Question About Urea And The Smell Of

[PrimeTimer]

Question:  We usually will smell urea draining from the waste line during treatments. We know that's good because it means urea is being removed but what if you don't smell it or the smell isn't as strong? Is that good or bad? 

[Pod99966]

You have to remember that it is being mixed with distillate as it drains, so the smell shouldn't be strong.

[PrimeTimer]

You have to remember that it is being mixed with distillate as it drains, so the smell shouldn't be strong.

He's been doing home hemo for 6 months and there is usually a strong smell of urea but lately, not so much. Just wondering if this is a sign of something. We haven't changed his volume or treatment time.

[cassandra]

I find the smell depends a lt on how clean the drain from the machine is too?

[PrimeTimer]

I find the smell depends a lt on how clean the drain from the machine is too?

You might be on to something there...I've been flushing the drain line more frequently with bleach.

[cassandra]

Well there you go than:

"Some bleach a day keeps the pee smell away"


       


Take care, Cas

[cassandra]

Well there you go than:

"Some bleach a day keeps the pee smell away"


       


Take care, Cas

[PrimeTimer]

Well there you go than:

"Some bleach a day keeps the pee smell away"


       


Take care, Cas

I wish they could invent some sort of "scented" filter for the waste to pass thru. Ahh, cinnamon, lavender, rose petals, orange slices...raspberry, lemon...

[cassandra]

     

[PrimeTimer]

No, seriously. I really wish they could invent a scented filter but not like those things that hang in the toilet bowl. How about little scented tablets that could be loaded into the drain line prior to treatment?  "Honey, what scent do you want to go with tonite? Cinnamon, lavender, green apples? Ooh...how 'bout lemon???" Knowing my husband, he'd probably choose "new car smell".   

 

[obsidianom]

I still drain into a bucket all spring and summer so I can use the dialysate for fertolizer for my fruit trees. It does smell but the trees love it.

[Speedy1wrc]

I drain onto a utility basin in the basement. During treatment I am told it's pretty bad. It smells for awhile afterwards too. I keep a jug of bleach nearby and dump a splash in it every so often.

I actually figured out a way to flush the drain line every treatment. Save the little double female adapter in a syringe wrapper and after treatment use it to connect the saline line to the drain line. Open the clamps and let the left over saline drain and flush the line. It works.

[Pod99966]

I actually figured out a way to flush the drain line every treatment. Save the little double female adapter in a syringe wrapper and after treatment use it to connect the saline line to the drain line. Open the clamps and let the left over saline drain and flush the line. It works.

Are you talking about the saline line with the white clamp?

[Speedy1wrc]

Yes. I run the white line from the saline bag through the double connector into the yellow drain line on the Pureflow. It's maybe a 300 ml flush every treatment.

[cassandra]

I'll try that thanx. I'm using the 60 ml syringe that you get with the 'conductivity clean-out kit' sorry forgot the name, with diluted bleach to flush in between sacks

[amanda100wilson]

I stopped using the black waste line other than during prime and drain.  I attach my yellow line from the cartridge to a disposable waste line.  That way only clean dialysate without the body waste product goes through the black line.  Saves all the bleaching.

[Speedy1wrc]

My drain runs through the floor to the basement, so a disposable line wouldn't work.

I keep a spray bottle of 10:1 bleach in my supply cabinet. Once a week I inject 60 ml in the drain line during prime so by the time the machine is ready it can be flushed out. Not so bad.

[PrimeTimer]

Anybody ever have their pet chew up a disposable waste line? I would much rather be able to use the yellow disposable waste lines because they aren't as cumbersome to deal with compared to the heavy duty black line but, would sure hate to have our cat (who isn't declawed) chew it up or poke holes in it while a batch is being made in the nite. Otherwise, during treatment, dear kitty is put on lockdown in the bedroom where he naps for 4 hours.
At nite however, he is free to roam the place and luckily, has never snuck out like we did as teenagers. 

[Pod99966]

Yes. I run the white line from the saline bag through the double connector into the yellow drain line on the Pureflow. It's maybe a 300 ml flush every treatment.

I think I tried that once and the line with the white clamp is so small it took forever to drain. I guess it you just hooked it up and walked away for a while it might be ok.

[Speedy1wrc]

Most of the time it drqins in a minute or so. Every so often though it refuses.

[drawingdami]

Black lines? Mixtures? Smells? What is this magic you all speak of?

Here in NYC, you can ONLY use the pre mix dialysate bags  with your NxStage. I guess because most of us live in little apartments and rent, landlords are not willing to make any modifications to the bathrooms or anything. Aside from having an ENORMOUS amount of supplies taking over the apartment, it is all pretty simple.  You only get yellow drain lines when you use the pre-mix, and I just throw it out when treatment is over. I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A SMELL! I smell absolutely nothing, and neither do my roommates.

So what kind of set up is required if you don't use premix bags?

[obsidianom]

Black lines? Mixtures? Smells? What is this magic you all speak of?

Here in NYC, you can ONLY use the pre mix dialysate bags  with your NxStage. I guess because most of us live in little apartments and rent, landlords are not willing to make any modifications to the bathrooms or anything. Aside from having an ENORMOUS amount of supplies taking over the apartment, it is all pretty simple.  You only get yellow drain lines when you use the pre-mix, and I just throw it out when treatment is over. I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A SMELL! I smell absolutely nothing, and neither do my roommates.

So what kind of set up is required if you don't use premix bags?

Pueflow really doesnt use any modifications. WE just stick the drain line in the kitchen sink. You can use that or any sink or toilet or even a bucket. The water line needs to hook up to the cold water line but that is no big deal . No plumbing modifications are needed. It is MUCH easier to use then bags and needs a LOT less storage space.

[amanda100wilson]

PrimeTimer, when you are making or draining a batch it goes through the black waste line, only the drain from the treatment goes through disposable line.  This means only non-biological fluid goes through black line, so no smell.

[PrimeTimer]

PrimeTimer, when you are making or draining a batch it goes through the black waste line, only the drain from the treatment goes through disposable line.  This means only non-biological fluid goes through black line, so no smell.

Thanks, that is very good to know. I am tempted to ask the Neph to make the yellow disposable wastelines part of my husband's monthly prescription. That way I could just use the black waste line for making/draining a batch. We do have a box of the yellows on-hand and I've used a couple of them during treatment but if we want to regularly receive them as monthly supplies, I was told that the Neph would have to write a prescription for it. Meanwhile, I've gotten into the habit of injecting a little bleach down the black waste line once a week after treatment and that works.   

[obsidianom]

PrimeTimer, when you are making or draining a batch it goes through the black waste line, only the drain from the treatment goes through disposable line.  This means only non-biological fluid goes through black line, so no smell.

Thanks, that is very good to know. I am tempted to ask the Neph to make the yellow disposable wastelines part of my husband's monthly prescription. That way I could just use the black waste line for making/draining a batch. We do have a box of the yellows on-hand and I've used a couple of them during treatment but if we want to regularly receive them as monthly supplies, I was told that the Neph would have to write a prescription for it. Meanwhile, I've gotten into the habit of injecting a little bleach down the black waste line once a week after treatment and that works.

Weekly bleach is recommended for the black waste line. That is what we do and it doesnt smell at all. It also keeps it open better so it wont clog.