Honeymoon Stage........

[tyefly]

Well  I am now dealing with getting past the Honeymoon stage......  with dialysis...    I have been doing dialysis for a couple of months now and its really starting to set in......  going to dialysis three times a week... is driving me crazy.....   I felt pretty good at first....  and still feel pretty good after I have my treatments with the exception that I am now not urinating much at all... I was urinating  all the time and never had problems with fluid retention... Feels very strange not to be urinating..... much at all.....  it feels like something is wrong......  Now the depression is setting in just because I have to go to dialysis and sit there.... I hate routine.... and this is routine....  I am a free spirit type and don't like conventional jobs or time lines....    Some people are good with routine..... I admire them...  I however am not....   So the honeymoon is over with dialysis and now its time to start dealing with the duties of everyday...  I need to watch my fluid intake so that when I go in for dialysis I don't have to take of the 3 Keys that they keep wanting to take....  that makes me cramp.... I don't like cramps... and if I don't cramp then my muscles hurt from the fluid being taken off....   I am only doing 3 hours of dialysis and taking 3 keys off  seems like alot.... I either come in with less fluid or I will need to dialysis more time...  lets see...... don't drink much at all of sit on my butt for more time.....  what a choice.....  I think I will not drink.....   

[okarol]

hi tyefly,
I am not on dialysis but I can relate with the part of not being the type of person where routine is embraced. Jenna is similar and we both like that every day is different. But when I have had school, or a job, I was required to conform to a routine and I did. I think you have done great so far and adapting to it is just a slow process. When I used to take Jenna to dialysis I made a point of stopping at the chairs of one or two patients before she was put on. Just a minute to say hello and reach out to someone else, share a a quick connection, get to know them little by little, helped us to feel like it was different each time. It's just a suggestion but maybe it will help. Best wishes to you!

[Hanify]

Just remember this is just for a while - you're on that transplant list!!  Good to hear from you.  We were all thinking of you.  At the risk of Dan making fun of me for being a PD machine salesman, have you looked at other dialysis options? 

[willowtreewren]

Kathy, when you get home with NxStage, you will not be AS tied to routine. You will have to incorporate it nearly every day (and you will probably feel even better because you will not have built up 2 or three days of fluids to remove). But you can schedule it WHEN you want.

Good to see you back.

Aleta

[dwcrawford]

Oh Kathy, perk up.  Don't listen to Hanify.  She's only in it for cash!  I told you I'm PMing you some ideas of things you can do on the machine.  (for your eyes only now)

Okarol's idea of greeting other patients if great for people like us who can get around.  Anyway, watch for my PM... perhaps a little x rated but what can I say.

[Rerun]

Tonic Water has quinine in it which is a muscle relaxer.  Take a couple of drinks of tonic water before you head to dialysis.  It helps with cramps.

[willowtreewren]

My doctor also suggested tonic water for cramping, but Kathy, if you are no longer peeing, you know to watch your fluid intake.

And hey, if you have to drink, make it count....margaritas! 

[topazbeauty]

How long did it take for you to stop urinating much? That's my biggest fear. Right now I'm still urinating like a "normal" person. I don't know what I would do if I stopped. I used to get cramps a lot from over working out. I would do teh tonic water during track season a lot. Another thing that helped me will sound weird, but I started wearing either leggings or form control nylons. Somehting about restricting my legs and skin in tight seemed to really lessen the amount of time that I had cramps/got cramps. I know it's not the same with dialysis as with exercising, but maybe it will help, something different to try at least.  I hope things start looking up for you soon.

[tyefly]

  I have not completely stop urinating... but   it has reduced alot....  almost nothing for a day after dialysis.....  I did a 24 hour urine last month  and I did 2400 ml... ...   I bet now  I cant even do 200 ml...    I have only been on dialysis for a couple of months......   Did dialysis make me stop urinating.....  sure seems like it....   as far as cramps go... I am dealing with that and I am watching how much I consume.....  the cramps that I am having now are not in my feet or legs..... they are in my stomach and my back  while I am on dialysis.... very strange to have cramps in those area.....
Hanify.....   Keep selling that PD..... I would of loved to have done that.. but one too many surgeries.... 

Aleta.... I am planning on starting Nxstage in Jan or Feb.....  after my buttonholes are done and I start self cannulating...  still working on getting fistula more mature... and the guts to self cannulate....  Heck I have been trying to figure out how to take the needles out with one hand.....  hard to do things with one hand.... 

Dan   as always...your the best....   thx for the PM asssssssss kicking  .....   I needed that....

[del]

Tyefly you can get cramps anywhere!!  Hubby used to get them in his tongue and his jaw!!!

[willowtreewren]

Kathy,
Please check on the time limit for starting your NxStage training and Medicare coverage. You do NOT need to wait until you are able to self cannulate. There are certain protocols that you must follow. We had to start our trianing within three months of beginning dialysis.

I would hate for you to miss this opportunity.

Aleta

[HubbysPartner]

You will find much more flexibility with the NxStage, so hopefully, you won't feel so tied down.  We've taken it on two trips now and just worked it into our days.  Also, because you dialyze more often, you don't have quite as much of a fluid restriction.