I have seen this talked about alot, just wondering what it is. Or is that just the name of the machine? Is it different to your normal HD machine? This is probly a really dumb question, but Ive never heard of it before.
Hence the name NxStage, its like saying Next Stage… 
get it? enuff of that lol…
Basicly, its just the brand name of the machine. Different in some ways yes but same in terms of keeping your blood clean.
You can see the NxStage machine – and all of the other home hemo and PD machines in the U.S. market on Home Dialsysis central, under Dialysis Equipment at http://www.homedialysis.org/v1/equipment/.
You can see me using it here on my blogging site…later down the road will provide maybe a video a or two…
Wow those machines are all more fancy than ours. Im on the AK95 Gambro machine.
The NxStage machine is so small!!! Does it still need all the water hoses and all that?? It mentions its portable!
I remember the AK95 Gambro machine, used it 3 times at a campsite up in New York…was about 13 years old at that time.
NxStage needs one power receptable, and a nearby drain…currently, am also using bagged dialysate but that will end sometime this year in place of an addon that will create the dialysate at home, so I am hoping that works well…time will tell.
Because NxStage doesn’t need so much resources you can move it from one place to another, or even travel for a few days away from home.
I am hoping more and more dialysis machine companies will take the path on designing smaller dialysis machines for home use. I think the future holds promising inventions, its truly time for change now.
So your saying theres no need for the filtered water set up?? You just use dialysate?
Currently, no. That’s right, just dialysate…shipped in 5liter bags each. I use 3 per treatment.
However, like I said…there’s a new addon device that will be put in use that will create 60-80 liters of dialysate in 8 hours…all in your home…in the size of common end tables out there…so I think that will contain an R.O system…
I really don’t know the facts on how it works as I don’t have anu information yet, but I do know that bagged dialysate will still be used for traveling…
Wow that would be great if you want to travel. We dont have anything like that here at the moment.
Perhaps if you spread the word out there and tell more people about this website and forum chances are more interest will build on for smaller dialysis machines…just let all yourt Drs and clinical staff know about it… 
Im sure they already do know! But the cost involved would be the problem.
Home dialysis, even w/ NxStage, if far cheaper, many thousands of $$$ cheaper, after the initial investment, for the center and for Medicare/Medicaid than in center dialysis. I don’t remember the exact figures but I can look for them if you want.
Lorelle
There are people like Prof Agar looking into the logistics of getting smaller machines into Australia at the moment. Obviously it is not going to happen overnight. It would also have to go through Aussie regulatory bodies and then there is the problem of do they set up as part of the Aussie public health system or start doen the private path of the US.
I think the initial investment could be part of the problem. Obviously I dont know this for a fact, but our public health system badly needs more funding.
There are people like Prof Agar looking into the logistics of getting smaller machines into Australia at the moment. Obviously it is not going to happen overnight. It would also have to go through Aussie regulatory bodies and then there is the problem of do they set up as part of the Aussie public health system or start doen the private path of the US.[/quote]
Definately, those things really take time…dang, basicly just alot of headaches and paper work… :?
Hey Amber - I’ve talked to Lionel & Leslie about the NxStage. Leslie says she believes one of hte SYdney hospitals have some NxStages ‘on trial’.
I suspect we won;t get them in any numbers over here, until the “NxStage II” has come about &/or rival companies have produced donw-sized models to compete with it. Nice to look forward too tho, eh?? 
Ooo well thats a little bit promising then I guess. My main stress at the moment is testing the dang water :oops:
If we dont need to use water then that would be great. It doesnt use water does it? Hmm, that would put leslie out of a job :?