Peritoneal dialysis

[dobremski]

I am new to this site, hello! I am 65 years young, have been on peritoneal dialysis for a year and a half. I chose peritoneal over hemodialysis as I feel more normal and not wiped out after treatment. Getting a good night's sleep has been a challenge, seem to wake up every 2-3 hours. Just had to have surgery to manipulate my catheter tip which had migrated up. I was having to do a manual drain after coming off the cycler and having negative drains. Just wondering if this is a common occurrence for PD patients. I look forward to your feedback!

Diane

[Hidden]

I can't help with your specific question but I am also looking at PD should it come to that and would like to hear more about what you have had to deal with. I've read a lot but unfortunately, that just leads to more questions; better questions but still...

[gmasheryl]

Hi Diane. I'm Sheryl, 69 yrs old & from Iowa. I've been on PD for 1 1/2 yrs. I had original cath put in & then 2 re-position surgeries. After a while, I needed to do a manual drain usually every day depending on my weight & fluid retention. I have Type 2 diabetes and, as you know, the solution is dextrose = sugar! I've gained 24 lbs and am having a difficult time regulating blood sugars. I'm having extreme back pain from the weight I've put on, so I may have to change to Hemo dialysis. Not happy about it, but I'm feeling SO bad that I may not have a choice. Hope the Cath re-placement does the trick for you!

[dobremski in reply to gmasheryl]

Thanks for responding, sorry to hear that you may have to go on hemo. I initially started with hemo and hated it. After your treatment you feel so wasted, I couldn't wait to go on Pd. It is easier to travel, and I feel more normal. I have had 3 surgeries in the last year related to catheter issues. It has been a week since the last surgery and so far I have eliminated drain pain but still having to drain after coming off the cycler. Luckily I am not a diabetic, if I am not mistaken is there not a solution they can switch to that is glucose free? I would check into that if you haven't already.

[gmasheryl in reply to dobremski]

The 'purple solution' is my last hope! I have my monthly dialysis appt next week. I'm hoping that's an option for me - the purple is made from cornstarch I believe. Will see what the Dr's say! Will let you know!

[sugarcube1959 in reply to gmasheryl]

I'm 57 years old and I started on in center hemo-dialysis which I absolutely hated because like you said it just drained you. I would leave treatment and sleep for a whole day afterward, but then I tried PD. That went well for about 6 months then I became allergic to the catheter and had to go back in center but only briefly. I started home hemo and I must say when I got over the initial fear of self cannulation if a person needs dialysis this is the way to go. Although, you treat more often ( I treat 5 times a week) for less time per treatment than in-center the treatments are slower, and you feel much more normal doing everyday activities. Maybe you could ask about home hemo to see what you think. Good luck with your decision

[Arleendodson]

I was on paired to deal with Dialysis eight months but then I got a hernia so they had to do emergency surgery . And then I started him on which is no fun I go three times a week for four hours a day and it's so time-consuming. I go by myself because I lost my husband almost 10 years ago to melanoma. We went to city of hope and he had radiation and they thought they got it, and then two years later he got a tumor in the brain or I should say they found a tumor. . When he was at city of hope they remove 42 lymph nodes . I think the cancer spread to his brain and into years he started walking like he was drunk. I took him to Saint Gabriel hospital and they found that he had a tumor on his brain on the pituitary gland which was so sad . My husband Walter but I was go with me to the doctor and the hospital and take me to dialysis but sadly I lost him first. I keep busy and sing at my church and try to work as a substitute teacher once in a while. I'm bless my son lives with me I'd probably go crazy and I have a lot of friends from church and if you teacher friends but still it doesn't make life easy. I'm just praying that I get on the list for a kidney. I have so many places I want to travel to still before I go to the big sky. You can write me anytime.