Today in clinic HD my machine broke down & I had to get off early :(

[angieskidney]

I know everyone here is so informative so I decided to type about this. Today my machine started beeping in the last hour and I could NOT shut off the alarm. I am on the Fresenius 2008K machine in clinic. The one nurse came over and she couldn't get it to stop beeping. When it beeps like that the pumps stops and my blood is no longer circulating through the machine. I was worried about clotting since my blood runs a little thick (My hemoglobin is 120 g/L. (what is that in American? 12?) I hardly bled at all when they pulled the needles. I shoulda asked to be put back on but I didn't know they would switch machines and start it up again to do the rest. I didn't understand until after I said no I will just have to be good with my drinks and they pulled the needles out. I have 2kg on me. This is not good. I have a hard time staying under 1L per day of drinking allowance. How am I going to do this? Plus the reason I am so high when I only had 1 hr left is since the machine was stopped for over a min they gave me saline to help not to clot. They didn't want to give me extra heparin since they always stop it in the last hour.

Any informative tidbits you want to share with me regarding this? I was really worried about clotting. Why is my body sore right now?

[Rerun]

It worries me that they could not find what the alarm was.  It is usually something.  They could have offered that you come back the next day.  Sorry you had that experience.

[kitkatz]

I can clot a dialysis machine quicker than you can say boo!  So I know what you are saying.  I have had them change out machines and change out dialyzers so I can finish a run.  Sometimes I will tell them stop it and take me off.  If I have been there over three hours I tell them to just forget it.  Then I have to be careful with fluids because I come off heavy.  I think you are sore because your body is used to four hours of dialysis and you had only three.  More toxins running around than usual plus you have 2 kg on you already.  I know when I get off early I tend to be a little more achey than normal.

Hope all goes better for you.

[angieskidney]

Ya I only ran for 2 1/2 hrs which makes it worse (I normally run 3:30)

[BigSky]

Just why was the machine alarming in the first place? 

Seems most machines only shut the pump off when there is something going on with pressures, unless there was some malfunction in the machine itself.

[scyankee]

Angie,
  Sorry you had a hard time.  What I'm thinking is that improperly set up the machine
in the first place and don't want to say so. Maybe you could very discreetly ask to
see the last sheet from which they refer to put in the numbers.
  Hope you are feeling ok.
   SCYankee

 

[angieskidney]

Angie,
  Sorry you had a hard time.  What I'm thinking is that improperly set up the machine
in the first place and don't want to say so. Maybe you could very discreetly ask to
see the last sheet from which they refer to put in the numbers.
  Hope you are feeling ok.
   SCYankee

 

No it wasn't the numbers. I had checked them myself since I put them in most of the time myself Plus I know it wasn't the numbers but the machine itself as I watched as they tried to even mute it while seeing what was wrong and nothing was responding.