Tell me only the GOOD please...no bad, no ugly.....

[mrhecht]

So I'm sitting here thinking about my last (I hope) hemo treatment on Monday and I'm getting kinda freaked out. I start the training for CCPD on Tuesday am. I'm not new to PD; I was on CAPD for 3 yrs about 15 yrs ago, so I'm only new to the cycler. Baxter delivered all the goods yesterday.....I've got my room all set up to be "my sanctuary" (gee, should've done that before...it's very cool now)....but I'm sitting here and I'm thinking....now what's everything I'll want while I'm in here for 9 hours......9 hours.......nine......hours......NINE.....H-O-U-R-S....every night...every night.......

Yep...I'm definitely freaking myself out. So I need to here how great the cycler is. How you love it. How you LOVE it love it, as they say......only being able to express affection for such a hideous assembly of plastic hanging out of your belly and attached to a contraption in relation to the alternative treatment of needles the size of pencil lead being jabbed into your arm 6 different times a week. Not that I've hated hemo....on the contrary...it has been my friend for 15 years, but alas my arm has refused to co-operate any longer.

So you see my dilemma...and my freaked out-ed-ness......so, tell me something good.

[KT0930]

My days are my own; I don't have to plan around dialysis at all; I'm able to work full-time without dialysis interfering; I don't have the ups and downs of fluid problems that those who must go three days between treatments do; I'm able to eat POTASSIUM!!! I LOVE my cycler!! Hope this helps a little.

The person you really need to hear from though, is goofynina, she LOVES, loves her cycler, if you know what I mean!

[kitkatz]

You be sleeping for some of that!

[goofynina]

Hi Marian, i hope our chat last night helped ease your mind a bit (and then some) lol,  had a great time chatting with you and everyone (as always)  Please remember you can contact me if you have any questions.  Looking forward to hearing from you    Good luck and let us know how your first day goes ok 

[MyssAnne]

I love, love, LOVE my cycler!!!!! It is WONDERFUL!!!! I can work all day now, I spend my time on the cycler for the most part, asleep, if not, I have my computer, I have books, and if I wanted it, I can watch tv too!!!!  I love the way it makes me feel, too!! It's so much easier and less traumatic on the body, I think.  Yay for you!!!!   

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Well here's the good and only the good because for me using the cycler there's  hardly any bad. The thought of it  freaked me out at first and I got very upset about a few teething problems that I had with it. But I needn't have worried because everything sorted itself out very quickly. I am able to work full time and do everything I used to do pre-dialysis and it only takes about 10 minutes to set the cycler up each night. Just make sure you keep strictly to the hiegene methods and you'll be fine.

Best of Luck and any problems just post here.

[goofynina]

Well Marian (Mrhect)   How is it going?  Please update us (hopefully on how wonderfully it is going for you) 

[fluffy]

  sleeping pills and the cycler go hand in hand! take one or two and you can spend those nine hours unconscious 

[MyssAnne]

LOL!!!! Sleeping pills are gooood!!! Unless the alarm goes off...then you jerk awake, man I hate that!! But as long as you don't kink the tube,
you'll be fine. I have mine set up on my right, and just make sure it dangles off the side of the bed. That eliminates any chance of it getting
caught if I roll over in my sleep.

[melshell]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my cycler too!! I have mine set up on a re-fashioned computer desk that has rollers, and it's plugged into a 25' extension cord. With 25' from the machine to the outlet, and approximately 20' from me to the machine, I have access to nearly anywhere I want to go even while connected! I love being able to sit on my porch enjoying the outdoors, visiting with friends and family, and continuing to do whatever it is that I'm doing when it's time to get connected. I'm on for 10hrs, so I go ahead and get connected early in the evening so that I can get off early in the morning since it doesn't so much affect my mobility. I sleep through over half my treatment, and my days are free. I drink and eat pretty much what I want with no restrictions--It's ALL GOOD!! You have to figure out a way to beat the "head game" of being tethered to a machine every night.  My way to beat it was to make it mobile, not let it "tie" me down!! I drag "Lucy" (short for Lucille Ball 'n Chain) EVERYWHERE!! lol!! Good luck to you!

[twirl]

what is a cycler     can you swim in a pool     do you need someone with you when you use it        is it easy to understand
do you do it everyday  and how many times a day    any needles

[KT0930]

what is a cycler

A cycler is a machine that does your PD exchanges for you while you sleep at night.

can you swim in a pool

All clinics seem to have different policies and suggestions, but the consensus seems to be that you can swim in a privately maintained pool that you know and TRUST the owners to keep it clean. Some people buy Tegaderm (that plastic stuff they cover IVs with in the hospital) and put it over their catheter and exit site when they swim - it can be pricey, but the peace of mind is worth it.

do you need someone with you when you use it

No, clinics do not require a caregiver for doing PD; but if you have small kids or animals in the house that may need attention when you're connected, it would be helpful.

is it easy to understand

Most clinics will train you on manual PD exchanges prior to starting on the cycler. Once you understand the basics of manuals, the cycler is very easy. The basics of manuals are also very easy, it's just a completely new experience for most people.

do you do it everyday and how many times a day

Yes, you do it everyday (there is occasionally an exception, if there's residual kidney function, but not often). You connect once a day anywhere from 8-11 hours, depending on your prescription. As I mentioned before, though, it's done while you sleep at night, so you have your days free.

any needles

No needles!  Unless you count giving yourself Epo shots, but really, compared to hemo?? 

[spacezombie]

I totally love my Baxter HomeChoice machine. It does my dialysis for me at night and allows me to feel like a regular person during the day. I almost feel asl though I'm not even on dialysis. It takes me LESS than five minutes on average to set up my machine at night. I'm very careful and have not had any infections in four years. <3 Good luck to you!

[RandysWife]

We are fairly new and still not real comfy with the whole dialysis thing, but one really nice aspect is that while you are in the 'dwell' part of the cycle you can disconnect yourself and wander about. My husband does 4 dwells of 1.5 hours a night so that is a lot of wandering time.

[CatEars]

Besides playing with empty Baxter boxes, PD is awesome because you get to be on your own schedule.  You feel refreshed just about everyday.  I used to weight about 50lbs more than I do now and I get to keep all my "fat clothes" for when I have fluid in.  You get to drink more when you're on PD (umm general beverages not alcohol but no judgment).  The  best part of PD is just being able to establish and maintain some normalcy.