Meds information

I presume your averse to eating protein food due to this problems? 

Hi Doug,

I don't experience dizziness myself, but I do get fatigue and it's generally related to low blood hemoglobin levels due to not producing enough red blood cells (it's a byproduct of CKD) so I take Aranesp injections for that.  It's possible your dizziness could also be related to low hemoglobin.  For blood pressure control, I take Candesartan.  For cramps, I (very occasionally) take Quinine (as sparingly as possible).  Prior to starting on dialysis, I took Resonium Calcium to keep my potassium levels reasonable.  I recall the nurses recommending Gravol for nausea but I didn't experience much nausea pre-dialysis and none after starting dialysis, so you will probably receive the same recommendation.

Apart from that, not much to say.  Your GFR is 17 so you aren't far off from starting dialysis, so it makes sense for your nephrologist to talk to you about it.  Whoever you're seeing next week, I would ask them what your GFR needs to be to be eligible to start dialysis; typically, it's 15% GFR or lower.  Then, once your GFR hits that number, I suggest you just go ahead and start dialysis.  For comparison, I started when my GFR was 6% and I regretted holding off that long because even if you make the decision tomorrow, there's a waiting period to have the surgery and then recover sufficiently to start dialysis so I had to suffer for another month before beginning the treatments.

I hope that helps a little, and best wishes,

Hello,

You are in the stage I referred to as limbo.  Your dizziness, nausea and fatigue are al due to the stage you are at and there are no meds you can take to help.  I am sure you are feeling pretty grotty right now.  We all cope and feel the last stage differently I had the tiredness and brethlessness for a while in stage 4 but it was in stage 5 around 11% (I dropped really quick to this stage) that I had the nausea to the point I culdn't even look at food never mind eat it much to the distress of my hubby.  They are talking about dialysis as you are nearly there mine started talking to this around 15% with a view on starting it as I decided my symtoms got to much to bare.  Mine dropped quick and surprised all involved I had my tenckhoff catheter for peritoneal dialysis fiited at 6% and this was done as an emergency as the hospital tried to send me home after I had waited all day for it, i refused to go away so they had to pretend I had come via ambulance.  What I can tell you is I felt better after about 4 weeks of being on PD.  I would suggest that you start looking at thetow different types and see which one would suit your life the best, this is totally up to you and if you don't like one you can change no problems at all.  Dialysis is a scary thought I know this as I expected it my whole life but when the time came it still scared the life out of me.  It doesn't fix everything but you do feel a hell of a lot better I can promise you that.  I worred full time doing my job and ran a family business and looked after every one and I wasn't in bed at 7.30 I could manage til 9 lol.  I worked full time with the help of dialysis right up to my transplant.  I wish you well and good luck with your appointment I hope you can find a bit of comfort from it.

hi my current egfr also 18, i am in stage 4 also. i also have the symtoms but i just endure of it. Now i think i used to all the symtomps.

i still working full time. and i have been in egfr hopping around 17-20 for quite some time. i asked my nephrologist when should i start dialysis, she said i am quite stable.

so i just live day by day. and see how. worry less and just accept dialysis as part of our life.

 

Before you can be put on dialysis, you will probably get a catheter put in your neck for dialysis purposes. Then later on a AV fistula will be put into your forearm or upper arm.

If these areas are not available, then another option is through your leg. Hopefully, that is usually the last resort. Have you gone to the vascular doctor, to find out the best place for a AV fistual. Mine was chosen on my non dominate arm or my left arm. My forearm didn't fully develop, so..my upper arm was chosen.

I will habe to look up my medications that 5 used for nausea

I tried to email the drug I took for nausea and vomiting but the moderator deleted my response on this forum to you.

The drug is listed as 5-ht3 antagonist on the internet website. Ask your doctor for this type of drug. It stopped my nausea and vomiting that I had for 3 weeks.

But before you can go to dialysis, you have to be fitted for a catheter in your neck or a AV graft or AV fistula. Your doctor will decide which one you are going to get. I went to a vascular doctor and he decided where mine was going to be inserted. Then I went into surgery to get it in.

Are you going to get haemodialysis at a dialysis center or get a PD dialysis at home.

I don't know if any other options.

Good luck

John is referring to haemodialysis which cleanses the blood, usually at a treatment centre, about 3 times a weeki,. That is only used if peritoneal dialysis is not possible.

With peritoneal dialysis, a tube is inserted in the tummy which can be attached to bags of fluid (glucose).  The peritoneal cavity fills with fluid (around 1.5litres), that dwells there for 1 - 4 hours, is drained out and replaced by some more. Can be done during the day, manually, or overnight by a small machine while you sleep. All this is done at home at your own convenience. None of this is as scary as it sounds and people still go to work and lead pretty normal lives.