I manage to avoid muscle cramp

[napala turki]

Hi...

Need advise, comment and feedback from you all.

It has 18 months passed since started dailysis. During the first 12 months my pump speed was 350 ml/min, soomer at every Friday session I would get a muscle cramp, especially my left leg, the worst is the stomach cramp. It has continously happend to me, and most of the Friday session I will knock out at home, sometime more then 24 hrs. My dry weight was fine.

So lesson learned from my own observation.

Now, I have informed the technician to run the pump speed to my desire.

Monday - 350 ml/min
Wednesday - 270 ml/min
Friday - 220 ml/min.

My reason is that, the faster the pump speed the more blood will be filtered and more mineral will be removed, my conclusion is on Friday, mineral contents in my blood is less, that where causes all the trouble.

For the past few weeks on Friday is a normal day as Monday - no cramp, no hyppo. God Bless Us All.

Correct me if I'm wrong...

[flip]

It's okay as long as your URR stays good. Also, your run time may be quite a bit longer than ours here in the U.S. I usually run at 480-500 on a Baxter 210 for 3:15.

[napala turki]

I believe American body size is bigger compared to Asian like me..   

[skyedogrocks]

Most of Rob's cramping has to do with fluid removal.  If he takes too much off, the cramps start in.  He has had feet, leg, stomach, chest, arm and hand cramps.  He knows when the cramps will start and will stand up once they start.  It doesn't happen very often now that he has a good handle on the fluid.

Speed never was a factor with his cramping though.  In contrary, the slower the speed/UFF the cleaner the blood.

[napala turki]

Hi skypeogrocks,

May be you are right.

But after I have reduce the blood pump rate, I feel better, I knew the faster the blood pump rate the cleaner is the blood and I believe the more mineral in the blood will be removed too.

Now I feel much better then before, no cramp, no low BP.

[Orange County Ca]

Slower and longer is always better.  I understand in Europe thay do just that.  In the States its shorter as its less expensive and after all they are profit making organizations generally.  I always insist on  longer runs.

[Robby712]

I would assume the slower you remove the fluid the less problematic cramping would be.

However my cramping has always been related to how much fluid I take off.  If I remove over .5 more kilos that what my dry weight is I notice cramping in my legs and abdomen...this typically only happens when I am trying to determine if I have lost some weight and ask to push my dry weight/fluid removal a bit just so I leave with a little less fluid on after treatment.

I like your idea of adjustable fluid removal rates though...it does make sense. 

Thanks,
Chris

[flip]

I usually set my UF profile to remove most of the fluid during the first hour when you are less likely to cramp. Then slow and easy for the rest of the treatment.

[David13]

I usually set my UF profile to remove most of the fluid during the first hour when you are less likely to cramp. Then slow and easy for the rest of the treatment.

This type of fluid removal (more in the beginning and less toward the end of the treatment) is a good way I have seen to prevent (or at least lessen) cramping during dialysis. 

There is also an option on most dialysis machines for sodium profiling that can also help with cramping, although this option usually requires a doctor's order.