Introduction and questions about PD vs. Hemo

[Chicken Little]

My neph prefers that I try and use the lowest concentration of dextrose solution as possible.  Right now I'm getting great labs and feel great using mainly 1.5%.  I do a 2 hr. pause exchange each evening using 2000 ml 2.5% because I find I don't absorb any fluid that way during the longer dwell time.  For the remainder of my 5 exchanges, I use 2000 ml 1.5% solution.  If I notice my BP is up or I seem to be retaining some fluid, I will use 1- 5000 ml bag of 2.5% and 1-5000 ml bag of 1.5%.  I usually have to do this only 3 or 4 times per month.  My neph's theory is that using the lower concentrations of dextrose is easier on the peritoneum and you won't wear it out as quickly.  As I've mentioned in other posts, I'm in my 4th year of my 2nd time on PD and have been on PD for a total now of 7 1/2 years.  I generally get a UF of around 700-750 ml per night and still pee around the same amount so using the lower % is seeming to work well for me.  Not sure if there's any truth to his theory though.  Has anyone else's doctor mentioned this?

The goal in my clinic is to use the lowest concentration too.  Thankfullly, I do well on 1.5%.   I'm told that most diabetic patients are using the higher concentrations to get the fluid off though.   

[Chicken Little]

I chose PD and I'm so glad I did. In choosing PD I feel that dialysis is has not been the life restricting experience that I thought it would be. I do have some diagnosis issues which I'll not go into now as I've covered them in other posts, but generally speaking dialysis has not stopped me getting on with my life. I use the baxter cycler each night which takes about ten minutes to set up and about the same time to dismantle each morning. Nowadays I just hook up, get in bed and forget about it and as long as my restless legs don't start doing the river dance, I usually get to sleep after the first fill when the machines's gone quiet. It does have its disadvantages particularly during warm weather cos you can't just take a quick shower, you've got to also change the exit site dressing afterwards. Also there are swimming restrictions. Swimming in the sea is out because of infection risks although the use of a chlorinated pool is allowed. Can anyone tell me if you can get any kind of waterproof dressing for swimming?

I'm allowed to swim in the ocean.    It's actually prefer over a chlorinated pool by my doc.   Fresh water lakes, reservoirs, rivers are off the list, due to crypto, giardia, etc., and hot tubs/jacuzzis are banned too.   

I was told to just make sure all caps and locks are tight and to redress and change the cap when I get out of the water.   

[Ginger]

Ken,
I always used an ostomy bag over my PD cath when I went swimming. Never had a leak or an infection.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I chose PD and I'm so glad I did. In choosing PD I feel that dialysis is has not been the life restricting experience that I thought it would be. I do have some diagnosis issues which I'll not go into now as I've covered them in other posts, but generally speaking dialysis has not stopped me getting on with my life. I use the baxter cycler each night which takes about ten minutes to set up and about the same time to dismantle each morning. Nowadays I just hook up, get in bed and forget about it and as long as my restless legs don't start doing the river dance, I usually get to sleep after the first fill when the machines's gone quiet. It does have its disadvantages particularly during warm weather cos you can't just take a quick shower, you've got to also change the exit site dressing afterwards. Also there are swimming restrictions. Swimming in the sea is out because of infection risks although the use of a chlorinated pool is allowed. Can anyone tell me if you can get any kind of waterproof dressing for swimming?

I'm allowed to swim in the ocean.    It's actually prefer over a chlorinated pool by my doc. 

That surprises me cos I was told the opposite. That chlorinated fresh water is much safer than  seawater.

Do you think at the end of the day that medics are too reluctant to properly assess the degree of risk involved and therefore adopt a one size fits all zero risk policy to cover their own backs?

 

[Wattle]

I chose PD and I'm so glad I did. In choosing PD I feel that dialysis is has not been the life restricting experience that I thought it would be. I do have some diagnosis issues which I'll not go into now as I've covered them in other posts, but generally speaking dialysis has not stopped me getting on with my life. I use the baxter cycler each night which takes about ten minutes to set up and about the same time to dismantle each morning. Nowadays I just hook up, get in bed and forget about it and as long as my restless legs don't start doing the river dance, I usually get to sleep after the first fill when the machines's gone quiet. It does have its disadvantages particularly during warm weather cos you can't just take a quick shower, you've got to also change the exit site dressing afterwards. Also there are swimming restrictions. Swimming in the sea is out because of infection risks although the use of a chlorinated pool is allowed. Can anyone tell me if you can get any kind of waterproof dressing for swimming?

I'm allowed to swim in the ocean.    It's actually prefer over a chlorinated pool by my doc.   Fresh water lakes, reservoirs, rivers are off the list, due to crypto, giardia, etc., and hot tubs/jacuzzis are banned too.   

I was told to just make sure all caps and locks are tight and to redress and change the cap when I get out of the water.   

  I was told the same as Chicken Little. A clean ocean beach was fine, everything else was a NO go. However, I was also trained to cover my exit site with a water proof dressing. I can just order them with my suppiles. I haven't had an infection yet (touch wood) but I'm not much of a swimmer. It has to be HOT.

[goofynina]

LOL, another one told different over here,  I was told that private swimming pools ONLY!!  I have been swimming in my sisters pool for the past 2 weeks and I do not cover my exit site at all, just when i get out of the pool, i shower and wash it with antibacterial soap, and, "knock on wood too" so far so good 

[MiSSis]

Don't you find it a little scary that we're all being told different answers to questions like this?  My nurse said oceans and chlorinated pools are OK but lakes, streams, etc. are out.  Also out are hot tubs, jacuzzi and bath tubs too.  Showers only.  For the few times I will swim, I've purchased several large sized Tegaderm bandages.  These seems to work pretty well but I'm not much of a swimmer either.  I passed on the chance to swim in a private pool over Memorial Day holiday because there were a couple of babies and a dog in the pool.  It might not have been a problem but it kind of freaked me out.  I just sat pool side and drank a Margarita instead.