Nxstage.com A great company doing great things, check it out. Portable Dialysis.

[dialysisjoe]

Epoman,

Hi!  It's Joe Atkins aka Dialysis Joe from Dialysis & Transplant City.  I'd like to invite you to write an article about yourself and how NxStage has affected your life.  Would you be willing?  We would be very appreciative and I think that the community at D&T City would learn a lot from your experience.

If you're willing, please contact me at dialysisjoe@hotmail.com

Thanks.

Joe Atkins

[Bajanne]

I actually look forward to dialysis tomarrow. 

 

 

[sandman]

dialysisjoe, is that about the new home hemo machine that does NOT require in home plumming?

[angieskidney]

Why the hell didn't the nurse tell you that you forgot the heparin.  Is she going to test your knowledge when it comes to air in the lines too?  GEEZ.  She probably didn't catch it either.

You are doing great!! 

Sorry, but I could not stick myself or pick scabs.  Can the helper stick you (and pick scabs)??

She forgot to.  But she caught it right away.

But yeah, I hope everything stays this way, because there is NO! pain at ALL with the buttonhole. I hope I have no problems. But yeah a "helper" can stick you and take off the scabs. I think it's kind of gross picking the scabs, but I tell you what, when I go to dialysis now I don't even think about the needles. I hope everything stays the same.

I actually look forward to dialysis tomarrow. 

That is what I want to learn is the buttonhole technique. I know Dialysis Joe was saying before (I think it was him) that it would be an excellent idea for me. A guy in my dialysis unit was doing it and I watched him pick off his scabs and get ready for the needle insertion.

I am hoping I could build up the nerve. I am afraid of the needles but I think I could pull off the scabs easily enough like he was. I mean .. a lot of things I have been scared of I just had to work up the nerve and practice .. work up to it slowly.

Have any advice for me? They haven't taught me yet since I will have to change shifts.

Epoman,

Hi!  It's Joe Atkins aka Dialysis Joe from Dialysis & Transplant City.  I'd like to invite you to write an article about yourself and how NxStage has affected your life.  Would you be willing?  We would be very appreciative and I think that the community at D&T City would learn a lot from your experience.

If you're willing, please contact me at dialysisjoe@hotmail.com

Thanks.

Joe Atkins

Hi Dialysis Joe! About time you came! I had mentioned to Epoman that he should post something on D&T

dialysisjoe, is that about the new home hemo machine that does NOT require in home plumbing?

You should ask Epoman! Since he is on it after all

[Epoman]

Epoman,

Hi!  It's Joe Atkins aka Dialysis Joe from Dialysis & Transplant City.  I'd like to invite you to write an article about yourself and how NxStage has affected your life.  Would you be willing?  We would be very appreciative and I think that the community at D&T City would learn a lot from your experience.

If you're willing, please contact me at dialysisjoe@hotmail.com

Thanks.

Joe Atkins

I will be sending you a email. Thanks for your interest and for joining. There is a BIG surprise coming REAL soon. Stay tuned.

[Bajanne]

There is a BIG surprise coming REAL soon. Stay tuned.

Doing it to us again, huh?  This surprise thing.  Think about what the suspense is doing to my blood pressure!

[angieskidney]

There is a BIG surprise coming REAL soon. Stay tuned.

Doing it to us again, huh?  This surprise thing.  Think about what the suspense is doing to my blood pressure!

ooooh I NEED that then My BP today was 86/53 and when I unlocked my bike (I went to the store today) and stood back up all I saw was black and I had to sit back down. When I got home I called Dialysis to say that there was no way I was gonna take my BP meds to bring down my BP with a BP like this!

So go ahead Raise my BP

[goofynina]

HEY EPOMAN,,,  YOUR LEAVING US HANGING OVER HERE,  WE WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR DOING!!!!  NO POSTS FOR  DAY 4 AND DAY 5.  WHAT'S THE HAPPENING?? 

[sandman]

Angie.  Did you know anxiety, stress, fear, rage, and vigorous exercise are all great means to get your blood pressure soring.  I know the exercise thing can be a little to much for anyone subjected to regular dialysis treatments but the others shouldn't be to hard to muster.  The trick is to find a good way to get your adrenaline pumping.

