Cycler Drainage Problems

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Sorry to hear that you're  having so many problems with the cycler. Have you had the position of the catheter checked out?

[hephziba]

I went this morning and they sent me for an xray, and as a result have been given stronger laxatives. they still dont know why I have high blood pressure as I am not medically overloaded and am taking the full compliment of Bp Tablets...

oh well lets see if this works......

[rimbo74]

Hey Heph,

My BP was out of control as well, taking all sorts of BP medicine.  Now I'm taking Doxazosin 4mg.  Since then my BP has been around 140/80.  It got as high as 199/120. 

I tried vasotec, norvasc, but none of those worked.

[goofynina]

Hi Heph,  It is so nice to see you come and post, we miss you and the little lady, i am sorry your still having trouble with your dialysis and i wish you Godspeed my friend, hang in there, get will get better, it has to right?   dont be a stranger

[hephziba]

hey friends. last night I had no alarms, and I drained 215 hardly life changing I know, about a cup of tea, but at least its progress. yeah I am taking doxasozin, ramipril, and amlodipine, for my bp havent checked it yet this morning hopefully its come down some..

still no alarms was a nice improvement.

hey goofynina. good to hear from you as well. my little lady is fine, we are very busy with hobbies..will continue in offtopic..

[goofynina]

Woohooo, Right on,  i'd rather have little improvement than no improvement at all right? right!   Glad to hear you had a good night and hopefully there will be more to come, and i sure hope your blood pressure goes down as well, have you ever tried Minoxidil (sp)  That was the one medication that really helped with my b/p BUT it also gave me facial hair like you wouldnt believe,  (can you say Chewbaca)    so needless to say i stopped that one and got on Norvasc and Metropolol (which seem to be working for now)   

[hephziba]

I dont mind having more facial hair, if it doen't improve I can ask my consultant for that one. my bp was still high when I took it this morning, 170 over 125 .....

but having a wonderful day nevertheless..

[kitkatz]

The Wookie speaks over here.  I am on Minoxidil and yo boy do I have hair growth! However the BP is down to almost normal levels for me!

[rimbo74]

MY DRAINING PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN RESOLVED!!!

We increased the amount that I put in from 2,000ml to 2,600ml (4x a night) in hopes of "floating" my catheter out of wherever it was hiding.  This appears to have helped because I no longer get the pulling pains. 

Also, I carry 500ml during the day.  I found that if I only drain 100ml on the initial drain, it keeps the alarms from occuring.  Meaning I'm starting off with an extra 200-300ml since I didnt drain it out completely when starting.

[Chicken Little]

I'm having the same problems, Heph.  I've been on the cycler for a 8 days.  The first night I had alarms all night, but got off 850.  The second night we changed the machine to tidal and I only alarmed on the first and second drains and got off 1600.  Since then, it's been all downhill.  It's taking me about hour+ to drain, it's sucking the life outta me and I'm still -400, -600 each night.     My feet are so swollen and my stomach is hard a distended, even when I'm empty.  I'm not constipated, we've tried heparin, moved the machine and nothing has helped.   I just put in a 2.5 manual, but what's the point of doing CCPD, if I'm still going to have to do exchanges during the day too.  I'm so depressed.

[carson]

chicken little, I've always done one exchange during the day. Don't get discouraged.  It's no biggy.

[Chicken Little]

chicken little, I've always done one exchange during the day. Don't get discouraged.  It's no biggy.

Thanks.  I'm back on the cycler now with no daytime exchanges, after serving a fun filled 5 week sentence in a hemo.  I actually had bigger issues than inadequate UF.  I had torn my peritoneum.   

[carson]

yikes! I hope all's better now!