And although nearly a month has passed since my last entry, there has been nothing of significance happen since late March...again, unfortunately.
In fact, things have been rather dull...which is good, actually. :o)
Dialysis Weights:
28 Mar17
Starting Weight: 99.3 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.5 Kg
Water Removed: 2.80 Kg
Start BP: 195/121 End BP: 160/96
30 Mar 17
Starting Weight: 99.1 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.7 Kg
Water Removed: 2.40 Kg
Start BP: 189/106 End BP: 186/100
01 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.3 Kg
Water Removed: 3.60 Kg
Start BP: 190/106 End BP: 184/81
04 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.8 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.5 Kg
Water Removed: 3.30 Kg
Start BP: 189/108 End BP: 180/102
06 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.2 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.5 Kg
Water Removed: 2.70 Kg
Start BP: 183/94 End BP: 168/106
08 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.6 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.7 Kg
Water Removed: 2.90 Kg
Start BP: 187/112 End BP: 167/96
11 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 98.8 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.4 Kg
Water Removed: 2.40 Kg
Start BP: 193/113 End BP: 185/100
13 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.2 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.3 Kg
Water Removed: 2.90 Kg
Start BP: 177/108 End BP: 186/97
15 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 98.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.5 Kg
Water Removed: 2.40 Kg
Start BP: 197/102 End BP: 177/93
18 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.3 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.4 Kg
Water Removed: 2.90 Kg
Start BP: 192/116 End BP: 183/96
20 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.2 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.4 Kg
Water Removed: 2.80 Kg
Start BP: 183/98 End BP: 189/100
Overall, I am seeing progress on the BP front. As my weight lowers, my BP follows suit. Since progress is being made, my nephrologist is holding off on putting me back on Atenolol (for BP).
I am consistently hitting my new dry weight, and will shortly lower my target even more. What's holding me back is severe cramping. With 96.5 Kg as my target dry weight, getting close caused awful foot and leg cramps that would only evidence while I was taking my post-D sleep. It reminded me of my days running track when I was seemingly constantly wracked by leg cramps in my sleep...There's nothing like suddenly waking up, cramps seizing your calf muscles, as you cry out in pain and must do what you want least...stand up to relieve the cramping. THAT was always fun! :o(
Anyhow, I am now cramp-free for three successive treatments I will set a new lower goal of 96.00 for my dry weight on my next dialysis session. More than likely I will again have severe cramping in my feet and lower legs, which will be so much fun!
An unexpected side effect of the foot cramps was an actual injury to my L ankle. It feels like a break or severe sprain on the inside area of the ankle. However, I have not twisted my ankle, hit it, run into anything with it or dropped anything on it. The ONLY thing that has happened was severe cramping. It apparently caused something to either strain itself while it was cramping, or when I stood on my feet to relieve the cramp itself. Those cramps in my foot and ankle were pretty nasty ones, so I am not the least bit surprised with the injury. How long it affects me is a total unknown.
My latest labs came in and everything is perfect...again. (I know...it sure is tiring being perfect; but I might as well be The One, right?) ;o)
April 2017 Labs:
*Albumin (18 Apr): 4.40 g/dL (+0.10 from 21 Mar)
(A measure of Protein in the blood) NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher
*Hemoglobin (18 Apr): 9.80 G/dL (+0.10 g/dL from 21 Mar)
(A Measure of Anemia)
*Ca Corrected (04 Apr): 10.0 mg/dL (+0.20mg/dL from 07 Mar)
(A measure of Heart and Bone health) NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL
*Phosphorous (04 Apr): 3.80 mg/dL (-0.80 mg/dL from 07 Mar)
(High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones) NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL
*PTH Intact (18 Apr): 511 pg/mL (+23 pg/mL 21 Mar)
(A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health) NR 150 to 600 pg/mL
*K+ (18 Apr): 5.4 mEq/L (+0.20 mEq/L from 21 Mar)
(Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well) NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L
*spKdt/V Dialysis (04 Mar): 1.78 (-0.03 from 07 Mar)
(A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.) NR 1.20 or Higher
15 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 98.9 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.5 Kg
Water Removed: 2.40 Kg
Start BP: 197/102 End BP: 177/93
18 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.3 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.4 Kg
Water Removed: 2.90 Kg
Start BP: 192/116 End BP: 183/96
20 Apr 17
Starting Weight: 99.2 Kg
Ending Weight: 96.4 Kg
Water Removed: 2.80 Kg
Start BP: 183/98 End BP: 189/100
Overall, I am seeing progress on the BP front. As my weight lowers, my BP follows suit. Since progress is being made, my nephrologist is holding off on putting me back on Atenolol (for BP).
