Some PD thoughts

[murf]

I have been on PD for seven weeks and would like to share some thoughts about my experiences with PD. I started PD after four years of hemo as my back gave through and I could no longer sit in one position for four hours. On the positive side to PD: it is gentler to your body and I don't have that washed out feeling I had with hemo. I feel totally in charge of my illness. I no longer rely on a nurse to put me on a machine or monitor my BP. You can drink a little bit more. You can eat a bit more phosphate but have to watch your potassium. Also there are no needles. I was at a centre where the nurses just did not know how to needle.However, there are some negatives. As you are totally in charge (apart from a monthly meeting), it requires a bit of self discipline to watch your fluid. It is very different knowing that some nurse is going to weigh you tomorrow as in hemo so you had better behave yourself. Now I have to watch my weight for my own benefit and not to satisfy some nurse. You can become tied to your house. I'm on APD and waiting results to see if I can go on the cycler. But at the moment, I need to be back home every six hours to exchange. Finally, the one bugbear I have with PD is the constant tossing out of rubbish. I toss out a yellow and green box each day along with two garbage bags full of plastic.
Would I ever contemplate going back to hemo. Not on your nelly! Pd is so much easier than hemo despite some drawbacks. I'm not too sure why I have decide to write this blurb. Perhaps it might help someone about tp decide what type of dialysis to undertake.

[Lillupie]

i am with you  I have been on hemo but only for temporary twice , once of 4 months and then again for 3 weeks and I wouldnt trade PD for hemo ever!!!!

Way to go!

yes it is ALOT of trash! That is really the only down side. I pile up the boxes until there is a bulk day. I am a big pro PD patient.

Lisa

P.s. If you do drink a lot, just use a stronger dextrose, but you cant go overboard and drink a 64oz. at one sitting either. the yellow is hte least amount of fluid, then the green, and the red can really dry you out, so you better watch it.

[Brightsky69]

PD is the way to go. I would die if I had to go on Hemo. It just seems so depressing and miserable being on Hemo. I had to do it for a few mounths and it was horrible. Knock on wood...never again!

[murf]

Forgot to add that one distinct advantage of PD is that there is no traveling and the best reason to stay on PD is to get away from a hospital atmosphere.

[KICKSTART]

PD is the way to go. I would die if I had to go on Hemo. It just seems so depressing and miserable being on Hemo. I had to do it for a few mounths and it was horrible. Knock on wood...never again!

I used to love PD ,now im on Hemo and i feel just the same as you did. Sadly though i must point out PD does not last forever!

[galvo]

Thanks for the post, Murph. I'm handling haemo OK, but the thought of PD is buzzing around in my mind.

[peleroja]

I think what I hated most about hemo was the complete irresponsibility of the techs and nurses.  They constantly congregated, laughed, joked, made phone calls, etc., while all the while alarm buzzers were going off all around them and no one seemed to care.  No one should ever have to call the front desk and demand that they turn off an alarm because it had been ringing for over 20 minutes!  I'm gonna ride that PD horsie just as long as I can.

[Brightsky69]

peleroja - Me too!!! I am going to be on PD until I get another transplant. And I don't want to hear anything different. 
And I totally agree concerning the dialysis techs. Hello!! A little professionalism would be nice. Doing PD I see a real live nurse each month. Why isn't that the same on the Hemo side of the house?

[tito]

I've been doing PD for about 6 months now. I've never done hemo, except on a temporary basis (10 days) in the hospital a year ago. If I have to be on D, PD is the way to go as far  as I'm concerned. I now have a routine every night - dispose of the old stuff, wash down everything with bleach, set up the new bags. Really not much worse than cooking and washing dishes!

I also like PD because of the ability to travel. I went away to México over Christmas and had my supplies delivered (although Baxter's screw-up is another story). I am planning other trips.

It's true I don't have a fistula, but having a PD catheter is not a picnic. I just don't think about it. Some days I feel as though I'm pregnant with fluid. No, PD is not a piece of cake, but it is gentle on the system and effective. I'd choose it again. If mine does not last until a transplant, I'd go with home hemo. Can't bear the thought of going in-center.

[Jie]

I agree with what Murf said except for potassium. PD takes out a lot of potassium. I need to eat potassium-rich foods each day to keep up my potassium level. Before my PD, I had to stay away from potassium-rich foods.