Which machine for home heamo?

[JW77]

I'm just curious, which machine do people use for home heamo?

I'm currently using a Gambro AK95, soon to be retired and replaced with an AK96 model.

[obsidianom]

Many of us use the Nxstage system. It is the easiest and most portable system. It doesnt require much room or any special plumbing or electrical connections. It uses ultrapur dialysate .

[amanda100wilson]

NxStage.  Have done so for 2.5 years.

[Simon Dog]

BabyK (2008k@home) and NxStage are both viable options in the US.   Fresenius still has some regular 2008K systems in homes, but is requiring new uses wanting a 2008k series machine to take the @home version (I suspect they have a warehouse of them they need to unload).    I've used both, and each has its + and -.

[PrimeTimer]

[size=undefinedpt]We've been "home" using the NxStage System One Cycler with a Pureflow Unit for 6 months now. Overall, it's gone pretty smooth and NxStage answers all our emergency calls if we have questions during treatment. We hate dialysis but glad to be doing it at home -on our terms and when we want. We live in a small apartment and our setup is in the living room so we are having to adjust to that but is all very doable. And again, we really like the fact that if we have any problems during treatment we can call NxStage (even late at night) and they will walk us through the problem (a real blessing to have when you are in panic mode!). We mix our dialysate SAK in the Pureflow Unit at night while we sleep (takes 10 minutes to set it up in the machine), it's quieter than the dishwasher but will alarm to wake you if there are problems (which so far, has been rare). Takes about 18 minutes to prime the cycler and cartridge and while it's doing that, I setup the treatment table/supplies, then we take about 10-15 minutes to put his fistula needles in and we press the 'ol treatment key. His treatment is usually 3.50 hours, we take about 20 minutes pulling needles, applying pressure and taping him up and then about another 10-15 minutes to clean up. Haven't traveled with it yet but see that it will be doable (we'd have to switch to hanging pre-mixed dialysate bags on the IV pole that came with our cycler) because the Pureflow Unit isn't portable.   I will definitely learn how to change the font for my next post!

[komomai]

I've just been doing my home dialysis for about 2 weeks now.  I'm in Okinawa, Japan and using a Japanese hospital, I'm the first home hemodialysis patient on the island of Okinawa.  The machine that they gave me is the NIKKSO DBB-100NX along with a reverse osmosis machine.  This is NIKKSO's newest machine and it does self-priming as well as automatic end of treatment replacement of saline.  The only drawback is I can understand the icons on the touch screen but the kanji letters I am clueless about so my wife has to read the error messages for me.  So far I'm doing 6 days a week at 3-4 hours a day.

[del]

Hubby uses a 2008k@home machine.  He has been doing nocturnal at home for over 8 years.  We are supposed to be trained for nxstage sometime in the near future.

[Ritamghosh]

Hello guyz...is it safe Home hemodialysis ? I mean if anything emergency happen then what patient suppose to do ? m just curious ..

[obsidianom]

Hello guyz...is it safe Home hemodialysis ? I mean if anything emergency happen then what patient suppose to do ? m just curious ..

Yes it is perfectly safe. There are virtually no cases of serious damage or death ever from home dialysis. Each person and helper are WELL trained for weeks before it is allowed. The machines are easy to learn and use. We have been doing Nxstage for almost 3 years at home.

[Simon Dog]

Hello guyz...is it safe Home hemodialysis ? I mean if anything emergency happen then what patient suppose to do ? m just curious ..

Yes it is perfectly safe. There are virtually no cases of serious damage or death ever from home dialysis. Each person and helper are WELL trained for weeks before it is allowed. The machines are easy to learn and use. We have been doing Nxstage for almost 3 years at home.

There was one case (I think in Austrialia) where the patient connected the wrong line to the saline supply for rinseback at the end, and as a result, pumped his blood into the saline bag (which stretched to accept much more than it's one liter size), and the patient was found on the machine, dead.   The training includes a color blindness test to make sure you know how to find the appropriate color connectors.

But then, there are cases of death from mistakes made in clinics as well.

[noahvale]

*

[obsidianom]

Hello guyz...is it safe Home hemodialysis ? I mean if anything emergency happen then what patient suppose to do ? m just curious ..

Yes it is perfectly safe. There are virtually no cases of serious damage or death ever from home dialysis. Each person and helper are WELL trained for weeks before it is allowed. The machines are easy to learn and use. We have been doing Nxstage for almost 3 years at home.

There was one case (I think in Austrialia) where the patient connected the wrong line to the saline supply for rinseback at the end, and as a result, pumped his blood into the saline bag (which stretched to accept much more than it's one liter size), and the patient was found on the machine, dead.   The training includes a color blindness test to make sure you know how to find the appropriate color connectors.

But then, there are cases of death from mistakes made in clinics as well.

Don't laugh , but I did that once in the beginning. The bag turned red and I stopped it QUICKLY. I felt like such a FOOL!!

[Ritamghosh]

What about OCM4008 is it good machine for hemo D?

[*kana*]

Dont worry too much.  Your care partner will be well trained and able to do the proper thing in an event of an episode.  I actually trust my husband more then any 19 year old tech at the clinic. 

[Sugarlump]

We have a Bbraun machine at home. Plus water softener and reverse osmosis machine (but don't ask me how those last two work!!!)
The haemo machine is very easy to use, prompts you or alarms if you make a mistake.
To be honest I am better looked after by my trained other half than I was in hospital with one nurse to 6 patients.
We learned to deal with a variety of problems/emergencies.
If in doubt, stop dialysis and come off machine.

Less infection/cross contamination risk on a home machine with only you using it.

I hate going in to dialysis unit now, the noise and the lack of privacy and interest in your health...
I like dialysing in my pyjamas with my breakfast!!! 

[Vt Big Rig]

We have been at home with a NxStage System one for 5 weeks now. our training was fantastic. I was terrified going in and our nurse was the most patient person I ever met. I am very confident we can handle almost anything.

Is it safe? i believe it is as safe or safer than any dialysis. After all, a person who loves me is sticking and watching. It is not just a job for her. BUT just in case i visited the local fire house, introduced myself and talked with them. They were happy to make note.

[Sugarlump]

We are supposed to get priority in a powercut but only had one this year, when I was off machine.
The Water People know too, we had our water pipes flushed and cleaned recently (you need to switch off water softener and ro machine) and
they arranged to do it after I came off machine...

[justagirl2325]

We use a Baxter AK96.  When it runs well it's a good machine but it often experiences "technical errors" which prevent dialysis until we can speak to the tech and get it sorted out (next day).