I think the question is on the minds of the people looking at it for my program. It’d be great to try during summer vacation in the north woods of Wisconsin but I don’t know if I’d have it available or not as a vacation option even if my provider decided to offer it as a machine choice along with the PHD and B Braun.
Gus did you dialyze before they used bi-carb?
Fancy my idea, let’s trade places… :roll:
You borrow my NxStage and I borrow your Aksys… 
…that would be alot more feasible than banging the dialyzer over the trainer’s head…har har har… :twisted:
…Yes I did, I dialyzed before Bicarb existed…first dialyzed in 1978…3x a week for 5 hours on some plate type dialyzer machines…from there then dialyzed on an old Cobe machine using acetate…from there switched to Bicarb, and now am using lactate based…
I remember the acetate based and before that had many cramps and crazy down dead symptoms…
I read some where that citric acid is better and healthier, maybe I should try that…
Fancy my idea, let’s trade places… :roll:
You borrow my NxStage and I borrow your Aksys… …that would be alot more feasible than banging the dialyzer over the trainer’s head…har har har… :twisted:
…Yes I did, I dialyzed before Bicarb existed…first dialyzed in 1978…3x a week for 5 hours on some plate type dialyzer machines…from there then dialyzed on an old Cobe machine using acetate…from there switched to Bicarb, and now am using lactate based…
I remember the acetate based and before that had many cramps and crazy down dead symptoms…
I read some where that citric acid is better and healthier, maybe I should try that…[/quote]
Oh geez, that was me…forgot to login… :oops: bad me bad me…
we all knew it was you Gus – wondered why you were being secretive!!! but we all learn quickly to recognize your style!!! love it!
:? … :roll:
Is there ever a time when those on short daily skip a tx? If so, do you run a longer tx the next day?
Yup, it happens…especially when you get a visitor or in emergency situations…longer treatments next day no, but all you do is watch your diet when this happens.
How long total does it take to get set up for tx with NxStage, and tear down?
What if there is a power outage? Anyone have a generator?
Can the dialyzer be flushed with NxStage the way it can be with AKSYS?
Is there a best time of day to do tx as far as the build up of fluid to get it removed for maiximum fluid intake?
If you dialyze at the end of the day, do you find that you are too tired or that it is disruptive of social activities?
no generatorset up for the NxStage is said to take 20 minutes, it does actually take longer but the dialyzer and tubing are in a cartridge. there is no separate prime and recirculate, it is all done together. there is still the insertion of needles and access care so allow at least 45 minutes for the whole prep thing. take down is quick and easy, remove the empty bags and drain remaining fluids in sink, remove the cartridge and dispose of everything, and there is quite a bit of everything to deal with, it does produce a lot of garbage. NxStage packaging is a bit of overkill, there is an awful lot of unnecessary paper and plastic, which bothers me as a person who is very much concerned with ecology.
no generator, in a power outage do a manual rinseback.
never used Aksys so don’t know what you mean by flushing dialyzer. can it be reused? no, no, no.
best time of day is when it is most convenient. if you are dialyzing daily there should not be a big accumulation of fluids.
can’t speak for anyone else but I don’t feel wiped out at all after a treatment, regardless of what time I dialyze, and I don’t set a special time for my treatments tho I try for 3-5 during weekdays. if that is not possible I do it when I can.
That’s about right for me, 20min and 45 from start till am already machine…45min which also includes the flushing. I don’t think other NxSgate patients flush but I do. 8)
How long does it take to feel increased energy once in a daily dialysis program with NxStage?
I’m sure that one of the NxStage users will respond to your posting soon. However, as a social worker who has worked with dialysis patients for years, I wanted to say that although getting daily dialysis should increase the amount of toxins you remove, it is still important to keep track of your other labs that can affect your energy level:
– anemia (hemoglobin level) - If you don’t have enough red blood cells carrying oxygen to your body tissues, they get starved of oxygen making you feel weak, tired, and out of energy
– nutrition (albumin level) - Eat enough protein (dialysis can take off protein) to keep your albumin level up since low albumin makes you feel weak, tired and out of energy too, plus it can increase your risk of infection.
You might want to visit Kidney School (www.kidneyschool.org) and look at Modules 6 (Anemia) and 7 (Lab Tests) to see what you should work toward with these and other lab results.
By the way, is your clinic listed in our database as offering daily dialysis? If not, suggest that they add/edit their center listing.
Thanks. for your response, Beth. My labs are right on the mark every month. So, my question really has to do with how much increased energy does one have when toxins and fluid are removed daily as opposed to 3x a week and how long does it take to notice a difference?