Hi there.. I was at stage 3 about three years ago...I am now at stage 5 and have just had a fistula done.Waiting to start dialysis....

[nfld]

Any advice for me??

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Enjoy the time before you start. Your life will change once on dialysis, and you will develop a new normal. Not saying it is bad, just an adjustment. I wish now I had waited a bit longer because I was not sick or had any symptoms. But things were going south....slowly. Are you doing home or in-center. That makes a big difference. I am doing home hemo. I like it because it is soooooo much gentler and I am slowly building my fistula up.

[nfld in reply to Bassetmommer]

Hi there,

Thanks for getting back to me. I am doing in-center dialysis...i live alone and it is too hard for me on my own.... I just had the fistual done on Monday past. They tell me it takes about 6 to 8 weeks to be ready. My kidney are down to 8 now.....

They are getting me ready for a transplant as well. That could take up to a year of testing....so I guess we shall see !!

I hope you have a good day!! Take care....

[horsie63 in reply to nfld]

I was doing PD until it didn't work and they put a chest catheter in and now I do in center hemo. I started in Sept after a couple months in the hospital. Weird thing is my eGFR when I started PD in Feb 2023 was 8...recent test has me at 14. Didn't think it would improve as a biopsy showed the damage was due to high BP which is under control now. Who knows. Just take it one day at a time. I like doing in center hemo as we live pretty isolated so it's nice to see and talk to others.

[Mich1949 in reply to horsie63]

I think ( but am not certain) you will find that egfr will vary a bit under dialysis. Mine is also normally 8, but after dialysis ( we have a post dialysis blood test every day here months), where my egfr goes up to 34 on one occasion), but I know that it will go down again by the time I have another session after a day off.

[nfld in reply to Mich1949]

Thank you so much for eveyone's reply.

It is very helpful to be able to chat with others who are going through the same thing...I live in a place where there is not much support for kidney people. Only on line...It may be different when I go to the clinic for dialysis...

I also have a strong faith and try to remember , there is always others worse off than me... I am also a positive person and try to see the best in things.

So I take things one day at a time....

I hope you all have a great day ahead...and Happy Halloween!!!

Take care and God bless...

[julgusgus in reply to nfld]

I think you have a leg up on this because you are so positive and your outlook is great! I hope you are still on this site when it's my turn. What a great forum for us!! Keep us posted. Xo

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador in reply to horsie63]

One of the things I have learned is what are the labs they look at to see if things are working on dialysis. Since I am at the beginning and doing such a mild prescription, the weight gain is not there. My weight it the same before and after dialysis. But this one of the things they look for because of fluid build up. They look for uremia in your BUN or UN lab. Mine has already come down. They check your hemoglobin, albumin, potassium, spKy/v which is a result that measure whether or not the dialysis is working, calcium, phosphorous, PTH, glucose, lipids and creatinine. They do not check for GFR. I think that is interesting.

[nfld in reply to Bassetmommer]

Hi again,

Thanks for that information...it is very helpful to know...

[KidneyCoach NKF Ambassador]

Yes check out this book. Available as an e book on Amazon.

Red blue animated woman in distress

[Ziggydoodah]

One of the biggest challenges on this journey is the fear of the unknown. I won't lie, dialysis isn't a walk in the park. It's two steps forward and about ten back. However you will cope and you will eventually start to feel better. Yes you will grieve for the life you leave behind. Yes you will miss the freedom to go on holidays when you want. Yes you will have down days when you question everything. However you will take it in your stride. I have been on Haemodialysis for about 18 months and I know how worrying the prospect of dialysis is. I always viewed it as the enemy. A sign I had failed. Its not. It has given me my health back and energy I didn't realise I was missing. You have got this and you have your Healthunlocked family supporting you too. All the best and keep us updated.

[nfld in reply to Ziggydoodah]

Hi again,

I am sure I will feel a lot better once I am on dialysis for awhile....I know it's not a walk in the park...but I will do the best I can and hope the good lord doesn't want me yet....

As always , one day at a time. I have a birthday soon on the 13th....looking forward to that.....

Take care and Gpd bless

[Kbressler NKF Peer Mentor NKF Ambassador]

Kidneysolutions.org