Training for the new NxStage water filtration system is supposed to be in September for me. Are there any readers out there using this yet?
What have you found to be the advantages and disadvantages of using this?
A group of Nxstage users and I are in discussion about it at NxStage Users Group at yahoo groups. You might want to joinh them and find out there.
Absolutely, we’re growing slowly by the bunch! NxStage is just like one of those fantastic gadgets that you have to be a great fan of it… 
Gus,
I’m a fan of NxStage also–well over a year now but have you started using the new water filtration system? I wanted to find out how patients were liking it.
Is the new water system an option, or is it going to be required for every patient to use one?
Lorelle
Hi Lorelle as far as I know its voluntary and shouldn’t be required, but I speculate most patients will want it as they don’t want to handle so many boxes/storage.
But what I was told its your choice, you choose between the two…in most cases, patients with very little living space will opt for the PureFlow SL addon module…
PMB@…No, I have not used it yet, but really am uncertain whether I’d take the plunge and use it right away, I did speak with someone in my clinic who is using it, but wasn’t enough information as he only had a week using it…so its a matter of time till more data is available out to the public…but don’t be afraid to use it…you should be able to go back to bagged dialysate.
Hi Lorelle as far as I know its voluntary and shouldn’t be required, but I speculate most patients will want it as they don’t want to handle so many boxes/storage.
But what I was told its your choice, you choose between the two…in most cases, patients with very little living space will opt for the PureFlow SL addon module…[/quote]
Thanks, Gus. That is an important point for us because we live almost 10 miles from the closest town and have a well. It’s 550 feet deep through solid granite but the Neph told us there is no way to make well water acceptable for dialysis. 
It’s really funny because my sister works in the lab for a municipal water and sewer system in FL and she says our well water here in the SC foothills is probably better/safer than the city water in FL on its best day. :shock: :roll:
Lorelle
Hi Lorelle as far as I know its voluntary and shouldn’t be required, but I speculate most patients will want it as they don’t want to handle so many boxes/storage.
But what I was told its your choice, you choose between the two…in most cases, patients with very little living space will opt for the PureFlow SL addon module…[/quote]
Thanks, Gus. That is an important point for us because we live almost 10 miles from the closest town and have a well. It’s 550 feet deep through solid granite but the Neph told us there is no way to make well water acceptable for dialysis.
It’s really funny because my sister works in the lab for a municipal water and sewer system in FL and she says our well water here in the SC foothills is probably better/safer than the city water in FL on its best day. :shock: :roll:
Maybe you can still use but perhaps you’d need additional water filtering equipment. In about a week or so we’ll gather more information on this as there are some NxStage users who also are in the same situation as you are…
Lorelle[/quote]
Gus… In about a week or so we’ll gather more information on this as there are some NxStage users who also are in the same situation as you are…
Thanks, Gus – sorry to hear there are others in this situation but will appreciate any info you can give.
Lorelle
Just a note. Your nephrologist is wrong we have well owners in the nocturnal program and the RO, Carbon Tank and Water Softner make it useable for dialysis. I’m not saying the NxStage system will ( I don’t know anything about the NxStage System) but yes you can make well water safe for dialysis.
I just wonder if the use of the NxStage water system will make nocturnal dialysis available on the NxStage.
Nocturnal HD is being done now in some places using the NxStage machine. Once it is approved by the FDA and on the market, doctors are free to prescribe it for therapy of any length. Because the blood and dialysate flow rates are slower at night, I don’t believe it uses any more bags of dialysate than short daily.
Though, obviously, using the water module at home & bags for travel only (or for folks whose water can’t be brought up to acceptable standards) will make the machine more cost-effective, which should allow more people to have access to the therapy. You also wouldn’t have to store so many supplies at home using the PureFlow, which is another plus.
i just got done training with the pureflow, and had it installed this morning.
Advantages: less boxes; if you only use 15 liters you can use 20 and up your filtration fraction; takes less time to set up each transaction.
Disadvantages: another thing to learn; there is a water filtration pak that must be replaced probably once a month, it depends on your water; takes about 6.5 hours to make 60 liters; if you have a blood leak your center will have to determine if you can return your blood, something with FDA rules, don’t quote me on that one.
i’m sure when i actually start using it at home, i’ll know more then. it’s really easy to use. the disadvantages, if thats what you want to call them are minor to me. i really like that i can use more dialystate. i was trained originally on the aksys and got kt/v ‘calculated’ of almost 3, it’s lower on nxstage 2.65. also on aksys my face had almost no acne and on nxstage i got a ton, don’t know if its the machine’s, but when i was sick before the sicker i got the worse my face/neck got. But i feel good so who knows. i don’t know if you have seen a picture of the pureflow but its a nice cabinet
matt
,
update,
i’ve now been using the new system for over a week. i at first had a problem with the conductivity,it would fail after a batch was made. nxstage sent me a new ‘console’ the computer part and i haven’t had any problems since.
the only ‘problem’ is if you get the system nxstage wants you to tell them any alarms you get. i did get a water inlet pressure low alarm when i ran the washer at the same time i was making a batch, i don’t believe that should happen since it slowly makes the dialystate.
overall, i like it. much better than bags
matt
Matt,
Do you know how much water the PureFlow uses to make a batch?
Bill
Hi Bill, its 60 - 80 liters per batch…within 6-7 hours…
It uses 100% of the water?
I think the PHD uses about a 1,000 liters of water to make 50.
If I am reading all this Nxstage stuff right, it sounds like it would be perfect for Aussies to use as most of the country seems to be permanently in drought and i think if the powers that be actually calculated how much water we nocturnals are using on Frenis and Gambros they would freak! We have many dialyzors on tank water that can’t do Nocturnal as it just ain’t raining enough as well.
Soooo I wonder when the penny will drop and they realise it might be a great system to bring down under. (Not to mention we can all then take off and go travelling around the countryside.
8)