I need some advice on adjusting to PD

[-Lady Noir-]

Eek, how do you know about the catheter? Uncomfortable?

I wonder if the whole trouble with drain pain is the design of the catheter..

[loopywinks]

I hope that your pain resolves soon!!

I have been on PD since March of this year and currently on the cycler at night.  When I fully drain, I get the awful drain pain more often than not.  It feels like there is a garden hose crimping up inside me and it does not stop hurting until the drain is over and it magically goes away. It is always on my right side.  I sort of prepare for it if I can and pray that my session will end quickly.

Some mornings are better than others, but I think I can count on one hand the mornings that I have slept through the cycler all night.

I never had the catheter moved around or looked at. My PD nurse has just tried to adjust the tidal settings.  It does not help the final drain in the morning, however.

Best of luck to you!!
Tracy (aka Loopywinks)

[adairpete]

I've been doing CAPD for about a month now and I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll try.  I've noticed a couple things about drain/fill pain.  I usually get drain pain at the end when I'm "dry" and the catheter feels like it's pinching things in there.  This goes away when I start to fill.  I get fill pain when the solution is too cold or the bag is too high and it's filling too fast.  Body temp bags (warmed at least 24 hours on the lowest setting of the heating pad) work best.  Also, I open the fill setting to the fastest fill but lower the IV pole so the top of the bag is about a foot over my head and this seems to work best for the least amount of fill pain but still fill quickly (15 min for 1.5L).  Hope you get some relief!

[clappedout]

Hi Quickfeet

This may not help but try a cold bag..I started PD in Jan this year and had pain problems just like yours. I had to go to see my new grandaughter in Feb and forgot the bag warmer so I did an exchange cold....never looked back since. Still get the drain pain a little but I suppose thats what the bottom of a milkshake feels like being sucked dry LOl

Hope it go's away soon ..the pain I mean

[KathyT1311]

Is there any way you can get a new nurse? ( I know...) I had pain for a while during the day. My body is just now getting used to it.  Things need to stretch out to make room for the fluid. That being said....have you been checked to see if you may have an air bubble? I had severe pain, was told to go to the ER and wound up having an air pocket in my upper abdomin. Guess I didn't get all the air out one time.

[gothiclovemonkey]

oh ya.... omg dont forget to do the air drain! I did that ONCE and omg. I thought i was going to die! It hurt really bad, and didnt stop for about a week

[Quickfeet]

Here is my new system. I've gotten rid of about 80% of the pain. I now always start with a warm bag. As soon as the drain pain starts I flip to flush. Then I set it to medium flow. The biggest mistake I made was trying to drain for too long. I thought it was really important to get every drop out. The suction was irritating my insides and so when I filled with the fluid it would hurt like crazy.

Forget water boarding, make the terrorists do dialysis. Then they will start talking.

[traceyls]

I don't have drain pain, but I did get sick during my manual fills if ate before a treatment.  I filled me up to quick and while I was doing my treatment I would get sick.  I slowed the flow down to the lowest, it took longer to fill but I felt better.  Also, I ate after my  treatments.  That helped a lot too.  I'm on the cycler now and I never feel sick. I hope this will help.
Tracey

[VintageVera]

HELLO: I am on the machine every night and it works well for me. Right after I hook up, there's some drain pain which goes away when I move around or dance. I HATED manual dialysis which I had to learn and get through before I was allowed to get the machine. I also couldn't tolerate the too-full feeling of manual exchanges which I no longer have with the machine so that's my experience and my recommendation.  The bad thing about the machine is that I don't achieve complete sleep and have to sleep for anoter couple hours after disengaging. Hope that things become easier for you soon. VERA