TY Beth, Although I’m in NJ am also near borders of PA (Matamoris in Norhern PA is about 1 hr. away) and NY (Orange County) border is only five mins. from my home. The problem is that secondary ins. will only pay if in NJ. I’ve had two ins. co’s since starting dialysis three years ago and they didn’t even have in-network providers so had to go through a whole process before they would pay any of my dialysis costs. Insurance can be part of the problem too, and I wonder how much that plays in the reason for more units not offering home hemo. at least in some areas.
I live in Sussex County NW NJ and as of yet have not found any units offering anything but pd… Any offering home hemo are very far away from where I live. I was pleased however when I did a search here that the unit I’m at is listed and the info. is up to date! Lin.
Hi Dori !
Hey I was searching either Boulder, Denver or even Colorado for Home Hemo on the Data Base and came up with Zippity-Do-Dah !
I have a hard time believing that there is no home hemo in Colorado…
got any ideas …is there more a trick to the search than city, state?
Thanks,
Guillaume
Hey, Guillaume, welcome back!
Yes, there IS a trick to finding home hemo in the Denver area–or anywhere else. Our database is set up by city, so if a clinic isn’t in the particular city you check, you won’t find it, unless you:
• Look at our coverage maps to see if there is anything in the region you’re searching http://www.homedialysis.org/v1/types/maps.shtml. We’ll show you a 120-mile radius around each site
• Search for the whole state and then look at what might be closest
So, I peeked at our maps, and there is conventional home hemo (though not daily or nocturnal) in the greater Denver area. A couple of thoughts about that:
• A clinic that already offers conventional home hemo may be willing to add daily or nocturnal if patients ask for them.
• Part of the reason we developed these maps is to see where the coverage gaps are, so companies that are thinking of adding a program can serve a new area, rather than just adding another program to a place that is already well-served.
Hope that helps!
I have all our supplies in their own compartments, that are labeled. I bought 3 sets of clear three drawers makeup bins for the small items, that can be pulled as needed. BUT THE BEST THING I did was to make an “On” and an “off” zipper pack with everything we use for set up and take off. So, all I have to do each day is grab each pack and put them on the treatment table and get going. The other best thing I did was to purchase two chrome emisis (small) basins and a tiny chrome Mayo tray so that my prepared supplies for the arterial and venous cath connections can go into their own basin, the whole thing goes on Mom’s lap, and, I hung a chain on a swivel overhead lamp so that Mr. Peanut is hanging right there, over her. When I sit down to clean and connect, everything is there, within reach so I can get her on and off with ease.
I know this is primarily a US based site, but I also know we have UK and international posters.
For the UK.
Training for home dialysis usually takes place in unit, and can be anything between 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on your progress.
Visits will be made by hospital and contractors to your dwelling to check out suitability of your dialysis space.
Usually there’s a choice of NXstage or another ‘standard’ machine, Gambro, Fresenius etc.
Hospitals may pay for part of or all of the installation, flooring/chair, delivery of machine.
Arrangment of stock delivery and clinical waste collection will need to be arranged. Clinical waste seems to differ from area to area, with some authorities having a ‘yellow bag’ collection, and collecting sharps. Others not or collecting bags but not sharps bins.
The main delivery companies seem to be Fresnius, Baxter and Kimal (for NXstage)
You may need to inform the the Benefits office (DWP) of your change of circumstances, and the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)
If you receive local social services help its worth letting them know as well.
Most home dialysis patients in the UK get some reciprocal funding back from their hospital towards bills/water/electric.
Contact with hospitals is usually by phone/email etc with a dedicated HHD team, with routine clinic appointments every 3 months, or frequently if required. Some units use skype/facetime to communicate with HHD patients.
Initial home visits from HHD staff for the first 6 months are usually done to ensure wellbeing of patients and carers (if applicable)
Thank you for sharing this information. I hope it’s helpful for our UK members.
Thank you so much for this information.
I’m coming up to the time I may need dyalysis and am thinking of doing home hemo.
Hope you all are as well as you can be.
Rose
I would like to share about Why you should try home dialysis?
Home dialysis is possible for most people, but awareness about this treatment option is not very significant among kidney patients in our country. Home dialysisis possible for most people, but awareness about this treatment option is not very significant among kidney patients in our country. All kidney patients are not fit for home hemodialysis. It is usually the nephrologist who decides if a patient is fit for home dialysis. Home dialysis, thus helps a patient carry on the life he/she was used to pre-dialysis. Home hemodialysis has been seen to improve a patient’s quality of life with fewer hospitalizations and complications.
To contact a nephrologist at DaVita you may call us at 9740426060
Thank you for sharing this information for any people from India who read this message board. It’s important for patients with kidney disease to learn early about the options for treatment available in their country/area. They can do this on the full Home Dialysis Central site at www.homedialysiis.org and on Kidney School at www.kidneyschool.org, which has multiple modules including one on treatment options. Although doctors often approve patients as candidates for home HD and PD, unless doctors know that patients are informed and are willing to take on the responsibility of a home treatment, doctors will think that the default treatment option of in-center HD is best for their patients. So if you’re interested in home dialysis (HD or PD), learn about it and speak up to your doctor. Being assertive can work.
Hi there
I do NHD 8 hour sessions on my wife 3x a week. I do sharp needles in the fistula using different areas every time. We use a hospital bed. Her arm gets painful virtually every time and she has to take pain medication. Strange thing is it’s often not painful where the needle penatrates the skin but randomly at different places, more like a sinew pain.
People say it is all about the position of the arm but we tried every possible position that her position would permit but as soon as the pain starts, we found that the pain medication is the only outcome.
We use a hand operated door bell if she wants to call me and I use small blood detectors underneath the needle to warn me of possible dislodged needles
Thank you
Gerrit
How long has she had the fistula and how long has she been doing hemodialysis? Has she talked with her nephrologist or consulted the surgeon who created the fistula about the pain, its location and severity? There can be nerve involvement when a fistula is created. Has she had a nerve conduction study to see how the fistula if affecting nearby nerves? Some people complain of pain and tingling in their arm or hand because blood is being shunted away from below the fistula. If this is the case, it can be corrected to allow blood to flow to the lower arm and hand. I’d suggest reporting this ASAP to avoid long-term problems and pain.
Thank you for the reply
Thank you will look into that. She on HD for four years. Will take it up with dr.
GdP.
thanks for sharing this , its very useful
I have a set of photos of my home heamo setup here : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.116067695150.201672.778645150&type=1&l=02a3b3a45b
Based in UK…
Might be useful to some:)
Husband was worried too, but we love it now. Sleep all night. Tap needles like instructed and add a couple extra for wrist and tubs to be stable. You won’t toss and turn much. After a few nights its easy… (Partner or you may need ear plugs machine sounds like diesel engine in your room.) then the blood detector beeping all nite Husband feels much better. sure frees up your day.