[Epoman]

Day Number 4

Well, I did not have time to write this yesterday, so I am writing this today and I will still write day number 5 after I finish writing this day. So today is number 4, and I feel great. Today I only had to remove .6 can you believe that? I actually only had to remove .1 but I wanted to get my dry weight lower. Plus a couple of more people have told me how better I am looking. They saying I have more color back and I look more rested, even though I am tired, due to the fact of having to get up at 6:00am every morning. Today went smooth, only one nurse was training us today, the other had to be somewhere else. My wife and I did everything correctly, I look to see the things I can do to help her while she is putting me on. For instance I added the warmer bag, held lines, pushed my heparin, put my needles in, and primed a few lines. I really think we will be ready by next week. But I am sure they will make us stay a 3rd week, after all it's only for our safety. They sent the "EVIL" dietitian in to see me, luckily she didn't treat me like a "new" patient and was actually very nice. I mentioned our site to her and she said "That's YOUR site?" she said "I have heard of it" that made me feel really good to know she has heard of this site. She asked me the usual about my diet and my meds and was shocked that I was not on a vitamin. I had told her that when I did take a vitamin I did not notice a difference in my lab results. But she really wanted me to start taking a vitamin again so I agreed to try taking a vitamin again. So I'll see if it makes a difference, she explained that since I will be dialyzing twice as much, I will lose more of the "good" stuff through the NxStage. I can't believe I have had 4 sessions in a row and I do not feel bad, AND I have been sticking myself in the same spot (buttonhole) 4 times and my fistula has NO pain when I stick the needles. It's amazing, now when I do dialysis I do not even think of the needles, all of the anxiety of the needle sticks is gone.

I feel more secure in doing this, I still do have some worries, however I can't believe how feel it goes not having to go to Davita and watch the drug reps kiss the nurses, and techs asses and bring them food almost on a bi-weekly basis. I have never understood why the reps kiss the techs asses, it just doesn't make since to me. We the patients are the ones taking their damn medicine.

I brought home some more supplies today and almost have my metal cabinet full. Pics will come soon.

- Epoman
12+ years in-center Hemo
Current NxStage USER

[Epoman]

Day Number 5

Whew! first week down, 5 days straight of dialysis. And today I had to remove. 1.7kilos, I wanted to go .5 below my dry weight due to the weekend. I will not have dialysis for Sat & Sun, so I am kinda worried how I will feel, since I have been feeling so well. The trainers do not work on saturdays or sundays. So on one hand, it will be nice to have 2 days off, since I have done hemo 5 days in a row. But on the other hand I am almost addicted to dialysis. I actually never in a million years think that I would say that, but maybe once the "new experience" runs out I will feel deferently. So when my wife and I got there, we started to do our thing and the main nurse left the room for a moment and the other nurse did a step for my wife, while my wife was attaching the drain tube, she was just trying to be helpful, but she messed it all up and when the other nurse came in we tried to correct it but it was still getting errors. So finally the head nurse decided to restart, we had to "trick" the machine into starting over the "priming" process. It was all agree that the other nurse through my wife off of course and had she not tried to help out we would have done it right. But it's ok I am not upset, I made a few jokes and we were back on track.

Today I was really tired, in fact I fell asleep on the machine toward the end. I was kinda worried because the head nurse had to leave early and we would be left with the nurse who I think is in training herself. I was worried because my wife was a little worried herself, since she is not as confident in the "take off" procedure as she is with the "put on" proceedure. But I survived, I did notice that my pulse was 100+ after and it had not been that high all week. I brought home MORE supplies today, I even brought home a case of saline and a couple of "kits" a kit consists of the dialyzer and the tubing and it all comes on a cartridge. I asked for them so I could see how many would fit in my metal cabinet. which is starting to fill up.

Here is a list of supplies I will need to keep in stock at my home to do, dialysis up to 6 times a week.

The numbers below are for a months supply.

• 48 boxes of Dialysate solution (2 bags per box, 4 bags per treatment)
• 2 boxes of saline a month (1 per treatment, minimum)
• 4 boxes of "cartridges/kit" which includes dialyzer and lines, etc. (1 kit per treatment)
• 4 bottles of heparin (1 bottle per week)
• Plus 48 needles, guaze, gloves, tape, syringes, swab sticks, put on blankets, and a few other little items.
• Of course the NxStage machine and of course the 'Epogen'

Honestly all of this can fit in a small closet. Unlike conventional home-hemo.

- Epoman
12+ years in-center Hemo
Current NxStage USER

[Rerun]

Saline - 2 boxes per month?  How many bags are in a box?  You just use one bag of saline per run?

[Black]

DAY NUMBER 5

...on one hand, it will be nice to have 2 days off, since I have done hemo 5 days in a row. But on the other hand I am almost addicted to dialysis.   ...

- Epoman
12+ years in-center Hemo
Current NxStage USER

Wonderful news!!       So far it seems it was worth the wait.  My husband will be so pleased that someone like you, who has just about experienced it all, has deemed it a success.  Hope everything just keeps getting better.

