Questions... help!

[amyquah]

Hi everyone!     I have been on PD for 4 months now.  I have a couple of questions;  1. I have terrible cramps when I fill, sometimes it brings me to tears and 2. I have a very sharp pain where my heart is kinda over my left rib. It isn't anything to do with my heart or lungs, they've been checked - it's more like a "tearing of muscle" pain.  Anyone have this happen and/or know what it is?

Also, I am not feeling very well at all.  It seems PD doesn't make me feel as well as I thought it would.  Night before last I was eating at a restaurant (The Outback) with my daughter and husband. I hadn't been feeling well all afternoon - tired and just felt worn out. To make a long story short, I passed out right there at the table, went by ambulance to the hospital - but after x-rays and blood tests and ekg's - everything turned out fine and I was sent home. It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me - I knew I was blacking out - tunnel vision and then darkness; I couldn't do anything to stop it.  Anyone have any idea what caused this?

Thanks so much!   

[jennyc]

Hi, Pd is great for some but terrible for others. generally they push it on newbies as it's easier to cope with than hemo. Sometimes though it just doens't work too well for some people (was great for me).

I used to get drain pain on the first drain of each night, i'd suspend draining and then continue later. The cramps though are generally your potassium, each time you drain you drain out potassium, get your levels checked, you may be very low on potassium (often PD patients are low due to how well it filters it out). with cramps, i used to get them around my ribs, whoa it hurt. also in my jaw (weird) and also the normal places like calves, ankles. I had them so bad one day i couldn't walk even after the cramp had gone, i actually bruised inside my ankle, hurt for days.

Cramps affect muscles, and any muscle in your body can be prone to cramps esp if they are related to potassium (high or low). the jaw cramps started at my jaw and went down my neck to my chest. Rib cramps went from the bottom rib upto just below my heart.

As for passing out, not sure. But being tired is a symptom of D. I had nanna naps every day on D. Check your levels (creatinine, PTH etc) make sure they aren't too high and get an adequacy done to ensure your doing the right amount of D. other wise discuss hemo with your DR, tell him your not feeling right and he may either adjust your perscription or want to change you to hemo if you aren't getting adequate D.

[Red from Canada]

Are you diabetic?  Low sugar can make you pass out.  Also, are you taking stool softeners?  With even a bit of constipation, you could get the type of pain you describe on filling.  I have been on PD for three years and have encountered those problems and corrected them.  It is too soon to write off PD.  Talk to your nurse or Neph.

[murf]

Questions that you might consider. What is your clearance like? Are you being left with toxins in your body? Are you draining off too much fluid that may cause low blood pressure? Can you turn off the rain before it is completed and proceed to the fill?