Having a hard time on PD

[CW]

Since starting pd I have been having some issues.
 
Chest and abdomen pain
Less fluid coming out then going in.
I am having a hard time managing my time (missing exchanges, oversleeping, late for work etc.)

and plenty of other issues.... any suggestions
I am starting to get frustrated and depressed. I am wondering if pd is right for me.

[MyssAnne]

CW. Are you manual? That's explaining the chest pain, an air bubble, perhaps.  As for less fluid coming in, are you waiting too long, it will start to absorb if it does, you may be a fast absorber.  If not, you may need a higher number. What number are you using right now? 

Abdomen pain, constant? When draining? When filling? 

It's a pain, for the first month or so, then you do adjust. The cycler is so much better, for some reason.

Only you can decide if PD is right for you or not, some people just don't like it. I'm one of those who do

[KICKSTART]

Sorry to hear your having problems , i have been doing capd fpr over 4 years now. You really do need to get into a routine with your exchanges , think breakfast , dinner, tea, supper, missing exchanges is not good!! This is why you are getting less fluid out than goes in! , if you leave it to dwell and miss an exchange you start to asborb the pd fluid back into your system. Set a routine out , how long have you been doing pd ? not long? You will find you can get done in about 30 mins once you have been doing it for a while , just just need to disipline yourself into doing it. Oversleeping and late for work has nothing to do with dialysis ! set your alarm earlier! Stomach pain may be you getting used to the fluid in you. Any questions you have , just ask away !

[kimcanada]

CW, I am new to PD also, and also have had the abdomen pain ... I am into the start of my second month and just in the past day  I have found that the pain is easing... the only thoing I can think of is that the weight brused my stomach somehow...

I know I was doubting my decision also, but I do think it gets easier.

I also find that if I go over 4 hours I start to absorb fluid, you really have to try to get on a schedual

Good Luck
Please keep me posted

Kim

[KICKSTART]

kimcanada ..just to let you know it takes between 6-8 weeks to heal internally after having the catheter fitted , so this is why you were probably sore and why its now getting better !

[kimcanada]

its hard to believe that it would take that long...  Kickstart you have been wonderful helping me through this  thanks

[twirl]

hope things get better for you

[CW]

Thank you all for your input it is greatly appreciated 

CW. Are you manual?  What number are you using right now? 

Abdomen pain, constant? When draining? When filling? 

I am doing manual exchanges and I hope to get a cycler soon
I am using 2.5%
My pain is worse when draining but it hurts when filling and when walking around

I started about a week ago

[okarol]

So sorry you're having discomfort CW - I hope it improves soon. 

[mikey07840]

Sorry you are having troubles CW. I recommend calling your CAPD nurses. In my experience, they know much more than the nephrologist about PD and how to fix problems. Good Luck.

Mikey and Her Royal Highness Queen Ruth.

[KICKSTART]

CW   A week on pd is still early days , as i said earlier it takes about 6-8 weeks to heal internally and you will find it uncomfortable at first . Most people get that 'pain' when coming to the end of a drain , so you tend to stop the drain at that point ,(dont let it tug) you are mostly empty when it starts to do that anyway. You will feel sore when filling and walking round for a few weeks , but you do get used to it , just give it time. I was very fit when i had mine done , but for the first couple of weeks walked round bent over like and old woman ! Now apart from the 'pregnant' look its fine , you get used to the fluid over time , like i said a week is far to early to feel good! , but it will improve!

[Joe Paul]

CW, how are things going?

[rookiegirl]

CW,

The first few months are always the hardest, but it will get better as you and your body become accustom to the routine.  I too had difficulty in everything you mentioned.  I've been on CAPD for 9 months now and the only issue I really have is the drain at the end.  But, I've become an expert on timing it just right on when I can stop the drain before that pinching start.

Don't loose hope because after while, PD will give you so much freedom.  Sometimes I forget I'm even on dialysis.

Also, PD affects individual different and it also depends on your prescription.  Right now I've been doing 2 exchanges a day (7.5% Ico in the morning/ 2.5% at bedtime).

Best of Luck to you my friend.
RG

[CW]

CW,

The first few months are always the hardest, but it will get better as you and your body become accustom to the routine.  I too had difficulty in everything you mentioned.  I've been on CAPD for 9 months now and the only issue I really have is the drain at the end.  But, I've become an expert on timing it just right on when I can stop the drain before that pinching start.

