Waste line flushing

Is this true you must Flush waste line weekly on pure flow?

it depends on you, i flush mine about every 3 weeks, an depends on your waste too. just keep an eye out on your waste line on the pure flow and if it started to show alot of think whiteness, its time to flush it. I usually put 1 cap of bleach to full glass of water, then pump it in the line, wait about 10 to 15 mins then put in another glass of water without bleach to flush the line, use the whole glass of water.

That’s a lot every three weeks. Oh I found out it needs to be every week. I just got home after training home hemodialysis there’s a lot to take in my brain is overwhelmed. So today was the first time we’re using the pure flow because we’ve been using the dialysate bags in the center. It’s been a month since we were able to use pure flow. My husband had to read the book today because he couldn’t remember. The dialysate bags have to be tested every three months. Now that I have you could I ask you another question? I’m experiencing a lot of gas is that normal for a dialysis patient? Do you have that and if you do what do you take for it?
Thank you for answering me.

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A friend who used to work for NxStage told me that the instructions say to flush the PureFlow drain line monthly, but she said all the clinical nurses working for NxStage recommended flushing the drain line weekly.

I’m a social worker, not a doctor. In response to your other post, I suggested that you talk with your nephrologist and GI doctor as well as your dietitian about your symptoms to determine if other testing is needed. Often people on dialysis have GI issues like constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain and bloating. Most patients take stool softeners to keep their bowels moving. Gas-X is an over-the-counter drug that is supposed to relieve bloating. I wouldn’t take it without talking with your nephrologist first.

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OK thank you just wasn’t sure.

that once every 3 weeks. some say once a week some say once a mth, it all depends on the person and if it works for you.

Hi, this is my first time to respond to any inquiry. I’ve used the forum to answer some of my own questions since the very end of 2014 when my dad began dialysis. And actually, it was probably more towards the end of 2015 to beginning 2016 when I utilized the forum when my dad began doing home treatment. In short, my dad began as in-center hemo and progressed to manual exchanges at home and then to PD until January of 2020 when it was determined that he has congestive heart failure requiring both aortic & mitral valve replacements. Post cardiac surgery it was determined that he should no longer use his peritoneal cavity and he resumed in-center treatment until the end of January of this year. At the beginning of February this year, we spent 3-4 weeks in-center training for home hemo. Home hemo is much gentler on the heart which made my dad a perfect candidate for home hemo. I am my dad’s care partner and do everything including ordering, inventory, organizing, setups, breakdowns, needle sticks, sterilization & maintenance. Somewhat time consuming but nowhere near as much as it appears on paper (or computer screen). As can be seen, we’ve experienced most applications of dialysis and I hope to be of assistance to anyone who seeks it.

Quick flashback to when my dad was on PD: I was frequently concerned that his waste line would slip off of the toilet during the night. It didn’t matter that I used enough duct tape each night to immobilize a cow. I just always worried about it. Ultimately, I found that I could route the line down into the sink overflow and this seemed better. However, in short time I began to detect this stench that was nauseating. It was while brushing my teeth that it hit me. I finally decided to clean that overflow hole with bleach and a thick brush that I could fit all the way through. What I discovered was the buildup of what I would consider to be excreted fat content from the waste line. It was horrible. After completely cleaning that overflow drain and sterilizing it several times this all new sense of total security in duct taping the waste line to the commode come over me. It was amazing how that happened. My point here is that what comes from the waste line is just that: waste. If it collects, it’s gonna stink!

Fast forward to February of this year. We’re now doing home hemo. Now the drain line leaves the machine, I have both lines routed through the walls from my dad’s bedroom to the bathroom. The drain line connects to the “J” pipe under the sink (surprisingly before the water lock that prevents odors from escaping the sewer pipes into your home which will allow odors to be detected, especially if using the sink during treatment). I was inspired to register and respond to this inquiry as this was my experience tonight, washing my hands while my dad is in treatment.

It’s recommended to flush the line monthly. I’m just going to guess that following this routine, your house will probably stink. Some flush weekly. I flush every 2-3 treatments. It has never been frowned upon and I avoid odor almost completely. Tonight however, because yesterday was his day off, waste has been sitting in the line for around 48 hours. I suggest that when waste sits in the line for a period of time, all of that fat and other content begins to develop a nauseating stench. For this reason, I flush generally 2x weekly. Call it overboard or overachieving- either way, I don’t want the odor at all. So for what it’s worth, recommendation is monthly. I prefer and suggest twice weekly. I use a dedicated 2 cup measuring cup. I add bleach, more than a cup full. I use a 60cc syringe with a female/female adaptor and load all 2 cups into the line. Maybe 20 to 30 minutes later I repeat with fresh water. It’s a done deal.

I’m sorry for the long type up but I do hope this helps someone.

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once in 1 or 2 weeks
but it personally depends on you

If you’re asking about the PureFlow, a friend who used to work for NxStage told me that the instructions say to flush the PureFlow drain line monthly, but she said all the clinical nurses working for NxStage recommended flushing the drain line weekly.

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