Peritonitis Strikes!!

[Chris]

Hope your doing better Ken.

[okarol]

Thinking of you Ken and hoping you are feeling better. 

[kitkatz]

I hope all is well with you!   Get back here soon! You are missed!

[mikey07840]

Hang in there Sir Ken. Sending good wishes in your direction...

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Well Ive now got a regular haemo slot Monday Wednesday and Friday at 3pm. I  completed my first 3 sessions last week . The center is about 8 miles from my home and I get free taxi cabs courtesy of the NHS. Here in the UK the standard dialysis time is 4 hours per session but I persuaded them for 3 hours at least until my adequacy is is known.

The clinic is only two years old and it seems very well run with all the latest Fresenious machines. They put you on as soon as you get there and take you off as soon as you finish and also as you leave your taxi is waiting for you so there is no waiting around.

My physical condition after haemo has been varied. After dialysis on Wednesday I got home feeling absolutely shattered with a banging headache and cramps across my abdomen.  On Friday I mentioned it to the nurse and she reduced the pump speed to 250 and I came home feeling much better.
Also I've noticed that while on dialysis I get this dry tickly cough which comes and goes thoughout but stops the minute I finish the session. Anyone else experience this?

I've put my name down to do home haemo. Luckily I have an extra ground floor room which we had built on a few years ago to use as an alternate lounge/sitting room and it's big enough to keep most of the furnature when the dialysis machine and chair are installed. There is quite a waiting list for training so it will be a few months yet plus I also have to have a fistula built and matured first. They say the longest part of the training is learning to needle yourself properly. I'm a bit anxious about this but I keep telling myself that if useless drug addicts can do it then I'm sure I can!

Thank you once again for all your good wishes. It really does mean a lot to me. 

[lola]

Ken, Otto thought sticking himself would be the hardest but he is now a pro

[monrein]

I tell myself much the same thing about the needles Ken.  I figure that even though "needler extraordinaire" or superb intravenous junkie was never my highest aspiration in life, if I have to have it done may as well do it myself and get good at it.  You'll be fine, it's the mental part that's the tricky bit.  

[breezysummerday]

Also I've noticed that while on dialysis I get this dry tickly cough which comes and goes thoughout but stops the minute I finish the session. Anyone else experience this?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16636582

Not sure if this is the problem, but should give you some type of insight with regards your throat.  My s/o is hoarse after diaylsys.

[pelagia]

Just checking in Ken.  I'm happy to hear that you are getting settled into a routine and that there is a possibility of home hemo. 

[Wattle]

Also checking in on you Ken....

Sorry to see the freedom of PD going but hopefully home Haemo will be the answer.

Thinking of you.   

[del]

So sorry about the infection  to you and your wife. Ken do they offer nocturnal home hemo where you are.  It is a really good gentle treatment.  My husband has been on it for 2 1/2 years with no probems.  It gives all your days free you just hook up to the dialysis machine when you go to bed basically same as the cycler just that you have 2 needles in your arm.  If you have any questions you can pm me.

del

Del they don't recomend nocturnal haemo in the UK but I can do home haemo if I want to and I'm seriously considering this.

Ken do they have a reason for not recommending it??  I'm just curious because it is supposed to be a much better type of treatment. It removes a lot more phosphorus and potassium.  Hubby has been on pd, in center hemo and he much prefers the nocturnal. There centers that are starting to offer nocturnal treatments as well. 

[Red from Canada]

Ken, I know youare afraid to get peritonitis again, but having just had one tube removed and another put in a few days later on the other side, I have to tell you I am back up and running well and it is SOOO worth it not to have to go for Hemo.  Please try PD again.  It takes 4 to 6 weeks before you can use the tube, so get going!

[paris]

Sir Ken, I hate that you have had such a hard time. Our little kingdom is missing you very much and all the lovely maidens are worried.   I know Rita is taking good care of you.  We miss you and want you to feel better.   Sending love to both of you   

[Jessmomto3]

My 11 month old had peritonitis about a month ago and he couldn't sleep that night at all.  I thought it was an ear infection (he's had 3) and so I just held him and rocked him and he eventually fell asleep but I could tell he was miserable all night.  I felt like such a bad mom when I got up to take him off the machine (and to his pediatrician) and checked his fluid bag.  Luckily it cleared up fast.  His nephrologist said we caught it really early.  He said he had about 300 cells, whatever that means.    I was already careful before but now I'm even more careful.  My poor little guy, he was such a trooper through it.  Now that I realize how painful it is I feel like even more of a jerk.  : (

[drinkboy]

wow..that is an ordeal you went thru; I know (second hand) how painful that is because my mom got a series of infections in the hospital and had Peritonitis that she battled for three weeks.  The pain was excruciating and even when she was put on morphine it was still painful, so I know it has to hurt.  She was on PD for about seven years and never had an infection until then. They eventually removed her catheter and went to hemo just like you, but she would have gone back to PD if she got better and they allowed it. 

I agree with Red from Canada....you should try PD again if possible. Obviously you don't want to go thru the pain and risk of Peritonitis or any infection again, but with a little luck and being extra careful, you should be fine. Like I said, my mom never had any type of infection in all the time she was doing PD from home. 

I am glad you are doing better and good luck whether you stay on hemo or go back to PD.

[paul.karen]

Ken you out there?

Hoping all is getting easier for you to deal with.
Your new center sounds nice-i hope you are doing well
P&K

[thegrammalady]

ken, hoping you are doing better.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I've not logged on to IHD for a couple of weeks and I've now noticed all the new replies to this thread. Thank you everyone for your concern it really does mean a lot to me.

In answer to Red of Canada I just can't contemplate APD again after the horrors of peritonitis. having now experienced haemo I know only too well the freedom that APD gave me but I can't bear the thought of having to go thruough such indescribable pain again. I am on the waiting list for a fistula and home Haemo training.

Del I've made further inquiries and yes we can do nocturnal. I'm not so sure whether or not I could sleep through it. Do you have to lie in the same position all night because of the needles in your arm or is it safe to change sleeping positions?

[okarol]

Hi Ken,
I am happy to hear from you! I hope you get settled in to something that works. So sorry for the pain you endured!