First Night On Cycler

[LightLizard]

Tonite's the night. I had my training yesterday and the P/D clinic sent me home with my cycler in a cab.
After hemo, and then the twin bags for the past few months, its fairly intimidating, I have to say.
I've never been great with technology, but I guess its just about hooking up correctly and pressing 'go.' One step at a time....like tai chi, I hope...

love to all!

~LL~





EDITED:Moved to proper section-Kitkatz,moderator

[Sluff]

Good Luck LL. 

[Chicken Little]

You'll be fine.  Just be prepared for weird noises tonight.  If you have any questions, just ask. 

[Krowbar]

Heya,

Just take your time with each of the steps, don't try to rush through them. Sleeping through the pumping noises and the bright green glow will probably be your biggest challenge on the first night.

[Chicken Little]

Heya,

Just take your time with each of the steps, don't try to rush through them. Sleeping through the pumping noises and the bright green glow will probably be your biggest challenge on the first night.

I finally pulled out the manual today to turn down the noise level of the beep and adjust the "glow", after my neighbor asked what the heck that beeping noise was.   

[LightLizard]

Thanks for your encouragement, gang! I'm not too worried about the weird noises. I've been hearing those all my life.
I was suprised, during training, how quiet the machine was. Our refridgerator is much louder. So, as long as I don't encounter any alarms, I'm hoping for a smooth run....
I wouldn't mind some pumping noises, though, it's been awhile since I've heard those...heehee

whoops, wrong thread...

love

~LL~

[Krowbar]

Well the beeps are a necessary evil so I don't change that. Besides I'm a heavy sleeper and those beeps at maximum strength still take upto an hour to wake me up. 

My apartment is extremely quiet so those cycler noises sounded like a steam locomotive early on. Now I don't even notice it.

[carson]

I was on Fresenius cycler for 9 yrs then suddenly I've been switched to Baxter. I first found it very noisey, and made a few posts to ask for suggestions on how to quiet it down. Some nights it's noisier than others but now I sleep through most of it. It was suggested to me to put a towel underneath the cycler to help deaden the noise, as there's a little vent at the bottom. As long as the vent isn't occluded by the towel then all's fine. Good luck!!

[Chicken Little]

How'd it go LL?   

[LightLizard]

It went well! I got a little impatient for the last hour, as I'm not used to staying in bed for 10 hours at a time...unless I'm sick, that is. But I'm hoping that the time can be reduced as soon as I become used to the procedure and my levels are checked and balanced.
I was suprised at how quickly I got to sleep, and I only woke up once, during the night.
Now, I just have to figure out what to do with all this free time I have!
Guess I'll wash the dishes, for starters..

love

~LL~

[Chicken Little]

   Excellent! 

I am dry during the day, so I start my therapy at 6 pm.   I fill up, disconnect from the machine, then get back on at 10 or 11 for 8 hours.  It's worked really well for me. 

[MyssAnne]

Congrats!!!  I'm a cycler too, Fresenius though, it's not as noisy, but a LOT heavier! Either way, they are a lifesaver for us with schedules!




EDITED:  Fixed the  icon - Goofynina/Admin.

[Sara]

  Excellent! 

I am dry during the day, so I start my therapy at 6 pm.   I fill up, disconnect from the machine, then get back on at 10 or 11 for 8 hours.  It's worked really well for me. 

Did your Dr. suggest this or did you decide to do it on your own?  The reason I ask is that Joe was told he'd have to be on for 11 hours at a time because he's a big guy, but if he can fill up and disconnect and do his thing for a few hours like you do, that would be a lot better. 

[Chicken Little]

  Excellent! 

I am dry during the day, so I start my therapy at 6 pm.   I fill up, disconnect from the machine, then get back on at 10 or 11 for 8 hours.  It's worked really well for me. 

Did your Dr. suggest this or did you decide to do it on your own?  The reason I ask is that Joe was told he'd have to be on for 11 hours at a time because he's a big guy, but if he can fill up and disconnect and do his thing for a few hours like you do, that would be a lot better. 

It's the schedule my PD nurse did for me.    The majority of my clinics cycler patients disconnect from the machine after filling in the morning and don't exchange that fluid until they connect in the evening, so they are dialysing 24/7.  

