not it could be up to 4 hours depending on stuff happening.

[HSM]

Zach's on the money, I do 4 hours and 5 minutes 3 times a week (Fresenius decided an extra 5 minutes would make a significant contribution to our blood results lol) and I feel great.

Eating well and avoiding what we shouldn't eat contributes towards the big picture too. I'm quite healthy most of the time, exercising helps too. Honestly, if someone hears that I'm on dialysis, often they think it's a joke as I look and am very healthy.

Hardev

[Cordelia]

Currently I do 3 and 3/4 hrs. I used to do 4 hrs for the first....oh I would say  15 months of dialysis. My numbers had been consistently pretty good so one neph dwindled my time down from the 4 hrs to my new time. If my new fistula continues to  run great they told me then they will likely decrease my time even more to 3.5 hrs, which would make me a happy camper.       

[qmdono]

When I was on hemo the sessions were for 4 hours but timed seemed to move slower .