Don't loose hope because after while, PD will give you so much freedom.  Sometimes I forget I'm even on dialysis.

Also, PD affects individual different and it also depends on your prescription.  Right now I've been doing 2 exchanges a day (7.5% Ico in the morning/ 2.5% at bedtime).

Best of Luck to you my friend.
RG

Thanks for the kind words and advice Rookiegirl.

Much appreciated!!

[Ken Shelmerdine]

If you are finding it hard to stick to the routine then I think you would be far better off doing Cycler PD. The drain pain may within  a few weeks become less or even disappear alltogether as it did for me. There are in most cases lots of niggling problems when starting PD but for most people it gets easier after a few weeks. Hope  you will be one of them.

[CW]

I had forgotten all about this thread (absent mindedness!)
Thanks for the reminder Ken 
I have started on the cycler and the pain has subsided I have told my clinic I want to go back to hemo but there was a scheduling issue so I am waiting to see if they can work it out.

I have felt a little better but I still get sick in the mornings (nausea vomiting) and I do not have a place to do my midday exchange so I usually miss it. I just cant keep up but if I could it probably would not be bad.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Sorry pd's not working for you CW. It's good that the drain pain subsided but if you are puking every morning it's obviously not giving you an adequate dialysis. Hope you soon feel better when you get back to Haemo.

[peleroja]

So sorry to hear you're having problems.  If you stay with the cycler and still have no place to do a midday exchange, you might ask them about switching to Extraneal, which has a 12 hour dwell and you don't usually do a midday exchange. 

[MiSSis]

CW, I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with PD.  I was just wondering how much extra fluid you are pulling off each night.  Could you possibly be taking too much off and are bottoming out with low blood pressure which could make you sick to your stomach?  If your numbers are good and your Kt/v shows that you're getting adequate dialysis, maybe you could forego dialysing during the day.  I do 6 exchanges each night - 1 at 2.5% and 5 at 1.5%.  My dwell is 1 hr 15 min (I'm a slow exchanger) for a total of 13 hrs.  Of those exchanges, 1 or 2 (depending on my schedule) are pause exchanges where I put fluid in and then disconnect and go about my normal activities.  I do a final drain in the morning and then I'm empty all day long.  This has worked really well for me, allows me to wear regular clothes during the day and I'm still getting good clearances.  Maybe this might be an idea to talk to your doctor or PD nurse about. 

[CW]

So sorry to hear you're having problems. If you stay with the cycler and still have no place to do a midday exchange, you might ask them about switching to Extraneal, which has a 12 hour dwell and you don't usually do a midday exchange.

This was a suggestion I am waiting ti hear back from them

CW, I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with PD. I was just wondering how much extra fluid you are pulling off each night. Could you possibly be taking too much off and are bottoming out with low blood pressure which could make you sick to your stomach? If your numbers are good and your Kt/v shows that you're getting adequate dialysis, maybe you could forego dialysing during the day. I do 6 exchanges each night - 1 at 2.5% and 5 at 1.5%. My dwell is 1 hr 15 min (I'm a slow exchanger) for a total of 13 hrs. Of those exchanges, 1 or 2 (depending on my schedule) are pause exchanges where I put fluid in and then disconnect and go about my normal activities. I do a final drain in the morning and then I'm empty all day long. This has worked really well for me, allows me to wear regular clothes during the day and I'm still getting good clearances. Maybe this might be an idea to talk to your doctor or PD nurse about.

I haven't been anywhere near my dry weight since I started. I know how to deal with a situation like that, but your schedule is interesting. I would have a problem though as I come in late and leave early so I barely get my 9 hour treatment.

[oleboy]

I like you had cramping when I first started PD it took a few months to finally ease up I tried different postions when I started to cramp, I am on the Baxter and using 1-1.5 and 2-2.5. I usually get on my machine around 8 at nite and done at 7 in the morning, I don't have to do a midday exchange but I am wet all day,I tried going dry a couple of time but I would cramp several time during the day. This is working for me I am free the whole day to do what needs to be done. Hemo for me was ruff,it would take almost 2 days to recover from Hemo, I was wasted and of little use. Hope you find what going to work for you. Good Luck