Questions for first day of dialysis.

[donnia]

Okay, you all know I am starting dialysis tomorrow..... do yall have any ideas for questions that I should ask on my first day?

[Roxy]

I would just pay attention to everything they are doing and ask why they do each action and what each part of the machine is, etc. For me, it made me a lot more comfortable understanding each step they are doing. Ask any and all questions that come to mind! Good luck on your first day! 

[boxman55]

I second what Roxy said. Also when you get past 2-1/2 hours or so on the machine be aware of your blood pressure and how your legs feel. Early on trying to get your dry weight accurate is an issue. The last thing you want to have happen is cramps. If your BP drops alot ask them how much fluid they already removed and if your legs feel like they are going to cramp let them know...Boxman

[Stacy Without An E]

Don't let your fear of looking silly keep you from asking questions.  They should have put you through an orientation, but some clinics save it for your first couple of treatments.  Most places will have you watch videos (instead of what you want to watch) for the first few treatments.  I echo what was said about cramps.  Your legs (usually) will feel a little tingly or twitchy before cramps come on and that will usually happen in the last 30 to 45 minutes of treatment.  Dialysis cramps are the very worst pain you'll ever experience in your lifetime so just be careful and mindful of what's happening to your body.

Here's to a painless and carefree Dialysis treatment for us all.

[kitkatz]

I agree cramps suck deeply!  Be sure you manage your dry weight.  Also be careful of overloading on fluids. The midnight ER runs for fluid overload are not a good thing.  They make you wait and wait until the hospital's dialysis unit is open then they put you there and they suck you dry.  Boring and fairly dangerous.

[keefer51]

Good luck! I hope all went well.

[paddbear0000]

A belated good luck! Please let us know how things went!

[okarol]

Hi Donnia,
I hope everything went okay for you.
 

[donnia]

I don't really know where else to put this so here goes.....

Okay, I arrived at the center at 12:30.  They called me back at about 12:45 to do paperwork.. paperwork... and more paperwork!  Finally at about 2:35 I get to sit in my chair.  By 2:45 I was all hooked up.  For my first treatment I was going to go 2 hours.   I felt a weird feeling.... the only way to explain it is... it felt like something was being pulled out of my body.... duhhhh!  I think it was just my mind playing tricks on me. 

Everything went fine for about 40 minutes.  All the sudden, I got VERY tired.  I started yawning uncontrollably.... started feeling sick to my stomach and reallly HOTTTT... and not in a good way   I started fanning myself.  Whew... a tech saw me and came over, put my head down and checked my blood pressure.  It was really low.  He  then started pushing fluids and I started feeling better.  That was scary!

Everything was fine for about 30 minutes, then I started cramping up.  They were going to try to get 3 KG  off of me, but my body wasn't having it.... when I left I was 1.1 KG lighter (it is KG right?) 

It was all so new to me.  I wasn't sure what symptoms to look for...I know I will get better.  Any hints would be greatly appreciated 

I go back tomorrow... I don't think I will be going to sleep for a while.  What would have happened when my blood pressure went down if I was asleep.  How would they have known there was a problem?

Well, there you have it... "My First Day at Dialysis"  by: Donnia   

[angellady07]

I'm sorry I can't offer any suggestions. Just remember I'll be thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers. Take care Donnia and keep us posted.

[Roxy]

Donnia, sorry to hear your day was a little unsettling for you. I'm surprised they tried to take 3kg off in 2 hours though. The most they ever really tried taking off me at all was around 3kg and that was over 3.5-4hrs( but this is different for everybody). The first few days, try not to let them take off too much. Your body needs to get use to it. When I first started they didn't take anything more than .5-1kg off the first week so my body could adjust. I would suggest starting small and then gradually adding a little more to take off that feels comfortable to you. Finding dry weight is hit or miss and can get tricky.  The symptoms you expressed plus any other symptoms you notice before something happens pay close attention to. With a little time you can become extremely aware at the first sign of your bp dropping and cramping and tell them ahead of time so you don't get the sick/hot feeling. I got to a point where I knew about 3 minutes before I would completely black out and that was generally enough time to give me saline and lay be back until I felt better.  Good luck! Hope your next day is easier. 