[MyssAnne]

Is that what they call the pause exchange? I have that on my cycler, I do a 'pause' (drain/fill), then about 5-7 hours later I connect for the evening. When I disconnect the next morning, I have a fill, but it is very light, only 550. It stays in from about 4 a.m. to 11 a.m., so I really do NOT wanna have a lot in me then.

[goofynina]

LightLizard, did you get the patient extensions that allow you 12 extra feet of walking distance?  It makes a big difference, 

[MyssAnne]

Darn it Nina!! I was gonna ask my Fresenius rep about that yesterday when she called! I forgot to!! Why didn't you post this yesterday before she called??

[LightLizard]

LightLizard, did you get the patient extensions that allow you 12 extra feet of walking distance?  It makes a big difference, 

That is a great idea, Nina, thanks!

I talked to one of the nurses at the P/D clinic today and she reminded me that when the machine is in 'dwell' that I could 'cap off' for a bit, too. Pressing the 'down' arrow tells you how much dwell time you have left, apparently.

love

~LL~

[MiSSis]

Hi MyssAnne,

Ask your Fresenius rep about the 10 ft. extensions (Catalog # 029-11000).  I use one of these every night otherwise I can't reach the bathroom from our bed.  The extension doesn't have a snap-disconnect on it so in order to be able to disconnect I also add 1 Multiple Tubing Segment Set (Catalog # 050-50757).  The MTS Set gives you an additional 2 snap-disconnects and connectors.  

While on vacation, I've actually hooked up 2 10 ft. extensions at one time in order to reach the bathroom at the resort where we were staying.  I've also used 2 MTS sets which gives me 4 opportunities to disconnect when I just don't have the time to be hooked up for so long.  I don't do that very often because each time you disconnect/reconnect, you're exposing yourself to the chance of infection.  I do disconnect at least once each evening just so I'm not confined to the bedroom for so long.  

[goofynina]

Darn it Nina!! I was gonna ask my Fresenius rep about that yesterday when she called! I forgot to!! Why didn't you post this yesterday before she called??

   Sorry MyssAnne, my bad     It's never too late, give her a call now 

[MyssAnne]

LOL!!!! Too late here, in Indiana. I'll call her tomorrow, and ask her VERY nicely!!

[MyssAnne]

I just read your reply MIssIs!! That is SO gonna help, to have the numbers to order!!! THANK YOU!!!!

[MiSSis]

You're welcome, MyssAnne.  I remember how happy I was to find out about the extensions and stuff.  It just made treatments so much easier for me.

[LightLizard]

Well, overall I'd say it's going pretty good on the cycler. My blood pressure is at a healthier level than it's been for years and I have managed to attain and maintain my target weight with relative ease.

However, there are a few things I'd like to ask the more experienced here.

Is it normal for there to be pain in the stomach during the drain sequence? It was pretty bad one night, then, the next night, not so bad during 'drain', but during 'fill' there was pain.

Also, I noticed the first few nights that the control buttons, ('Go', 'Stop', 'Enter' and the up and down arrows) had shown some light, but over the past few nights they have not shown any light at all.
Is my machine ('Baxter') functioning properly?

thanks

~LL~

[Chicken Little]

That's great.

I get usually get woken up once a night from a thirsty catheter attack.  It just depends on where/how the catheter settles.  There isn't much you can do about where/how it lands.  I've been told you get used to it.  We'll see.     You can ask your PD clinic about setting your machine on Tidal, which will leave a little of the fluid in, but your dialysing won't be as effective. 

When the sucking pain happens, I grab the patient line and bend it, to stop the sucking, it works faster than the stop button, then I press the down arrow to see what I've drained.  If I'm close, I press stop and then the down arrow to bypass.  If I think I need to drain more, I'll change positions and try again. 

I also have discomfort when the fluid is going in sometimes.  I think part of it is the fluid in the line, that goes in first, has gotten cold.  Other times, I think the catheter is just resting on a sensitive area.

I've had 3 Baxter machines and don't think I've ever had function keys that were lit.  Really hard to tell with the green glow going on though.