My new dialysis center SUCKS!!!

[paddbear0000]

  I was finally transferred to my new clinic this week (on Monday), and it is horrible! I think they were trying to kill me! I can not run any higher than a 250 pump speed and 600 dialysate without major problems. The new clinic has their own protocols and ran me at 350 speed and 800 dialysate. They fought me the whole way too. I started with a BP of 185/105, yet only half way through, I crashed bad. They stopped pulling off fluid (which wasn't even close to what is normally taken off), yet my BP kept going down, to the point where it hit 60/44 and I told them to take me off the machine. I was sick, had a horrible headache and leg cramps (I have never crashed that bad before). By the time i got home, every muscle and joint in my body hurt like hell. My back was spasming so bad, I was on the floor in tears. I had to take 2 vicodin to stop the pain. I was like this, including vomiting until my Wednesday treatment, but things were getting better. I had to have Greg call the dialysis center  and yell at them. After that, they decided to change me back to normal treatment. The fact that I called Davita to see if I could switch to them may have helped too (Davita called them to get my info). I was in this condition until Wednesday morning. Then I had to go back!!

Everything seemed to be going much better yesterday. They didn't take any fluid off. But then again, I hadn't been able to keep anything down since monday morning and I hadn't gained any weight at all. As soon as I left, my headache came back, as did the intense muscle aches and back spasms. I don't know what the hell they are doing to me, but geez. I've spent the last 3 days either in severe pain, crying, sleeping or vomiting. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

This center also sucks because they do not have wireless internet access (or any internet for that matter). Nor do they have cable tv. All they have are 3 local channels, one of which is mostly snow. My chair is located in a corner, facing a closet! I would love to read, but I can barely read a sentence before my brain feels like it's getting foggy and I can't comprehend what I'm reading.

I want to switch so bad!! I called Davita, hoping to switch, but I later found out my insurance doesn't cover them. We have 2 companies that provide dialysis anywhere around here (except for the hospital where I started)--Davita, and the company that owns the one I'm at (owned by the same hospital I just mentioned too). And I can't do home hemo because the only place that offers it is the Davita clinic. Arrrgghhh!!!   

[MandaMe1986]

I'm sorry  in the eye next time they don't listen

[Sunny]

Sounds like a torcher chamber. How do they get away with this?

[twirl]

I am so sorry
hope it gets better
you deserve so much more
sorry about all the pain and I know how it hurts like hell

[G-Ma]

Check with a nephrologist..they should be able to push any dialysis center to any insurance...this sounds crazy....Sounds like you are having the same dialysis problems I had when I started in ND...my partner says all the patients used to crawl out of there hanging onto the railings.  I have never heard an insurance not covering a dialysis center   

[Stacy Without An E]

One thing I've learned about having your treatment done properly is you must speak up when things are affecting you so dramatically.  You should proud that you had the courage to at least have someone speak on your behalf to get them under control.

Of all the stories I've read about Davita on IHD (always fortunate to have avoided them) it seems they live in Bizarro Dialysis World.  They have no intent on treating patients properly, just shuffling them in and out so they can get their next check.  That was proved by calling another clinic and having them attempt to transfer your medical files.  Good move.

I was tired of being forced to listen to the TV of the patient next to me, so I wrote the clinic manager explaining what a safety hazard this was for everyone.  A month later and you now can't hear the TV's without headphones.

The clinic is there for you, not the other way around.  They may want to calll you "bitch" or "pain in the ass" but let them.  Its not their life on call everyday, only their job.

[Chris]

If I remember right, you have BC/BS insurance. If things do not improve, you have to self advocate yourself to your insurance so you can go to a center they do not cover in your area which only sounds like  you have 2 outpatient. If you fight with the insurance, they usually make a specialexemption for you to go there. Explain to them what is going on and how it is affecting your life.

Hopefully your center improves, stays that way, or if you do move, I hope they have better ammenities.

[paddbear0000]

One thing I've learned about having your treatment done properly is you must speak up when things are affecting you so dramatically.  You should proud that you had the courage to at least have someone speak on your behalf to get them under control.

Of all the stories I've read about Davita on IHD (always fortunate to have avoided them) it seems they live in Bizarro Dialysis World.  They have no intent on treating patients properly, just shuffling them in and out so they can get their next check.  That was proved by calling another clinic and having them attempt to transfer your medical files.  Good move.

I was tired of being forced to listen to the TV of the patient next to me, so I wrote the clinic manager explaining what a safety hazard this was for everyone.  A month later and you now can't hear the TV's without headphones.

The clinic is there for you, not the other way around.  They may want to calll you "bitch" or "pain in the ass" but let them.  Its not their life on call everyday, only their job.

Stacy, I'm not at a Davita center. Mine is so bad, I actually want to transfer to a Davita center! I don't have any other option.

[kitkatz]

The ass kicking should start immediately. 

Good luck!

[jbeany]

 

[Rerun]

Call your insurance company yourself.  Don't rely on what "they" tell you.  I was once told that my insurance would not cover DaVita, but I called and they certainly DID.  I switched.  DaVita isn't the best, but they do LISTEN to you and they know if you aren't happy with them you will switch back.

You are in HELL right now and I hope things get better.  Have Greg go sit with you the whole time.  Insist on it.  They shape up when family is around.

Break down and buy a protable DVD player and get lost in the movies!   

                     

[Wattle]

    That stinks Paddbear.

I don't get the insurance crap. Do what Rerun suggested and ring them yourself.

All I can offer is {{hugs}}.

