Having Less Dialysis

[meadowlandsnj]

It was mentioned to me a few weeks ago I may get less dialysis because my numbers were getting so much better.  I don't want to go less time.  RIght now I go for four hours.  I am the first one on the machine when I get there-I love it.  If I was to change to 3:45 I'd have to wait at least another half hour to be put n the machine and that means I have to be there longer. Most of the other patients go for 3:45 or 3:30. This way I get in and get out at a decent time.  So I am going to refuse a lesser time when they ask me. 

Donna

[stauffenberg]

The ordinary range of dialysis prescriptions, averaging around 12 hours a week of treatment time, replaces only 10 to 14% of normal renal function, so for every patient with endstage renal failure at whatever level of renal function, the more treatment time the better.  The formula requiring each patient to get 12 hours of treatment per week was not based on how much treatment is needed to keep a patient healthy, but on how much treatment is cost-effective to provide compared to what would be the additional medical expenses of treating a patient for the additional renal complications which would be caused if the treatment time on dialysis were reduced.

[del]

Fight to keep your time. The more dialysis the better.  If they cut your time labs probably won't be as good therefore you may not feel as good!!

[jbeany]

I had the same argument with my doc when he started cutting my time from my original 4 hours when I was still in clinic.  He started cutting it down in 12 minute increments, and I made him stop.  Heck, I figured my day was already shot, what good was another 12 minutes out of the chair going to do me?  I already felt crummy the rest of the day after dialysis; I didn't need to have less energy on my off days!

[goofynina]

In my first center i would run from 5 - 6 hours, but when that closed down and we had to transfer to another clinic, they were so booked that they had to cut all our time to 3 hours, needless to say i loved the less time but i did feel worse,  i do not recommend taking the shorter time.  just my 

[angela515]

I ran 3 hrs, then got switched to 2 1/2 hrs because my numbers were good, but for me I didn't feel any different, worse or better with the cut time and my labs all stayed the same, so I stayed on that schedule until I switched to PD. However, Im with the others, I would stay with your time especially if its working for you already and your not planning on getting off hemo to try something else.

[Black]

The ordinary range of dialysis prescriptions, averaging around 12 hours a week of treatment time, replaces only 10 to 14% of normal renal function, ...

Anyone know what the comparable % would be for 6 days a week, 18 hours, with the NxStage?

[Gram2Twinz]

Home Hemo with NxStage 6 days per week for my husband runs an average of 2hrs. 40 minutes. From what I understand, your flow rate and the amount of dialysate and the UF amount will determine the time on the machine. Once you have met your UF for the tx, then you can ramp up the therapy fluid rate and it will decrease the time on a little bit.  Because my husband is still "peeing" he doesn't have much to take off during each treatment. Sometimes, none off and just a good "cleaning" still takes 2 hrs. 30 minutes. We also watch his BP before, if it is low- we don't remove any fluid, bacause he can get that next time.
The NxStage modality seems to be the best for removing toxins- more like natural kidney function, I understand.

Just my