PD: how long to first infection?

[RightSide]

A nurse and my social worker at my dialysis center suggested I look into PD, because it would give me the opportunity to dialyze at home.  (I live alone, so they won't let me do home hemo without a partner.)

But I'm real nervous about PD, because of the risk of infection (peritonitis).

How much of a risk is it, really?  Can you go a couple of years without getting peritonitis, or is that just a frequent "occupational hazard" with PD?

[Restorer]

The more careful you are, the longer you can go, but sometimes there's just nothing you can do - peritonitis comes from something internal that you have no control over. I went only 5 months before my first peritonitis, and that's stuck around with me for a long time, recurring every once in a while and never really getting cured.

[Rerun]

I think if you are deligent about your hygiene you can then be sure it was nothing you did.  And you can be religious about checking your bag for cloudiness and you site for infection and redness.  How is your vision?  I would think you would have to be able to see clearly.

                                 

[Jie]

For cycler, peritonitis occurs about once every 4 years.  It is pretty safe with today tubing.  The tubing has been improved a lot. 

[Hanify]

I've been doing PD since April 08 and have had no sign of infections. Touch wood.

[george40]

knocking on the door of 1 year and no infection. Always wash those hands, wear masks and be able to control the airflow where you will do your treatments. this is probably most of the battle.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

I went for 2 and half years and then got peritonitis. I got the very worse kind (Pseudomonas)  This is the one that can develope into Scepticemia and can be fatal. It doesn't repond well to antibiotics because it leaves an inpenetrable bacterial layer on your catheter and your catheter has to be removed in order to fully recover from the infection. It can also cause complications by causing irreparable damage to your bowels and intestines. Luckily I survived intact but I wouldn't consider PD again. I now do Haemo.

[sico]

I haven't been on PD long, and no peritonitis yet. I was told that on average it occurs once per year per patient, dont know if this is Australia only.
I've never worn a mask, even when i had a bit of a cold recently. I was worried about it before i started. Hope i can avoid it for the time i'm on PD, but from what people say sometimes it doesn't matter what you do. 

[billybags]

I would say you can only do your best, keep your hygene up, never cut corners, but the bas***d germs are out there. They may get you, they may not. My husband is still recovering from e-coli,  tube taken out, very poorly. He went 8months and doing really well on PD and he is hoping to have his tube put back in in another month. He hates Hemo. I am scared in case the infection rares its head again, I dont think either of us can go through this again. Its a chance you take.

[Darthvadar]

Hi RightSide...

My mum went from haemo to PD at the end of Oct. 2008, and on Dec 20th she was in hospital with peretonitis... She came home on January 1st '09, and on Jan 31st she was back in hospital with another peretonitis!... It wasn't her fault... She has Diverticular disease...

She's home since Febuary 18th, and has since, thank God, been clear of infection...

The advice about hygene is good, but if it DOES happen, it could be coming from within, and be something you have no control of... Mum beat herself up terribly... One nurse made her feel that it was something she did... Her Consultant Nephrologist soon put her right on that score... If it's of any interest, this is the tread I opened for advice when Mum wasn't too well...

 http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=12890.0

On the other hand, I know people who are years on PD and never had an infection, and others who got an infection, and just needed a course of antibiotics... So it's just the luck of the draw... Even with all of the setbacks, Mum's FAR happier on PD than on haemo....

The very best of luck with it all...

Please feel free to PM me if I can be of any assistance to you...

May God bless and protect you....

Darth....

[peleroja]

I agree with the other folks.  Just keep your wits about you, follow your procedures exactly, and don't let anyone but you or a PD nurse touch your catheter.  I went 5 years before I got peritonitis, and then it was due to an infected abdominal hernia rather than lack of cleanliness.  My clinic still considers me a "virgin," because my peritonitis came from other sources!

[KICKSTART]

I never got it , i did 4 and a half years on PD, then it stopped working and im now on Hemo.

[mcmkids]

It is all about good practie when setting up the machine and hooking up/ discontinuing the therapy. As long as you follow your instructions, wear your mask and wash, wash, wash your hands, you will be fine

[Wattle]

I did PD for just over four years without ever getting an infection. I did my exchanges in some very odd places too. Like lifesaving clubs, the car etc.

PD continued to work well until I received a transplant in July.

I wish you well with PD. 

[looneytunes]

My spouse has been on CCPD for 19 months now without any infections.  I set up his cycler and am anal about cleanliness (not just in his dialysis...I'm a neat freak) and make sure that I follow each step.  We are aquainted with another PD patient who has gone 6 years infection free.

[spacezombie]

As others have said, sometimes there is nothing you can do. I would use hand alcohol cleaner before setting up the machine, again before spiking the bags, and before hooking myself up. I'd also wear a mask and hold my breath when spiking bags or hooking up.

I had peritonitis once in the 9 years total I was on PD. I caught it early the one time I had it, and it wasn't too bad. I did have some problems with exit site infections the first few years, but I found looser clothing and using a better skin cleaner helped this (I used a bleach-based cleaner given to me by the dialysis dept, but I can't remember the name now).

[girliekick]

never had peritonitis (KNOCK KNOCK) (NOV 08)
Aside from being cautious on the front end(hooking up) I make sure to check my fluid if I experience anything new, and when I first started It was not rare for me to take fluid to my nurse.
Cal-Stat is the hand cleaner I use, and I always wash with antibaterial soap, If I dont have it I dont bathe. 

Good Luck
Girl

[djgaryb11]

I have been on PD just about a year now and have not had an infection yet.  I think as long as you follow proper procedures, and stay focused while you are doing your hook ups  and machine set up, etc, you will be fine.  Also, if you have any constipation, make sure you take care of this as soon as possible or speak with your PD nurse , since this can also cause an infection.

[TheHelpfulTroll]

A nurse and my social worker at my dialysis center suggested I look into PD, because it would give me the opportunity to dialyze at home.  (I live alone, so they won't let me do home hemo without a partner.)

But I'm real nervous about PD, because of the risk of infection (peritonitis).

How much of a risk is it, really?  Can you go a couple of years without getting peritonitis, or is that just a frequent "occupational hazard" with PD?

The most important way of preventing infection is cleaning your hands & avoiding bad practices when you set up the machine & attach or disconnect yourself from it
Theres a woman at the hospital i attend who has been on PD for years without ever getting peritonitis.
If you NEVER cut corners your risk is low.

[calypso]

I was on PD (cycler) from June 2003 to Sept. 2009. Got peritonitis Sept. 15th and spent a month in the hospital where they took out the cath and put me on IV antibiotics which in turn gave me c-diff infection which I'm trying to clear up now. So I went 6 years without peritonitis.