PD Question

[Kong]

This question is for those on PD that use tape to hold their catheter. How do you get all of the friggin tape glue off? I've cleaned with alcohol and gauze and that gets a lot off and it looks clean but when I take my shirt off, the lint from the shirt is stuck to all the left over glue! I've only been on PD for about two weeks and this is driving me crazy.
I've been looking at belts and if anyone is using one I would like to hear some feedback on those also or the Secureway device that hangs from your neck.

Thanks
Kong

[CHeatherS]

I don't have any answers Kong, but I see you are about as new as I am, and it's nice to see a fellow traveler on the journey.  I kind of got abandoned by my PD training nurse, as she got sick so I am still doing to tape.  I am wondering if I can ever wear pants again.  At present I am wearing overalls, and wondering where the heck the belt will go on my pants once I find a pair to fit around this 2500 mL belly, that used to be an hour glass figure.

[wildcat]

I don't know if this helps, but let your nurse know about this.  My unit gave me "AllKare adhesive remover wipes" which removes the tape adhesive, it works ok.  I don't use them much.  They gave me a velcro type device which is small and holds my line in place.  It is "GripLoc universal securement device" for tubes 3-8 mm diameter.  These velco strips usually last about 5 days before the adhesive loosens up.  It is better than tapes, although I still have to put a bandage over the exit site to protect it.  I use gauze and silk tape for that. 

I would try switching tapes to see if that helps.  Maybe a paper type tape or silk tape might help.

[jeannea]

The best way to remove the sticky left after tape is vegetable oil. Whatever you cook with. But I would advise getting a belt so you don't have to use tape all the time. I use paper tape when I shower and a belt the rest of the time.

[Jie]

PD belts are definitely better than tapes.

[billybags]

You will laugh at this but my husband is not keen on the PD belts so I make them my self. I use old cotton soft  tea shirts that have a bit of give in them. I get two belts out of them. They are normally about 5 or 6 inch wide. You just step into them and tuck your cath in. I have done a picture, hope you get it. He has lots of different colors and I may have to take them in at the sides depending how his weight goes.

[peleroja]

I never used tape to hold the catheter down.  I just tucked it into the belt of my pants. 

[CHeatherS]

Ok, so where exactly should the belt of your pants fit in relationship to your exit site?   Having been one with a nice flat tummy before I put this 10 gallons of fluid in it and makes me look pregnant, I haven't even tried to wear pants this last two weeks, or at all since my surgery a month ago.  I have been wearing overalls and sweats.  But surely I am going to have to go out into public soon.  Should the exit site be above the belt line, or below?  I have to get on with life here folks, lol!

Thanks!

[Sax-O-Trix]

CHeatherS - Not to be funny, but I'd look into maternity pants...  They are actually very comfortable (very high waiste line) and many have a cotton stretchy front.  I haven't been on PD, but I just had a transplant and the wasteline of my Nike stretchy sport pants are bothersome. I can't wear my regular pants because they put way too much pressure on my incision.  I wish I had kept my maternity jeans, I think they would be so much more comfortable at this point.  I think when I go to clinic in the city on Thursday, I am going to stop at a consignment shop and see if I can find a couple of pairs to get me through the next month or so.

[JLM]

My clinic gave me a belt to wear.  It fits under my bra line.  If you use tape, try sticking a 2x2 gauze pad on the piece of tape and position the gauze over the cath. and you shouldn't get any tape residue on the cath.

[HouseOfDialysis]

I use PD belts from Stickman Industries. They have mesh ones to wear in the shower, which was my motivation for getting them in the first place.

You might find good results with maternity style "belly bands". Think of it as a tube top to keep your catheter in place and safe. Probably cheaper than ordering from Stickman, but I like the company, what can I say?

[CHeatherS]

Thanks Sax,  I suppose I will have to think about that.  I guess I didn't weigh all of the changes when I got into this....  I remember reading somehwere that you would have to go an extra size on pants.....  but it's a lot more than size, it's comfort and all too.

 And Sax, how long have you had your transplant?  Will your incision always be uncomfortable, or is this just recent?  I am on the list for a transplant, and also a possible donor is being considered, even this week, after they have been working on this a whole year. 

Thanks!!!!!

[Sax-O-Trix]

I am only 22 days post-tx, the incision site will get better.  I still have the staples and they go from my pubic bone up to to side of my abdomen.  The wastline of my pants cannot be avoided and even with the elastic waist of the Nike sport pants, it's irratating.  The maternity jeans are very high waisted if I remember correctly, but I'd think you could comfortably wear them anywhere on your abdomen.