[paddbear0000]

Call your insurance company yourself.  Don't rely on what "they" tell you.  I was once told that my insurance would not cover DaVita, but I called and they certainly DID.  I switched.  DaVita isn't the best, but they do LISTEN to you and they know if you aren't happy with them you will switch back.

You are in HELL right now and I hope things get better.  Have Greg go sit with you the whole time.  Insist on it.  They shape up when family is around.

Break down and buy a protable DVD player and get lost in the movies!   

                     

I did find out from my insurance company that they don't cover Davita. And I'd love to have Greg there with me, but he has to work. I go MWF at 11:30. Plus, they don't allow anyone except patients in the treatment area.

[dialysisbiller]

that is terrible. I hope it gets better for you.

did the DaVita clinic tell you that they don't take your insurance? they will have a specialized registration rep to go over your insurance plan and verify your coverage directly with the insurance, it's possible that they don't cover it but most BCBS plans are ok with DaVita. send me an IM if you don't get anywhere on your own

in the meantime, take care ... best wishes to you.

[hurlock1]

I can't believe that they treat you so badly. I think that I've got it bad at my center. The people are so nice , except for the nurse practitioner ( I could rant about her for hours, days, weeks!) They ask me every 30 min if I'm doing ok. The TV is satellite. I've even thought about complaining that they don't have channels that they don't have, but after hearing about your TV I think that I'll keep my mouth shut.  I've been on dialysis for a year and I've learned a little. But what I learned today ias how good I've got it at my center. It's a Fresenius facility. I really don't know about other centers. 

[Brightsky69]

Davita ain't much better.

[paddbear0000]

Things have gotten somewhat better thankfully. I just don't even bother turning the tv on. My husband puts movies and tv series on my laptop which keeps me entertained most of the time. My battery only lasts about 2 hours if I watch video, so the rest of the time I read magazines. I bought a memory foam cushion to sit on, so my pain is gone.

[Chris]

That's good about the pain, sucks about battery life though and a extra battery cost a lot too.

[McJetter]

http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/10128.pdf - This link talks about Medicaid for ESRD patients on kidney dialysis - If you are on dialysis you should be covered under Medicaid no matter what age you are.  So you're private insurance shouldn't be the deciding factor.  Hope this helps and good luck to you!

[kidneyless_In_PA]

I been on dialysis almost a year now. My dialysis center is a Fresenius center. It is also has on the sign BMA OF POTTSVILLE. I read the post about other centers and I never seen what is going on at mine anywhere else. This girl started dialysis about 2-3 months ago and her boyfriend likes to cause trouble. The first time he did I was home sick. He didn't know I wasn't there and he asked another girl who is on first shift to sit by him cause he said I flirt with him (I don't)  and if this girl don't sit by him I will sit there. Ok a bunch of told the lady in charge of the center and they talked to him and gave him a warning. Then on June 11,2009 I was rushed to the hospital because I was almost dead, the put me in critical care unit, he didn't know most of it or cared. So while I was fighting for my life he put it around dialysis center that this old guy and I are having a sexual affair. Well the lady said they can't or won't do anything to him cus nobody complained about him well I know for a fact most of everyone complained more than once. So my husband had enough and when I text him from dialysis that they aren't doing anything to him, he called her up and said since they aren't doing anything or won't do anything then he has no choice to sue them, she goes u can't sue us, he said yes he can. The guy harasses me to no end, us patients go there for our treatments and get this, he sits in the waiting room till she is done. They let him go back to where we get our treatments which is a privacy thing. A bunch of us complained and now he isn't allowed back there anymore thank goodness. It is to the point we don't want to go there and a lot of us get physically sick in our stomachs when we have to go. When I and another lady and 2 guys stand in between the doors waiting for them to open them he stands in the parking lot with his arms crossed and legs spread, we know he is trying to intimate us. One day he is gonna do what he does to make us mad and we (my click) is gonna go off on him, I told the guys I am gonna make him cry especially if he gets me when I am in a really bad mood.

[twirl]

get in touch with the owner of the center -- and tell your doctors --- file a harassment report -
dialysis is hard enough without being treated like that --- he needs to find another unit --
call the main BMA of Pottsville --
I have a better idea -- pm Nurse Hachette and she will help you -- she helped me
I don't think I spelled her name correctly but she is a member of IHD and she will help you ---

I got so mad I replied before I finshed reading your post   ------ sorry

[kidneyless_In_PA]

according to the dialysis center he can do what he wants, he is her support. He made the remark when they first started there that he is her support and cus our families have to work and aren't there we don't have any support... That is so wrong in my case I have a lot of friends and a husband,in fact one friend told me to smile when the diet lady yells at me, it did make her mad, I love it.. I thought GEEEZE my albumin is 3.7 and she yelled at me. my phosurous was normal limits and on weekend I only gained point 2 kelos. I think she needs to get a life.

[Chris]

Sounds like the cops should be involved for sexual harassment since the center is not doing a thing and they would then have to be secondary to an investigation which could make it in the news (print or TV investigation) which then would make them embarrassed. They would just hate to be in the spotlight negatively.

And what an idiot the girlfriend is to let this happen.

[kidneyless_In_PA]

today when I was there for my treatment I heard since we are suing them cus of him, they are suppose to bring in their lawyers this week coming. Sounds to me they are starting to get scared. Oh from my chair I caught him looking in the door 4 times, so much for privacy act. I am just really sick of him and his childlike behavior.

[Chris]

Sorry I don't know a guy who knows a guy who could do something  :o

So in essence he's a peeping tom to which is a misdomeaner by law or something by law.

Grab them both by the horns of the law I say. If the center is not going to do anything, time to get the law in your hands against them both. Needs of many outweigh the needs of the few on this one. Support my  he is giving her.