I just stopped peeing

[kickingandscreaming]

On the tail of a UTI MY Peeing just quit.  This means that I either have to increase my time or volume (it's already a lot) or be forced to switch to HD.  Time to shoot myself.  I really don't want to do HD  but I don't want to blow up from fluid that won't come out.  Really unhappy.

[cassandra]

O bugger KaS, really sorry to read that. However, how long ago did you finish your antibiotics for your UTI?


And also, don’t forget home hemo. And buttonholes make a huge difference too. I might be wrong but didn’t I read somewhere that solo D is now approved in some states of the USA?


I wish you all the luck and wisdom in the world girl.


Love, Cas

[kickingandscreaming]

I'm afraid that home hemo isn't for me.  No partner.  Total, abject fear of needles. And my D clinic doesn't allow for buttonholes.  No way  I could do it. 

I still have about 2-3 days of antibiotic to take for my UTI.

[cassandra]

Some antibiotics can reduce your peeing. Maybe your pee-production returns after you’ve finished.


Positive, and healing vibes are on their way.


Keep strong KaS.


Lots of love, Cas

[kickingandscreaming]

Thank you, Cas

[Charlie B53]

Wife has been in her Nnursing Home 11 months already.  She has, or used to have, chronic UTI's.

I ordered a box, 10 bottles of cranberry pills.  I got her Dr to sign off on her having one each morning and night.  It's been a number of months already and so far, so good.

She will rarely drink cranberry juice so I was hoping the pills would make the same effect in altering the pH in the bladder.  Seems to be working.  Knock on wood.



I stopped almost a year ago.  And I have to laugh as sitting on the toilet it 'feels' like I gotta P, just a little bit.  Like maybe ONE drop.   Strange sensation.

[Simon Dog]

I'm afraid that home hemo isn't for me.  No partner.  Total, abject fear of needles. And my D clinic doesn't allow for buttonholes.  No way  I could do it. 

I still have about 2-3 days of antibiotic to take for my UTI.

Last I heard you lived in the DPRM (Democratic People's Republik of MA).   There are clinics in both Framingham and Marlboro (and probably more) that allow buttonholes, and a great neph in Natick who supports them.  As to the fear of needles ..... that could take a bit of work.

[kickingandscreaming]

It's not fear of needles per se.  It's fear of what seems like a barbaric thing to do, to poke my flesh with a locomtive-sized sharp object.

[Simon Dog]

It's not fear of needles per se.  It's fear of what seems like a barbaric thing to do, to poke my flesh with a locomtive-sized sharp object.

It is far less barbaric to do it yourself than to let the tech of the day do it to you.

[Charlie B53]

I am VERY Needle-phobic, but I deal with it, somewhat.  I take a generic Zanex on Dialysis days just prior to heading to the clinic.  I don't notice any effect from the pill other than it keeps my blood pressure from climbing an additional 30 points.

Having my fistula developed to give them a better target to poke also makes a difference.  I did really really like my cath.  No needles at all that first year.  My fistula was slow to develop, needed a revision and a couple of angio's before it began to gain any noticable size.

So we have b een using it for a yar already, and just today I saw the Vasc Surgeon, and waiting for the phone call for my appt for another angio.  Seems I'm one of those that my fistula shrinks instead of continually growing.  So we gotta blow it up again already.

Hemo may not be necessary just yet.  PD can be adjusted.  I did it for 3 1/2 years before my infection.  During that time while on the Cycler I had quite a 'stash' of manuals left over from doing manuals and I noticed the expiration date was getting near.  I talked with my PD Team about adding a bag so to start using them instead of wasting them.  So adjusted my PD Program on the Cycler, adding one 2 liter bag and adjusting, addingone or two cycles and shortening the dwell times of each so to squeeze them in.

End result is my labs inproved a bunch.  My labs were good to begin with, but they got noticeably better.  The reasoning is with more shorter cyclers the sugar level stayed higher, drawing MORE water off, larger take offs.

You do not need to increaase your fill. Increase cycles and decrease dwell.  Add bags.    Even from the beginning dong manuals I used Ico for my long 12 hour dwell, and it always took off a lot.  If you are not using Ico then that can be another option.

You only need to have a long talk with your team about your cycler program.

Take Care,

Charlie B53

[jambo101]

It's not fear of needles per se.  It's fear of what seems like a barbaric thing to do, to poke my flesh with a locomtive-sized sharp object.

A catheter might be a good alturnative to needles.

[kickingandscreaming]

I am a fast transporter fo I only have shortish dwells (1 hour 25 minutes).  So no ico.   I already am using 1 manual plus 2- 6 liters and 1- 3 liter bags.  My PD already eats up 14 hours of my day.  I don't thnk I'm willing to give up any more of my life.

[Riki]

I was on PD for about a year after I stopped peeing completely.  I'd probably still be on PD if I hadn't had a faulty extension tubing fall off, causing a very nasty peritonitis infection.  I couldn't use ico either.  It dried me out the one time I tried it.  I used a mix of 1.5 and 2.5 on the cycler at night.  My dwells were 2 hours. 

If you can't stay on PD, HD really isn't that bad.  I actually feel better on HD than I did on PD.  It took a bit of getting used to, and there was a bit of a learning curve, but I do ok, and I'm incredibly stable.  With the exception of my creatnine, my blood levels are almost normal