I do not have any fistula issues but I had persistent shoulder pain over the last few years, the pain would would keep me up/ wake me up. I had trouble sleeping in a bed. As much as I wanted to I couldn’t do it because if I did fall asleep (ambien) I would toss and turn all night from one sore shoulder to the other. I gave up and switched to my dialysis chair to sleep even when not dialyzing.
The solution in my case turned out to be more movement/exercise. I committed to a gym and a personal trainer as my highest priority, first dollars I spend each month, started in Feb. I resolved to be coachable and do what was suggested by Rob (my PT). One session at time, there are so many muscles around the hips and shoulders that don’t get the movement they need through my generally walking based exercise. My core had withered after retiring.
It isn’t easy, nothing is ever easy with kidney disease, but putting myself into my personal trainer’s hands has been hugely beneficial. Even as I continue to recover from a tough summer of issues if I did not have 5 months of PT behind me I am very sure I would not have been able to take care of myself these last two months and would have had to be inpatient rehab and then inpatient dialysis. I feel like I dodged a bullet that whistled past my ear.