pain meds

[janetetal]

Does D affect medication in your blood stream? I have fibromyalgia and take percocet. I'm wondering if in addition to everything y'all go through if I'll be in more pain sitting there for hours because the meds won't be as effective?

Stupid question ==> can I crochet while sitting there or do you have to keep your arm still?

For those who are also diabetic...on a low potassium diet, do you run your sugars higher than normal?  If you're doing PD do you have excellent control over your diabetes?

I thought of about a hundread questions as I was laying down last night.... I'll have to take the computer to bed with me!

Thanks everybody

Take care

Deb

[Traveller1947]

Hi, Deb!  Welcome!  I can't answer all your questions, but I've been doing in-center hemodialysis for seven years and can get you started on some answers, at least.  There are many, many experienced and generous people on this forum who will be happy to answer the rest.  Many medicines are dialyzed out of your bloodstream--ask your nephrologist if Percocet is one of them.  With that information, you can schedule your dose either just before your treatment or immediately after.  My pain management doctor solved the problem I was having with extreme pain during treatment by ordering my pain medicine every eight hours.  Shocking to some of the staff at my center, but effective for the pain.  You do have to keep your arm still during dialysis to avoid clots and infiltration and other problems.  It's for this reason that the machine will alarm if you move your arm during treatment.  It's my understanding that PD is not a good choice for a diabetic.  Potassium level has no effect on blood sugar.  Others can answer questions about diabetes better than I can.  All the best to you, Deb!

[msrosefromms]

I am diabetic and I do PD on the cycler. I have been doing PD for 16 months. My endocrinologist is pleased with my A1c. You can control your diabetes on PD. One thing I never do is use the high sugar red bags. If I can answer any moreplease let me know. questions,

[lmunchkin]

Well Deb, my husband is a diabetic too.  He did PD for 5yrs with pretty good success but controling his sugar levels was a hoot!  Now for knitting & crocheting(?), PD allows your hands to be free.  He now does home hemo with NxStage and is doing very well with it.  So if your desire is to knit & Crochet, then PD is for you.

Just please be careful when handling your catheter in your belly.  Be sure to sterilize appropriately!  My husband got peritonitis (Not trying to scare you) and had to stop PD.  But it served him well for at least 5yrs.

I personally prefer to do the NxStage system. And I know he prefers it too!  But not everybody is the same.  Just doing D at home whether PD or Hemo, is the Best!!!!  I definately Advocate D. at home.  Think back when they didnt allow home dialysis for anyone!  Yea, they have come a long way, baby!!!!

God Bless,
lmunchkin
 

[sullidog]

the only way you can have a hands free dialysis is with a catheter

[janetetal]

Thank you all for your speedy responses. Guess we'll have to work out the pain med deal. Sounds tricky. What I meant about the low potassium diet is on low K the stuff you can eat goes completely against what you can eat on a diabetic diet. I'm sorry I don't know what you mean by a red bag, cycler etc. Newbie here.

Thanks again
Take care

Deb

[lmunchkin]

Red bag is one of many bags used on PD.  Red bag is one of the highest concentration of Dextrose.  So if diabetic, you do not want a high dosage all the time.  I know that this is new to you, but PD has a (I cant remember the color codes) 1.5, 2.5 & a 4.25 (If I remember correctly). 1.5 being the lowest concentrate.  Im sure there has been more added since he did PD, but the general idea is, is to use the least concentrates as possible, with using higher ones in order to take more off if needed!

Now that was what we were trained but Im sure all of that is different now.  But diabetics definately have to be careful with their glucose due to the dextrose in PD solutions. 

Hope this helps, but I suggest you ask more questions of your options and learn the pro's & con's of each.

God Bless,
lmunchkin
 

[Gerald Lively]

" I'll have to take the computer to bed with me!"

Kinky!

[jbeany]

The diabetic renal diet is a pain in the .... - all the good treats that they let regular D patients have are right out the window.  Rice pudding, white bread with cinnamon sugar, sugar cookies - all not so good for diabetics.  It's do-able, but it's not fun.  There are a couple of good cookbooks out there for diabetic renal patients - if your center doesn't have any, scope out the diet threads on here.  I'm sure they are listed.  Start with "Cooking for David." 

PD and diabetes can be a challenge.  The PD solution has sugar in it.  I know a woman who managed to keep her sugars stable with an insulin pump - but gained 50 pounds in a year in spite of barely having an appetite.  All that sugar just soaks right in.  I was already a brittle diabetic to start with, and in need of weight loss to get on the list, so I didn't even consider it.

Holding your arm still depends on where your fistula/graft is.  I had an upper arm one.  I sewed, made jewelry, and did a lot of other projects while on in center D.  I even sculpted with clay while on home hemo with a big lap table pulled up to my chair.

[Desert Dancer]

I looked up Percocet at the following two sites but it was not listed; however, I thought I'd throw the links out there in case you need to reference them for something else:

http://www.globalrph.com/index_renal.htm
http://www.clinicaldruguse.com/dialysisDrugs.php

As for crocheting, I wouldn't recommend doing it with sharp needles in your arm; it's a good way to infiltrate yourself! But I have buttonholes and my needles are blunt so I crochet to my heart's content. So you can crochet on hemo, you've just got to have buttonholes.