So I am new to this forum and to CKD, dialysis, PD and all. It looks like I am at the stage where my neph is wanting me to start diaylsis and is recommending PD. I am wondering from those who have been down this road, what is the timeline from the time one has the catheter implanted, healing time, learning the PD manual and machine methods? Im sure each person is different in their experience, Im just trying to figure out how to approach my employer with some sort of time frame, that I would be away from work.
It takes about 2 to 3 weeks from the surgery to start PD (for healing). The training usually takes about one week. The dialysis starts on the first day of the training. These are about the standard timeline.
I started training one week after surgery. I went in 1-2 hours 1-2 days/week (depending on my PD nurse’s schedule). I was told it would take about 4-6 weeks for cath surgery to heal before starting treatment. So yeah really no rush. At 4weeks I was told it was time to start, my creatinine had gone up a bit.
As far as going back to work is concern it depends on what type of work you do. I know a couple people who have desk jobs went back to work a week post surgery.
Since my job depends on lots of lifting I took 11 weeks off just to make sure incision was completely healed.