Dry weight is so confusing

[florence2]

We have a dry weight of 72.5 and normally when they decided how much over my husband is they calculate it and we come out on schedule. For the past couple of sessions he has gone in at 73.1 and therefore with a 700 drink and washback they have removed 1.3 which should bring him down to 72.5. At the last two sessions he has come out at 72.9??? Can anyone give an explanation for this happening. Thanks

[justagirl]

Sometimes it can just fluctuate and isn't anything to worry about, does he eat whilst on dialysis or could he be putting a jumper on through out the session and not taking it off again to weigh himself afterwards? If you're worried then mention it to one of the renal nurses Sorry I couldn't be more help!

[Leagibb4]

Are there any non fluid items that your husband has whilst on dialysis. It does sound a bit heftier like a meal or something. Or does he put a coat and shoes on on the way out?

My husband is now on home haemo so weighs himself purely in his pj bottoms each and every time and his dry weights are spot on each time after each session. It's worth remembering that if he wears linen pants or jeans there can sometimes be a kilo difference in starting weight!

[florence2]

The unit have now decided that his dry weight should be 71.5 which is a whole kg lower. They say that this will help his blood pressure. He has the same clothes on each time we go as we bought tracksuits to go to the unit in as they are comfortable to sit around in. They are all the same size and weight. They weigh him and then do the maths. At the end of the session he is always 3/4 over (71.8 or 71.9) He is getting paranoid about drinking but I don't understand how you can set a machine to take x amount of fluid and it says it has done so, then the maths don't work. He eats a sandwich on dialysis but I don't think that this would account for the weight gain. Is it because there is no water to take off? His urea has risen this month and I think that can be caused by dehydrations Any ideas.

[Hidden in reply to florence2]

as long as they take your weight and allow for drinks and washback then you should arrive at around your dry weight.maybe they should have dropped his dry weight by 0 .5kg instead of 1kg and then if he was coming off under this further review it.i always have a sandwich and this does not seem to affect it.when he goes in speak to the nurse putting him on and suggest trying to take an extra 200ml off and bring it down towards the new dry weight.if the fluid is there to come off then it will.if it is not there to come off may get cramp and would need to tell the nurses straight away as this can be uncomfortable.

[Hidden]

when he weighs himself afterwards is he making sure that he is wearing exactly the same as when he got weighed in the first place.if i leave my shoes on it adds 0.7 to my weight and my jumper adds 0.2.normally if they take off the correct amount then you should be around your dry weight.

[CeeBee]

Hello

Fluid loss on dialysis is not a precise science. Biology / Nature is not engineering. A small discrepancy between theory and practical is not unusual.

I have been on dialysis for 21 years and I am an Agricultural Biologist, the human body is not an engineered machine so smallish discrepancies between the theoretical calculations and the practical realities is nothing to worry about.

[florence2]

Thank you for you reply. I am amazed that you have been dialysing for such a long time. As my husband is not being offered a transplant so this information is a sort of comfort. Keep well