I hope you are able to get that transplant. Get your testing done asap so you are not holding up the live donor process.  Are you on the UNOS list yet?

[CHeatherS]

This is helpful Sax..... and I have all my testing done, and they have finished up with a possible donor as well, and make a decision TODAY!!!!!   But I have to travel to Seattle from Alaska, and stay for a period of time until they get things settled.  That's the hard part, what do I take with me, how do I dress, what can I wear home on the airplane (long) ride......  It's not that easy to plan ahead for, so I ask a lot of questions. 

Hope you are enjoying your new kidney, and blessings for many years of health and happiness!

Heather

[Jie]

A good pajama is helpful during the first 4 weeks after the transplant.

[Kong]

Thanks for all of the replies.

@ HouseOfDialysis I am leaning towards Stickman belts also. I like that I can order just one and if I don't like it it won't be such a waste.

@peleroja I've done that a couple times already. My GF isn't happy when I do that though. If mama isn't happy, nobody's happy!

[paul.karen]

I mentioned i will be getting a chest cath for about 4-6 weeks.  And several people said to shower i could cover it with press and seal clingwrap.

I quess one could cover there exit site as well with press and seal?

Or if they still make them a i always thought a halter top would work well.

On weekends i use to take a break from covering my exit site.  I would tuck it into my pants (jeans with a belt).  One day my pants were wet upon checking i had a small tear in the tube caused from friction form sitting getting up in and out of the car ect.
So if you do the tuck the tube please be careful.

[Jie]

For the exit site, some clinics ask for covering and some clinics do not ask for covering, so it is not a big deal to cover it. I had always covered it though.

[cath-hater]

When I went in for my transplant and the kidney didn't work, they had to put in a perma-cath right on my right chest. This was so I could do plasmapheresis.  The hospital has this nice bandage that acts like cling wrap but with an adhesive border around it. It worked great. I would wear it pretty much all day and into the shower also.  After my shower, I would just replace it with a clean one they gave me. The perma-cath has been taken out.

As for my dialysis cath in my belly, I only covered it during the first couple of weeks.  When it healed, I showered without covering or anything.  Have been doing it this way for almost 9 years now and no infection so far (knock knock).  Because of the bacteria (mucus)  that can build up around the area, I am able to rinse it off every night this way.

[komomai]

Aloha, the hospital gives me paper tape, and I use the stickman belts everyday.  For showers I use the mesh stickman's.

[Sax-O-Trix]

Cath-Hater - it sounds like they used "Tegaderm" on your chest cath.  That's what I had on my chest cath for plasmapheresis after my transplant, but I didn't dare take a shower until 20 days post surgery for fear of getting my incision site and/or the cath site wet with my well water.  I did shower with the Tegaderm that they put on the cath site two days after they removed the cath. 

[cath-hater]

Sax -

You are absolutely correct. It was Tegaderm.  It was when I was in the hospital for my transplant.  I was in there for a week while I was recovering.  So I wasn't really able to shower or anything because of my incision.  When they released me and I got home, I just HAD TO JUMP IN THE SHOWER.

[CHeatherS]

Well, I have to do something one of these days.  I am only about 1 month out from my PD catheter surgery, and 2 weeks on dialysis, but I am still wearing overalls.  Not one pair of my pants will work because the waist band goes right ever the exit site.  It looks like this is something that I needed to be very vigilant about AHEAD of time.   Gosh, I don't know what I would do if I had to hold down a job where I had to dress all girlie girl.  This is a bummer.

[paul.karen]

Your surgeon should have went overt this most important part of having a cath placed.
I had the option as most have of where i would like my cath placed as far as how high or low and if i wanted it on the right or left hand side.
Due to his/her incompetence you now have to deal with bad cath placement.
May you get a Kidney soon.
You may even want to write him/her and tell them of your BAD placement so he/she may not make the same mistake again.

[CHeatherS]

Yes Paul.Karen.....  that's what I am holding out for, my donor is in the last stages of being fully accepted (after a whole year).  The surgeon had marked this out for me at her office, but then I got sick and we had to cancel the surgery for a month!  So then she comes in early the morning of the surgery and says, we got to measure you again.  Well, shoot, I have 14 attendants standing around ready to put me under and all I have brought to the doctor's office is a loose pair of sweats.  I am going to guess where at that time of the morning?  Yeah, it's a bummer, and I will say something about it.  I hate to see others have to go thought this.  I really don't know what I am going to do at this point.