I am going to try home hemo. I have been on PD before and being by myself the supplies and getting rid of the trash was overwhelming. I was told by my Dr. it is not near as many supplies but would like to hear from someone with experience. I will not be using needles.
Thank you
Mr Checkman, how areyou doing home hemo without needles?
I utilize a port and not a fistula.
wow, I've never heard of anyone doing home Hemo with a port.
Dr. is okay with it?
Oh please don't tell me that will be a problem! YIKES! He obviously knows I use a port and do not have a fistula, it's been that way for over a year now. He did not mention anything about that fact, so it's an assumption on my part I would do dialysis just like I always do except I would be doing it at home. I better check into that! OH GAWD please I do not need any more complications!!!
Sorry, didn't mean to scare you! Double check with them maybe it's an option with a port.
Here’s information from NKF about home hemo with ports:
kidney.org/atoz/content/hem....
As you’ll see, ports are the second option for home hemo. My dad had home hemo with a port over 35 years ago. My mom and I were his care partners, no infections and no problems with administration at all.
I’m sure you’ll be fine using a port for home hemo.
Jayhawker
Don't panick, I am going to train for home hemo, still not sure if I want to do that because I too am alone. I also have a catheter and NOT a fistula and everyone knows I will not change to a fistula, so it must be safe.
Thank you. I have been taking care of my own port for over a year now with NO infections. Although when they took care of my port port I got several infections.
So happy that you can use.the port, but no one so far answered your question about the amount of home materials needed. Best of luck
I too was hoping someone who is on HHD would answer. I will share that I am headed that way and the company sent out a couple of people to do a home eval. They check the water and the capability to have a line put in to where you have your machine. They also check for the plug and the electric to see if it can handle the machine. Then the Nurse that came to the house said they send a lot of little supplies like gauze and stuff so I have a couple of four drawer cabinets and then a larger one for the solution. She said they send supplies based on you prescription so that will make a difference. From what I understand, it is less big bags and more lines and small products than PD.
Thank you!
I did solo home hemo for a year, everything I needed from my bandaids and tape to my cleaning fluids for maintaining the machine was supplied by my center. I took an inventory once a month and they shipped everything I needed straight to my house.
As for my machine (NxStage) their people contact me and set me up with monthly shipments. I also needed to do a monthly inventory and send it to them. They know what they are doing and ship you exactly what you need. The first shipment is the largest because you need an entire emergency back up supply should shipments ever get hung up. You are good for a few weeks while waiting. You also have set of supplies that you can travel with. The machines are small enough to take with you on vacation. You just need to run off of hanging bags since they strictly test your home water supply and cannot do that when you travel so you run off of the self contained fluid bags to be safe.
Let me know I you have any other question. I am happy to tell you what I know from doing HD at home alone for a year.
Best, Lisa
The initial delivery is large as they send 6 weeks of supplies. The delivery includes a 2 week buffer of supplies so you don't run out. You will likely be using NxStage so you will get boxes of cartridges, boxes of Saks, boxes of saline and boxes of hanging bags plus boxes of Paks. The amount you receive will depend upon your prescription, like how many days per week you will do treatment.
You will also get ancillary supplies like gauze, tape, needle sets, gloves, masks, syringes, alcohol wipes, sharps containers, blue pads. Clinic may offer these supplies as well. Scale, bp cuff, stethescope, centrifuge and lab tubes, iPad, router, thermometer, antibacterial soap and more.
FWIW, I've been doing home hemodialysis for near 22 years, at least 1/3 of that time using a tunneled chest catheter (port).
NxStage mistakenly sent me an order that had been canceled but did not arrive in time . They sent me 125 boxes of hanging bags...yikes. For now they are sitting in our garage. I should have had my husband refuse them but was asleep at the time.
The driver should bring the supplies into your home and put them wherever you want.
Hope this helps. Blessings
If you're a visual person, there are photos of HHD on this site: homedialysis.org/home-dialy.... I'd like to add that I don't know how realistic those photos are since my hubby was on PD and in-center HD, but it might give you some basic direction unless someone here advises differently.
this link is pretty accurate from my experience. You need a dedicated area for treatment and a storage area for all your supplies.
I have to say I love the way people support each other on this site. I think one of the hardest things about this disease is that we walk it alone. We still look good so no one really knows how we feel and presume we are fine. On this site it is great to see people being honest and helpful to one another. Hope everything goes well for you checkman.
You are so correct, I definitely walk this alone since I have been on dialysis for 13 years. I have gotten the exact same response from people "Well you look really good". In the meantime, I have no Idea from one day to the next how I am going to feel. My treatments have been going horribly wrong for a very, very long time. Now, each treatment I stay on is torturous. I literally feel like I'm almost dying each time, that's how horrible I feel. I want to jump out of the chair and RUN! However, that would be super tough since I can barely walk after each treatment. I have had perfect strangers offer to help me to my car. I have to sit in my car for a while before I can actually drive. I'm having fun now! YEE HAW!
One of the reasons why I choose home hemo was that it is more often, but less time each time and less hard on the body. I hope it works out for you.
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