Question for Women Only

[Bette]

Since I started dialysis in September of 2006, my period has been really irregular.  I have recently started having hot flashes.  It's been so bad that I don't blow dry my hair because I just sweat it out.     - This is me!  Any one else have this problem?

[goofynina]

Since I started dialysis in September of 2006, my period has been really irregular.  I have recently started having hot flashes.  It's been so bad that I don't blow dry my hair because I just sweat it out.     - This is me!  Any one else have this problem?

*raises hand*  Girl, it's like playing a friggin' 20 questions game every month for me?  Why didnt it come?  When is it gonna come? Why do i feel this way? was that a cramp or periotonitis    ohh, the list goes on my friend, you are not alone there 

[Sluff]

  women only.    see ya

[Earlinda]

My time of the month comes each month sometimes more than once a month.  I tend to feel awful and sometimes just cannot drag myself out of bed.  The heparin causes really heavy bleeding and sometimes I forget to tell them.  There are days when I do tell them that I clot the machine off.  Don't know which is the lesser of the two evils. 

Earlinda

[kitkatz]

Me, too. My period is regular, but the bleeding can go from really heavy to really light.  I never know what to expect.  And I do not get heparin in my lines at dilaysis. It only makes it worse.

[KICKSTART]

Another one here , i can and have gone 6 months without any , then back with a vengance! As far as the sweating goes , i dont get that but i do get really hot , , more to the touch than anything . In fact i had a hormone count to see if it was the menopause , but it came back as no . I think its just our bodies telling us that no way could it deal with pregnancy .

[kitkatz]

I feel like I have a furnace adding fuel to the fire all around my body nearly all of the time now. My aide says I am freezing her out of our classroom. She has taken to wearing a shawl when I have the air conditioner going.  I do not even notice when it is cold in there, just that I am hot all of the time now. This only started a few months ago. Before that I was ALWAYS cold.  It is weird!

[KICKSTART]

Has anyone explained why we should feel so hot ? I have asked at the unit and just got a shrug. It keeps me awake all night , i sleep with a fan on but it doesnt help much.

[Bette]

I tend to think it i a way for our bodies to get rid of excess fluid by sweating.  Just my theory, but I never sweat this much, even when I was pregnant.

[MyssAnne]

Oh yeah. Both with the bleeding and the sweating. I've been so heavy lately now that I've upped my dosage of epogen, I can't walk out of the house without protection. Ugh.  As for sweating, forget about getting warm outside. I cannot. I used to be able to take the heat, now I can only tolerate it IF I am in the shade AND not moving. Double ugh!!! I've had night sweats lately too, that is uncomfortable!!  It's heck being a woman AND having to go through dialysis.

[Lucinda]

Just arrived home from having another blood transfusion because my periods are so heavy from all the heparin they have given me over the past few months.  I don't know which is the worst of the two evils.  Having heavy periods or having to have my graft unblocked on an average of once a month.  It's a bitch.  Bring on the change, I am ready for it!!!

[Amanda From OZ]

I do not suffer from hot flushes but my mother does and she has just gone through menopause.... she is moody as all hell.... i steer clear from her. 

Do any of you experience cramping but no onset of their period??

[jbeany]

Yes, amanda - PMS now means cramps long before the period even shows up.  Wonder if that's something to do with the fluid levels they are pulling away from us in dialysis, or if it's just our permanently screwed up hormones?

Heparin - oh dear lord, why don't they mention the problems that can cause a woman in any of the information the center gives you?

Anyone tried an endometrial ablation?  I'm supposed to get a referral to discuss whether that or a laproscopic partial hysterectomy would be a better option for a dialysis patient.  My neph is clueless about anything that doesn't directly involve a kidney. . .

[goofynina]

I have been thinking of having a hysterectomy done until i found out that by doing it, i would no longer be able to do PD, so there goes that idea 

[Chicken Little]

You hot girls need to come over here and warm me up.  I am so cold, I'm blue.  My temperature never gets above 97º. 

I've never really been regular, so I dialysis/KF hasn't changed that. 

[jbeany]

I can't do PD anyhow.  Hmmm - I wonder if I need to get approval from the transplant team and if a hysterectomy would cause any problems with geting a kidney pancreas transplant?  Ugh - gonna have to run that past my coordinator.

[babi68]

Lucinda,  I used to bleed quite heavily. I used to do five hours on the machine and if I had my monthlys, they would have to run me off so I could go and 'change' myself. (you know what I mean ladies).. I would be doing this every fifteen minutes or so, then I would end up coming off early as I ended up with more fluid on. Anyways I saw my gyno and he ended up putting in a Mirena. It has stopped my period after 1 year or so, which is great. It is also a contraceptive but I don't need it for that as I have my tubes tied. No hot flushes, I still run rather cool. Maybe go and see your gynecologist. Liz

[Laurie]

I have been thinking of having a hysterectomy done until i found out that by doing it, i would no longer be able to do PD, so there goes that idea

Goofynina,
I'm curious as to why you can't do PD if you have a hysterectomy. I had one and my Neph is wanting me to do PD. I was wanting to have a chest catheter and do Hemo, but he informed me I could not get a transplant if I had a chest catheter. Now, if I can't do PD cuz of my hysterectomy, I'm really screwed!

[goofynina]

Because the would have to go through the peritoneum (even if done vaginally) , therefore damaging it, and that would make it impossible for me to be able to use it anymore,  that's what my GP told me    Does your neph know you have had the hysterectomy? 

[Laurie]

Does your neph know you have had the hysterectomy?

He was told about it after I had it, but I guess I should refresh his memory and see what he says!

[goofynina]

Does your neph know you have had the hysterectomy?

He was told about it after I had it, but I guess I should refresh his memory and see what he says!

That might be the best thing to do, i'd hate to have you go through all the preparations to start PD and then it not working,  Good Luck and please, keep us posted 

[Laurie]

Thanks for your help Goofynina