Couldn't drain today.

[highway61]

I tried to do a manual today. Even though we use a cycler I try to do a manual on days that I have off. Hooked up and tried to drain, but nothing. So I tried to drain with another bag set and still nothing. I tried switching to fill with some heparin in the bag and I was able to take it in. Switch to drain and still nothing.

We are using the Fresenius stay-safe bags. We called out PD nurse and she suggested we relax and wait until we hook to the cycler tonight and see if that works. I reviewed last night's stats on the cycler and it drained and filled ok.

Since I was able to fill, I guess that indicates the catheter is fine. Anyone have any ideas on what is going on?

Thanks.
 

[jeannea]

I wish I knew. Sometimes I think it's totally random if I can drain or not. I can't seem to pin down why it works and why it doesn't.

[Joe]

Never had that problem before highway, I've had some really cra**y drains, but never struck out completely. Hope it goes well on the cycler tonight.

[Annig83]

Highway- I've had that problem before, and it was not due to fibrin.  At the end of the catheter it looks like a straw with small holes poked in it.  My problem was that some of my fatty tissue would stick in those holes, and also wrap around the end of the catheter.  I couldn't drain for anything, they even had me do a bit of "cleaning" using laxatives, and still nothing.  Long story short, I had to have the fatty tissue "tacked" up in my abdomen...I haven't had an issue since.  This may be your problem as well.  I would call your neph, or D center again and ask them to have an xray done of the catheter, which will also show if you have stool stuck up in your intestines (which in turn can block the flow of the catheter), if that's not it, then it really may be the catheter getting blocked by tissue.  Good luck, hope it isn't what I had, but if it is, the surgery hurts a little afterward, but it's not bad at all.

[billybags]

highway61, what a pain. Did you do the PD dance,    are you constipated? Your system sounds different to ours, we are in the UK.We do the Baxter's cycler every night and a manual at tea time. So you get days off with what you do, different. Hope things get sorted quickly.

[jshabanian]

That has happened to me a few times.  I do the cycler at night and one manual exchange during the day.  It is the daytime exchange that sometimes gives me problems. 
I have found that usually it is constipation even when I didn't think I was constipated at all!  I guess that for me I need to be very empty bowel wise to drain properly. 

When it has happened to me it usually works if I try again later on.  I would just relax and try again later.

[highway61]

Everything worked fine on the cycler last night. Whatever the problem was, it has passed. I did a manual today and didn't have any problem. I drained 2500ml. 

[Joe]

That is excellent news!

[highway61]

Thanks, Joe.

jshabanian,  I am still pretty regular.

[Annig83]

Glad to hear it wasn't my problem!!!

[tbarrett2533]

I do CAPD and have for almost 8 months and I LOVE IT!!
however (see my last post)
I have this problem ALL THE TIME and NO seems to know why!!

every few weeks or so I will get slow or no drains, I have seem my neph, my PD nurse and even wen to the ER a few times, everything has been checked out and the only answer I get as to why this happens is that my cath has migrated over to the membrane wall so after doing EVERYTHNG that you can think of to get things "going" again, I have found that the ONLY thing that works for me is to STOP all treatment for a few days and give my membrane a break........... (I do not suggest that anyone else do this and that they listen to what their PD nusre and Doc tell them to do.)  however this is the only thing that works for me I just make sure that I eat very little and drink even less!!! and I also try y treatments each and every (few times even) until it all works itself out.

now I know that when you hook up and try to drain and nothing comes out it is only normal to FREAK right out and trust me I did too even went straight to the ER the first time, but now this has happened to me more often and I know now not to freak and stress over it, but I also know how frustrating it can be   

so good luck to you and if it happens once then it prolly will again 
you gotta take the good with the bad!!!!

[highway61]

Well, tabarrett, we are glad it has gone away for now. It just really spooked us pretty bad. Your experience is invaluable to a newby like me.

[Grumpy-1]

This happened to me once.  I almost freaked out.  Was almost ready to head to the ER, but decided to try another manual bag kit.  It turned out that the valving in the one bag kit was clogged (I guess in manufacturing).   Other than that, no other problems with manuals.  The cycler is another game.  Over the last month, I have had 4 cyclers sent to me.  They'll work fine for a couple days, then the alarms will go off and I'll be talking to the techs on the phone.  We try everything they can think of.  Note, Since I've talked to four different techs, and got four different solutions, then next time the cycler acts up I have four different methods to try before I start calling.

Grumpy