Lorelle

[Epoman]

Saline - 2 boxes per month?  How many bags are in a box?  You just use one bag of saline per run?

14 bags per box, yes 1 bag per treatment. That includes priming and rinseback.

[goofynina]

I am glad things are going well for you Epoman.  Now quit making excuses and get your butt in that boneyard, (if you dare)  lol, i got a bone to pick with you

[angieskidney]

Angie.  Did you know anxiety, stress, fear, rage, and vigorous exercise are all great means to get your blood pressure soring.  I know the exercise thing can be a little to much for anyone subjected to regular dialysis treatments but the others shouldn't be to hard to muster.  The trick is to find a good way to get your adrenaline pumping.

  That would be great except that my pulse is 114- 140 all the time ... I want to raise my bp a little without giving myself a higher pulse ... before the fistula I never had a high pulse and before hemo (when I was on PD) my bp was never too low (except once but that was because of too high of dialysate).

[Epoman]

I am glad things are going well for you Epoman.  Now quit making excuses and get your butt in that boneyard, (if you dare)  lol, i got a bone to pick with you

I really want to play domines again with you, I had a great time, I'm am just doing so much right now. I have that "surprise" I am working on and I need to do some work on this site, plus get my place ready for home-dialysis. 

[goofynina]

Awwww Big Guy, you know i just like to give you a hard time.  I know you are busy with all that is going on with your Home Dialysis and i am soooo happy that everything is working out for you...  I am not going anywhere, sorry guys, but i am here for good, lol,  so WHENEVER you are ready, just say the word amigo.....

[Epoman]

Day Number 6

Well I did not have training during the weekend so I had two days off, and I felt pretty good except for feeling a little sick around Sunday night. But it wasn't bad like the usual feelings I have on a Sunday night. I probably felt that way because on Friday the neighbors and my family threw a BBQ and I may have over done it with the food. I had Ribs, Carne Asada, Tri-Tip, and other goodies it was a great time. I tried to watch my fluid intake over the weekend and I did good because I only gained 1.8kilos, a far cry from my usual 4.0kilos that I remove on a average Monday. It's amazing now that I can see what I "could" feel like, I try to drink less. Because the major problems patients face is complications of trying to remove to much fluid during dialysis. I thought I had drank more than that. But I guess I sweated it off, it was very hot this weekend.

So today was the day I tried the "BLUNT" needles, I had stuck myself in the exact same spot 5 times in a row last week and today I tried a blunt, and I had no problem what so ever. I had to push a little for the venous, but the arterial went in pretty easy. I can't believe I have not been doing this until now. All the pain/worry is gone. The nurses say next week will be my last, and possibly mid next week. That would be great because I feel my wife and I are so ready. My wife and I did it PERFECT today 100% no mistakes. I am so excited and worried because I can't wait to get home on our own, but I am worried I may have to go back to in-center.

Today my wife had to leave early and will need to leave early for the rest of my training. She was able to take a week vacation last week, however this week and next she will need to train in the morning only. I asked the nurse if I buy my own centrifuge (blood spinner) would I be able to draw it myself and take to kaiser instead of having to have them stick me in my good arm and draw blood once a month, they are working on this problem, however until they have a solution I will have to go to kaiser once a month for labs plus my monthly visit. This machine truly is remarkable and has so far changed my life. I will continue to post my progress and my lab results when we draw again.

I ran at a PUMP speed of 480 for 2 hours and 23 minutes and felt fine afterwards. 480 really isn't as bad as it sounds. Plus the faster I run the more time I can cut off of my total time. I have heard some people run 500-600 speed however I don't think I want to go that fast. Today we went over error codes and went over my supplies re-order form.

- Epoman
12+ years in-center Hemo
Current NxStage USER

[Rerun]

Epoman, I'm so proud of you.  I'm so glad you are going to be home and out of that center.  I guess I'll have to take over bashing the D'v center.   

[Epoman]

Day Number 7

Well another day, today I felt something I hadn't felt yesterday, when you use a buttonhole the needle went right through my skin but when it got to vein I felt the vein bend, like the needle would not puncture it, with a little force I eased it in and all was fine. I ran again today 480 and I have actually noticed that my venous pressure is dropping, that is a good thing. I feel great yet again today. I only took off today .6 can you believe that? Less than 1 kilo, I could have sworn I drank more than that. Seeing how good I feel and the freedom that I will have and how I am free of duhvita, makes me sad to think that I may have to go back to in-center dialysis. It truly is a different world. I train in a special room all to myself however when I have to go weigh pre and post I have to walk in the dialysis unit and I look at the people there and I feel so sorry for them. I know they wonder about me, why am I coming in and weighing then leaving. But I guess I have paid my dues, I have served my time 12+ years of in-center hemo is a long, long time.

