Alarm 38

[lmunchkin]

   I need to know if anyone has experienced a Red 38 alarm on their cycler.  Ours has been doing it quite a bit the last few tx's.  And tomorrow they are sending a new cycler.

We have had this cycler for a year now.  It has never really been a problem until recently. It alarms 38 during tx's 3 to 4 times.  Support has had me do alot of things to solve it, but no go!  Tonight I started tx again and this time it alarmed 38 during prime.  He hadnt even been hooked yet.  So after several 38's & tech on the line, finally got machine to tx him and 5minutes in it alarmed 38. So they asked me to use bags.  I did and a few minutes in it alarmed again.

Anyone, like Greg 10 or others who have experienced this and have any suggestions as to what may have happened?
CRAZY!!!!!

Thanks,

lmunchkin

[tyefly]

I had to go look up alarm 38.... never had that one....    I have had my machine for a year and half now .... no problems....knock on Wood....

[looneytunes]

We also went through the red 38 nightmare.  Our cycler had been with us for about 7 months and after several calls to tech support, another unit was sent out. 

[greg10]

Hi lmunchkin.  Checking my notes on this:

NxStage alarms 37, 38  High balance chamber pressure

Cause:  Drain line occluded, Therapy line occluded or clotted filter.

Fix:  check for close clamps or cap on drain line, check for close clamps on therapy line.  Check for kinked line on dialyzer.

If you are getting this even while priming, it is unlikely a clotted filter (unless kinked line on dialyzer due to some manufacture defect.  Take a note of that and see if this has been happening with a particular batch of cartridges.

In general, the most common causes are occluded drain or therapy lines.  Have you flushed your drain line lately?  Your clinic may have given you a 50 ml syringe which you can fill with cleaning solution of bleach or vinegar - do this well after the patient has finished dialyzing.  Some NxStage users have attached adapters to a hose and faucet so that they can flush the drain line regularly with high pressure water.

  I need to know if anyone has experienced a Red 38 alarm on their cycler.  Ours has been doing it quite a bit the last few tx's.  And tomorrow they are sending a new cycler.

We have had this cycler for a year now.  It has never really been a problem until recently. It alarms 38 during tx's 3 to 4 times.  Support has had me do alot of things to solve it, but no go!  Tonight I started tx again and this time it alarmed 38 during prime.  He hadnt even been hooked yet.  So after several 38's & tech on the line, finally got machine to tx him and 5minutes in it alarmed 38. So they asked me to use bags.  I did and a few minutes in it alarmed again.

Anyone, like Greg 10 or others who have experienced this and have any suggestions as to what may have happened?
CRAZY!!!!!

Thanks,

lmunchkin

[billybags]

We had that a few weeks ago and was up most of the night with a tec, he could not do any thing and like your self we had to revert to a manual bag in the night. Found out it was an air lock in the PD cassette. Nothing would have moved it. If we have the problem again I would strip the machine down and start all over again, it would be quicker.

[lmunchkin]

Greg, we did all of that.  Support even had me remove waste line from pureflow and let it drain in a 5 gallon bucket. That was a "trip", but it still alarmed. Then Tues. night when I set up to Tx him again, It alarmed all through prime mode. Weirdest thing I ever saw.  What normally takes 15 minutes probably took 45 or more before we got to where we could hook up.  Then when he got hooked up it did it 5min. in.

Support said to do hanging bags and if alarmed then they were gonna send new cycler. Sure enough, it alarmed.

The new cycler arrived by courier about 2:30pm.  He put it up on stand for me and left.  So I got perimeters settings in and he has been dialysising ever since 6:00 pm.  No problems at all.

I also tried a different set of cartiliges from another Lot, but still 38.  Also, Greg, after all that, when I toggled to get numbers, it said the amount of time he had been dialysised was 16min.  When I saw that, I knew something had sent the "brains into scramble".  Yeap, was time for a new one!  But #11854 bit the dust and #8844 is working just fine. May it have many more tx's in store.

You guys would be proud of me, cause usually I get so frustrated, but I was real Cool this time!  Hubby saying "Whew!!!!!

lmunchkin   

[greg10]

    Sounds like you got it under control.  Great job. 

  Sometimes these things just wear out - you'd never know if a pump will go or a bearing gets loose - any time the effluent dialysate doesn't drain properly for what ever reason you can get #37 & #38 alarms with pressure backing up.

.. Yeap, was time for a new one!  But #11854 bit the dust and #8844 is working just fine. May it have many more tx's in store.

You guys would be proud of me, cause usually I get so frustrated, but I was real Cool this time!  Hubby saying "Whew!!!!!

lmunchkin   

[boswife]

i am proud of you lmunchkin!!  I get proud of myself when i keep my cool too     This is why we do our tx in the morning or by early aft..  Im no good in the eve      So glad you got it worked out  and that it didnt effect your emotions too bad... All is good in nxStage land 

[lmunchkin]

Thanks Boswife and all is good in NxStage land.  The reason I do evenings is because I work during the day, otherwise, I would do am or noon, but someone has to make the money!  Not complaining one bit though.  We are so Blessed by our God beyond all measures!

Isn't it neat, when we finally get this D thing?  Not saying it's fun, but when we get it, yea we should feel proud of ourselves!  Don't you think?

lmunchkin   

[Dan.Larrabee]

Glad your new machine solved your issues.

For others looking for answers, her are a few more ways to look for the reasons you get a red 38

Make sure your drain line is not too long. Drain line max is about 3 lengths long

When you are using your PureFlow drain line, you don’t need to switch to bags, or drain in a bucket (although a bucket is a quick way to start your treatment again). You can use the PureFlow for dialysate and hook up a drain line manually

You can also use the bucket while you or your partner flushes the PureFlow line

Using the bucket trick is a good way to get the alarm to stop ringing when you call for help
Sometimes you unclamped the yellow clamps, but it leaves a kink in the line. Move the clamp down away from the place it was clamped and massage the area the clamp was

Here is to a Red Alarm free treatment

[rocker]

We keep a bathroom-sized waste basket between the bed and the machine.

It's handy for those "DAMMIT!" 38s...and for the occasional bout of nausea.

  - rocker