Temperature (weather) and problems with dialysing ?

[kristina]

The temperature recently reached 32 ° centigrade and it was very humid.
This made me wonder if high temperatures or sub-zero-temperatures might influence
the dialysing-process, whether in a centre  -  or at home?

Does one have to watch-out for specific problems
when temperatures reach extreme levels?

If one has home-Dialysis through the night, this is
when the temperature could drop to very low levels in the winter
and I thought perhaps problems might occur when one is asleep –
is this possible?

Is it safer to have Dialysis in a room - or centre - which is of “comfortable average” temperature ?

Thanks for yor thoughts from Kristina.

[monrein]

I always felt cold on D (unless blood pressure starts to drop quickly and then one feels hot and clammy) so I made sure I had blankets.  Whenever I dialysed in centers there was air conditionning and on home dialysis back in the day I didn't have air con but never felt cold.  I'm sure that the machines wouldn't like sub zero temps and nor would I  but even though I'm in Canada it was never that cold in my dialysis space.  The machine warms up the dialysate because if that's too cold one can feel freezing very quickly as the blood chills down.  You can adjust the temp on the machine.

[Bajanne]

Well I am living in year-round heat - some times hotter than others.  The basic temperature all year round is between 28º and 35º with very few exceptions (either higher or lower).  Thank goodness the unit has A/C!

[Desert Dancer]

We were worried that the temperature of my blood would be too high, since our cold water runs hot out of the tap during the summer, but it hasn't been a problem. The only thing we've noticed is that since summer began - our average temp for the last two months has been about 108 degrees Fahrenheit - our water quality has dropped, though it's still well within range.

[Cordelia]

It really sucks when your dialysis unit's air breaks down and you have to sit with no central air. Luckily, they got it back up and running after a half hour of sitting in the chair, I felt like I was dying from the heat, sweat was just dripping off our faces and backs. This was about 2 weeks ago when the temperature soared to about 40 degrees C outisde. It was brutal. I was just super glad the air was fixed and turned back on and didn't have to sit in the chair for the full 4 hours feeling the extreme heat   

[kristina]

Thanks very much for all your contributions.

The major problem so far revealed
is with the room temperature in the dialysis-unit.
It appears that when the air-conditioning fails,
when it is extremely hot outside,
it can become almost unbearable for the patients to sit for hours.
I wonder how many centres provide fans to cool the patients.

This problem might also occur in a home-environment
if one keeps all the windows closed,
to protect one from anything coming through the window.

It is an interesting point about the water-quality
and how it might be affected by extreme heat.

Thanks very much for your comments.

I had no idea what my question might turn up,
and these answers are food for thought.

Thanks again from Kristina.

[RichardMEL]

32C? you English wusses! :p

It hit 40+ here a few summers while I was on D.

As others have said, if your dialysis unit's aircon breaks down and it's hot out... yikes (imagine being so hot in your chair you can't move and sweating like a pig.. YUCK!!!).

Outside of the actual unit (and yes, I felt the cold too.. my blanket was my best friend!) when it was hot you could allow an extra drink or two because you would sweat out fluids (ditto for high humidity) - when it's cold that made it more difficult (I hasve overloaded on hot soup and tea since my tx since it's been winter and I *love* thst stuff, but had to deny myself when on fluid restrictions).

Really I think the main thing with that (I am talking hemo btw) is to use common sense. If it's hot and you're sweating, you need to take that into account - because dehydration can be as much a problem as too much fluid.

[kristina]

Thanks Richard,

In my early years I was not a “wussy” but since I threw out the straw-bed,
got an inside-toilet, and hot and cold running water,
I am a confirmed “wussy”.
I even got, heaven forbid, a washing machine,
so I don’t have to go down to Old Father Thames and wash my smalls.
"Wussies" Forever !   

What you say about the heat is very interesting
and I think there are some important points you make to bear in mind,
it sounds quite gruesome when the temperature soars
and one must take great care, as you have explained.

Thanks for your reply, kind regards from Kristina.

