I stumbled on this site this morning, and it’s all so interesting. My husband is on dialysis - goes to a clinic. He was going to start PD, but 1 week after having the access put in, I had to rush him to the hospital. We thought it was infected - ended up having emergency AAA surgery. The Dr had to take the cath out. Now, we are waiting to hear when he can have a scan to see if he has a lot of scar tissue. He would love to be in control of his own dialysis. Does not like - or trust- the techs at his clinic now. Had his fistula done in April, and he hasn’t had 2 needles used yet. Hasn’t even gone a whole week where they got one needle in right. But, anyway, I’d heard about this nocturnal dialysis and told him about it - sounds like a solution. But, how do we go about finding a clinic or whatever to try it. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. We live in the Baltimore, MD area.
Kathy in Md
Hi Kathy, there is a clickable link on the main page, along the left called “FIND A CENTER” . Three centers are listed as offering conventional home hemo, none offering nocturnal but don’t get discouraged maybe you could pioneer a program. I’d start with the three. Have you seen the info on the button hole technique on this site? Would your husband like to learn to do his own sticks?
Hi Kathy,
Welcome to Home Dialysis Central! We’re glad you found us. Like Bill says, you can search the Home Dialysis Central database for nocturnal dialysis clinics by checking just that box. You can search by state at the same time or opt to search for all states by not selecting a state.
There are 73 clinics nationwide that do nocturnal home hemodialysis. Looking at the whole list can help you figure out which one is closest to your home. Call the clinic and talk with the staff. Make an appointment to meet with the training nurse to see if you think you’d feel comfortable there.
There are no clinics in MD or DC that offer nocturnal home hemodialysis right now, but like Bill says, you could be a nocturnal home hemodialysis pioneer in MD.
Fresenius Medical Care, the largest dialysis corporation, has 48 clinics that offer nocturnal hemodialysis nationally. There is a Fresenius clinic in Waldorf, MD. This clinic offers conventional home hemodialysis. You might consider asking this clinic if it would consider starting a nocturnal home hemodialysis program. It should be easier to get a Fresenius clinic that trains patients for conventional home hemodialysis to consider starting a nocturnal program because there are others in the corporation that have done this successfully.
No matter what, even if the clinic you choose is not nearby, once training is done, how far you live from the clinic may not be a big deal since you only have to go back and forth for clinic appointments about once a month.
Please keep us informed of your progress.
Hello Kathy-
I called Waldorf. The coordinator told me they only do training- they do not actually provide services. Unacceptable to have this on the website as a provider. There is a difference!!!
Hopefully Baltimore/DC Metro dialysis centers will soon offer nocturnal dialysis. I am really interested in the fact that this area doesn’t. From my travels, I have noticed that the dialysis pop is younger, more likely to work & educated.
I myself am interested in nocturnal dialysis in Washington DC Metro Area, and know of at least three other capable dialysis patients that would be excellent candidates. Someday…
Kathy- if you are able to travel to Philadelphia (apx 2 hours away) Davita has a nocturnal/ short daily program.
Merribeth
Hi Merribeth,
Thank you for alerting us to the possibility that Waldorf may not have an active home hemodialysis program. As with other corporate clinics, we received information about what this clinic offers for home dialysis from its corporate office, in this case, Fresenius Medical Care.
When we called clinics, we asked to talk with home trainining nurses and asked if clinics trained patients. We thought it was important to ask clinics if they trained patients to make a distinction between those that are actively training or interested in training from those that are following patients that may have been trained years ago and the clinic has no interest in training any more patients.
Medicare regulations require that clinics that are certifed to train patients also help patients get equipment and supplies as well as support those patients. The clinic may do all of this under Method I or they may provide support services (nursing, nutrition, and social work) only and help patients contract with a supply company under Method II. If Waldorf does indeed train patients, I would be very surprised to learn that the clinic doesn’t also provide support services and at least help people get the home hemodialysis equipment they need. The clinic may not have contracts with every equipment supplier so unfortunately patients may not be able to get the exact machine they want.
Today when I called the Waldorf clinic to find out what treatments are available there, the charge nurse suggested I call tomorrow to talk with the nurse manager. She said she didn’t know what their clinic offers for home dialysis. I will call tomorrow and edit the clinic’s record on the database if needed. If this clinic does offer home hemodialysis, it may use Fresenius machines. You can read about these machines from the Equipment and Products link on the home page.
Finally, my best advice to patients who are calling clinics to find out what they offer for home dialysis is to talk with the home training nurse, the nurse manager, or the administrator. Some clinics refer to their home training nurse as “the PD nurse” even though this nurse may train patients to do home hemo too. If you talk with anyone else you may or may not get accurate information.
I talked with the home training nurse (Christine) at FMC-Waldorf today. She assured me that she trains patients to do home hemodialysis and the clinic has a patient doing home hemodialysis now. She said that the clinic provides the home hemodialysis machine and supplies that patients need to do hemodialysis at home, and that the clinic provides nursing, dietitian, and social work services to support patients doing home hemodialysis. Christine works at the clinic every day and is willing to answer questions about FMC-Waldorf’s home hemodialysis program.
