How Long Can I Go?

[Bub]

14 months since my kidneys failed and I am still working.  Did 14 hours yesterday and was back on this morning at 6 am. Sometimes its easy and sometimes its really, really hard. Mainly dealing with the extreme fatigue.  I may face layoffs soon, but if that turns out well, how long can I go working full time?  I have been on dialysis for 14 months and feel much better than when I first started. Does it get worse as you grow older or do problems vary from person to person? Can some of you who have been on dialysis longer periods of time tell me if your quality of life has deteriorated say to the point that you couldn't work full time?



Edited: Fixed subject line error - okarol/admin

[willowtreewren]

Bub,
My husband has been on dialysis for 19 months. He works 10 hours a day every day. But there are folks who can't work at all. I think it is really going to depend on each individual's particular circumstances and physical issues.

Best of luck with continuing to work!

Aleta

[Hanify]

I think there's no reason to think you can't continue to work.  The biggest pain will be factoring in the times when things knock you for 6 - like a simple cold - that normally wouldn't have.  But if your work can getn through the occasional time like that I think you could carry on indefinitely.  Whether you WANT to work 10 hours a day, is, of course, another question.

[sullidog]

I think it depends on the person. I started back full time after my kidney failure and it was too much for me so I now work part time and handling it pretty well. I find myself using more sick time though these days then I ever did. It's basically do what your body is telling you. Your body will let you know when it's too much.
Troy

[kitkatz]

I have been working full time  for eleven years on dialysis.  Too stubborn to know better, I guess.

[jbeany]

Depends on the job description, too.  Lot of difference in the physical stamina needed to be a construction worker compared to a paper pusher.  Depends on how well the side effects are controlled as well.  I went on disability long before I needed to start dialysis because it took a very long time to find a doc who was as concerned about my quality of life as he was about the quantity.  I had to quit work because of uncontrolled anemia and dizzy spells that were the constant side effects from blood pressure meds.  I also had constant vomiting from gastroparesis.  By the time I found a doc willing to work to fix all the issues keeping me from an active live, my kidneys failed to the point I had to start D.  Given the local economy (I live in Michigan) and the time constraints of a dialysis schedule, full time work was real stretch.  I did work part time - about 3 days a week worked well for me.  More than that, and I was exhausted to the point that the gastroparesis kicked back in again, and I was puking instead of working. 
The other issue once you start D is time constraints - if you work full time, and dialyze on an in-center schedule, there is very little time left for anything else in your life - like simple chores or time spent doing anything you actually want to do.  Plenty of people on here continue to work full time - it can be done, but it's a heck of a juggling act.

[RichardMEL]

I absolutely agree that it's different for everyone's unique situations. I work "full time" as in a full week bar two afternoons for Dialysis so I guess that's around 30 hours a week, but I work in IT so it's a sit down job. I walk every weekday morning for 15-20 minutes and on sundays for over an hour for exercise. I find 85% of the time I have fine energy to do all that comfortably. Some days not so good.

I think it should be fine for you to continue to work but one thing you need to be careful about is not pushing yourself too hard - specially if you do get a cold or something. Know your limits because unfortunately now you are more prone to issues like tiredness etc and pushing yourself further won't help and could make things worse (and stress/high BP's can kill residual kidney function).. so work absolutely but know when it is time to take it easy.. and if you have to cut back some hours to fit it all in.. do it.. your health is more important than working insane hours and that should come first I reckon.

[Stacy Without An E]

I've been on Dialysis for six years and I never changed my work schedule.  I work 50-60 hours a week, but most of that is sitting and working at the computer, or broadcasting on the radio, so its only challenging when it comes to energy levels.

Do I want to call in sick most mornings?  Oh yeah.  Have I ever?  Absolutely not.

Everyone at work knows I'm on Dialysis.  But I don't use it as a crutch to take more time off or cause other people to fill in for me.

Did I spend a good time of my weekend in bed trying to recover?  Oh sure.  But I would go bonkers without it.

