Beginning Dialysis

[color123]

Hi, Call me Sarah. Have any of you found that in-center dialysis is all around more feasible than periodialysis at home. I found the home process too difficult and we don't have the space for the equipment.

Anyone find a very good center with good techs in Gaithersburg or Germantown Maryland?

[Jayhawker]

Sarah, welcome to the forum!

I’m still waiting out dialysis at this point. I’ve been in renal failure since early January of 2017 but am still not on dialysis—kind of crazy.

I’m planning to try PD dialysis at home first though. So, if you’re willing, I’d appreciate hearing more about your experiences with in home dialysis.

I live alone. I’ve got no family left. So I’ll be managing all of this by myself. My main reasons for wanting to try PD first is twofold:

1. Dialyzing daily rather than 3 times a week should be better for my heart and closer to normal renal function; in short, more dialysis weekly is better.

2. I’d like to try dialyzing at home where I can make it fit around the rest of my day rather than having to make my day fit around dialysis.

But I’m a little concerned about managing it by myself.

As far as finding dialysis centers, there is a Medicare has a website that provides information you can use to compare dialysis centers in your area. The information from the National kidney foundation may be of help:

kidney.org/The-Dialysis-Fac...

You may have to copy and paste that URL into your browser.

Jayhawker

[color123 in reply to Jayhawker]

Thank you for your reply. Best of luck to you!

[bilalapparel in reply to Jayhawker]

hi Dear Jayhawker,

i wish you will be fine soon, but PD also not easy process and i feel its not good like you peoples are at good stage of health & early stages even you mentioned about renal failure, but i am sorry to share with you i lost my mother by 23rd JUNE-2019 as she also suffering from swear kidney infection and renal failure & critinane level was 10-11 & HB also was 6 but we managed to arranged Blood and even Blood PLasama & inserted around 10 pint of blood and HD also processed but due to slip of leg and broken the Hip Joint of my mother so we came into more deep troubles but we never give up and especially i salute to my Mother as she bear huge troubles and unbearable pain due to broken of Hip Joint but as per physical condition we did not take the risk of operation as in PAKISTAN mostly Dr just performing duties for their own concerns and pockets so they were willing to do operate but some senior and serious Dr not rec-emended due to condition of my mother, and after that we used some DESI-TOTKE "HOME BASE REMEDY" which also were not affected the pain & in all this period of around 7-8days we missed Weekly dialysis and condition get more disturb and we shifted again into Emergency in BVH, Bahawalpur which is around 165KM far away from our home town "Fort Abbas" and when we reached hospital so admitted my mother into CCU but in all those 5days we tried a lot and even we gave written statements to Dr's & HOD to start PD for my mother as in that condition only PD was suggested but as i have mentioned in above in PAKISTAN dr doing duties just for pockets not for the Humans and Nations they dont have concern how to treat and handle the patients and behave with Attendant, when we arranged all the equipment and require things during PD and time also finalized so at that time again Dr refuse to do PD and he said in PD process we also not assure about going proper PD or not and in this process much chances of Bleeding and my Mother Blood Group also very rare O-Negative, so finally they refused and suggested to wait until stable the BP "Blood Pressure" which was coming at that time around 80/50 & 100/70 & some time 55/35 & at last moments i was with my mother and that time BP was 50/30-35, after admitting 5days in CCU we lost our Mother and Dr said we are Sorry your mother breath is hold and they inserted ECG and others machines to verify but in last we received the words from Dr's/Hosp that was "Sorry" and i know how m i am living without my mother and cant forget the moments ever , 23rd JUNE-2019 "1:40 PM NOON" this moments i cant forget ever, & in all this process my mother just lived 03 months, in March End her health disturb and we start to visit Dr's and in June End we lost our mother.

So in all above details i personally request to you please go for the proper checkup and proper medicine and proper care, MAY ALLAH Bless u and May you Live Long.

Thanks & Regards,

Muhammad Bilal Ahmad

Bilal Apparel

Multan (Punjab) Pakistan

Cell#[phone]

E: [e-mail]/[e-mail]

[activeretiree]

I go to HD at a dialysis center three times a week. With travel time and getting put on and taken off it is 5 hours. It's also all the time, never ending. Very hard to take after awhile. I've been going 3 years. I wish I could do PD for the reasons that Jayhawker lists. All around it would be much better for my health and my emotional stability and my enjoyment of life. I have what I call a dialysis "hangover" that lasts into the night and the next morning, impacting me to the point that I can't go out. I would hope that PD, since it is longer and slower and more frequent, wouldn't have the same side effect. But I'll never get to find out because I have so much scar tissue in my belly from a 2012 cancer surgery (that took out a 20 lb. liposarcoma--and my kidney) that I cannot do PD. Not enough room for the dialysate in my belly.

I wish the best of luck. Let us know what you decide and how it goes.

Art

[patandfritz]

Hi Sarah. Welcome aboard. I am Pat, a caregiver. My Fritz is just getting to starting the fistula for eventual dialysis. He is going to have to go to a clinic or have a visiting nurse for his dialysis. I fell 9 years ago breaking both elbows which left me with nerve damage in my hands making it extremely difficult to do fine motor skills and sensitive things. My hands spaz on me and I drop things. I pray every day he is able to get a kidney before the dialysis. He has to wait until next June 1 due to the cancer surgery he had June 1 two years ago. The transplant site won't consider him until his third anniversary. He had a ten pound liposarcoma removed. Luckily he didn't lose a kidney. He had a heart attack after the surgery caused by a clot that got loose. He was put on entresto. That is what damaged his already tender kidneys. He is off that medication, but that means he is no longer getting the support for his heart he had been getting. It has been a crazy ride since March 13, 2019. Please let me know what you decide and how you make out. We live in a small senior apartment and lack room for all the equipment.

[Arleendodson]

I had peritoneal dialysis for eight months but then I got a hernia so I had to go back on dialysis for six months and I was lucky I got a kidney. I have b positive blood.I was lucky I had my kidney 23 years but then I got apneumonia four years. So I go to the west covina dialysis

[arcefam]

Hi Sara

I have been doing PD at home for the past 2 months and i love it, compared to going to the dialysis center for hemo-dialysis. Orders could be placed every 2 weeks for supplies. i live in a 1200 sqft home with 4 kids under 14 and my wife. we make it work got really organized and its the best choice for me while i wait for a kidney. it gives me so much freedom. i am only 44 years young.

The best part of PD (peritoneal dialysis) is the you have choices. You could either hook up to the machine that does everything for you or do it manually. So depending on my day i plan what kind of dialysis i will be doing.

Don't be scared in-brace the journey theirs lots to learn. find what works for you and your lifestyle.

[e-mail]

if you email me i could send you pictures of my set up and how i store my solution and supplies.

[Jayhawker in reply to arcefam]

Attitude really is a major part of the battle! I greatly appreciate your positive attitude🐶

Jayhawker