Not feeling good

[viamar1]

Sorry I haven't been on in a while.I am stage 5 now,Have had my fistula done.Waiting follow up about dialysis.

[lawntonmedicals]

No worries at all! I'm glad to hear you're progressing to stage 5 and hope your follow-up goes smoothly.

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to lawntonmedicals]

Glad? Stage 5 means your kidney function has dropped below GFR 15 and you are now considered to be “End Stage” which means fatal. Having kidney failure is considered to be a fatal condition. Dialysis is life support.

[Christi65 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

But we don't die. I'm not afraid at all. Why are you freaking out?

[viamar1 in reply to Christi65]

Something I did not expect

[barbara55109 in reply to Christi65]

What do you mean "we don't die"? "More than 90,000 patients are waiting for kidney transplants, yet only about 20,000 transplants are performed each year. Annually, nearly 5,000 people on the transplant waiting list die without getting a transplant." This is just the US stats.

[Christi65 in reply to barbara55109]

I really didn't know all that. I thought dialysis kept us alive.. it's still no reason to be afraid or freaked out in my opinion. But I don't walk by fear.

[barbara55109 in reply to Christi65]

I try to be realistic and hopeful. The facts helped motivate me to make changes that delay disease progression.

[viamar1 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

I'm at 13 at the moment

[S_dillow]

hang in there viamar and keep us posted.dont give up.

[viamar1 in reply to S_dillow]

I'm trying to stay positive

[Merny5]

I’m sorry. I can imagine that you are very frightened. There are many people on this website who are at your stage of kidney disease and are doing fine. I’m sure those people will stop in and give you some positive words. Hang in there, you are not alone.

[viamar1 in reply to Merny5]

And I thank everyone for their kind words

[Christi65]

I'm stage 5. Egfr is 17. I have my fistula and also waiting on dialysis. Don't be afraid. It's no longer a death sentence.

[viamar1 in reply to Christi65]

Thank you

[Sapphire187 in reply to Christi65]

eGFR of 17 is stage 4

[Christi65 in reply to Sapphire187]

Well it's going between 15 and 17

[Sapphire187 in reply to Christi65]

14 and under is stage 5

[Christi65 in reply to Sapphire187]

I know this. Others have pointed that out to me and I was mistaken. Mine fluctuates between 15 and 17. So I apologize for my mistake

[Quita55]

Hi Viamar1 I totally understand that you're worried and maybe a little scared. I have kidney failure also and I'm waiting to have surgery to receive an fistula. Hang in there you're not alone please keep us posted on your journey while waiting to start dialysis. Oh while you're waiting reach out to your kidney doctor and ask for some numbing cream to put on your fistula it will help. Take care

[viamar1 in reply to Quita55]

He already suggested the numbing cream.

[Quita55 in reply to viamar1]

Glad to hear

[Ballspinner]

I was very lucky that the day I started dialysis was a Saturday and the nurse in charge that day spent hours with me and my husband going over all the introductory paperwork, introducing me to the tech and reassuring me as the tech put the needles into my fistula. They use the smallest gauge needles at first and it helped to take a deep breath and let it out slowly as she inserted the needle. Deep breathing is your best friend! The nurses and techs became my teachers - any questions or concerns I just asked them. They've seen it all and can be very helpful if you just ask. It also helps to get comfortable during your treatment because it takes 3-4 hours. Ask for extra blankets and dress in layers, I wore a winter hat year round! Use a folded towel or pillow under your dialysis arm to stay comfortable. And bring something to pass the time (I read books, others brought cellphones or tablets, a lot of people slept, etc). Some needed pillows under them or at their backs. And think about if you want to get a d over 4 years of dialysis before I got my transplant

[Darlenia in reply to Ballspinner]

Excellent suggestions, particularly the use of pillows. The dialysis center chairs were way too firm for my hubby. We added a nice thick seat cushion to his collection of items.

[horsie63 in reply to Darlenia]

I need to remember to bring mine in as by the end of the 3 hours my butt HURTS. Since I'm so thin I don't have any cushioning back there.🤣.

I've been doing in center hemo of a little over a year now. I do use the numbing cream. Put it on where the needle go an hour before and wrap it in Saran Wrap. I don't feel a thing.

Not sure if you are allergic to tape, I am, but I bought my own silicone hypoallergenic bandages on Amazon and they use them. They also got me some blue tape that doesn't cause the god awful itching.

Ask all the questions you have. I'm happy to share my experience and I know others will too.

[Beachgirl32]

this journey can be scary but at least we have dialysis to help us. Glad your fistula is working my never did so I’m waiting to get a graft i have a central line in my chest which they really want to get out I went from pd to hemo . So I haven’t had any needles yet but I know a lot of people use the numbing cream . I hope everything goes well for you .

[viamar1 in reply to Beachgirl32]

Hope all works good for you also