Below Dry Weight

[bhall777]

How many of you actually can stay at your dry weight? Below?

I am on HD and my estimated dry weight is only 47kg, which means the MAX they can pull off of my per treatment is only 2.1kg.
Due to such a low Max i can only have about 12oz of fluid per day to stay at or near my dry weight which is EXTREMELY difficult. Needless to say much of the time i drink more than 12oz and end up quite a bit above my dry weight (4-6 kg over after treatment)..

How many of you can actually stay at or below your dry weight through the week?

I fought like crazy to make it to my dry weight these last 2 weeks only drinking 8-10oz per day and this morning I left weighing 46.7kg whixh is just UNDER my estimated dry weight. But its gonna be difficult to do that all the time..

[Michael Murphy]

Remember that any thing that melts at room temperature is actually fluid.  Fluid management is not easy task to manage.  Start out by pouring out you limit in a bottle and limit your self to that bottle.  The body treats a dry mouth as a signal to drink, hard candy can cause the mouth to no be dry.  Hard candy is your friend,  My personal favorite is frozen grapes works for me.  Talk to your dietitian and doctor for help in managing your fluid.  It’s difficult but doable.

[iolaire]

People often recommend home dialysis so you can pull water daily and thus you might have a better life.

[Hereware]

People often recommend home dialysis so you can pull water daily and thus you might have a better life.

I have never heard of this. I have reservations about the safety of this.

[Michael Murphy]

There is a picture posted on this web site of the late great Bill  Peckham with his Next Stage system performing his treatment on a raft tied up on the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon. Home dialysis works for many people .  There are several forms of dialysis available and you should research each to make sure your current form of dialysis fits you the best.

[Simon Dog]

People often recommend home dialysis so you can pull water daily and thus you might have a better life.

I have never heard of this. I have reservations about the safety of this.

Keep in mind there are medical benefits, especially if you dialyze more frequently than 3x/week.  When I was on the BabyK (conventional machine) I did every other day rather than 3x/wk with my MDs blessing.  NxStage was 5x/wk.   A bit less restrictive on fluid intake (especially when you have treatment 2 or 3 days in a row) and no lethal 2 day gap.  The 3x schedule is a compromise between effectiveness and cost/logistics.  It is not the absolute best for the patient.    The term used is "adequate dialysis" not "optimal dialysis".

It really depends on your personality - if you are not the DIY type and prefer to leave things for others to do, home may not be for you.   For others it is a massive improvement in quality of life.

[Hereware]

It will be hard but, it will all be worth it.. Try drinking in a bottle for you to monitor your fluid intake. Also, avoid activities that would make you thirsty like running and cleaning.