confused about dialysis

[mike22]

Im having a hard time deciding whether to do pd or hemo dialysis. my nephro. says that my veins are too small to obatain a vascular acess for hemo. he says the only option is to place a cathether in my neck. he says there is always the risk of catching an infection. he says pd is the best option for me because im young(22) and im a college student.  i was wandering could in get the cathether placed in my neck for hemo since it is a short time option. i do have two donors who are willing to be tested.  i was hoping i could get an earlier evaluation date, mine is in november. i was hopin i could do mine in sept.  i wanted have enough time to be evaluated and have both of my donors tested. im trying to return to school in january. if one of them is a match then it will give me some time to adjust to the kidney and other things. if there both arent compatiable then it will give me some time to make the neccessary changes i need. 

[Jess21]

Hi there,
I'm also in college (I'll be 22 at the end of October).  I liked the idea of PD, however with my school being over an hour away, and my neph suggesting being on the machine 9hrs a night it was just not feasible currently.  (get on by 9pm to get off by 5am??  Don't think so.)  Fortunately, my veins were big enough for a fistula.  I had a cath by my collarbone for 8 months, and the neph at my center told me I should do PD to avoid the scar I now have on my arm since I'm "so young" and he also said my veins weren't big enough.  But he was wrong.  It works great, and I have a flow rate thru it 200% more than it needs to be! And with no living donors, I'll probably be using my arm for a while.(I'm getting on another region's list next spring so statistically I'll be called right after I graduate!) And I feel safer with no open port on my body, I don't have the "put a new cath appointments" to miss school for, and hopefully my arm will be there for me later in life when statistically, I'll need it again.
Have you gotten a vein mapping done? That's one way they actually measure your veins to see if a fistula would work.
Good luck with your decision for which type.  If PD works for you, great.  If not and you're still on dialysis when your school starts, you can be like me and do homework the whole time.  Hey, atleast that way you're a captive audience! 

[mike22]

based on my current school schedule(im not there im thaking this fall of. and it sucks not being there) i would have to be on the pd machine at least by 7 or 8. meaning i would have to end my day pretty earlier. plus the pd equipment would be a HAAAAAAAAAAASSle for me. im really frustrated and dont know which one to choose. i kinda want to do hemo but my viens are to small for a fistula. the cathether is only short term. it is a tough time for me. i hope that one of my donors can come thru. my health is important, without a doubt but i do want to live my life.  i have already had my vein mapping. Pd is sounds scary for me right now

[Chris]

I guess your neph didn't talk about an AV graft? Not the best solution, but another option besides a fistula.
Forgot which post it was that showed a supply of PD equipment, but looks like you need  some room for it.
As for the transplant, I hope you have a donor match, but beware that you may have to have sometime off from school for recovery and follow up visits. We all react differently to our transplants so keep in mind that you may not be able to return as quickly as you would like. The first year of transplant can be the hardest. Hopefully the center you are going to to be tested had a transplant seminar to diiscuss issues pre and post transplant.

[frankenarm]

Hey, Im also 22 and in college... well I have been out of school since last fall (thats when I got super sick), but am going back this quarter (fall 2008 - Sept 22) and am super excited. I currently do hemodialysis in center with a fistula that "wasn't possible due to insufficient veins." That is total bullcrap. If you have a decent surgeon who is willing to work they can make a fistula. There is also the option of a graft, which I had/have (they wont take it out unless it is causing problems.) as Chris mentioned. The graft is just a tube inserted into the arm and hooked up similarly as a fistula, and is usually made out of gortex or some animal (I forgot which seeing as mine is made of the gortex.)

I would also like to point out that yes the hemo catheter in the collarbone area is temporary, but please please please dont rely on the fact that you h ave potential donors. Im not trying to be a downer, just realistic. I have a potential donor as well... and have been on dialysis for over six months already. Also,  you get a port/catheter with pd as well.

Either way, good luck!
I like in center hemo, it keeps me on track and feeling pretty well. My access is awesome and the routine/schedule aspect helps me a lot.

[karen547]

Hey, I'm also 23 and on dialysis and in school. I took Summer Quarter off and will go back this Monday for the Fall. I am sorry youre having some issues. I personally like Hemo-in center. I can schedule classes around my time, and dont have to worry about doing an exchange at school, which to me would be kind of awkward and emberrassing. I just have more freedom with in center, which I like.

[peleroja]

It saddens me to see so many younger folks on dialysis.  At least I was 60 before I had to go on dialysis, however, I digress.

I've heard it said that a permacath (neck catheter) is really only good for about a year, and they continually encourage you to replace it with a fistula or graft or go on PD.  I think it's because it connects directly to an artery.

As for PD, I've been on it for 5 years and love it (well, as much as anyone can love dialysis, that is).  I recently graduated to the cycler and it seems so strange to have the majority of my day free (I just do one midday exchange around 2).  Either PD or the permacath will involve some sort of surgery.

Hope that helps!

[twirl]

you will get a kidney soon
I like in center D--- not that I like it but
I could never stick myself
or keep up with doing my own dialysis
do you homework during the dialysis if you do incenter
I used to grade papers and do lesson plans
and stay in college

[G-Ma]

  from someone with small veins...neph said no veins and I didn't know better so they put in a graft...then catheter....then a Vascular Surgeon created an artery in my left forearm and two weeks later elevated it to my upper left arm...no visible scars..except to me...and an awesome fistula.  I cannulate myself and can find it everytime right under the skin...get an opinion from a Vascular Surgeon as they deal with veins and arteries all the time.
Ann