shortened time

[hurlock1]

I've been on a 5 hr. shift since shortly after I started dialysis. I have been having issues with the "no eating" rule. I go to dialysis at about 5:30 am and I can't eat at 5:00, so, by about 10:30 am, I am insane with hunger and I need to pee really bad; subsequently, for the last 2 - 3 weeks I just said  f**k it and left AMA 30 min. early, almost every treatment. I had previously asked the doctor if he could shorten my time by 30 min., but he said no. On Tuesday, the planets were aligned and the stars, I guess were extra bright, and the dietitian brought my labs and said that my KT. . .uh  K. . . , uh. . .That my blood was getting cleaner than anyone's in the center, not only my shift, but over all the shifts. I got a BIG gold star on my labs. The neph. was there and when he came to my station, he said that this and that looked good, etc., etc.. And I said that I'd been leaving AMA, almost every day 30 minutes early and from what I heard. my blood was getting cleaner than anybody's, could he please shorten my time by 30 minutes, and he said OK. On Friday my dialysis seemed to zoom by. I was sort of hungry and I still had to go. . ., but I wasn't insanely hungry. I wasn't squeezing my legs together. I'm hoping that I don't start thinking that I have to leave even earlier, but maybe my labs will show, after a time that I can get down to 4 hr. Could be that my labs will show that 4.5 hr. isn't enough, but I will enjoy the X-tra 30 min. of freedom while I can. YEA!



Edited: Fixed subject line error - okarol/admin

[billybags]

hurlock1, That sounds brillient, lets hope his does shorten it to 4 hours. Sitting for 5 hours is horrendus, especially as you have to get up so early. My husband was the same on hemo, up at 5-30 pick up any time between 6 and 7-30 some times he just had time to roll out of bed Its no joke as you say no breakfast, no toilet, bloody awful.

[boswife]

Good for you Hurlock1    I do think we have to be our ouwn advocates at times.  I worry that i get a bit to "doctorie"  and am smarter than them, (which i REALLY have to watch ) but on the other hand, we just cant let them go on *automatic* and not listen to the *person* we are as well.  Glad ya get to pee in peace       oh and eat too 

[galvo]

Good news, Hurlock!

[RichardMEL]

Well done, mate!

Are you in one of the no eat units?

I'd go stir crazy too if I couldn't eat. Apart from some (generally horrible) sandwiches they give us and a cup of tea I also have a container with mints or other candy that I chew on during my session and that keeps me sated. We have one guy in the unit that brings in this huge like subway foot long sub that he gets the staff to give him half way through and he munches on that.

Sounds good if your Kt/V was better than anyone elses - well done!!! And hopefully you can stay on the 4.5 hours. I reckon if I was ever changed from 5 to 4.5 hours I would reckon it would fly by too - you get used to doing something like that and whenever it's shortened it seems awesome! 

 

[tubes]

that is great news. I've never done 4 1/2 hrs, let alone 5 hrs. I go stur crazy being on 3 hrs.  By the time 3 hrs is up, I'm more then ready to get off. Luckily I'm usually out of there by 10:15 am.
I hope your labs continue to improve and you get down to 4 hrs. What a day that will be!!! 

~Robert

[Poppylicious]

That's super!

But I still can't believe some places don't let people eat whilst on dialysis. 

[Rerun]

I think it would be extra torture to no be able to bring a snack.  I'm glad your time got shortened.   

[15yearstolong]

Hi Guys / Gals.

I am quite small and I pretty much do 2hrs every 2nd day (longer if I make the mistake of drinking too much) My bloods are really good and if somebody told me I couldn't eat on dialysis I would shoot them. I always have a pack of 2min noodles dry (no I am not insane they are like chips and the salt makes me feel better while dialysing) and also a hot cup of tea with alot of sugar (not good for diabetics but it stops my blood pressure dropping) I must be doing something right as I am almost up to 18yrs on dialysis and I am only 28

KC

[Jean]

Good news Hurlock and good for you!!!

[murf]

The highlight of my dialysis session is the food that I eat. Just shows you how boring dialysis is. I even make my own sandwiches now (not too keen on what's provided) and take my footy thermos with me. Really enjoy preparing my food and drink. Also have a small bag of chewies to keep my mouth wet. One guy even had a pizza ordered and brought in. Should have seen the look on the delivery boy's face. Quite common to share a cake for occasions such as a transplant or birthday. Glad I am at a place that allows food.

[RichardMEL]

Just on shorter time - the latest "Kidney Talk" podcast has a doc who totally advocates more, less stressful dialysis over the shorter sessions with high pump speeds the US does. Interesting listening.

We have cake for birthdays it's awesome... except when it's your birthday and you have to bring the cake!! 

[kitkatz]

I find the faster, high speed dialysis used here more harmful to me.  I am doing nocturnal eight hours and feel so much better at a slower pump speed.  When I did four hours in Tuscon I needed them to slow the pump speed from 500 to 350 to 400. 


I guess it varies from person to person.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Good for you Hurlock although I don't no how you can do even 4.5 hours without going stir crazy and not allowed to eat anything. From the start of haemo I have always insisted on 3 hours only (shock horror from the techs and docs) but I stuck to my guns and guess what my bloods are fine. Unfortunately there seems to be a one size fits all mentality in dialysis adequacy with no risk assessment for individual patient's needs. If your labs are still way over adequate in a few weeks time tell 'em 4 hours.