Taking off fluid, not cleaning blood

[justagirl2325]

one hour into his four hour dialysis session at home (after three days no dialysis), our machine has a "technical error" and in this case it isn't cleaning the toxins out of his blood anymore but it still is taking excess water off - and considering he started tonight 5.5 kg over his dry weight I think I am just going to let him sleep and let the machine at least pull off some more water now, not sure what the harm would be leaving it like this tonight and dialyzing again tomorrow.

[PrimeTimer]

Do you mean got an alarm? I thought a person could dialyze without taking off any fluid but not the other way around. ?? You might want to give NxStage a call.

[justagirl2325]

It's a bit different I guess, we use Baxter AK96 and it does let you continue to take fluid off even though it stops dialyzing.  It's a stupid machine as the only way to clear the technical error and start dialyzing is to take him off, shut down the machine, strip it, put on new hoses, reprime, and needle him again - which takes like an hour - and then all you can do is hope you don't get another "technical error" again.  And there is only technical support 8am to 4pm here through our local home hemo technicians (none through Baxter) and we are always dialyzing in the evening so we're on our own.

[cassandra]

Wow I didn't know that from Baxter. Glad I'm on Nxstage. I think your plan to try again tomorrow is sound, but I would call tech support between 8 and for to ask what it could be.

Love, Cas

[PrimeTimer]

Sorry, for some reason I thought you guys were using NxStage. Dang, sure hope Baxter can help you before your next go at it today. I know you're probably stressed so am sending you positive thoughts and prayers! What's done is done, can't go back and change things, gotta move forward...yeah right! Easier said than done! Hang in there, relief should be just around the corner now. 

PS  And when all else fails, there is this:   

[Simon Dog]

Wow I didn't know that from Baxter. Glad I'm on Nxstage. I think your plan to try again tomorrow is sound, but I would call tech support between 8 and for to ask what it could be.

Each system has its pros and cons.  The biggest drawback of the NxStage is a lower filtration rate per unit time.  (I'm referring to toxin filtration as estimated by URR, not ultrafiltration of fluid).   The Tablo and Fresenius PAK offer hope of a future with a home friendly machine with a conventional purification rate.   (The bicarb based NxStage System 2 may deliver this as well)

[cassandra]

Yeah Simon, I'm really looking forward to the System 2, I always preferred bicarb. Although I have no idea how 'upgrading' works in the UK. And I still don't completely agree with the toxin clearance by URR, or Kt/V. I felt great on PD for 5 years, was a complete wreck on in-centre hemo with 1.3 Kt/v and URR of around 80 for 14 yrs. And the last 3,5 years on Nxstage with a Kt/V of 2.5 pretty good again. I am yet to find my con from the Nxstage, apart from the irritating noise from the PureFlow