will be taking a vacation in May and wonder if anyone has traveled with their NxStage. I really hate the idea of going to center for my dialysis but unless NxStage comes up with a plan to have a machine ready for me at my destination, along with supplies, I guess center it will be. if we were driving it may not be an issue but we are flying.
anybody done it?
Hi Spiderwoman,
I have been told by my center that NxStage is working on a travel carrying case, which would be sturdy enough to take on an airplane. I am certain that you can arrange to have the dialysate and other supplies drop shipped to you at your destination. Since you have three months to go, hopefully you will have time to make these arrangements. We have taken a couple of long weekend trips by car with the machine and all the supplies and it has worked out great.
By the way, after being on the NxStage machine for several months, I recently had a machine failure and was forced to go to my dialysis center for a treatment. That big machine was really hard on my body and left me feeling wiped out and lousy. On the positive side, NxStage overnight shipped a new machine to me and I am now back on the NxStage program.
Regards, Pattie1119
I was at a conference a year or so ago and talked with NxStage reps about traveling with their machine. They told me they took it on planes all the time and sent it through with other baggage without any problem.
Do you have someone you call at NxStage to order supplies? If so, ask what they do about shipping supplies to travel destinations and how much time they need to make these arrangements. This is what PD patients do and I would be surprised if NxStage didn’t do things the same way.
Has anyone gone on a cruise with Nxstage?
When packed in car, is there still room for stuff on family trip?
When dialyzing in motel is bed best place, chair?
Hi Jane,
when we traveled to Vegas with my NxStage machine last Thanksgiving, I found that lying on the bed was most comfortable because the chairs in the hotels generally don’t allow you to recline. We took the bedspread off the bed and covered the floor with it “just in case” we had a blood leak, and carried on just like at home. The hotel staff was very cooperative in providing large trash bags for the refuse (lots of plastic!) and once double bagged, there was no problem in their removing it from the room. We rented movies to watch and relaxed. I have taken a couple of weekend trips as well, and have done the same. Spontaneity is actually possible on dialysis!! Good luck! Pattie
Is it difficult to find room for machine and all the supplies in car when taking a family trip? I can see a couple, but what about a family?
My Mom is on Nxstage, has been for over a year. She was one of the study patients you hear about. We are planning to go to California this next week. Just received the box for the Nxstage machine.
What a joke!!! The box won’t hold the dialysate warmer, the IV pole base
and it doesn’t even have a handle to pull it along. So now my good clothes will get dirty from handling this huge box, and I will look like some bohemian carrying this box into the airport.
So I think their idea of portability is totally whacked.
Sorry to sound so negative but they really don’t have this portability thing down.
I think it’s more “transportability” than true portability.
Pierre
Can someone tell me if it is true that the larger person does NOT get as good a clearence as smaller people do. My husband weighes about 260lbs( 117K)
Our center is looking into the the fact that it has now been approved for nocturnal dialysis. We are very anxious so see how the numbers will look.
Pat
Ah wow, so that means you need to take the I.V. pole base off? That metal part where the pole is inserted?
Can you show us a picture of the box they sent you? Would really like to see it… :roll:
I was thinking the box was somewhere along the lines like this…
Ah wow, so that means you need to take the I.V. pole base off? That metal part where the pole is inserted?
Can you show us a picture of the box they sent you? Would really like to see it… :roll:
I was thinking the box was somewhere along the lines like this…
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Here is a picture of the case they sent me.
Want to let everyone know that two representatives from Nxstage have contacted me. They are really doing everything they can to help me with this situation. As for your question Gus about the base yes it does have to come off. But it is very simple to take off. Also you can take it apart so it will lay flat. I also bought a padded case for the dialysate warmer so that it can go in my luggage. There are no moving parts to the warmer but it does need some protection.
Looks like a cool nice looking stainless steel case…very rugged looking. I hope NxStage makes it more reliable by adding wheels to it and a pullout handle like the case I posted above…would be nicer that they redesign it to be able to carry the warmer along with some space for needles and small items…other than that I hope they’re reading this thread…