Periotoneal Dialysis/graduation

[mike22]

Just wanted to know the pros and cons of peritoeal dialysis how does it make you feel.  How does it affect your lifestyle.  I am about to graduate college in may. I finally completed my degree while doing hemodilalysis. I really want to work because my SSI isn't enough and I love to save and manage my money properly. I am a little scared and worried about this next phase of my life and having dialysis apart of it. I would love to travel and go to grad school. I am heavily considering a career in medicine maybe research.  My first kidney lasted 8 years. I have a really high PRA. Sooooo the wait for me could be extremely long!!!  I dont have the family structure needed especially to understand me and when I REALLY need them. Thats ok I've always been strong and independent. But I have to admit I'm a scared, frustrated and angry. I know i want to live my lilfe to the fullest. Im 25 and those years only come once.  I dont know if working part time would be enough. I figure going to PD would give me some flexibility. Plus, if possible Ill be working at a desk job. Which  helps. Love feedback.

[Riki]

PD lets you schedule everything on your own terms.  I was only a little bit older than you when I started dialysis (for the 3rd time).  I was on PD for all of my dialysis life, except for the last 2 years, and that spans 20 years, as of next month.  Except for a month in 2001 and the first few weeks of dialysis in 1991, I was on a cycler and dialyzed while I slept.

I was in junior high when I was on dialysis the first time.  Nobody knew unless I told them.  I had nothing that could be seen, except for a fistula in my wrist that had been put in as a backup.  In the last 8 months or so, I did a daily exchange while at school.  Because I was still considered a child, I had a home care nurse with me when I did it.

I worked full time while on dialysis the second time, but I was on bag exchange then, and was only on for a month.  I had a hard time with the bag exchange, because I couldn't get all 4 exchanges in, work full time, and get a full night's sleep.  I tended to only get 3 exchanges in a day.

The third time I was on dialysis, about 8 months after I started, I went back to work.  I started out full time, but went part time so I could get set shifts.  I worked that job for 3 years till I got burnt out (from the job, not dialysis).

I traveled on PD.  I travel on HD now, but it's harder to organize, and a heck of a lot more expensive.  I had a pretty much normal life, no different than any of my friends, except that when I went home at night, I hooked myself up to a machine when I went to bed. 

I was, and still am I suppose, lucky enough to have my mom to help me, but you really don't need it.  I have vision issues, so medications had to be mixed by her.  They didn't even bother to train me to do it.  Except for the occasional heparin injection into the bag, I think she may have only had to do it once.

Some people complain about not having room for the supplies.  You don't need an extra room for them.  In my apartment, I had a linen closet in the hallway.  It had one shelf with towels, and the rest were my monthly supplies.  You don't need an electrician or a plumber to come in and get a spot ready.  You just need a 3 prong outlet to plug the machine in, then use a drain bag that you can empty in the tub in the morning, or use a drain line so you don't have to lug the bag

The only thing I didn't really like about it was that I wasn't allowed to swim.  They said that the chance of infection from the water was too great.  I couldn't take baths either, but I could shower, as long as I kept my back to the water.  Even though I no longer have the tubing, I still shower that way.

I'm not sure if this is what you wanted.  If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.  I actually counsel people who are unsure of whether to stay on HD or go to PD

[Lillupie]

Just wanted to know the pros and cons of peritoeal dialysis how does it make you feel.  How does it affect your lifestyle.  I am about to graduate college in may. I finally completed my degree while doing hemodilalysis. I really want to work because my SSI isn't enough and I love to save and manage my money properly. I am a little scared and worried about this next phase of my life and having dialysis apart of it. I would love to travel and go to grad school. I am heavily considering a career in medicine maybe research.  My first kidney lasted 8 years. I have a really high PRA. Sooooo the wait for me could be extremely long!!!  I dont have the family structure needed especially to understand me and when I REALLY need them. Thats ok I've always been strong and independent. But I have to admit I'm a scared, frustrated and angry. I know i want to live my lilfe to the fullest. Im 25 and those years only come once.  I dont know if working part time would be enough. I figure going to PD would give me some flexibility. Plus, if possible Ill be working at a desk job. Which  helps. Love feedback.