[Phil]

Temperature is actually my main problem right now....the temperature here in Rome during the summer is generally over 35°C ....the car park outside my center has no shade, so my car basically becomes a oven....and as you can imagine, passing from the air conditioned unit to my car IS NOT FUN! lol

[Pam]

I live in Michigan and the temps here have been brutal. The heat has not had any affect on my dialysis, So far all AC has run just fine.
The heat has been very hard on my appetite. Nothing smells good or even looks good. All I want is ice cold fresh fruit. I was really worried about labs this month but I got them today and Phos was 3.1 and potassium 3.7! Just a reminder to take those binders.
Pam

[Riki]

I always freeze in dialysis, no matter what time of year it is. We haven't had the brutal temperatures that the rest of North America seems to have had, and to be honest, I'm a little jealous.. *L*  My first summer in centre, we had no AC.  I liked it just fine, but the nurses were melting.  They put the AC unit in near the end of that summer, and it's been used extensively ever since.

Due to a patient donation, we have a blanket warmer in our unit.  Personally, I don't like the warm blankets, because they're only warm for a minute, then they're freezing.  I've often thought of asking if I could leave my fleece throw blankie in the warmer, cuz I know that sucker will stay warm through the whole treatment

[kristina]

Ciao, Phil, buona giornata,

You have raised another interesting aspect connected with extreme temperature and Dialysis.
I can quite understand that after hours in the Dialysis-unit you want to quickly get home,
but would it be possible for you to sit outside the building in the shade
just to get a little acclimatized before venturing into the car?

I can imagine it is very harsh on the body and it does not sound as though
it is a good idea to go from one extreme to the other straight away.

Because a friend of mine in Modena told me the Italian health-service is no better than
health-services in other European countries, may I ask you for your opinion?
I am particularly interested to know your opinion
about the level of hygiene in Dialysis-centres and hospitals generally.

Molte grazie per la risposta alle mie domande
e vorrei augurare buona fortuna e tutto ciò che è buono, tanti saluti da Kristina.

Thanks Pam,
this is another interesting point about extreme temperatures connected with diet.
It is quite true that when the temperature is extremely high
we tend to be less active and all we seem to need is something to quench our thirst,
and we are less likely to desire a portion of solid food, as we would in the cold winter-months.

I can imagine (I am still pre-Dialysis) it is very difficult to regulate the liquids and food
when the temperature goes really high for a long time.

I do wish you good luck with coping with it all, best wishes from Kristina.

Thanks Riki for answering.

I also have bouts of feeling cold (for different reasons, as I have Lupus/SLE and I am still pre-Dialysis)
and I bought a cosy wrap for my whole body. It is specifically designed to keep the whole body warm
and it is made of a thermal material which is like a gigantic dressing-gown with a hood,
and it extends below the feet and keeps the whole body and head protected and warm evenly.

It is worth remembering that the greatest heat-loss is from the head, wrists, hands, ankles and feet.

Sometimes I feel a type of coldness which does not seem to go, however much I wrap myself up.

Why this type of coldness happens I have no idea, but I think this wrap is an improvement on past ideas.

I do hope you find a few ways of keeping warm through Dialysis

and I send you me best wishes, Kristina.

[Riki]

I've thought about getting a snuggie and having the left sleeve modified with snaps or velcro to make access to the fistula easier. I may do it.  I'm not sure yet

[kristina]

Hello, Riki,

My cosy wrap is a snuggie (SlanketLounginLLC) and it is quite adequate for me
(pre-Dialysis) when I need to lie down on the sofa and take a rest.

Mind you, as I have no experience with Dialysis-centres,
I am not sure it would be adequate,
but mine certainly has very little weight to carry anywhere,
it has a hood for the head and is easily wrapped around the feet as well
and the arms are cut very wide and it is very cosy.

Good luck from Kristina.

[Phil]

Ciao Kristina
You're right....waiting in the shade would probably be the wisest choice.....but I'm so eager to go home and eat after HD that all I really care about is getting in that car and getting as far away as possible from the hospital, as quickly as possible

Regarding public health services here in Italy....well....in my experience there are substantial differences from region to region...generally the further south you go, the less quality you find in public health sector. This is generally due to corruption, and specific regional policies and ad government. HOWEVER....my personal experience is that I've had major surgery, stayed weeks at a time in hospital, and been on HD for over a year. I've never paid for anything...including medicine (And I'm not even Italian). So how could I complain? The service is good. I couldnt and wouldnt want to live in a country where there isnt a good public health sector.

[kristina]

Ciao, Phil,

thanks for your kind reply.
 
There doesn’t seem to be any easy answer to getting good health care.

It all boils down to the same points:
money, of course, for health services –
central and local government policies and attitudes –
and a commitment of service-providers at the front-line.

It is important there is as little corruption as possible,
but how to control this, seems,
at the moment, an impossible task.

I wish you good luck and all the best,

kind regards from Kristina.