[jbeany]

They do like to crank it high the first week - they tend to assume that all new patients are retaining a ton of fluid.  They insisted I'd lose at least 20 pounds the first week - I ended up about 5 less than I started.  If you are still urinating a lot, there might not be that much fluid retention to remove.  Are your ankles or fingers puffy?  Just because your kidneys aren't flushing toxins doesn't mean they don't still pull fluid off.  When they set your goal for tomorrow, ask what they are setting it for, and push for a smaller fluid removal.  It may just take you a while to release the fluid you do have stored as well. I gradually dropped to a real dry weight over the first month, and was amazed at how much fluid I really had been retaining, but it certainly didn't all come off the first week.  (If you have been retaining fluid, you might end up with the same odd loose-skin feeling that I got - very strange, as if you skin is sagging off you.  It's uncomfortably odd, but the skin shrinks back up after a bit.)

[boxman55]

I second what Roxy said. Also when you get past 2-1/2 hours or so on the machine be aware of your blood pressure and how your legs feel. Early on trying to get your dry weight accurate is an issue. The last thing you want to have happen is cramps. If your BP drops alot ask them how much fluid they already removed and if your legs feel like they are going to cramp let them know...Boxman

what I said earlier all happened so be very aware of what your body is feeling like. as far as low BP the techs can set an alarm on the machine so that it will start beeping if your BP goes below a certain point. That certain point will be up to you, if 105-48 (or what ever) is to low tell them, for awhile ever time the machine reads your BP ask what it is so you have an idea. They then will give you a hypertonic(if it drops to low) which is saline to help bring it back up. If you are not on BP meds the main reason why it drops is because they are trying to remove to much fluid and if that happens you will cramp. Now I never had a baby but, I bet a 5 minute cramp episode comes pretty close to the pain. When it happens to me it is all I can do not to swear, cry and scream. Please be aware of what your body is telling you....Boxman

[goofynina]

Sorry you had such a rough 1st day at dialysis Donnia,  One thing i can suggest is to definetly watch your salt intake, if you dont, your body will try and hold on to the water making it that much harder to remove (i found that out the hard way too)   Good luck to you and i hope all your dialysis treatments go a little more smoothly for you from here on out

[Jannie]

The first day is the hardest. I had cramps in my legs, nausea, vomiting and trouble breathing. Good thing they gave me an emergency button for when I got in trouble. Try to relax but if you feel anything strange, let the nurses know.

[Bajanne]

I first saw this thread the day you posted it.  I went looking for the threads that helped me at first, but when I found them, I couldn't find where you had posted.  I just saw this again and I will give you the links -
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=5.msg393#msg393
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=125.msg468#msg468

Hearing you describe your experience was so 'deja vu'!  Up to now, I still get cramps sometimes (when I am not good with my fluids and they take off too much).  But as the others said, you get to know your signs much better and at the first ill feeling you can call someone.

This is the post I made after my first dialysis session -
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=131.msg507#msg507

Hope everything goes really well with you.  PLease continue to let us know how you are doing.

[oswald]

The best way to get rid of leg or foot cramps in a real hurry is to stand up, if you have slack in your lines, and your blood pressure is okay.  What that does is rushes blood and whatever fluid you have left back to your legs or feet.   The techs don't like you to stand up but it helps real fast.  I havn't dialyzed in about 4 months, since my transplant, but I used to get cramps almost every treatment.  I'd stand up until the cramps pass...usually in about 10-20 seconds.  If you can't stand up, at least try to lean forward in your chair and put as much pressure on your feet as possible.  The best way to avoid cramps is to not take on too much fluid or if you do, don't let them try to take too much off.     Hope this helps...

[goofynina]

I wish that would've worked for me Oswald, but i would literally have to have them take me off so i can walk around to get my cramps under control, somedays were worse than others, but believe me i dont miss those days at all    I do still get cramps doing PD but i am able to get up and walk around and get them under control alot faster and easier too 


Please go to the introduction section and introduce yourself so the members can formally welcome you to the site.  Thank you...

Goofynina/Admin.

[angela515]

Speaking of cramps... the worse cramps I ever felt in my life were on hemo... oh man, were those painful... I cried it hurt so bad. I remember techs and the nurse coming voer to help massage them out and give saline, and do whatever to get them to go away... that's one reason I didn't like hemo, PD I never got cramps.. I would of never thoughts cramps to be so painful if I never experienced a dialysis cramp myself