And as anyone knows from being on disability, you can't survive solely on the monthly check.

Good luck, stay strong and show Dialysis you're the boss.  Keep working as much as physically possible.

[texasstyle]

 I guess it so depends on the individual and the type of work they do. I'm thinking one can do a desk type setting certainly much longer than let's say a construction worker. I think we'll be surprised to find out just how many people are still working. Listen to your body. It's gonna tell you when to stop. Along with kidney failure/dialysis, many other health complications can arise. Like my husband has CHF (congestive heart failure) and is on dialysis. He retired early but I really think the CHF had more bearing on it in the long run. I'm glad to hear your feeling better since being on th dialysis. I know you were having some fluid retention issues for a bit right? How's that going along? Take it one day at a time. It's hard to plan things that much when you're on dialysis especially future events. That's crummy but you've got today and tomorrow is always brand new.

[melobelle]

WOW! I am truly impressed you are able to work so long/hard with being on dialysis. I just started dialysis 90 days ago and up until about 3 weeks ago I didn't work. I am always anemic which I'm sure most dialysis patients are. I kept feeling bad about myself cuz I felt like I was being lazy for not working...but a wise older sister told me when I first started dialysis, "pace yourself!" I have taken her advice and now feel better than I have in a long time. I still have extremely fatigued days, especially after dialysis. But my off days I feel great! (p.s. I only work on non dialysis days) Don't overdue it my friend! Pace yourself!!

[sutphendriver]

I have been a professional firefighter for 14 years, on dialysis the last 3ish.  Exercise and eat rite, stay at a normal weight and you will do great.  I found that running or jogging combined with a diet heavy in veggies has greatly improved my energy level.  Good Luck.

[seanxl1200c]

I have been on dialysis about 3 years and working full time the whole time. It has been a struggle at times. Especially on the days when I can barely get the energy to get out of bed. I personally feel like I am hitting a wall. The mental drain is just getting to me. I think a lot of how long you can go depends on your mental state.



EDIT: 3 years, not 33. only feels like 33    lol

[Henry P Snicklesnorter]

.

[Brightsky69]

I work 40 hours a week.....and it's rough. I am on PD and having trouble sleeping. So I have to get up for work at 5:30am to be there by 7am. I usually do this on 4 hours of sleep....sometimes 2 hours. 

[st789]

Depend on many factor but do pace your self to avoid to allow the body to recover.

[AIRon]

For me I haven't really changed my schedule too much I did cut an hour off of each day so instead of 10 hours I work nine a day and work till noon or so on Saturdays, I do dialysis in the late afternoon, before i get there I am wiped out from work and after the dialysis I am all wound up and cant settle down. but i do admit i have to run up and down stairs to fetch parts from time to time and that gets tiering, but honestly I think I can keep going like this for a long long time.

[haemogoblin]

Well done Bub,

No one gives you any credit for busting your ass whilst coping with dialysis do they? And it's hard.

But it's worth fighting for- not just for the money, but for your pride. 

I've been working 4 days a week as a music teacher- thank god my boss is flexible.  But I think my advice would be: remember that having to stop work due to illness is NOT the end.  Dialysis is a balancing act- one month I can be out running, the next in hospital, and I think if you're feeling rough, remember there is always a chance things might improve if small alterations are made to your dialysis/diet, and then you can be back in work.

Also my advice would be- keep buying lottery tickets. You never know... Then you can quit work and pay some hot nurses to come to your house and look after you/provide entertainment. 

[Quickfeet]

How are you doing Bub?

[Lucinda]

Hey Bub.  Seems you are managing pretty well and no reason why you can't continue to work.  Look at Zac.  I started dialysis about the same time as you and I am working fulltime as well.  Some days I probably would like to stay in bed and not get up so early but generally I feel pretty well.  I think as long as you keep a check on everything then there is no reason why you can't continue to work.  I am pretty lucky that I do normally feel OK, just he occasional stint of anemia that iron once a month stays on top of.