How to warm up PD bag without a cycler?

[kickingandscreaming]

I live in a cool house. I keep it at around 59 degrees--partly to save money and partly because I prefer it cool  But I'm concerned about how to warm up my PD bags once I start CAPD.  I will not have a cycler for an indeterminate  length of time due to the dialysate shortage.  It could be months of having to warm up PD bags 4 times/day. 

What are some of the best ways to get the bag to the right temp when you need it? 

[Charlie B53]

My PD Nurse stocked me up with most everything I needed to do manuals at home.  The blood pressure cuff, digital bathroom scale, a small ELECTRIC HEATING PAD, and of course all the necessary med supplies to change the dressing over my 'site'

During training i NOTICED HOW THEY HAD LAID A SIMILAR HEATING PAD INSIDE A SOFT-SIDED SUITCASE ON ONE OF THE COUNTERS AND KEPT A NUMBER OF SOLUTION BAGS NICE AND COMFORTABLE TEMP.  aS WE USED BAGS FOR TRAINING SHE REPLACED THEM , ROTATING THE BAGS SO TO ALWAYS HAVE TO WARMER BAGS ON TOP FOR THE NEXT CLASS/DAY.

Qwap, just noticed that I'd hit the Caps Lock.  Ooops!

I didn't have room at home for a large suitcase to lay anywhere, but I do have a handy sized soft-sided ice-cooler.  One that you can fold up and stash away when not in use.  I laid a folded towel in the bottom for a little added insulation, laid the heater set on "LOW" on the towel.  Note;  NEVER fold a heating pad, the folded section will get VERY HOT and can possibly start a fire.  This cooler was just the right size to stand 6 bags in on end.  This made it very easy to pull out a warm bag and drop in a cool one out of the box.

4 exchanges a day, 2 Green, 1 Yellow, than an Ico for all night and an extra green and yellow, totaling six.  Worked fine for the year or so I did manuals.

Now I am on the Cycler.  Checked that cooler the other day.  The heater died.  All cold.

Clinic 'might' replace the heater, but since I am not using it, I won't bother them about it.

There have been a number of times I knew I wouldn't be home so I took bags, clamps, and caps with me and did exchanges in the truck.  Warmed the bag on the dask, in the sun of the defroster turned on high.     LOL,  summer time, heating bags in the dash with the defroster cause I didn't get it up there soon enough,  Drove around for a while with the windows down to keep ME from heating up too much!

[kickingandscreaming]

I didn't have room at home for a large suitcase to lay anywhere, but I do have a handy sized soft-sided ice-cooler.  One that you can fold up and stash away when not in use.  I laid a folded towel in the bottom for a little added insulation, laid the heater set on "LOW" on the towel.  Note;  NEVER fold a heating pad, the folded section will get VERY HOT and can possibly start a fire.  This cooler was just the right size to stand 6 bags in on end.  This made it very easy to pull out a warm bag and drop in a cool one out of the box.

Charlie:  Are you saying that you heated up all 6 bags at once?  How did you keep them warm for long enough?  I have a pretty "fancy" heating pad and it will only stay on for 60 minutes max.  How can I pre-heat a bag so I don't have to be home way before I need to do an exchange?

[Charlie B53]

My heating pad stays on.  Always.  This keeps all bags warm.  Every bag I pull out to use I immediately put in a replacement so it will warm and be ready.

I checked that cooler the other day, it's cold, the heater dies.  Not a problem since I switched to the Cycler over a year ago.  But I may go ahead and replace the heater, just not turn it on yet.


Note:   This soft sided cooler is right about the size of one Baxter box that the bags come in.

[Deanne]

My nurse had me use one of the dialysis solution boxes with the heating pad. The box with the flaps folded down was enough to hold in the heat. I left the heating pad on all the time until I started using the cycled.

Then when I had to do a manual fill (rarely), I used the microwave, very carefully. I think my nurse said to put it in for 3 minutes, but I'm not sure about that. It's very important to use caution with the microwave. You don't want to cook your insides!

[kickingandscreaming]

My nurse had me use one of the dialysis solution boxes with the heating pad. The box with the flaps folded down was enough to hold in the heat. I left the heating pad on all the time until I started using the cycled.

You must have had some electric bill!!!  I'm not sure I could afford to keep a heating pad on all the time.  I was thinking about getting a timer that I could set up on a reasonable schedule.

[Charlie B53]

Fortunately I do not live in the upper NE, they have some of the highest electrical rates in the U.S.

The rates here in Mid-MO are close to the same as I had in the Pacific NW.  @ $.04 kw/hr  Low enough that it doesn't hurt so much to have 4 computers running 24/7, a couple of baseboard heaters in the basement that not only help keep the drafty basement from freezing but contribute a little to the whole house from the heat rise.  And a couple more baseboard heaters in the garage (insulated also) so  I don't freeze my butt off when I go out for a cigarette in the middle of the night.

Be sure to keep any heating pad on the lowest setting, any warmer may be too hot when filling.

I'd be very careful using a microwave.  Ours is so powerful that it has literally exploded tap water in a pyrex measuring cup.  Burnt holes into foods.  I seldom ever use the 'High' setting.  Sugars can absorb the energy much quicker than water.  I would worry that this might alter the composition of the dialysate, possibly reducing the effectiveness of the solution.

This may be a better question asked of Baxter.  I would expect that they have done trials of many means of heating and can give the best answer whether microwave is acceptable.


During my training my PD Nurse told me NEVER to use the microwave.  I didn't press her for 'Why'.