Sports and different types of dialysis

[TheSpleen]

Did a quick search and found a few related posts, but not too much, so...
My wife has lupus and may need to start dialysis soon. She's a sports nut, so one of our biggest concerns is to what extent she'll be able to maintain that lifestlye. She works out at the gym and at home (she's a personal trainer) and plays beach volleyball a few times a week. I'd be interested to hear any comments about the pros/cons of the different types of dialysis with respect to these types of activities. We've been eyeing peritoneal dialysis because she absolutley hates needles, but I'm worried about issues like keeping the site clean (maybe especially does sweat cause problems, are you able to keep sand out of it), what happens if you dive on it, etc... If we choose hemodialysis would be need to find a spot for the fistual where it wouldn't get hit by the ball? Stuff like that.
Thanks a lot in advance,
Jared

[Joe Paul]

IMO, PD and volleyball would be OK on overnight dwells, but if she had to carry fluid during the day, I think that would be uncomfortable jumping around with (up to) 2000 cc's of fluid in her abdomen. Also as her kidneys continue to fail, her energy levels may suffer too.

[Lucinda]

Hi Jared

I haven't started dialysis yet.....next month for me.  I don't have many symptoms now I am on my EPO and I have kept up with my tennis, swimming etc.  I have had my graft in for about two years now and the only thing you really need to worry about is wearing tight clothing over the graft or putting anything heavy against the fistula/graft.  I have found in two years the only restriction I have had is with weights where you hook your arm around the weight and pull it towards you.  Otherwise, I have played all the sports I use to.

A couple of things to remember as you are getting close to dialysis and you play any sort of contact sport is that you bruise really easily.  I am usually black and blue after a game of tip footy.

As Paul Joe said, she will struggle with her energy levels but keeping up some exercise is really good.  When I start dialysis I will let you know how I go with keeping up with the gym, tennis etc.  Also, tell your girl not to be scared of needles if she chooses hemo.  By all accounts, after very little time you feel no pain.

[flip]

I still play golf several times a week and the only pain I feel is when I look at my score card. I can relate to the beach volleyball because I spend a lot of time in the sand when I'm playing golf. 

[boxman55]

I think beach vollyball is an excellant choice I love watching female beach vollyball...Boxman

[Lucinda]

Good one Flip.  Got to love them bunkers!!!

[RichardMEL]

I think beach vollyball is an excellant choice I love watching female beach vollyball...Boxman

dude! You took the thought right out of my mind...

[kitkatz]

THe New Volleyball team just for you guys.

[flip]

reminds me of the nurses at my dialysis center

[Robby712]

Check out this thread:  http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=415.0;topicseen

I've stayed quite active, lifting 4x a week and running just about every day on a treadmill at home.  Also play softball and basketball in the summer when I'm off work.  It's helped me quite a bit to be honest.

Sometimes I don't always feel like working out...or doing the other stuff.  But it's a good way to get your mind off things, stay healthy(ish), and cut some water weight.

[flip]

Working out when you feel bad is sometimes better than working out when you feel good. No pain...No gain does have some value. I've given up softball but still play some basketball. But, hell, I'm 60 years old now.

[RichardMEL]

So how does this topic apply to "indoor sports"?

(I know at least one IHDer who will want to know... )

[Zach]

I think exercising is very important for a person on dialysis.

Obviously, one must use common sense.

As you mentioned, with hemodialysis, one needs to protect the fistula from trauma.  Beach volleyball may present a problem if the fistula is located near the wrist--but not all are located there.

[flip]

I still enjoy some indoor contact sports 

[TheSpleen]

Got some bad news. Looks like the chemo that my wife was on (to try to control the lupus) was not working, so we're discontinuing that and starting plans for a transplant and dialysis. Still not sure which type of dialysis will work best for her. She absolutely hates needles, so I think that will be a big issues. She also has some problems with her veins from beign stuck so much in the past. We've got an appointment with a vascular surgeon to get a look at her. I'm also not sure which types of dialysis are offered (Kaiser in SoCal); we're going to an informational session in a couple days that should answer that.

[Joe Paul]

Sorry to hear the chemo didn't work. Good luck with which ever dialysis she tries.

[paris]

I'm sorry about the chemo not working.  Have you two looked into Peritoneal Dialysis?  It might be the answer since your wife has problems with veins and hates needles.  Good luck to you both.

[Neo]

I play in a mens baseball league but I don't play as much as I like. But it is a league full of good players. It's not a softball league. But my energy level sux so I don't play as much as I want to so I will have to wait for that transplant. Let me know if you have any questions....

[twirl]

her engery level will suffer
needles are a nightmare
but it might be best for her b/c she is so active
no tubes and no carrying fluids
I use a cream for the pain before I go and it hurts sometimes but only a little
I would not do dialysis if I had to face the needles with no cream
and the little shots they give you to deaden the needles hurt
so I have the best results with the cream
and some members go to noctural dialysis
best of luck and I am sorry the chemo did not work

[Stacy Without An E]

Her energy will be sapped somewhat, but the fact that she loves being active will be tremendous for her body dealing with the effects of treatment.

I walk six to eight miles a day four days a week and go to the gym the other three.  The benefits have been tremendous.  My cholesterol is perfect, I'm not as puffy as usual and my body is fully in shape and prepared for a future kidney transplant.

The first few weeks of Dialysis can be rough on the body.  Tell her to fight the fatigue and continue with her activities and she should do well.

[Slywalker]

Sorry the chemo didn't work - I hope something else will work.

In regards to exercising while on PD - I did the cycler night time PD and I found there were not any issues around exercising.  But I was not into sports like Volleyball - just walking and aerobics.  the more you move the better physically and even more better is the stress relief.

Good luck.

Sandyb   

[TheSpleen]

Three weeks after having her PD cath surgery. Dialysis clinic keeps saying what a good job the doc did (healing well, drains like a pro;) Wife's doing well but waiting another week until she really starts trying to work out again. We're going to try doing the machine at night, and I'm hoping she'll be able to carry little or no fluid during the day (or maybe time it so her workouts are in one block later in the day; maybe she can drain before that). So far so good...

[TheSpleen]

Just finished our first night of dialysis. That machine was f'ing loud, as were our pets who are now locked out of the bedroom;) All things considered, it went pretty well. My wife found the drain on the machine quite painful, but this yesterday was het first day on the cycler and I think that even the second and third drains went much better than the first few. Will have to look into the noise - it seemed to be clicking and clacking all night, even when it was just dwelling...