Ok,
 Im jealous. I wish I could get a desk job, so then no disability for me! PD makes me feel great about 98% of the time. Pros, your own time, your own schedule, its not in your face. I too grauduated a few years back on PD and am still on it. I am on the cycler and i am pretty much free during the day, for the exception of one exchange. To be quite honest besides hooking up at night, I really do not feel much different then everyone honest. I dont have complications, and I am pretty much able to forget about it.
Now, the cons, are the red tape insurance bs that everyone else on dialysis has to deal with, although I will have to admit that it is alot less then hemo has to deal with. There is that rule and this riule. I have Baxter delivering my supplies and I dont kow what TIME until the day before they are to come, when they are going to be here. They are like the cable guy, come between this time and that time. lol and this rule and that rule.  Blah, Blah, blah. Eat as much meat as possible, less Phos, and the more potassium foods (unlike on hemo). So for me the Baxter guy comes twice a month (usually once a month) and I go to the doctors twice a month, and thats pretty much all!
 Oh and not to brag, but did I tell you that I went to Italy, as well as cross country and climbed one of the Rocky mountains on PD? at times it may seem inconvient, but it is a small price to pay when I am not getting stuck with needles 3 days a week and am not being forced to sit in one spot for hours at a time.
Keep us posted on how you are doing,

Lisa

[KICKSTART]

There are lots of posts on here about pd , but i would say if you can, go for it ! I have done both (dont forget pd doesnt last forever) and if i could i would go back to pd in a shot as compared to hemo. If you have the storage , the time , the confidence then go for pd.

[peleroja]

I love my PD and I have done more traveling (including cruises) while on PD than any other time of my life.  Once you get past the manual stage (usually 1-3 months) and can go on the cycler at night, it's great.  Best of luck to you.

[murf]

I hated the daily exchanges. Seems that I could never get away. Every 4-6 hours had to be home to have a manual exchange. Unlike some other members, I always wanted a sterile environment to exchange instead of a car etc. I was then placed on the machine and think it is fabulous. Hook up at night at a time to suit yourself. It takes me about 10 hours to complete including set up and clean up. So if you are working then you would hook up at a time to be in time for breakfast, shower etc ready for work. If I am going out for the night and know I won't be back until midnight or later (yes, I am a dirty rotten stay out), then I will do manual exchanges before I go out. I dread the day when (not if) I go back to hemo. All the nurses tell me at some point you (2-4 years) need go back to hemo. Depends very much on infections, hence my diligence with cleanliness.

[phyl1215]

Hi, I love being on PD.  1 yr. now.  We have traveled alot and even spent a month in Florida...Baxter delievered all the solution.  I know of several people who have been on PD for 10 yrs., 6 yrs. with little trouble.  Follow the rules and tips they give you and you'll do great.

[Riki]

I loved PD, and like Kickstart, I would go back to it a minute if I could.  A nurse not following protocols caused a nasty, life threatening peritonitis.  There was too much scar tissue for me to ever go back to PD.

[Lillupie]

Look,
 I just wanted to add  my . Now., whille there are many people who do not last on PD, there are those who do not last on hemo. There are so many fistluas and grafts. I have talked to and met several people who were forced to go on PD becauise they ran out of places to put their grafts. I do know of one lady online who name escapes me, but she wrote a book as well, and I believe that she is also on davita.com forums. Well, she was only able to be on hemo for 10 years, until she was forced to be switch to PD (I remember this, she actually called me from California, I was interviewing her for my own book). Anyways. I just wanted to put that out there.

Lisa

[MakeMyDay]

I was on hemo for a 8 months and I hated it. I moved to PD and I wish I was on PD from the beginning. I have my day free and even better I feel the best on PD. If I were you I'd go with PD. All the best.

[paul.karen]

I work full time on PD.

I asked my neph if i could skip doing manuels due to my work atmosphere.  he didnt see a problem with that.  My nurses had me do one day of manules in the clinic just so i wuold know how to do them.
I also am dry during the day but if your at a desk i dont htink being wet would be a big deal.

You already have a fistula so if PD isnt for you it is an easy switch back to hemo.

[mike22]

@Lillupie  That is one reason I going to PD. I have clotted off five accesses. So, I may not have a choice. But maybe its perfect timing considering I am about to graduate and this is the time of my life. I want to do more things especially since I'm 25 years old.  I quess i've been thru a lot and i want things to change a lil bit. Especially now having a college degree.

[rsudock]

good luck mike with your future endeavors! congrats on graduating!!

xo,
R

[Riki]

I'd like to know how you went to college on hemo.  Did you do home hemo? or were you lucky enough to have nocturnal, or even a unit with a 3rd shift?  I don't have any of those options, so college is kind of out of the question for me right now.

[Lillupie]

well I suspose you could schedule your classes around the hemo schedule and do your homework when you are in-center. I did this when I had my hernia surgery when I was in college.

Lisa

[noahvale]

^^

[mike22]

@ Riki. I did in center hemo dialysis. I was fortunate to be able to schedule my classes around dialysis. If you need any advice as far as time management and study skill  I am willing to help. I will say that is HUGE for any college student especially if you are on dialysis that can be  physical grind on the body. Need those skills!!!! Trust me!!!!