We want people to get correct information when they call clinics. Therefore, we now have a tip on the Search for a Clinic page that suggests that callers ask for the home dialysis nurse. If this person isn’t there, find out when you should call back to talk with him/her.
Yes, I think all patients who are looking for a home dialysis center would benefit from a tips section, or at the least questions to ask, such as:
What modalities do they offer?
How many home dialysis trainers do they have. and (depending on local regs) are they nurses (what type) or Techs…
How many patients are trained at the same time?
Who does lab work?
Am I am responsible for disinfecting the RO (if used)?
Who is the biotech support, how is it provided?
Does the center provide monitoring for nocturnal dialysis? If not what safety measures are in place?
If there is a problem, is there an 800 number to call, if not who do you call?
What equipment does the center provide?
How many patients are in the center? How many in the home program (if different)
What supplies are provided by the center? If not provided directly by center, who is the company, how often are orders placed?
These are just some of the questions that I ask. I have notices that when I specifically ask for the HOME DIALYSIS NURES, HOME HEMO COORDINATOR, or HOME HEMO COORDINATOR, a lot of times the dialysis staff that answers the phone does not know where to send me. I usually end up talking with the PD nurse, (which I did at Waldorf) or even the facility administrator. It is sad that many centers do not even educate their staff on what modalities they offer. I know the center I am at makes a dedicated effort to educate all their staff. I chose this center after two other centers that quite frankly were no where near the level of my current center. It is a shame I am moving.
To move this conversation in another direction. Is anyone aware of a group of home patients that possibly are organizing to educate other (in center, and PD patients) on the medicare bills in congress? I will be speaking at the local NKF meeting in a few weeks (on home dialysis) and am preparing a a briefing on the history of HR 1004 and what we can do to help it along… Also I was hoping to have a draft of a booklet I am putting together on Home Hemodialysis. A friend who is on PD and I are putting it together. I am looking for input from other patients on the Congressional records on Medicare/dialysis issues and tips and hints for home dialysis- trading spaces stuff- like how to arrange your room for nocturnal, short daily advice, etc.
Merribeth, If you would e-mail me at Marty1@infoblvd.net your address I’ll send you pictures of our nocturnal setup.
Merribeth be sure to remind people that HR 1004 (and all legislation for that matter ) will need to be reintroduced in the next Congress and they’ll get new numbers. I’m sure the Kidney Patient Daily Dialysis Quality Act of 2003 will be reintroduced in the 109th Congress; let’s hope a companion Bill gets inttroduced in the Senate.
This time around there wasn’t a Senate version, I think in the 107th John Kerry introduced the companion Bill.
Hi y’all,
Woohoo, I just figured out the quote function! 
Marty, the photos of your set-up are now posted along with the story of your dad. Just scroll down to the bottom to see them.
Hi,
I would like to introcuced myself. My name is Jacek (yatzek) I’m Polish - Canadian living in Vancouver, BC Canada. I start my HD in november 2003, since 25 of jan. 2005 I’m on Home HD, This is a brand new program in BC, I’m one of the first 15 peoples dializing at home.
I’m very glad to be able to read this forum.
Jacek
Hi Jacek,
Welcome to the group, we’re happy to have you here! Which type of home HD are you doing? How many days a week? At night, or during the day?
Dori
Hello Kathy,
welcome aboard! We have free potato chips, free chocolate milk, and best of all free smiles!..umm, forget about the snaks…heh :lol:
Happy Valentines Day! :oops:
Say, Gus, how do you like the new home page? Or do you skip to the message boards?
Hiya there, are you the webmaster to this site? Anyway, looks very good, the buttonhole tutorial on the frontpage is an eye catcher…
Most of the time I go directly to forums…it’s the place to be really… :roll:
Hi Dori,
nocturnal, 6 night per week, 8 hour per night.
This is any standard in BC. Generally this is a new program in BC, the only other province in Canada where dome HD are avialiable is Ontario. In BC home program starts on november 2004.
We have free medical, so everybody who whant to be on this program can have its own machine at home. I have Gambro AK95 S.
What about you?
jacek
I just found this site this morning. My husband is the Home Hemodialysis patient out of Waldorf/Leonardtown FMC Clinic. We have being doing home hemo since February of 2003. It is the best thing we have done for my husbands care. I would like to hear about other home hemo patients and hear about how their care givers deal with things. Thanks so much and I’m glad I found this site. Kathy in Lexington Park, MD
Hello there klamos, I feel the same way, doing dialysis at home is really a good feeling. At first we were nervous but after sometime doing it it’s simply wonderful…there’s no other place like home where your i charge of your life and decision making. Schedules are flexible and of course the kitchen is not far from you!.. 
This is something I recommend the capable dialysis patient to do…