New to all this

[Indigo52]

I started hemodialysis last December. I almost waited to long to start, even though I had a fistula operation done a year and a half previous to beginning. When I started, they pulled 30 pounds of fluid off me the first week in the hospital. I had uremia (??), couldn't stop shaking and was clotting like crazy. Every session involved getting stuck 3 or 4 times. I also had a related skin itch (phosphorus). I had to go back in the hospital a couple of months after starting to have a couple of stints put in. That is the bad stuff. The good stuff is that since the stints I no longer have problems with clotting so the hook ups are now normal. My blood work is fine now, the itching is gone and my skin has healed back to normal and best of all, I usually feel pretty good. I am thankful for my treatments although I hate that I have to have them. I have had to give up some of the things I like, but there is plenty in this world to replace them. I do have questions that are best answered by those who live with this, and that is why I am here. I hope that I can contribute in some way.

[obsidianom]

I started hemodialysis last December. I almost waited to long to start, even though I had a fistula operation done a year and a half previous to beginning. When I started, they pulled 30 pounds of fluid off me the first week in the hospital. I had uremia (??), couldn't stop shaking and was clotting like crazy. Every session involved getting stuck 3 or 4 times. I also had a related skin itch (phosphorus). I had to go back in the hospital a couple of months after starting to have a couple of stints put in. That is the bad stuff. The good stuff is that since the stints I no longer have problems with clotting so the hook ups are now normal. My blood work is fine now, the itching is gone and my skin has healed back to normal and best of all, I usually feel pretty good. I am thankful for my treatments although I hate that I have to have them. I have had to give up some of the things I like, but there is plenty in this world to replace them. I do have questions that are best answered by those who live with this, and that is why I am here. I hope that I can contribute in some way.

Welcome. Ask any questions anytime.

[Michael Murphy]

I have been on dialysis for 19 months now and about half of what I know about dialysis I learned on this site.   Bob Norton who is on this site wrote a book  "My life on Dialysis the ABC's of the Big D" which is a great read and covers day to day life on Dialysis.  The only complaint I have is I wish I had read it before starting Dialysis.  I think it would have been a easier transition for me.  However I loved the book.

[Darthvadar]

Hello Indigo...  to IHD....

Doubt there's anybody on the renal failure path who hasn't had questions, and many of them....

Feel free to take advantage of the experience of others here...

Hope to see lots of you....

Darth... Moderator....

[iolaire]

I started hemodialysis last December.

Welcome, I also started in December.  Glad to hear that you are starting to feel better.

[LisaBart]

Welcome I am always full of questions