The social worker came in today to ask me the usual questions a social worker asks, and the training nurse and I went over the steps again to make sure I get it. We covered "put on" and "take off" I feel really confident. I didn't have to take home supplies today, I am getting addicted to getting supplies, I like seeing my cabinet nice and full of dialysis supplies, hopefully I will get some tomorrow.

My blood pressure has been amazing, no sickness spells as I would call them, those are just moments of extreme stomach sickness. Those are no more, I am tired however of getting up at 6am every morning. But that will soon be over, they tell me I may be ready by the middle of next week, I really hope so. Again today my wife and I did everything perfect 100% and the nurse tells me we are doing very well, also I have very little clotting in the dialyzer at the end and my machine hardly ever alarms during treatment. Things are going almost to good.

At the end of my treatment, a new patient was being given a tour and they wanted to see the NxStage, so after I was done they came in and I showed them the machine and I talked a mile a minute, I am so excited about the nxstage and I explained the buttonhole, the nurses were just smiling at each other while I bombarded this poor guy with this 10 minute long rant about the benefits of nxstage. When the wife of the man asked the nurse if she had anything to add, my training nurse just said no he about covered it all.

- Epoman
12+ years in-center Hemo
Current NxStage USER

[goofynina]

You go boy!!!  Great Job,,,glad to hear all is working out for you the way YOU want it to. Keep up the great work.

[Epoman]

Day Number 8

Today was a typical day, I met the pharmacist and we talked about the EPO and why am I worried about the needle and I explained to him that the needle hurts, he said are you sure and I said yeah I had it years ago. He said well things have changed now a days we give the Epogen in a insulin syringe, I said "huh?" so he showed me this needle which is maybe one half of an inch long and very skinny, I was shocked, I had no idea they used such small needles to inject Epogen. He said I would only need to do it twice a week and if I would at least consider it, I said I will. So I will be getting my Epogen tomorrow Sub-Q. He said I can stick it in my arm, stomach or leg, but he recommends I use the fat of the stomach. He went on to say that I can always go back if I decide I don't like it. So I will find out tomorrow if it hurts to much.

We went over the usual, set up and take off procedures. Plus today at the end we did a manual rinse back, I need to learn the process in case an emergency happens. It is very easy. Again my wife and I set up the machine PERFECTLY. The nurse says she will know by Friday, what day we can come home next week. I asked her if she knew a day so my wife can take the day off from work. Hopefully it won't be a full week. She also tells me when we go home, the next day they will come to my house for my first home treatment. We are ready to come home NOW! I wanted to take some pictures of me at training and of the machine but was told no, I couldn't I would need written approval before I could take pictures of myself in the training room, can you believe that? I still don't understand that. Got a little more supplies today, and met the case manager, her job is basically a person to call if I have a problem that the nurse can handle.

Again I only had to remove just over 1 kilo, can you believe that? I love this machine. Plus today my treatment time was only 2:19 instead of the usual 2:30 it's weird the machine adjusts your time and the nurse tells me sometimes the treatment is shorter than normal. Also I don't think I mentioned that the machine takes OFF all of the fluid first then, usually the 2 hour mark, then the last half hour or so is just pure cleaning of my blood. Also my Venous and Arterial pressures are getting better. And I have been running at 480 pump speed.

Oh and before I forget, I had a little problem today sticking my Arterial line with the "Blunt" needle, I got in the buttonhole but I could not Pierce the vein, it is was weird, I could actually feel the needle tip pushing on the vein but it would not go through. I never knew how tough those veins could be. So the nurses wanted to try but I told them I would just use a "Sharp", I used a sharp and it went right through. And again I had NO pain what so ever, even when I was trying to get the needle in with the "Blunt". It truly is amazing. I was told today that they are starting just now to use the buttonhole technique on their fistula patients in-center.

- Epoman
12+ years in-center Hemo
Current NxStage USER

[goofynina]

Epoman,  I too was scared shitless about giving myself Epo injections, when i was in training, the PD nurse wouldnt let me leave until i did, well, 10 - 15 minutes (and a few tears later)  i just pinched my stomach and it slid right in, no pain just a little tiny pinch but it was easy as that.  If i can do it, i know you can do it too,  Glad to hear all is going well with you and you journey... Keep on truckin' buddy.....

[Rerun]

Epo in the stomach, well that kills your argument about saving your other arm for futrue access. (Nice Try) 

I don't care what you say or feel.  We are NOT changing the name of this site!