Anyone else just freakin' tired all the time?

[G-Ma]

Paris...I so agree...this is almost funny...I got myself a Fleece Sheet Set and now when I fix my bed, I fondle the sheets and generally crawl back in for just a few more minutes..today is my 2nd day of no sleep the night before and I feel wired...hmmm Ambien or Wine? and bed....yes I know well the quicksand feeling....Paris..don't worry...what doesn't get done, just doesn't.  Saul and I drove to NC from ND the week before graft surgery for dialysis for my youngest son's wedding..the only way the neph let me come was feet up on the dash all the way and lots of rest...he didn't need to tell me that part and I just sat all day the day of the wedding...Saul and my oldest son did all the decorations for the gazebo and everything and then took me to the reception and I sat some more...everything turned out fine anyway...the next morning we drove back to ND and had my graft surgery.  I think my best memory of the day was Saul and Ron making net bows and hanging all the net...too cute.. 2 big guys with pick net and lace.   

[TeenHatesDialysis]

My 14 year old daughter has been on dialysis for 14 months and could not get out of bed without a "Red Bull" or other energy drink.  Thank goodness she doesn't have a fluid restriction, because it takes her several of these to just get through the day.  I know that dialysis causes her to be extremely lethargic, but it had gotten much worse over the winter months.  I had been extremely lethargic in winter months due to vitamin D deficiency so after much begging, I finally convinced her neph to run vitamin deficiency blood tests and found that she was extremely deficient in Vitamin D. She is now taking 4000 I.U. of Vitamin D and I am hoping that it helps with the extreme fatigue. There are energy shots now that give an extreme boost with only 1oz fluid.  Has anyone here tried those? Any info on adverse effects of energy drinks for dialysis patients?

Thanks in advance for your input and thanks for your support.

[paddbear0000]

Did you know that Red Bull is not safe for kidney patients on dialysis? The taurine does not get sufficiently dialyized out of the body and it builds up to toxic levels over time. Here is a study that was done - http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/17/3/528.

It can also interact with prescription medications and causes high blood pressure. You should definitely read the section on cardiovascular effects here - http://www.u2.com/stream/article/display/id/4610 - and talk with her doctor about this!

[TeenHatesDialysis]

OMG! Thank you Paddbear! My teenager won't like it, but no more energy drinks for her!! I don't understand why the nephrologists provide misinformation! They specifically told me that the energy drinks were safe in moderation, 1-2/day, but she would have to refrain from all energy drinks after kidney tranplant. Hopefully, the Vitamin D begins to kick in.  Has anyone heard if vitamin D builds up in your body due to CKF and creates any type of toxic condition? I m going crazy trying to help my baby girl.....don't know how I will get her out of bed for school tomorrow.

Thank you again, Paddbear.....The info and support I have found here is invaluable.

[paddbear0000]

No problem! That's what we are here for! As far as the vitamin D, I doubt it builds up as a lot of kidney  patients take it because the kidneys can no longer synthesize it. I'm sure they will do regular labs to check her vit. D levels until they become normalized. They may need to play around with her dose until they find a perfect "fit." Is she taking a pill or getting it through her lines at dialysis? Also, how are her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels? Has she had her iron and ferratin levels checked too? Is she getting enough epo? These can all play a part in how she feels. Have you guys investigated doing home hemo? By doing it at home, she can do it more days a week (for shorter sessions) which more closely mimics working kidney's function. Everyone swears that they feel so much better and have more energy than when doing in-center hemo. She should also try getting some exercise. That helps as well.

Like I said, I sleep a lot since starting dialysis almost a month ago (except at night, which is erratic). I just had my labs drawn for the first time today (except for the ones on the first day), so I will find out Saturday if any of the things I mentioned above are off. I'm considering doing home hemo and joining a gym as well.

 

[purple]

HI it is good to read that I am not the only one that is tired. I don't have a problem sleeping I have a problem with waking up. for example the other day I was on day off from work ( which by the way I do 84 hours a fortnight) I went to "Hook up" having slept from 10 pm through to six am , crawled into the chair covered myself with my blanket and promptly went back to sleep and stayed that way for the whole four hours. I then rallied a bit and went home, by the time I got home I was exhausted and fell onto the bed and slept through till 09 am the next day from 3 pm in the afternoon. I could sleep all day every day... Just one other thing is it a common practice for our joints to hurt. My hips are real bad ?


Keep smiling Purple

[paddbear0000]

As I just started dialysis, I haven't experienced anything joint related. The only joint pain I have had is in my fingers, and I've had that for years. Arthritis runs in my family. You sound like how I've felt the last 2 days. Especially today. I slept for 8 hours last night, got up at 7 this morning, struggled to keep my eyes open until 7:40 when my husband left for work, then promptly passed out cold again until 10. I let the dogs out for a few minutes, let them in, sat down on the couch to read the paper, and the next thing I knew, it was 12:30pm! And I'm shaking horribly today. I have no idea what that is about either. I've got to stay awake because I have to go get a chest xray for my transplant hospital today!!

[G-Ma]

I'm sorry about the shaking you are experiencing and I dream about sleeping more than 2 to 3 hours.........or is that a nightmare???