I am consistently hitting my new dry weight, and will shortly lower my target even more. What's holding me back is severe cramping. With 96.5 Kg as my target dry weight, getting close caused awful foot and leg cramps that would only evidence while I was taking my post-D sleep. It reminded me of my days running track when I was seemingly constantly wracked by leg cramps in my sleep...There's nothing like suddenly waking up, cramps seizing your calf muscles, as you cry out in pain and must do what you want least...stand up to relieve the cramping. THAT was always fun! :o(
Anyhow, I am now cramp-free for three successive treatments I will set a new lower goal of 96.00 for my dry weight on my next dialysis session. More than likely I will again have severe cramping in my feet and lower legs, which will be so much fun!
An unexpected side effect of the foot cramps was an actual injury to my L ankle. It feels like a break or severe sprain on the inside area of the ankle. However, I have not twisted my ankle, hit it, run into anything with it or dropped anything on it. The ONLY thing that has happened was severe cramping. It apparently caused something to either strain itself while it was cramping, or when I stood on my feet to relieve the cramp itself. Those cramps in my foot and ankle were pretty nasty ones, so I am not the least bit surprised with the injury. How long it affects me is a total unknown.
My latest labs came in and everything is perfect...again. (I know...it sure is tiring being perfect; but I might as well be The One, right?) ;o)
April 2017 Labs:
*Albumin (18 Apr): 4.40 g/dL (+0.10 from 21 Mar)
(A measure of Protein in the blood) NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher
*Hemoglobin (18 Apr): 9.80 G/dL (+0.10 g/dL from 21 Mar)
(A Measure of Anemia)
*Ca Corrected (04 Apr): 10.0 mg/dL (+0.20mg/dL from 07 Mar)
(A measure of Heart and Bone health) NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL
*Phosphorous (04 Apr): 3.80 mg/dL (-0.80 mg/dL from 07 Mar)
(High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones) NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL
*PTH Intact (18 Apr): 511 pg/mL (+23 pg/mL 21 Mar)
(A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health) NR 150 to 600 pg/mL
*K+ (18 Apr): 5.4 mEq/L (+0.20 mEq/L from 21 Mar)
(Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well) NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L
*spKdt/V Dialysis (04 Mar): 1.78 (-0.03 from 07 Mar)
(A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.) NR 1.20 or Higher
Fluid taken in between treatments (Tx's) has been behaving for the most part, going to my extremities as needed so that my diaphragm remains relatively unencumbered. I still have to be very careful about laying down too much, opting to sleep in either a sitting or semi-recumbent position most of the time. The lone exception is my post-D nap. I can sleep in laying down for as long as my body wants to sleep.
Speaking of that, I am sleeping a bit better the past week. My post-D nap averaged about five hours last week (up from approx. 3.5 hours), and my naps were all of better quality and longer durations. It has really helped my waking energy level to actually get better sleep...imagine that!
My appetite remains iffy, at best. I don't try to force myself to eat anything particular, nor to eat anything that doesn't sound good. This has allowed me to keep what poor appetite I have on any given day so that I get at least some food every day and can keep what energy I have.
Today--as I type this entry--is a very rough day. I slept furtively, at best, with looping dreams, and could not find a comfortable position to sleep in because my diaphragm is just a touch constricted, and most positions I sit in make it worse, which means I get to stand up a lot in the middle of the night. Because of all of that I am tired, uncomfortable, have restricted breathing, poor appetite, increased nausea...
I try not to complain, nor to think my way to a bad day; but a challenging day lay ahead, and being positive is going to be more difficult than usual. :o(
Just one day to go before dialysis...
Because of how I'm feeling I am going to wrap this up.
Stay strong!
Stay positive!
Continue moving forward with certainty and conviction!
Good Health to All!
ScottW
