My first question about home dialysis (PD fluid)

[smileeface]

Hi!  Well this is finally sinking in a bit . . . the whole my kidney's are failing thing. . .

It's been an up month (November blew).  My GFR went up a few points - nothing promising I know - but it was better than going down   My Nephrologist is an expert in PD dialysis - so when she said I wasn't a candidate - I was a little perplexed.

We met last week - she is a fantastic emailer!  She explained that PD uses a sugar based solution and that your body absorbs almost 1000 calories a day, since I have enough problems with my weight - she didn't think that was the best answer for me.

But, then she said she had a thought, but had to ask the Director of the department as it cost more and would hit his budget.

Apparently there is another liquid solution that is NOT sugar based - it's used commonly in Europe and I think Canada.  She feels confident enough in it - she wouldn't schedule for my fistula to be put in.  She said I may have had too many stomach surgeries and there may be scaring - but if I'm willing to try, she is too.

So, after that very long dissertation - anybody know what I'm talking about???  Anybody used it before??

Thanks in advance!
Karin

[peleroja]

Yup, it's called Extraneal and is starch based.  I get mine from Baxter.  It has a 15 hour dwell, so no midday manual exchange.  Yes it is more expensive.  In my case, the first time I tried it I got a very hot rash.  The second time I tried it, about a month ago, I lay down an allergen barrier with Benadryl 3 times a day.  No rash.  I have gradually tapered off the Benadryl to one a day.  BTW, the amount of calories you absorb per day depends on how much you are using of which color. 

1.5% (yellow) manual average 23 calories per litre
2.5% (green) manual average 39 calories per litre
4.25% (red) manual average 66 calories per litre

1.5% cycler 33.5 calories per litre
2.5% cycler 56 calories per litre
4.25% 95 calories per litre

Extraneal approximately 90 calories per litre

[koutsounel]

we were also told that extraneal is "kinder" to the peritoneum, in that it makes it last a little longer.

[KICKSTART]

You wont get PD using Extraneal only !!!! We use it commonly over here  All Extraneal does is pull off more fluid than the normal PD fluid (hence the longer dwell) but it does NOT remove toxins ! So you wont be able to use it for every exchange ,sorry.

[jennyc]

extraneal does remove toxins... and yes it is kinder than the higher % glucose solutes. It works best if your on APD becuase you do most of you exchanges in the shorter hours of the night. Extraneal needs to be left in over 10 hours to actually reach it peak clearance. but it's still the same as only doing 1 exchange. It's taken me years to be able to handle a full 2lts of extraneal in all day becuase it can take off upto 700mls (for me) and i get too full.

Also, extraneal as peleroja said is much kinder on the waist line. in 4 years of use i've lost weight. in 12 months on only glucose based fluid i gain 15kgs