Dialysis Support Group

Dialysis is a type of renal replacement therapy which is used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function due to renal failure. It is a life support treatment and does not treat any kidney diseases. Dialysis may be used for very sick patients who have suddenly lost their kidney function or for quite stable patients who have permanently lost their kidney...

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Kidneys & Bladder
/ Dialysis Support Group

Need any/all advice about dialysis

jessicamullinax
jessicamullinax
My wife started her first dialysis session yesterday. The doctors haven't explained the whole process to me and she doesn't ask questions. I'm extremely overwhelmed by everything. They say once insurance approves she will do at home dialysis and they will put a port in her stomach is this common? Also she has once placed in her upper collar bone area is this common? I was really ok and thought I understood until we had a nurse tell us she wouldn't be able to shower until they put a permanent port In her arm which the dr never said anything about doing. Im just asking for a lot of help right now cause I really don't know what to expect
KiddoGal
KiddoGal
I felt like you did the first few times my husband was on dialysis. It is overwhelming, and there are a lot of questions you will have. Eventually, everything will settle down and a routine will get established. Yes, home dialysis is done quite a bit. Usually, younger, more active people do it. My husband is 81, and goes to a dialysis center. If you chose home dialysis, she will need you to learn everything also.

As this dialysis group does not get a whole lot of action, I recommend a site called: Ihatedialysis.com There is a lot more discussions going on that site.

You can also get a cover for her to help her shower until she gets her permanent access put in. It is called a korshield. Here is the link: http://www.korshield.com/

Best of everything to you.
jessicamullinax
jessicamullinax
Thanks so much it's so good to know I'm not the only one feeling this way glad to know its normal
kayla3012
kayla3012
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR GOING THROUGH. MY WIFE WAS HOSPITALIZED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL SHE WAS TOLD SHE NEEDED TO START DIAYLASIS SO THEY HAD TO PUT IT IN HER UPPER COLLER WHILE SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL. SHE HAD A FISULLA PUT IN HER ARM AND AFTER ALL SAID AND DONE WHEN SHE STARTED GOING TO THE US RENAL CARE THEY TOLD HER THEY COULD OF USED HER ARM. ALSO WE BEEN ALL OVER AND ASKED NUMEROUS DR ABOUT THE STOMACH PORT AND WAS TOLD ITS NOT AS GOOD AS HEMODIALSIS. AND THAT ITS A RISK FOR INFECTIONS, SO I WOULD CHECK INTO IT MORE. AS A HUSBAND I DO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM, BUT AS A HUSBAND WE CAN GIVE THEM SUPPORT AND THAT IS WHAT THEY NEED. IF YOU WANT TO TALK MORE TO ME OR MY WIFE WE ARE HERE AND JUST ASK.......