how long

[Jannie]

How lo mg till you start feeling physically better? I started dialysis recently, Aug 20 2007, so it's been under a month. I feel like crap physically, I hate the treatments. I'm phobic about needles, don't like this sight of blood, especially my own. At the treatments, I get shaky and cold, feel dizzy, have vomited twice, and in general feel bad after, very weak and staggerry. But mentally I feel like a champ! I feel so bright and smart and clear-headed. I feel like, altho I don't want to work at a regular job, I should start a big writing project. I can't decide, should I start a fictional book or write my autobiography?

[RichardMEL]

Jannie, I don't like needles either so I look away when they're putting them in... look away and think of something nice (alas I can't say in a family forum like this ) and voila they're in and I'm off and running.

You will get used to it in time I'm sure.

I think it may take as long as 2-3 months before you start to feel better.. but everyone is different so don't take that as gospel. As I said in another thread they are likely still getting your settings, dry weight and meds settled as you do treatments and they monitor you and your labs... unfortunately with dialysis you can't expect miracles instantly.. these things take time.

[skyedogrocks]

Rob has been on dialysis for 1 1/2 years now (can't believe it's been that long!) and it took him about 2 months before he felt better.  He should have started dialysis before he did and he just felt like total crap.

He now does NxStage home hemo (for almost 5 months now) and he feels so much better now.  He was doing fine with in-center, but the home hemo has really improved how he feels.  He says it's almost like he felt before the disease except for the tiredness.  He has never gotten used to that.  However, he watches his diet, takes his binders and really tries to limit the fluid.  This has helped immensely.  He works full time and we still travel.  We have really been able to live a normal life and incorporate the dialysis.  Don't get me wrong, it's hard, especially when he is having access issues or when he has issues with his diabetes, but those blips are few and far between.

[boxman55]

In center since 8/06 feel the same all ways tired..............Boxman

[willieandwinnie]

Len had been on hemo since Oct 2001. In 2002 we trained for home hemo and started at home in April. Len was really critally ill in the being, he only weight 115 (down from 155) and home hemo was honestly the best thing we did. He got better treatment and restored some of his health. He had a transplant last Friday 9/7.

Kathy
willieandwinnie

[Stacy Without An E]

I've been on Dialysis for 3 years, 3 months and 26 days.  It feels three times as long as I've just listed.

I find that my body is cyclical when it comes to how I feel after treatments.  Sometimes the first couple of hours after a treatment I feel like my old self.  A lot of times I have trouble making it up and down the stairs of my apartment because the fluid on my body causes my muscles to ache mercilessly.

I figure I'm about halfway through Dialysis since O blood type patients take 7 to 8 years to receive a kidney from the list.

No, that fact doesn't make me feel any better.  Here's to Bionic Kidney's.

[angela515]

Stacy, I was wondering... what's your PRA?